Financial Support for Enrolled Students at Central European University
Source: https://www.ceu.edu/admissions/financial-aid/enrolled
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:21
Financial Support for Enrolled Students at Central European University
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Financial Research Support for Enrolled Students
In this section
Admissions & Aid
Apply to a Bachelor’s Program
Apply to a Master’s Program
Apply to a Doctoral Program
Non-degree Programs
Tuition and Other Fees
Funding Your Studies
Research Funds for Enrolled Students
Connect and Learn More
Admissions FAQ
On This Page
Stipend Supplement (PhD Students only)
Master’s Research and Internship Support
Praesidium Libertatis Scholarship at Leiden University
Research and Travel Funds
Doctoral Research Support Grant
Winter School Grant
Summer School Grant
Contact
In addition to its comprehensive financial aid packages,
CEU offers other opportunities to apply for financial support to enrolled students
.
Stipend Supplement (PhD Students only)
Supplemental stipends for various legitimate expenses in the amount up to 5,200 EUR (per student) may be received and used for conference participation, research trips, fieldwork costs, etc.
(food and fuel costs are not covered).
Students are eligible to apply for this stipend supplement beyond passing the Comprehensive Exam. Each month post-comprehensive students may submit the application form
by no later than the 20th of each month.
Master’s Research and Internship Support
The ‘Master’s Research and Internship Support’ is a merit-based financial aid. It aims to provide financial support for master’s students for certain activities that are related to and necessary for the completion of their master’s degree requirements at CEU. It may be provided only to students in one or two-year master's programs
only once
during their studies, and for
up to 6 weeks
. Each month students may submit the application form
by no later than the 20th of each month.
Praesidium Libertatis Scholarship at Leiden University
CEU degree students who are currently enrolled may apply for the Leiden-CEU Praesidium Libertatis Scholarship which allows them to participate in graduate degree programs at Leiden University. The application deadline is
February 2, 2026 (Monday)
.
Research and Travel Funds
CEU believes in giving its students opportunities to access as much knowledge as possible. That is why the University provides Travel Grants for students, contributing to the cost of traveling abroad and attending academic conferences. All travel-related costs are covered, as well as conference fees, accommodation, and administrative costs
(food and fuel costs are not covered).
In addition, Short-Research Grants help students enhance their dissertations. Doctoral students are eligible to receive one such award during their second or third year of study. Master's students may receive such grants organized by their departments.
This grant is not available to those students who are in the 4-year PhD funding scheme from 22/23 AY.
CEU believes in giving its students opportunities to access as much knowledge as possible. That is why the university provides travel grants for students, contributing to the cost of traveling abroad to attend academic conferences. The grant may be used to cover travel-related costs, as well as conference fees, accommodation, and administrative costs
(food and fuel costs are not covered)
.
The research grant may also be used for thesis or dissertation-related research.
The deadlines for submitting travel and research grant applications in the academic year
2025/2026
are the following:
October 3, 2025 -
(for students attending after Oct. 4th)
Conference travel grant for doctoral students;
Supplementary travel grant for doctoral students;
Field and archival research grant for doctoral students.
January 9, 2026 -
(for students attending after Jan. 10th)
Conference travel grant for doctoral students;
Supplementary travel grant for doctoral students;
Field and archival research grant for doctoral students.
March 6, 2026 -
(for students attending after March 7th)
Conference travel grant for doctoral students;
Supplementary travel grant for doctoral students;
Field and archival research grant for doctoral students.
May 29, 2026 -
(for students attending after May 30th)
Conference travel grant for doctoral students;
Supplementary travel grant for doctoral students;
Field and archival research grant for doctoral students.
July 3, 2026 -
(for students attending after July 4th)
Conference travel grant for doctoral students;
Supplementary travel grant for doctoral students;
Field and archival research grant for doctoral students.
Further information is available in the Student Travel and Research Grant policy and guidelines in the
Rules and Principles
document.
