Central European University was founded in 1991 with the explicit aim of helping the process of transition from dictatorship to democracy in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, and Central Asia. It was committed to bringing together students from these 30 countries and from Western democracies, and to nurturing respect for diverse cultures and opinions, human rights, constitutional government, and the rule of law. These aims – all in step with promoting the values of the Open Society – remain fundamental to CEU, but we now cast our web wider. CEU continues to attract students from Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia but almost 50% of the applicants come from other parts of the world. With candidates from 120 countries, CEU draws students from the whole of the developing world, as well as from North America and Western Europe, Turkey and Southeast Asia. Our enrolled students come from 96 countries, our faculty from 30. There is no predominant national majority. This creates a uniquely international atmosphere which is one of the most appealing aspects of our student life.
CEU focuses equally on research, teaching and issues of public policy. All three are fundamental to our mission for all three are essential to the development of civilized modern societies.
CEU is committed to promoting merit, not privilege, and our unparalleled financial aid program has therefore always been extensive and generous – enabling equal opportunity for admission, regardless of income.
Both Master’s and doctoral applicants alike are eligible for a broad array of financial aid opportunities. Most doctoral students are awarded with fee waivers, and virtually all are on three-year stipends worth 8,500 EUR, per annum. Fifteen percent of our Master’s students pay no fees and are on a full stipend of 5,800 EUR, per annum; 51% pay no fees and are on a partial stipend of 3,800 EUR, per annum; 11% are granted a fee waiver but no stipend. In addition, 20% of students receive external scholarships, including Erasmus Mundus.
CEU and all its programs are registered and accredited in the US, and the university also has Hungarian accreditation. The latter enables us to be a fully-fledged participant in EU higher education support schemes such as Erasmus and Erasmus Mundus.
You can find full information on CEU’s commitment on these pages:
- Unique international character
- A genuinely multicultural environment
- The student experience
- Academic excellence
Contact CEU Via Live Skype Chat
For general prospective student inquiries, we are available for live skype chat -- normal hours are:
Monday-Thursday: 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. (Central European Time, CET)
If the below button is green, we should be available.
