Intro
Switzerland combines low public-university tuition with some of the highest living costs in Europe — so the scholarship, not the fee, usually decides whether a master’s there is affordable. For a 2027 start, the three awards Pakistani applicants ask about most are ETH Zurich’s Excellence Scholarship & Opportunity Programme (ESOP), EPFL’s Master Excellence Fellowships, and the University of Lausanne (UNIL) Master’s Scholarship. This guide compares what each one actually pays, who can apply, and when to apply — plus the costs no scholarship fully removes — with every key figure checked against the university’s own page.
Key points
- ETH ESOP (2027 start): CHF 13,500 per semester from autumn 2027 + full tuition-fee waiver, for the regular duration of the master’s (3–4 semesters). About 60 awards. Apply 1–30 November 2026.
- EPFL Master Excellence Fellowship: CHF 10,000 per semester + guaranteed housing. Apply in the first master’s application window: 15 December (external applicants via IS-Academia) or 31 January (EPFL students moving to a consecutive master’s).
- UNIL Master’s Scholarship: CHF 1,600 per month (see our companion UNIL guide). It helps substantially but does not cover full living costs — budget a gap.
- The Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships do NOT fund ordinary master’s degrees for Pakistan (they fund PhD/research stays for people who already hold a master’s). Do not confuse them with the university awards above.
- Tuition at public universities is low by international standards, but living costs of roughly CHF 1,850–2,200 a month dominate the budget. Plan for both.
Table of contents
- The three master’s scholarships at a glance
- ETH Zurich ESOP — eligibility, funding, deadline
- EPFL Master Excellence Fellowships — eligibility, funding, deadline
- UNIL Master’s Scholarship — what to know
- What the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships do (and do not) cover
- What a master’s in Switzerland really costs in 2027
- Application timeline: 2027 start
- Documents checklist
- Common mistakes that lose strong applications
- FAQs
- Sources
1. The three master’s scholarships at a glance
| Scholarship | Funding (2027 start) | Tuition | Who it suits | Application window |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ETH Zurich ESOP | CHF 13,500 per semester | Full waiver | Top-10% bachelor’s graduates applying to an ETH consecutive master’s | 1–30 Nov 2026 (with the master’s application) |
| EPFL Master Excellence Fellowship | CHF 10,000 per semester + guaranteed housing | Not waived — check EPFL’s fee schedule (see Costs) | Outstanding bachelor’s graduates with strong extracurriculars | First master’s window: 15 Dec (external) / 31 Jan (EPFL internal) |
| UNIL Master’s Scholarship | CHF 1,600 per month | UNIL tuition is CHF 500 per semester (2026/27) | Strong graduates applying to a UNIL master’s | See companion UNIL guide for the current cycle dates |
2. ETH Zurich ESOP — eligibility, funding, deadline
What it is: ETH Zurich’s Excellence Scholarship & Opportunity Programme supports excellent master’s students (not MAS — Master of Advanced Studies — programmes) with a scholarship, mentorship and a network of the ETH Foundation. ETH states the scholarship covers the full study and living costs during the master’s degree course.
Funding: a grant for living and study expenses of CHF 13,500 per semester from autumn semester 2027 onwards (CHF 12,000 for earlier cohorts), plus a tuition-fee waiver. It is awarded for the regular duration of the master’s (three or four semesters). About 60 ESOP scholarships are assigned for the 2027/28 academic year; decisions are communicated at the end of March.
Eligibility (all must hold):
- You are applying for an eligible consecutive master’s programme at ETH Zurich (not already enrolled in an ETH master’s, and you do not already hold a master’s degree).
- A very good bachelor’s result — top 10% of your bachelor’s programme, equivalent to grade A (self-assessed on the ETH page).
- You meet the admission requirements of your chosen master’s programme.
- Extra ESOP documents: an original pre-proposal for your master’s thesis, written by you using established scientific citation practice (ETH warns plagiarism or misinformation leads to exclusion or revocation). If your programme does not ask for references, you must name two professor referees, who upload reference letters after an email from the system.
- Be reachable on the phone number in your CV — selection may include a phone/video interview in February.
How to apply: ESOP applications go through eApply, ETH’s online master’s application, in the first application window: 1–30 November 2026, 11:59 CET, for a start in autumn semester 2027 (HS27). Note ETH’s own wording gives the close as 11:59 (midday), not midnight — do not leave it to the last evening.
Is it “fully funded”? ETH itself says the scholarship covers the full study and living costs during the master’s. That is the closest any Swiss master’s award comes to fully funded — but it still depends on your actual spending in Zurich, one of the world’s most expensive cities. Budget carefully (see Costs) rather than assuming zero out-of-pocket cost.
3. EPFL Master Excellence Fellowships — eligibility, funding, deadline
What it is: EPFL offers a limited number of excellence fellowships, along with guaranteed housing, to reward the most outstanding students beginning their master’s studies.