Please note:
If the official acceptance/invitation letter from the event organizer will only arrive
after
the deadline, please inform
Ildiko Torok
in the Financial Aid Office before or upon submitting your application. The application must still
be submitted by the deadline
but this information will be noted. The application will be reviewed, but the letter/acceptance is required, and the decision will be conditional until this supporting document is received.
Applications must be submitted via the online application form to Ildiko Torok, the financial aid coordinator at the Financial Aid Office.
Grant Application Form - PhD Conference Travel Grant
Grant Application Form - PhD Field and Archival Research Grant
Grant Application Form - Supplementary Travel Grant
See attachments:
Rules and Principles
Student Travel and Research Grants Policy
Internal Travel Grant Report Form 23/24
Internal Travel Grant Report Know how for Students 23/24
Doctoral Research Support Grant
The Doctoral Research Support Grant Program (DRSG) is designed to help students enrolled in CEU doctoral programs wishing to spend time researching or studying at another recognized university, institute, or research center. The application deadlines are
November 28, 2025, and May 1, 2026 (Friday)
.
This grant is not available to those students who are in the 4-year PhD funding scheme from 22/23 AY.
Application deadlines:
November 28, 2025 (Friday) -
For students who will be attending
from January 2026 to Spring.
May 1, 2026 (Friday)
- For students who will be attending
from
S
ummer 2026 (August)
.
The awards are to be used in the Academic Year 2025/2026.
Currently, enrolled CEU students approved for full doctoral candidacy are encouraged to pursue their dissertation research and to build international scholarly contacts through a special study abroad program. CEU has a Doctoral Research Support Grant Program (DRSG), which enables a short research stay abroad. Students may apply to recognized universities, institutes, or research centers abroad to spend
up to a six-month period
as "visiting/research scholars". This scheme is an integral part of the CEU doctoral program.
Important: The Scholarship Advisory Committee will not review late or incomplete applications.
The Doctoral Research Support grant is given within the limits of CEU's academic and financial year. Therefore, the scheme must commence and be completed within the
August 1st - July 31st
time frame and cannot be started any earlier or end later. A student may only apply to one deadline.
In each academic year, the application deadline will be made known at least three months in advance with a reminder sent at least one month in advance. Students are encouraged to make contact with potential host institutions as soon as possible after their comprehensive exams. Finalizing arrangements will take time, students are responsible for ensuring that all arrangements are in place by the deadline (the committee will not consider applications without confirmation from the host institution and will not grant an extension).
The Doctoral Research Support grant will be considered in addition to the regular CEU stipend funding of 36 months. Grant recipients may wish to "stop the clock", i.e. to temporarily halt payment of their stipend. It is the student's responsibility to gain all information on what "stopping the clock" entails. The department coordinator or Financial Aid Office will be able to help with this.
Eligibility and General Requirements
The Doctoral Research Support Grant Program is open to every CEU doctoral student who has
passed the comprehensive exam
. Pre-comprehensive students (normally first-year students) may not submit an application.
CEU doctoral guidelines recognize
up to six months
of study abroad as part of the normal doctoral study. Some restrictions may apply from department to department, particularly if the doctoral program is externally funded. It is at the discretion of the department/program head whether to also require completion of the program's residential requirements.
Applicants must demonstrate the relevance of the proposed research/study to their thesis. Applicants must have the written recommendation of their CEU doctoral supervisor and the endorsement of the department/program head.
Students must have been admitted to a university or research institute as "special" or "non-degree" students and must have received some form of financial support (tuition fee waiver, etc.) for the period of their research. The Tuition Fee is not covered by the DRSG. If the host university has a required Tuition Fee that will not be waived, it must be listed on the Budget Form and deducted from the total amount being requested. The fee in such cases must be covered by the student. The CEU grant is designed to be supplementary and covers mainly travel and subsistence costs.
This is not a competitive grant and each student may receive it
once
during their studies at CEU. However, the amount awarded will depend on justified costs and budgetary limitations.
