Admissions Requirements and Applying to CEU

General Admissions Requirements

The following admissions requirements represent the university's general policies. Individual departments may establish additional criteria for admission as deemed necessary, including, but not limited to, specifying appropriate academic backgrounds and requiring higher minimum language test scores.

Eligibility Requirements

Eligibility Requirements for Master's Programs

Applicants must have earned a first degree from a recognized university or institution of higher education, or provide documentation indicating that they will earn their first degree from such an institution by the time of enrolling in a CEU Master's program. Normally, CEU accepts students who have completed four years of undergraduate university studies into its one-year Master's programs. Applicants witha a three-year Bachelor's Degree will normally be considered for admission into the two-year Master's programs.

Eligibility Requirements for Doctoral Programs

Applicants must have earned a Master's degree or equivalent in a related field from a recognized university or institution of higher education, or provide documentation indicating that they will earn such a degree by the time of enrolling in a CEU doctoral course of study.

Transfer from Doctoral Programs at Other Universities

Students enrolled in doctoral programs at other institutions can request to be transferred to a CEU doctoral program. In such cases, the doctoral committee of the relevant CEU department may condition the student's acceptance on his/her taking the complete coursework component of the program; taking some courses of the coursework component of the program; and/or passing the comprehensive examination component of the coursework.

Eligibility Requirements for Non-degree Applicants

Language Requirements

Applicants must demonstrate proficiency in English by submitting standardized English language test scores , e.g., the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or other substitute tests listed below.

If your first language is English, you will normally be exempted from this requirement. You may also be exempted if:

1. You are a current or a former CEU student applying to CEU's doctoral programs;
2. You have obtained a Bachelor's or a Master's degree taught exclusively in English.

To be exempted from the English language proficiency requirement, you must include a written request as part of the application package. Decisions regarding exemptions are at the discretion of the department admissions committee and will be communicated to applicants after the first stage of the selection process.

Candidates taking TOEFL should request a copy of their results to be sent to the CEU Admissions Office. CEU’s institution code is 0069. Other substitute tests of the English language are as follows.

Minimum Test Scores Required by Master's and Doctoral Support Programs

Minimum Test Scores Required by Doctoral Programs

* Due to the limited official validity of these test scores, the test must be taken on or after the dates indicated in the tables.

English Language and Other Admissions Tests Organized by CEU

CEU organizes and sponsors an institutional paper-based TOEFL and other department-specific subject tests in most (but not all) CEE/fSU countries where there is a local CEU coordinator. Candidates who apply to take the CEU examinations should indicate so on the application form. In countries without a local CEU coordinator, where a sufficient number of applicants have passed the pre-selection stage, CEU may make arrangements with another institution of higher education to administer the admissions tests. Such arrangements will be made on a case-by-case basis.

A list of the local CEU coordinators and offices is available here.

Applicants who do not take the CEU-administered admissions examinations are required to take the standard tests indicated under "Language Requirements" and-in some cases-under the department's entry requirements. These may include the GRE, LSAT and other standard tests offered throughout the world. Scores must be submitted along with the application documents or by the deadlines specified here.

Additional Requirements

Departments may establish additional requirements for admission as deemed necessary. Please see the relevant department section for details.

How to Apply

1. On-line Application Form

Candidates to CEU degree programs must submit an on-line application form: https://online.ceu.hu/.

Upon registration, candidates will receive an automatically-generated password, which will enable them to log into the system and fill out the application form. The form can be saved and edited as often as needed. When completed, it must be submitted on-line. A printed version may be enclosed with the additional documents being sent by mail.

Candidates applying to two departments simultaneously are required to rank them in order of preference on the application form.

A submitted on-line application form without the required attachments, to be sent by mail, does not constitute a complete application.

Note: non-degree candidates should submit the application form and documents required for non-degree and visiting students.

2. Letters of Recommendation

Applicants must submit two (or three, depending on the department's requirements) letters of recommendation assessing their ability to conduct graduate-level work and their potential for a successful academic or professional career. The letters of recommendation must be completed by faculty members, job supervisors, etc., who are most familiar with the applicant's professional and/or academic abilities and character. When applying to two departments, applicants should ask their referees to provide two copies of the recommendation. Referees are requested to complete these letters in English or, if written in another language, to attach an English language translation.