Funding: CHF 10,000 per semester. EPFL does not describe this as a tuition waiver — confirm the current tuition and semester fees on EPFL’s own fee pages when you apply. Renewal for the second year requires at least 50 ECTS credits and an overall average of 5.0/6.
Eligibility: open to students who obtained their bachelor’s at EPFL and to students who began their university studies elsewhere. EPFL weighs academic results alongside extracurricular distinction — research (publications, prizes, fellowships), entrepreneurship (patent applications, start-up creation), or societal commitment (associative or civic activities, organising festivals and events). All outstanding achievements enriching your profile are taken into account.
How to apply: tick the corresponding box on the master’s application form and provide the requested application file. Critical deadline rule: you must apply within the FIRST application window for a master’s programme — 15 December for applications submitted via IS-Academia, and 31 January for EPFL students applying for a consecutive master’s. Applications submitted after the deadline are still considered for master’s admission but are NOT eligible for the Excellence Fellowship. (EPFL labels this a new deadline for the 2027 fellowships; check EPFL’s own deadlines page for your programme before applying.)
Note on the amount: CHF 10,000 per semester is a large contribution, but Lausanne living costs mean most fellows still need some savings or family support. It is a partial-cost fellowship with housing help, not a promise of zero cost.
4. UNIL Master’s Scholarship — what to know
The University of Lausanne’s Master’s Scholarship pays CHF 1,600 per month. Our companion guide covers it in full: University of Lausanne Master’s Scholarship 2027: Eligibility, Funding and Deadline. The headline for budgeting: UNIL’s tuition is low (CHF 500 per semester in 2026/27), but CHF 1,600 a month does not cover full living costs in Lausanne — expect to fund a gap of several hundred francs a month from savings or other support. Do not call this award fully funded.
5. What the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships do (and do not) cover
This is the most common confusion in Swiss scholarship posts, so read it carefully. The Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships (Federal Commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students, FCS/ESKAS, administered by SERI) are mainly intended for talented early-career researchers from abroad who have ALREADY completed their master’s degree. For 2027–28 the tracks are:
- Research fellowship: up to 12 months, for PhD students.
- PhD scholarship: up to 36 months.
- Art scholarship: for an initial master’s in an artistic field, open to students from a limited number of countries only.
Funding: CHF 2,450 per month, plus health-insurance premiums for non-EU/EFTA holders, a one-time CHF 600 rental-deposit grant, a Half-Fare Travelcard and a return-flight allowance. Important: the federal scholarship does NOT cover tuition or semester fees — holders pay those themselves (SERI notes semester fees of roughly CHF 600–2,000 per semester where charged). A Swiss academic supervisor must back the application. Maximum age: 35. Postdoctoral fellowships are no longer awarded from 2027/28.
Bottom line for master’s applicants: if you do not yet hold a master’s degree, this programme is not your route — apply to the university awards in sections 2–4 instead, and revisit the federal scholarships when you plan a PhD or research stay. Country-specific deadlines apply; check SERI’s country page for Pakistan and HEC Pakistan’s announcement for the current cycle rather than trusting a reposted date.
6. What a master’s in Switzerland really costs in 2027
Tuition (public universities, per semester, 2026/27 figures to confirm on each university’s fee page):
- ETH Zurich and EPFL: CHF 2,190 per semester for new foreign students who moved to Switzerland to study (triple the CHF 730 standard rate since autumn 2025). Students already enrolled before autumn 2025 keep the old rate.
- UNIL: CHF 500 per semester, same for Swiss and international students.
- University of Geneva: CHF 500 per semester. Other cantonal universities set their own fees; the national Study in Switzerland portal gives a general range of CHF 500–4,000 per semester.
Living costs: the bigger number. University budget guidance puts living costs at roughly CHF 1,850 a month (Study in Switzerland sample budget: about CHF 700 housing + CHF 600 food), and ETH advises budgeting CHF 20,000–26,000 a year for living and studying. Zurich and Geneva are among the world’s most expensive cities; Lausanne is somewhat cheaper but still costly. Health insurance is compulsory for residents — include it in your budget, and confirm whether your existing cover qualifies for exemption.
Worked example — one semester at ETH with ESOP: grant CHF 13,500 + tuition waived. Against a CHF 1,850–2,200/month living budget, a 6-month semester costs roughly CHF 11,100–13,200, so ESOP roughly covers a disciplined budget. Without a scholarship, the same semester costs tuition (CHF 2,190 at ETH/EPFL) plus the same living costs — roughly CHF 13,300–15,400 per semester, or CHF 26,600–30,800 per year. That is why the scholarship decision matters more than the tuition figure.
Visa funds: your canton sets the proof-of-funds requirement for the student residence permit. Budget a full year of tuition + rent + living costs, keep the money in an account you can document, and confirm the current figure with the Swiss embassy/consulate and your canton’s migration office — do not rely on a figure from a blog post.