Students may apply
up to 5,000 EUR
. The amount of the grant awarded will vary. The committee will assess each application on its own merits and will take into account the appropriateness of the budget, how well costs are documented, the breakdown of the work schedule, and the relevance of the trip to the student's doctoral project.
The student is
required
to submit receipts for all major costs listed on the budget form (airfare/train tickets, housing, transportation pass, visa costs, etc.). (All receipts/invoices, etc., should be in the name of the student only).
Upon return, the student is
required
to submit a letter from the host supervisor stating the student attended and completed the research. This must be submitted to the Financial Aid Office.
How to Apply for the DRSG
DRSG Application Form
must be sent by the supervisor:
Read all instructions and information carefully before completing the application.
Complete all forms in the application - type or print them neatly.
Submit the application and supporting documents to the Financial Aid Office. The confidential Reference Form and Letter from the supervisor should be sent via email from the supervisor to the Financial Aid Office.
The date of departure and return should be
definite
. Should the dates change, the application will need to be re-submitted to the Committee for approval once again.
All applications should include the following documents:
A completed CEU Doctoral Research Support Grant Program Application Form, endorsed by the Head of Department.
A detailed budget (part of the DRSG application form). Please attach all supporting documents to show where the price(s) were found for housing, food, travel, transport passes, visa, etc. (All receipts/invoices, etc., should be in the name of the student only).
A
Statement of Purpose
of no more than three pages which states the benefits of the visit for your research and research plan (a research plan is a description of the relevant research material/courses at the host institution, how they will help your doctoral project, and the work schedule envisaged).
A
confidential
Reference Form from the CEU supervisor supporting the application. This should be sent via email directly to the Financial Aid Office by the supervisor.
A
confidential
letter of support from the CEU supervisor should focus in particular on how your research plan will help your doctoral project. This should be sent via email directly to the Financial Aid Office by the supervisor.
An official letter of acceptance/invitation from the host institution, outlining the details of the offer and confirming the waiver of the Tuition fee, dates you will be attending, and information regarding monthly living costs, insurance, etc.
A letter of support from the supervisor at the host institution confirming the research plan, the dates attending, what you will be working on together, a monthly study-plan, how this will benefit you, etc.
CEU Transcript (an
unofficial
transcript is acceptable). You may download the unofficial transcript of records via the
SITS e:Vision Portal
.
A reservation or cost quotation for round-trip economy travel. Quotations should be given for the
exact dates
of the outward and return journeys the applicant intends to take. Applicants should look for the cheapest possible options, including traveling by train or coach when distance permits and using budget airlines wherever possible. Students are encouraged to use 'flight aggregator' websites to search for the cheapest possible fare (e.g.
https://momondo.com
). Travel should be a return trip from and to Budapest, though the committee will consider other permutations if there are sound academic reasons for doing so (e.g. conference or fieldwork).
Curriculum Vitae
Reminder: No incomplete or late applications can be accepted and reviewed by the Scholarship Advisory Committee.
The omission of one or more of these documents will render the application incomplete and could result in disqualification. Please include any additional material that may be helpful in the evaluation of the application.
It is highly recommended that students work closely with their supervisor and other faculty from their department when planning a research period abroad. Faculty may have useful contacts at universities and knowledge about which universities and departments are likely to be most relevant to student researchers.
Doctoral Research Support Grant requests are reviewed by the Senate-appointed Scholarships Advisory Committee.
Helpful Application Hints
The CEU Scholarships Advisory Committee will consider special circumstances or requests. In such situations, please include a cover letter with your application.
Submit a complete application.
If you will not be at CEU, please prepare the application packets in advance and make sure you notify the department and the Financial Aid Office before leaving CEU in case you will need additional documents or assistance.
If the official acceptance/invitation letter from the host university will arrive later than the deadline, please inform Ildiko Torok in the Financial Aid Office. This will be noted on the application, which can still be submitted by the deadline. The application will be reviewed, but the letter is required, and the decision will be
conditional
until received.