When completed, each letter of recommendation (with translation, where needed) should be sealed in an envelope, with the referee's signature across the seal, and enclosed with the application documents package or, if this is not feasible, the letters can be mailed directly to the CEU Admissions Office. Applications cannot be considered without these letters.

Download Letter of Recommendation Form

3. Academic Records

Applicants Who Have Obtained a First Degree Must Submit:

1. An official copy of the diploma in the original language with an ink stamp and a signature of a notary public or an authorized university official;
2. An official copy of the full transcript* in the original language with an ink stamp and a signature of a notary public or an authorized university official;
3. An official English language translation of the diploma. See Explanatory Note below;
4. An official English language translation of the transcript. See Explanatory Note below; and
5. A plain photocopy of the translations (points 3. and 4. above).

Applicants who hold an official transcript, issued by their university in English language, which contains a statement about the degree obtained, including the date of graduation and title of the academic degree awarded, are exempt from the requirement to submit an official copy of their diploma in the original language.

Applicants Who Are in the Process of Completing a First Degree Must Submit:

1. An official letter in English with an ink stamp from the university, stating that the student is expected to complete his/ her course of study by August 1, 2008;
2. An official copy of an up-to-date transcript* in the original language with an ink stamp and a signature of a notary public or an authorized university official;
3. An official English language translation of the transcript. See Explanatory Note below; and
4. A plain photocopy of the translation (point 3. above).

For Non-degree Applicants Enrolled in Another Academic Institution:

1. A copy of an up-to-date transcript* in the original language with an ink stamp and a signature of a notary public or an authorized university official;
2. An official English language translation of the transcript. See Explanatory Note below; and
3. A plain photocopy of the translation (point 2. above).

* A copy of an official record of a student which shows courses taken and grades achieved.

Explanatory Note:
An official translation is one which:

• bears an ink stamp and a signature by an official of a translating company or an authorized university official;
• contains the stamp and signature on each page or over a folded fastened corner of the document;
• includes a statement of authenticity on the last page.

Original documents bearing a black stamp and a black signature are not accepted as official. Candidates must ensure that EITHER the stamp OR the signature is in color.

4. A full curriculum vitae or resume, including a list of publications, if any.

5. Department- and program-specific requirements (statement of purpose, research proposal, additional test scores, etc.)

These are listed in the relevant department section. (Useful information about writing the Statement of Purpose is available here)

6. Proof of English proficiency

This is defined as an official score report from one of the English language examinations listed under Language Requirements. Alternatively, applicants may take the CEU-administered institutional TOEFL.

Important Note: One complete set of the application materials listed previously is required for each department to which candidates are seeking admission (with the exception of the original official copies of the academic records, of which one copy is sufficient).

Optional:

7. Application for Financial Aid

The Application for Financial Aid is part of the on-line application form.

Email Address

All applicants must have an active email account during the CEU admissions process. This account should be checked regularly.

Inquiries

Inquiries about the admissions process, additional information and all required application documents should be addressed/mailed to:

Central European University
Admissions Office
Nador u. 9
1051 Budapest
Hungary
Tel: (36-1) 327-3009, 327-3272, 327-3208, 327-3210
Fax: (36-1) 327-3211
Email: admissions@ceu.hu
Website: http://www.ceu.hu
Online Application Form: https://online.ceu.hu/

Deadlines

See all application-related deadlines on the Admissions home page

Application Documents Checklist

1. Completed on-line CEU Application Form (https://online.ceu.hu/)
2. Letters of recommendation
3. Academic records with photocopies
4. A full curriculum vitae or resume, including a list of publications, if any
5. Essay/statement of purpose/research proposal and additional test scores, if any, as specified by the individual department (outlined previously in this section) to which the applicant is seeking admission
6. Proof of English proficiency

Optional

7. Application for Financial Aid: the Financial Aid Application is part of the on-line application form

CEU does not accept application documents by email or fax.

All application materials should be submitted to the Admissions Office so that they are received no later than the specified deadlines.

Note: in Central Asia and Mongolia, the Caucasus and the Asian part of Russia, applicants may submit their documents to the local CEU coordinators. In such cases, they should inquire about the internal deadline set by the coordinators.

CEU acknowledges the receipt of each application package only after the processing of all applications has been completed. Candidates are advised to use registered mail or return receipt postal services. Also, CEU does not return application documents. Candidates applying to other universities are advised to keep a sufficient number of copies of their academic records or other materials.