7. Application timeline: 2027 start
| When | Action |
|---|---|
| Now – Oct 2026 | Shortlist 2–3 programmes; check each programme’s language requirements and fee page; ask referees early. |
| Oct 2026 | Draft the ETH thesis pre-proposal (if applying to ETH) and the EPFL fellowship file; prepare transcripts, CV, language proof. |
| 1–30 Nov 2026 | ETH master’s + ESOP application window (eApply). Close 30 Nov, 11:59 CET. |
| By 15 Dec | EPFL master’s + fellowship application (external applicants via IS-Academia). |
| By 31 Jan | EPFL consecutive-master’s fellowship deadline (EPFL students). |
| Feb 2027 | Possible ESOP phone/video interviews — keep your CV phone number reachable. |
| End Mar 2027 | ESOP decisions communicated. |
| Autumn 2027 | Semester starts (HS27). Apply for housing the moment you are admitted — student rooms in Zurich and Lausanne are scarce. |
8. Documents checklist
- Bachelor’s transcripts and degree certificate (or proof of ongoing studies), attested as the university requires
- CV with a reachable phone number (ESOP interviews)
- Language proof for your programme (English and/or German/French — programme-specific)
- ETH only: original master’s thesis pre-proposal with proper scientific citations
- ETH only (if programme needs no references): two professor referees ready to upload letters
- EPFL only: fellowship box ticked on the master’s application + requested fellowship file
- Proof of funds for the visa/residence permit (canton-specific)
- Passport valid well beyond the planned stay
9. Common mistakes that lose strong applications
- Applying to the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships for a taught master’s — they do not fund it (see section 5).
- Missing the fellowship window: at EPFL a late application still counts for admission but not for the fellowship; at ETH, ESOP needs the first window.
- Treating the ESOP 30 November close as midnight — ETH states 11:59 (midday) CET.
- A copied or AI-generated thesis pre-proposal — ETH treats plagiarism/misinformation as grounds for exclusion or revocation.
- Budgeting only tuition and ignoring living costs, health insurance and the rental deposit (often up to three months’ rent).
- Paying anyone who promises a scholarship: real Swiss applications are free or charge only the university’s own admission fee, and no official body asks for “visa” or “insurance” payments by email. If someone does, it is a scam.
10. FAQs
Can I apply for ETH ESOP and EPFL’s fellowship in the same cycle?
Yes — they are separate applications to separate universities. Apply to each master’s programme on its own schedule and tick/complete each fellowship route. You can only accept one in the end.
Do I need German or French to study in Switzerland?
It depends on the programme. Many master’s programmes at ETH, EPFL and UNIL are taught in English, with English language proof required. German (Zurich) or French (Lausanne/Geneva) helps daily life and part-time work but is not always an admission requirement — check your programme’s page.
Is the ETH ESOP really “fully funded”?
ETH says the scholarship covers the full study and living costs during the master’s. In practice it covers a disciplined Zurich budget (CHF 13,500/semester + tuition waiver). Keep a small reserve for one-off costs such as the rental deposit and flights.
Can I work while studying?
Rules for non-EU/EFTA students depend on the canton and the permit; do not plan your budget around part-time work. Confirm the current rules with your university and the cantonal migration office after admission.
Can I stay in Switzerland after graduation?
Switzerland allows non-EU graduates a limited job-search stay after graduation — confirm the current duration and conditions with the cantonal migration office before you plan around it.
I already hold a master’s degree. Which Swiss scholarship fits me?
The Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships (research fellowship or PhD scholarship) — see section 5. University master’s awards such as ESOP are not open to people who already hold a master’s.
11. Sources
- ETH Zurich — Excellence Scholarship & Opportunity Programme (official): ethz.ch/students/en/studies/financial/scholarships/excellencescholarship.html — CHF 13,500/semester from HS27, tuition waiver, 1–30 Nov 2026 window, ~60 awards, top 10%, pre-proposal, February interviews, decisions end of March.
- EPFL — Master Excellence Fellowships (official): epfl.ch/education/master/master-excellence-fellowships/ — CHF 10,000/semester, guaranteed housing, 15 Dec / 31 Jan deadlines, renewal 50 ECTS + 5.0/6.
- SERI — Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships 2027–2028 (official): sbfi.admin.ch/en/swiss-government-excellence-scholarships — research/PhD tracks for master’s holders, CHF 2,450/month, max age 35, supervisor required.
- SERI — Scholarships at a Glance (official): sbfi.admin.ch/en/swiss-government-excellence-scholarships-at-a-glance — benefits detail; tuition/semester fees NOT covered.
- Internal: University of Lausanne Master’s Scholarship 2027: Eligibility, Funding and Deadline
- Internal: Erasmus Mundus Scholarship 2027