Criteria for Evaluations and Appeals Process
All PhD students who have passed their comprehensive exams are eligible to receive the Doctoral Research Support Grant as long as they have their supervisor's support. The committee will only evaluate three issues:
1)
the budget, in other words, whether or not the items and amounts listed are justifiable and reasonable given the location of the planned research trip;
2)
whether or not the timing of the research trip is conducive to the completion of the PhD project and meets the supervisor's approval; and
3)
whether or not the institution the student plans to spend time at is in high academic standing and relevant for the proposed study.
The committee will not send individual evaluations to the applicants as this would place an undue burden on those administering this grant. However, in case a student wants to find out the reason why the application was not approved for the grant, an inquiry may be sent to Ildiko Torok - Financial Aid Coordinator, at
toroki@ceu.edu
.
Appeals against the decision of the committee may be submitted within a maximum of 2 weeks after the notification to the Provost.
Visa, Travel, and Living Cots
What are the visa requirements? Find out and plan ahead. Visas take time and cost money. The grant will be paid in two equal installments. The first installment will be paid two months prior to the date of departure, which will cover visa costs and provide pocket money during travel. The second installment will be paid on the date of departure. Should the trip be canceled or delayed for any reason, the funds must be repaid to CEU immediately.
You may include in your budget travel costs to and from airports as well as commuting costs during the period of study. If you plan to use public transport, please include documentation outlining its cost and look for the most cost-efficient option (e.g. a monthly pass).
Living costs - contact your host university for details of reasonable living costs for students. A detailed breakdown of costs is required.
All budget calculations should be made in Euros. When needed, include the exchange rate and tell us where you obtained the rate (e.g. from a recognized website such as
https://xe.com/ucc
) and the date at which the rate is valid.
Include health insurance if you need it. In most cases, EU citizens do not require health insurance if they travel to an EU member state. It is the applicant's responsibility to check their eligibility. If you travel to North America, you most likely will require health insurance. However, costs vary from state to state, please ask your host university for a quote. British university health insurance usually covers most nationalities.
Students should investigate any tax liability and plan accordingly. CEU will not cover any financial losses due to taxation.
Students should always plan for bank charges and currency fluctuations when changing the EUR into another currency.
Applications must be submitted via the online application form to Ildiko Torok - Financial Aid Coordinator in the Financial Aid Office by
no later than November 28, 2025, and May 1, 2026 (Friday)
Grant Application Form - 6-year Funding Scheme (for DRSG, Summer School, Winter School)
Winter School Grant
CEU funds a limited number of Winter School grants each academic year for doctoral students who have passed their comprehensive examination. The application deadline is
November 7, 2025 (Friday)
.
This grant is not available to those students who are in the 4-year PhD funding scheme from 22/23 AY.
Application deadline:
November 7, 2025 (Friday)
for awards to be used in the Academic Year 2025/2026.
The CEU Scholarships Committee has reserved a small sum of money from its general pool of travel funds for enrolled students who wish to attend a Winter School whose courses are (a) demonstrably necessary for the student's doctoral research at this stage of her/his research and (b) not offered at a CEU Department. The Committee invites applicants from
post-comprehensive
CEU doctoral students.
Application materials required are outlined in the Winter School Grant Application Form. The Committee would like to emphasize that each application must include (a) a letter from the applicant's supervisor confirming that the courses offered in the Winter School are necessary for furthering the applicant's work at this stage of her/his research and (b) a letter from either the Head or Doctoral Program Director confirming that such courses are not currently offered in the applicant's Department.
Due to financial constraints, the Scholarships Committee may fund only a part of the total requested by the applicant, regardless of the quality of the application. Students may apply for
up to 1,500 EUR
.
Applications must include:
A completed application form signed by the supervisor
Information about the Winter School (flyer or call for application, including information about fees, if applicable).
