Central European University : Rankings, Fees & Courses Details

About Central European University

Based in Vienna and Budapest, Central European University (CEU) brings together students and faculty from over 100 countries to exchange ideas in an open and dynamic community in the heart of Europe.

CEU is accredited in the United States, Austria and Hungary, and offers 50 English-language graduate degree programs in a wide range of disciplines, as well as three interdisciplinary undergraduate programs in the social sciences and humanities. Listed among the top 100 universities worldwide in the QS World University Rankings in a variety of subjects, CEU is known for excellence in teaching and research. English is the official language of instruction at CEU.

To learn more about CEU, visit its social media platforms: Facebook; Instagram; YouTube; Twitter; LinkedIn.

Why CEU?

World-ranked master's and doctoral programs in the humanities and social sciences
Interdisciplinary bachelor’s programs taught by leading scholars
Valuable degree accredited in the U.S. and Austria
Close supervision and faculty contact with top researchers
Outstanding 7:1 student-faculty ratio
Students and faculty from 100+ countries, with no dominant nationality
82% of our graduate students receive financial aid
Committed to academic freedom and open debate

Study in Vienna

Consistently ranked among the world’s “most livable city” by the Economist Intelligence Unit, Vienna has much to offer, from a wide range of academic and state-of-the-art research opportunities to vibrant student life. Being home to a large student population, the Austrian capital is a multicultural hotspot with a thriving international community. Vienna offers an intriguing blend of modern urban life and Central European tradition, with world-class galleries and museums, concerts, open-air festivals, and more.

This is a city with outstanding public transportation and infrastructure. Located in the heart of Europe, Vienna is also ideal for those who wish to travel around Europe, with its excellent transport links to Austria’s top sights and other must-see capitals of the continent.

About Central European University

Based in Vienna and Budapest, Central European University (CEU) brings together students and faculty from over 100 countries to exchange ideas in an open and dynamic community in the heart of Europe.

CEU is accredited in the United States, Austria and Hungary, and offers 50 English-language graduate degree programs in a wide range of disciplines, as well as three interdisciplinary undergraduate programs in the social sciences and humanities. Listed among the top 100 universities worldwide in the QS World University Rankings in a variety of subjects, CEU is known for excellence in teaching and research. English is the official language of instruction at CEU.

To learn more about CEU, visit its social media platforms: Facebook; Instagram; YouTube; Twitter; LinkedIn.

Why CEU?

World-ranked master's and doctoral programs in the humanities and social sciences
Interdisciplinary bachelor’s programs taught by leading scholars
Valuable degree accredited in the U.S. and Austria
Close supervision and faculty contact with top researchers
Outstanding 7:1 student-faculty ratio
Students and faculty from 100+ countries, with no dominant nationality
82% of our graduate students receive financial aid
Committed to academic freedom and open debate

Study in Vienna

Consistently ranked among the world’s “most livable city” by the Economist Intelligence Unit, Vienna has much to offer, from a wide range of academic and state-of-the-art research opportunities to vibrant student life. Being home to a large student population, the Austrian capital is a multicultural hotspot with a thriving international community. Vienna offers an intriguing blend of modern urban life and Central European tradition, with world-class galleries and museums, concerts, open-air festivals, and more.

This is a city with outstanding public transportation and infrastructure. Located in the heart of Europe, Vienna is also ideal for those who wish to travel around Europe, with its excellent transport links to Austria’s top sights and other must-see capitals of the continent.

University information

Find out about the admissions process at CEU here.

Admissions requirements for undergraduate programs: • Completed online application form • High school records • Proof of English proficiency • CV • Application essay • Letter of motivation • Letter of recommendation • Evidence of mathematical competence (only for the Quantitative Social Sciences program) • Interview (finalists only)
General admissions requirements for graduate programs: • Completed online application form • Proof of English proficiency • Letters of recommendation • CV • Bachelor’s/master’s degree • Academic records

Program-specific requirements for graduate programs: • Academic writing (statement of purpose, research proposal, academic essay on a given subject or writing sample) • Some programs at the Department of Economics and Business require GRE or GMAT scores as an entry condition. Alternatively, candidates may take the CEU Math Test.

