Central European University Scholarships 2026 Hungary (Partially and Fully Funded)

Central European University (CEU), a private research university accredited in Austria, Hungary, and the U.S., offers merit and need-based scholarships for undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programs. These scholarships aim to attract global talent by covering tuition and providing stipends. Applications for the 2026–2027 academic year, including financial aid, will open in September 2025 and be submitted in two rounds October 15, 2025 and February 4, 2026 (23:59 CET).

Eligibility

• Undergraduate applicants
  • High school diploma with excellent academic record.
• Master’s applicants
  • Bachelor’s degree required.
• Doctoral applicants
  • Master’s degree required.
• Applicants must meet program-specific criteria, including language requirements.
• All applications must be complete with any applicable standard test scores (TOEFL, IELTS, GRE, etc.) and followed by the application fee payment.
• Applications that fail to meet all general and program-specific entry requirements are immediately rejected by the Admissions Office.
• Final admissions decisions are made by the departmental/program selection committees, based on:
  • Past academic achievement
  • Strength of recommendations
  • English language competency
  • Intellectual merit
  • Work experience (if applicable)
  • Expectations of the program and future plans
  • Compatibility with the goals of the academic unit
• Most departments interview pre-selected candidates before making the final decision.

Program Dates/Location

• University: Central European University (CEU) – campuses in Vienna (Austria) and Budapest (Hungary).
• Application Opens: September 2025
• Application deadline (incl. financial aid):
  • Bachelor's Program and Master's Program
    • Round 1: October 15, 2025 (23:59 CET) – applicable to all applicants.
    • Round 2: February 4, 2026 (23:59 CET) – applicable to all applicants except visa-sensitive countries.
  • Note: Doctoral Programs have only the February 4, 2026, deadline
• Status updates by applicant type:
  • January 15, 2026 – Candidates from visa-sensitive countries will receive a status update latest on this date.
  • May 31, 2026 – Candidates from visa-required countries will receive a status update latest on this date.
  • July 15, 2026 – Candidates not needing a visa to Austria will receive a status update latest on this date.
• Admission decisions for Round 1: December 1, 2025 - January 15, 2026
• Admission decisions for Round 2: April 1 - 30, 2026

Note: There are more than two rounds of application; however, scholarships are only available for applicants in Rounds 1 and 2

Program Benefits 

1. Undergraduate Scholarships:
   • Partial Tuition Award: Up to 50% tuition waiver.
   • Presidential Scholar Award: Around €5,000 total value.
2. Master’s Scholarships:
   • Excellence Scholarship: Full tuition waiver; €1,000/month stipend; health insurance.
   • Distinction Scholarship: Full tuition waiver; €750/month stipend; health insurance.
   • Master’s Scholarship: Full tuition waiver; €500/month stipend; health insurance.
   • Partial Scholarship: Full tuition waiver; €300/month stipend; health insurance.
3. Doctoral Scholarships:
   • Full tuition waiver; approximately €1,680/month stipend.
4. Other Awards:
   • Alumni Scholarship: €300/month for the first year; can be combined with other aid.
   • External financial support/scholarships: Varies by award.

Fields of Study

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

Required Documents

• CV or Resume
• Academic transcripts and diploma(s)
• Passport details
• Motivation or personal statement
• Letters of recommendation
• English language proficiency (e.g., IELTS or TOEFL), unless exempt
• Program-specific writing samples or essays (if required)
• GRE/GMAT (if required by certain programs)
• Non-refundable application fee

Application Process

• Single application submission through CEU’s online system: no separate scholarship applications needed.
• Complete the ‘Funding’ section in the application to be considered for scholarships.
• For doctoral applicants, applying by the deadline automatically enters you into consideration for the Doctoral Scholarship.
• Master’s and undergraduate applicants must indicate interest in funding during application submission.

For more detailed information, please visit the official website: Central European University Scholarships.