Acceptance letter from the Winter School. Please note: If the official acceptance/invitation letter from the host university will arrive later than the deadline, please inform Ildiko Torok in the Financial Aid Office. This will be noted on the application which can still be submitted by the deadline. The application will be reviewed, but the letter is required, and the decision will be
conditional
until received.
A statement of purpose or motivation letter or cover letter – submit a max. one-page summary of how attending the school will benefit your research.
A letter from your supervisor supporting your application and clarifying that it will benefit your research and that the courses you will attend are either not offered at CEU, or that they enhance existing courses offered.
A letter from either the Head or Doctoral Program Director confirming that such courses are not currently offered in the applicant's Department.
CEU Transcript (unofficial transcript is acceptable). You may download the unofficial transcript of records via the
SITS e:Vision Portal
.
Information about fees for travel, housing, food, etc. (All items listed on the budget form). Please attach supporting documents showing where the price(s) were found.
Receipts should be kept for all costs listed on the budget form in the application for review. (All receipts/invoices, etc., should be in the name of the student only).
Upon return, the student is required to submit proof of attendance and/or a certificate of completion of course(s). This must be submitted to the Financial Aid Office.
Students may only receive a Winter School grant
once
during their studies.
Applications must be submitted via the online application form to Ildiko Torok - Financial Aid Coordinator in the Financial Aid Office by
no later than November 7, 2025 (Friday)
.
Grant Application Form - 6-year Funding Scheme (for DRSG, Summer School, Winter School)
Summer School Grant
CEU funds a limited number of Summer School grants each academic year for doctoral students who have passed their comprehensive examination. Doctoral students whose comprehensive exam is scheduled for the fall semester after completion of their first-year obligations may also be considered for the grant. The application deadline is
April 3, 2026 (Friday)
.
This grant is not available to those students who are in the 4-year PhD funding scheme from 22/23 AY.
Application Deadline:
April 3, 2026(Friday)
for awards to be used in Academic Year 2025/2026.
All enrolled
post-comprehensive
doctoral students are eligible to apply for a grant to support attendance at a graduate Summer School of their choice. (Exceptionally, doctoral students whose comprehensive exam is scheduled for the fall after the completion of their first-year obligations may also receive the grant). The Summer School should be of demonstrably high academic quality and fit the research topic of the attending student.
Eligible expenses
are
travel and accommodation costs, course fees
(but applicants are encouraged to ask for a fee waiver, if possible), and a limited (
max 10 EUR/day
) per diem allowance for meals (unless the fee covers meals in which case no separate per diem allowance can be given).
The grants will be distributed on a competitive basis, taking into account the
academic performance of the student,
the academic quality of the hosting school,
the demonstrated relevance of the school to the student's research.
Depending on the number of applications, grants will be offered to cover all or part of the expenses. Decisions will be made by the Scholarship Advisory Committee. Students may apply for
up to
1,500 EUR
.
Important: The Summer School Grant is a very competitive program. No incomplete or late applications can be accepted and reviewed by the Scholarship Advisory Committee.
Applications must include:
A completed application form (Summer School Grant Application Form for 2025-2026), signed by the supervisor.
Information about the Summer School (flyer or call for application, including information about fees, if applicable).
Acceptance letter from the Summer School. Please note: If the official acceptance/invitation letter from the host university will arrive later than the deadline, please inform Ildiko Torok in the Financial Aid Office. This will be noted on the application, which can still be submitted by the deadline. The application will be reviewed, but the letter is required, and the decision will be
conditional
until received.
A statement of purpose or motivation letter or cover letter – the same that is asked when applying to a Summer School. If the Summer School did not ask for a letter, submit a max. one-page summary of how attending the school will benefit your research.
A letter from your supervisor supporting your application and clarifying that it will benefit your research and that the courses you will attend are either not offered at CEU or that they enhance existing courses offered.
CEU Transcript (unofficial transcript is acceptable). You may download the unofficial transcript of records via the
SITS e:Vision Portal
.