CEU charges a one-time application fee of €30 irrespective of the number of programs applied to during the admissions cycle (up to 5).

All students are required to pay the following fees:

Student enrolment fee: • Master's students: €200 per academic year • Doctoral students 1-3: €250 per academic year • Doctoral student years 4-6: €230 per academic year
Registration fee: €100
Student Union fee: Students are required to pay the Austrian National Student Union (OeH) fee of €20.70 per semester.

Financial aid
CEU offers scholarships to master's and PhD students from any country. Merit-based presidential tuition awards, program scholarships and other financial support opportunities as well as refugee scholarships are offered to its bachelor’s students.

Application deadline for financial aid: February 1, 2022

General

IELTS

6+

TOEFL

88+

Cambridge CAE Advanced

180+

PTE Academic

59+

Bachelor

ACT

27+

Master

IELTS

6+

TOEFL

88+

Cambridge CAE Advanced

180+

PTE Academic

59+

International Baccalaureate

33+

SAT

650+

ACT

27+

GMAT

600+

GPA

3+

CEU has campuses in Vienna and Budapest. Most programs are offered in Vienna, where the university is headquartered. CEU’s business master’s programs are taught in Budapest, with some courses in Vienna.

Discover the full list of facilities and services at CEU here. Facilities include a 200-seat auditorium and tiered classroom, a library, computer and PhD labs, lounges and a café.
CEU offers a wide range of services providing personal attention and support, including the Student Center, the Center for Academic Writing and the Computer and Statistics Center. CEU also provides access to medical services and psychological counseling, as well as a free health insurance plan to all international students.

Student life

In 2020-2021, CEU had 1,274 students from 109 countries. There is no dominant nationality in the student body.

Student clubs are an integral part of the student experience at CEU. Discover the full list of extracurriculars here.

The Community Engagement Office provides opportunities for leadership development, community involvement, and a variety of student activities. It also hosts social, cultural and recreational events and activities, such as the Welcome Week, Ability Awareness Day, Intercultural Festival, TEDxCEU, Ice Skating Party, NGO Fair and the Spring Ball.
Students live off campus. CEU works in partnership with three housing providers: OeAD Student Housing, ZOOM Entertainment, and The Student Hotel (TSH). They all provide flexible services to suit all needs and best accommodate the CEU student community. Graduate and advanced undergraduate students may book accommodation in The Student Hotel and in OeAD-Guesthouse Sechshauserstrasse.

Find out about accommodation for CEU students here.

Of those graduating from a master’s program in 2019, 77 percent were employed approximately six to nine months after graduation. 81 percent of those employed secured positions within three months of graduation. 11 percent chose to immediately pursue further studies. 100% of those continuing studies believed CEU prepared them well for their current program.

The CEU Career Services Office offers guidance and support to students and alumni as they pursue personal visions for impact and success. Find out more about the CEU Career Services Office here.

CEU’s alumni community consists of some 18,000 graduates living and working in over 140 countries. CEU graduates include EU and national parliamentarians, ambassadors, UN officers, international affairs experts, heads of NGOs, economists, policymakers, business leaders, academics, international law scholars and human rights advocates. Alumni chapters are active in 81 countries on six continents.

Find out more about the CEU alumni network here.

Domestic Students

Tuition Fee/year

7,000 EUR

Tuition Fee (Out of State)

-

International Students

Tuition Fee/year

7,000 EUR

Other Expenses

-

One of the important factors when considering a master's degree is the cost of study. Luckily, there are many options available to help students fund their master's programme. Download your copy of the Scholarship Guide to find out which scholarships from around the world could be available to you, and how to apply for them.

In this guide you will find:

Where to look for scholarship opportunities

How to apply to scholarships relevant to you

A list of available scholarships around the world

A scholarship application checklist

Download Scholarship Guide

Rankings & ratings

RANKINGS

Central European University is one of the top private universities in Vienna, Austria. It is ranked #=124 in QS WUR Ranking By Subject 2022.

