ETH Excellence Scholarship and Opportunity Programme
The ETH Excellence Scholarship (ESOP) is one of the most prestigious Master's awards in continental Europe — a CHF 12,000 per semester living stipend plus a full tuition fee waiver, awarded to roughly the top 10% of ETH's international Master's applicants. ETH Zürich is consistently ranked among the world's top 10 universities, particularly strong in engineering, computer science, mathematics, physics, and architecture. Sri Lankan applicants with first-class engineering or science degrees and demonstrated research output are competitive for ESOP — though admission alone to ETH is the bigger filter.
Autumn Semester 2027 application window: 1 November 2026 – 15 December 2026
ETH Zürich
University-funded
emoji_events Award Overview
Value
Full Tuition + CHF 12,000/sem
Duration
Up to 2 Years (Master's)
Awards
Around 70 per Year (ESOP)
info How this award actually works
Who awards it
ETH Zürich — not Lanka Scholar. We are not the awarding body and cannot grant, reserve or guarantee this award.
How you are considered
Through your admission application. Awards like this are usually assessed automatically from the application you already submit — there is typically no separate scholarship form to fill in.
What it covers
Full Tuition + CHF 12,000 / Semester Stipend. This is a reduction in tuition, not a full ride. You still fund the remainder, plus living costs and the balance your visa requires you to show.
Where we come in
We make the admission application strong enough to be competitive — course choice, documents, references and deadlines. The funder makes the decision.
fact_check Eligibility Criteria
Application to an ETH Master's Programme
You must be applying to a Master's programme at ETH Zürich for Autumn Semester start. The scholarship is offered alongside the regular Master's admissions application — there is no separate scholarship form, but you must tick the ESOP consideration box.
Top 10% of Applicant Pool
ESOP is awarded to the strongest 10% of international Master's applicants by academic record. Most Sri Lankan recipients have a first-class honours degree (often with multiple publications or significant research projects) from Moratuwa, Colombo, or Peradeniya, or a Bachelor's from a top global university.
Open to All Nationalities
ESOP is open to international students of any nationality, including Swiss residents who completed their Bachelor's outside Switzerland. Sri Lankan citizens applying from Sri Lanka are eligible.
English Proficiency
Most ETH Master's programmes are taught in English. The English requirement is typically C1 (CEFR) — equivalent to IELTS 7.0+ or TOEFL iBT 100+. German is required only for certain programmes (e.g. architecture).
account_tree Application Process
Apply for the Master's by 15 December
Submit your ETH Master's application via the eApply portal between 1 November and 15 December. The single application covers both admission and ESOP consideration.
Tick the ESOP consideration box
Within the application, indicate that you wish to be considered for the Excellence Scholarship. Submit two referee letters (typically from research supervisors), a 1-2 page motivation letter for the scholarship, and a research-focused CV.
Department + central review
Your application is reviewed by the academic department, which ranks applicants for both admission and ESOP. The strongest are forwarded to the central ETH Scholarships Office. Outcomes are typically released in April–May for Autumn Semester start.
Accept and arrange visa
Successful applicants accept the scholarship and arrange the Swiss D-visa (national visa for stays >90 days). The stipend is paid monthly across the 4 semesters of the Master's, contingent on satisfactory academic progress.
Why ETH Zürich?
ETH Zürich is consistently a top-10 university globally and is widely regarded as continental Europe's leading institution for engineering and the natural sciences. 22 Nobel Laureates count among its alumni and faculty, including Albert Einstein. Switzerland's high standard of living, central European location, and tightly-knit international Master's cohorts make it a top destination for ambitious Sri Lankan engineers.
#7
QS World Ranking 2026
22
Nobel Laureates
~70
ESOP Awards per Year
Looking for a scholarship because of the cost?
Then start here instead. Scholarships are competitive, usually partial, and decided by someone else — they are the least reliable way to make studying abroad affordable. Your destination and course choice move the number far more, and both are entirely within your control.
Work out your real number
Tuition, living costs, visa funds and flights for your destination — so you know the gap you are actually trying to close.
Open the cost calculator arrow_forwardSort courses by lowest fee
The full catalogue, cheapest tuition first. Changing course or country saves far more than most awards are worth.
Browse lowest-fee courses arrow_forwardWhat Switzerland actually costs
Tuition, living costs and the total first-year figure for Switzerland, in LKR as well as local currency.
See the cost breakdown arrow_forwardCheck your proof of funds
Every student visa requires you to show funds. Find out what you need before you commit to an application.
Check the requirement arrow_forwardSimilar Scholarships
Other curated opportunities for Sri Lankan students.
EPFL Excellence Fellowships
EPFL (École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne)
University of Geneva Excellence Master Fellowship
University of Geneva
Graduate Institute Geneva (IHEID) Scholarship
Geneva Graduate Institute (IHEID)