📅 Last Updated: 11 November 2026
ETH Zurich Summer Research Fellowship 2027 — CHF 4,000 + Travel
The ETH Student Summer Research Fellowship (ETH SSRF) 2027 invites bachelor’s and master’s students from around the world to spend two summer months doing real computer science research at ETH Zurich, one of the world’s leading technical universities. Fellows receive a CHF 4,000 scholarship for housing and living costs, and their travel and visa costs are covered. ETH arranges a room for every fellow in a shared student house in Zurich.
The programme is run by ETH Zurich’s Department of Computer Science and is open to students of all nationalities, except those already enrolled at ETH. You don’t need recommendation letters or an IELTS score to apply. This guide explains who qualifies (with examples for Pakistani BS and MS students), what the fellowship pays, the documents, how to apply through SiROP and how to write a strong one-page motivation letter.
| 🏛️ Host | Department of Computer Science, ETH Zurich, Switzerland |
| 🎓 Programme | ETH Student Summer Research Fellowship (ETH SSRF) 2027 |
| 📅 Programme Dates | 2 July – 27 August 2027 (full July and August) |
| 💰 Scholarship | CHF 4,000 for housing and living expenses |
| ✈️ Travel | Covered (reimbursed against receipts) |
| 🛂 Visa | Costs covered; ETH helps with the process |
| 🏠 Housing | Arranged in a shared student house; cost deducted from the scholarship |
| 👥 Who Can Apply | BS and MS students in CS or closely related fields, all nationalities |
| ✉️ Recommendation Letters | Not required |
| 🗣️ English Test | Not required (English may be checked in an interview) |
| ⏰ Deadline | 16 December 2026, 1:00 pm CET |
| 📬 Results | By the end of February 2027 |
| 🇵🇰 Pakistani Students | Eligible |
| 🔗 Official Page | ETH SSRF |
What Is the ETH Student Summer Research Fellowship?
ETH SSRF gives students their first real research experience in an area of their choice. Fellows join a research group in ETH’s Department of Computer Science for July and August. Professors usually propose one or more projects, and fellows work with the group’s members. If you have a specific problem you’re passionate about, you can raise it when you arrive and mention it in your motivation letter.
The department says it’s committed to increasing diversity in computer science, and applicants are judged individually. Your experience doesn’t have to be research-related. Alongside the research there are social events, visits to interesting places and chances to explore Switzerland. As the programme’s head, Prof. Markus Püschel, puts it, the aim is to offer “a real research experience and an exciting time” in Switzerland.
Research areas:
- Machine Learning
- Information Security
- Computer Systems
- Robotics
- Programming Languages and Software Engineering
- Bio/Medical Informatics
- Human-Computer Interaction
- Theory
- Visual Computing
You choose one or two preferred areas in your application, and you should already have some background in them from courses or projects.
Funding: What the Fellowship Covers
- 💰 Scholarship: CHF 4,000 to cover housing and living expenses
- ✈️ Travel: covered, claimed against receipts at the start of the programme
- 🛂 Visa: visa expenses covered, with help from ETH’s Student Exchange office
- 🏠 Housing: arranged for you in a student house with single rooms, shared bathrooms and a shared kitchen
- 🎉 Activities: social events, visits and trips around Switzerland
Read this carefully: the cost of your room is deducted from the scholarship. The official pages don’t say exactly how much housing costs, or whether CHF 4,000 is the total for the summer (verify on official website). ETH says the allowance is enough to live comfortably in Zurich and cover some weekend travel. Zurich is expensive, so bring some money of your own for the first days and keep your flight and visa receipts.
The official pages don’t mention health insurance, so check with the programme after you are accepted (verify on official website).
Who Can Apply? Eligibility for 2027
- Enrolled in a bachelor’s or master’s programme in computer science or a closely related field, such as electrical engineering, mathematics or physics
- At least two years of study completed by the start of the programme (master’s students meet this automatically)
- Expected to graduate in 2028 or later, i.e. in the year after the fellowship or later
- Able to be in Zurich for the whole of July and August. The dates aren’t flexible.
- Good working knowledge of English. No formal proof is needed, but it may be assessed at an interview.
- Not currently enrolled at ETH Zurich
Examples for Pakistani students:
- ✅ BS CS/SE, 3rd year now (graduating in 2028): eligible.
- ❌ BS CS, final year now (graduating in 2027) and not starting an MS: not eligible, because you’d graduate before or during the programme.
- ❌ Finishing your BS in 2027 and starting an MS right after: the FAQ says this case isn’t eligible.
- ✅ MS/MPhil student graduating in 2028 or later: eligible. If your MS transcript isn’t ready, you can submit your BS transcript and final BS GPA.
- ✅ BS CS 2nd year now (graduating in 2029): eligible, because you’ll have completed two years of study by July 2027.