QS WUR Ranking By Subject

Chart
Data

2013
#42
2013
#51-100
2014
#51-100
2014
#51-100
2015
#51-100
2015
#151-200
2015
#151-200
2015
#29
2015
#51-100
2015
#101-150
2016
#151-200
2016
#51-100
2016
#51-100
2016
#40
2016
#51-100
2016
#101-150
2017
#=233
2017
#=194
2017
#51-100
2017
#51-100
2017
#=42
2017
#151-200
2017
#51-100
2017
#101-150
2017
#151-200
2018
#51-100
2018
#=202
2018
#=172
2018
#51-100
2018
#51-100
2018
#51-100
2018
#151-200
2018
#51-100
2018
#151-200
2019
#=206
2019
#143
2019
#101-150
2019
#=44
2019
#=44
2019
#151-200
2019
#51-100
2019
#151-200
2019
#351-400
2019
#41
2020
#251-300
2020
#51-100
2020
#178
2020
#120
2020
#51-100
2020
#51-100
2020
#30
2020
#37
2020
#151-200
2020
#151-200
2020
#401-450
2021
#35
2021
#25
2021
#180
2021
#51-100
2021
#151-200
2021
#=66
2021
#101-150
2021
#51-100
2021
#=118
2021
#401-450
2022
#=170
2022
#=65
2022
#51-100
2022
#251-300
2022
#24
2022
#33
2022
#101-150
2022
#51-100
2022
#151-200
2022
#401-450
2022
#101-140
2022
#=124

View all rankings data

Available programs

Find the full list of undergraduate courses at CEU here.

CEU offers three interdisciplinary undergraduate programs in the social sciences and humanities:

• Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) • Culture, Politics and Society (CPS) • Quantitative Social Sciences (QSS)

Entry requirements for undergraduate programs at CEU are as follows:

• Completed online application form • High school records • Proof of English proficiency • CV • Application essay • Letter of motivation • Letter of recommendation • Evidence of mathematical competence (only for the Quantitative Social Sciences program) • Interview (finalists only)

The tuition fee for all students at undergraduate level is €7,000 per year.

Find out about special funding available at undergraduate level here.

Special funding includes:

• Program scholarships • Presidential Scholar Award (which covers part of the tuition fee throughout the four years of BA studies as follows):

Year 1: €500
Year 2: €1,000
Year 3: €1,500
Year 4: €2,000

The application deadline for financial aid is February 1st.

Scholarships include:

CEU Alumni Scholarship
CEU Scholarships for Refugees

Students may also benefit from external financial support and scholarship opportunities.
Find out how to apply to undergraduate programs at CEU here.

In order to apply, applicants need to complete and submit the online application form on the CEU website, along with the required application documents.

Undergraduate Studies (1)

BA in Culture, Politics and Society

BA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics

BA/ BSc in Data Science and Society

CEU offers 35 master’s and 12 doctoral programs in a wide range of fields:

• Cognitive Science • Economics and Business • Environmental Sciences and Policy • Gender Studies • History • International Relations • Legal Studies • Medieval Studies • Nationalism Studies • Network and Data Science • Philosophy • Political Science • Public Policy • Sociology and Social Anthropology

Find out about graduate entry requirements here.

General admissions requirements for graduate programs:

• Completed online application form • Proof of English proficiency • Letters of recommendation • CV • Bachelor’s/master’s degree • Academic records

Program-specific requirements for graduate programs:
• Academic writing (statement of purpose, research proposal, academic essay on a given subject or writing sample) • Some programs at the Department of Economics and Business require GRE or GMAT scores as an entry condition. Alternatively, candidates may take the CEU Math Test.

The tuition fee for the majority of CEU master’s programs is €12,000 per year. Joint programs charge different fees established in cooperation with partner universities.

Special funding and scholarships are available at graduate level – granted on the basis of academic merit and financial need.

CEU Master's Scholarships cover up to 100% of tuition fees, health insurance and also include a monthly stipend to assist with housing and living costs.

As of 2021/22:

• CEU Master’s Excellence Scholarship: 1,000 EUR/month • CEU Master's Distinction Scholarship: 750 EUR/month • CEU Master's Scholarship: 500 EUR/month • CEU Master's Partial Scholarship: 300 EUR/month

Candidates applying by the financial aid deadline are automatically considered for the CEU Doctoral Scholarship, which includes a full tuition waiver and a monthly stipend for living expenses.

Application deadline for financial aid: February 1

Find out how to apply to graduate programs at CEU here.