Central European University (CEU) funds its own students through merit-based financial aid, awarded as part of admission to its English-taught degree programs in Vienna, Austria.
Bachelor’s and master’s applicants request aid on the application form; doctoral applicants are considered automatically for the CEU Doctoral Scholarship. Financial need is not taken into account.
Benefits & funding
- Bachelor’s: a small number of partial tuition awards, up to 50% of the €8,000 annual tuition (at most €4,000 a year).
- Master’s: tuition awards of 50% to 80% (full tuition only in exceptional cases), and possibly a stipend of €300–750 a month.
- Doctoral: full tuition plus €2,002 gross a month for 48 months, taxed in Austria as self-employed income.
- Never waived: the €30 application fee and the registration fee due on acceptance.
Eligibility
- Open to applicants from any country, for full-time programs only.
- Bachelor’s: a secondary-school diploma by enrollment. Master’s: a bachelor’s degree (180 ECTS for two-year, 240 ECTS for one-year programs). Doctoral: a master’s degree, 300 ECTS in total.
- English proof (e.g. IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL iBT 88 for bachelor’s and master’s, IELTS 7.0 or TOEFL iBT 100 for doctoral) unless exempt.
- Master’s applicants who already hold a master’s degree are generally not considered for aid.
- Applicants from CEU’s visa-sensitive countries can apply to bachelor’s and master’s programs in Round 1 only.
- Recipients may not study at another university at the same time without a leave of absence.
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Application process
- 1Apply online (up to five programs, three at bachelor’s level) and request aid in the Funding section; there is no separate aid form.
- 2Pay the €30 application fee once per admission cycle.
- 3Referees submit letters within one week: one for bachelor’s, two for master’s, two or three for doctoral.
- 4Most departments interview pre-selected candidates.
- 5Any award is set in the Study Agreement; accept within 14 days. No aid can be added later.
Program timeline
Round 1 deadline, bachelor’s and master’s (passed)
15 Oct 2026
Doctoral deadline
15 Jan 2027
Round 2 deadline, last with CEU aid
2 Feb 2027
Round 2 and doctoral decisions
April 2027
Academic year begins
30 Aug 2027