- ❌ BS 1st year now: not eligible for 2027, because you won’t have completed two years by the start of the programme.
✅ Strong Fit
- 3rd-year BS students in CS, SE, EE, maths or physics
- MS students graduating in 2028 or later
- Students with projects in ML, security, systems, robotics or graphics
- Students thinking about a research master’s or PhD
❌ Not Eligible
- Current ETH Zurich students
- Students graduating in 2027 (unless already in an MS)
- Anyone who can’t stay for all of July and August
- Students without a CS-related background
Documents You Need
All documents must be PDF files and must not be password-protected:
- CV in English, preferably in Europass format
- Official academic transcript in English, German, French or Italian, issued by your university or an authorised translator. Self-made transcripts and portal screenshots aren’t accepted.
- Your GPA on your own university’s grading scale
- Motivation letter or personal statement in English, maximum one page
No recommendation letters and no English test certificate are needed. Applications that are incomplete or not submitted through SiROP won’t be considered.
How to Apply: Step by Step
- Request your official transcript from your university’s examination office now. In Pakistan this can take one to two weeks.
- Register on SiROP at sirop.org/app/register. Linking your institution is optional.
- Open the ETH SSRF opportunity on SiROP and click “Apply now”.
- Choose one or two research areas where you already have course or project experience.
- Upload your CV, transcript, GPA and motivation letter as PDFs.
- Submit well before 16 December 2026, 1:00 pm CET. ETH warns against applying in the last minutes.
- Don’t email professors about the fellowship. The programme specifically asks applicants not to contact faculty directly.
Selection and Results
Applications are assessed on the submitted documents. Shortlisted candidates may be invited to an interview, where your English and background may be checked. Decisions are sent by email by the end of February 2027. Once accepted, ETH arranges your accommodation, and its Student Exchange office helps with the visa.
The deadline won’t be extended, and you can’t change your application after submitting. Updated transcripts sent later won’t be added.
📅 Key Dates
| Stage | Date |
|---|---|
| Applications open | 1 November 2026 |
| Deadline | 16 December 2026, 1:00 pm CET (5:00 pm PKT) |
| Interviews (shortlisted only) | After the deadline (dates not published) |
| Results by email | By end of February 2027 |
| Fellowship | 2 July – 27 August 2027 |
Writing a Strong One-Page Motivation Letter
- Open with your research interest. Name one or two of ETH’s areas and a specific problem that excites you.
- Prove it with work you’ve done: a final-year project, an ML model, a security CTF, a robotics competition or open-source contributions. Link to GitHub if useful.
- Show what you’ll bring: programming languages, maths and tools such as PyTorch, C++ or ROS.
- Explain what you’ll gain and how it fits your plans, such as a master’s or PhD.
- Keep it to one page, clear and specific. Generic praise of ETH won’t help.
Gradualin Editor’s Note: ETH SSRF is a rare chance for Pakistani CS students to do research at one of the world’s top universities with travel and visa costs paid and no recommendation letters needed. It’s also very competitive. Your official transcript and a sharp, specific one-page letter matter most, so start now and submit well before 16 December. For questions, contact the programme administrator at ssr_fellowship@inf.ethz.ch.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Can Pakistani students apply for the ETH Zurich Summer Research Fellowship 2027?
Yes. The fellowship is open to students of all nationalities, except current ETH Zurich students.
How much does the ETH SSRF pay?
A CHF 4,000 scholarship for housing and living expenses, plus travel and visa costs. Your housing cost is deducted from the scholarship.
Do I need IELTS or TOEFL?
No formal English test is required, but your English may be assessed in an interview.
Do I need recommendation letters?
No. You submit a CV, official transcript, GPA and a one-page motivation letter.
Can final-year BS students apply?
Only if you graduate in 2028 or later. Students finishing their BS before the fellowship and moving straight into an MS aren’t eligible.
Can I contact ETH professors before applying?
No. The programme asks applicants not to contact faculty directly. Choose your research areas in the application instead.
Can I change the dates?
No. You must be in Zurich for all of July and August 2027 (2 July – 27 August).
Do I need to speak German?
No. English is the common language at ETH, and Zurich is very international.
When will I hear back?
Decisions are emailed by the end of February 2027.
🔗 Official Sources
📋 Summary
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Programme | ETH Student Summer Research Fellowship 2027 |
| Host | Department of Computer Science, ETH Zurich |
| Dates | 2 July – 27 August 2027 |
| Scholarship | CHF 4,000 (housing deducted) |
| Travel & Visa | Covered |
| Eligibility | BS (2+ years done) or MS in CS-related fields, graduating 2028 or later |
| Documents | CV, official transcript, GPA, 1-page motivation letter |
| Letters / English Test | Not required |
| Deadline | 16 December 2026, 1:00 pm CET |
| Results | By end of February 2027 |
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