Information about fees for travel, housing, food, etc. (All items listed on the budget form). Please attach supporting documents showing where the price(s) were found.
Upon return, the student is required to submit proof of attendance and/or certificate of completion of the course(s). This must be submitted to the Financial Aid Office.
Receipts should be kept for all costs listed on the budget form in the application for review. (All receipts/invoices, etc., should be in the name of the student only).
Students may only receive the Summer School grant
two times
during their studies.
Reminder: No incomplete or late applications can be accepted and reviewed by the Scholarship Advisory Committee.
Applications must be submitted via the online application form to Ildiko Torok - Financial Aid Coordinator in the Financial Aid Office by
no later than April 3, 2026 (Friday)
.
Grant Application Form - 6-year Funding Scheme (for DRSG, Summer School, Winter School)
Should you have any questions, please contact her directly at
toroki@ceu.edu
.
Thank you!
Contact
Should you have any questions, please contact:
Ildiko Torok
Financial Aid Coordinator in the Financial Aid Office
Email
toroki@ceu.edu
Thank you!
Skip to main content
Search
Financial Research Support for Enrolled Students
In this section
Admissions & Aid
Apply to a Bachelor’s Program
Apply to a Master’s Program
Apply to a Doctoral Program
Non-degree Programs
Tuition and Other Fees
Funding Your Studies
Research Funds for Enrolled Students
Connect and Learn More
Admissions FAQ
On This Page
Stipend Supplement (PhD Students only)
Master’s Research and Internship Support
Praesidium Libertatis Scholarship at Leiden University
Research and Travel Funds
Doctoral Research Support Grant
Winter School Grant
Summer School Grant
Contact
In addition to its comprehensive financial aid packages,
CEU offers other opportunities to apply for financial support to enrolled students
.
Stipend Supplement (PhD Students only)
Supplemental stipends for various legitimate expenses in the amount up to 5,200 EUR (per student) may be received and used for conference participation, research trips, fieldwork costs, etc.
(food and fuel costs are not covered).
Students are eligible to apply for this stipend supplement beyond passing the Comprehensive Exam. Each month post-comprehensive students may submit the application form
by no later than the 20th of each month.
Master’s Research and Internship Support
The ‘Master’s Research and Internship Support’ is a merit-based financial aid. It aims to provide financial support for master’s students for certain activities that are related to and necessary for the completion of their master’s degree requirements at CEU. It may be provided only to students in one or two-year master's programs
only once
during their studies, and for
up to 6 weeks
. Each month students may submit the application form
by no later than the 20th of each month.
Praesidium Libertatis Scholarship at Leiden University
CEU degree students who are currently enrolled may apply for the Leiden-CEU Praesidium Libertatis Scholarship which allows them to participate in graduate degree programs at Leiden University. The application deadline is
February 2, 2026 (Monday)
.
Research and Travel Funds
CEU believes in giving its students opportunities to access as much knowledge as possible. That is why the University provides Travel Grants for students, contributing to the cost of traveling abroad and attending academic conferences. All travel-related costs are covered, as well as conference fees, accommodation, and administrative costs
(food and fuel costs are not covered).
In addition, Short-Research Grants help students enhance their dissertations. Doctoral students are eligible to receive one such award during their second or third year of study. Master's students may receive such grants organized by their departments.
This grant is not available to those students who are in the 4-year PhD funding scheme from 22/23 AY.
CEU believes in giving its students opportunities to access as much knowledge as possible. That is why the university provides travel grants for students, contributing to the cost of traveling abroad to attend academic conferences. The grant may be used to cover travel-related costs, as well as conference fees, accommodation, and administrative costs
(food and fuel costs are not covered)
.
The research grant may also be used for thesis or dissertation-related research.
The deadlines for submitting travel and research grant applications in the academic year
2025/2026
are the following:
October 3, 2025 -
(for students attending after Oct. 4th)
Conference travel grant for doctoral students;
Supplementary travel grant for doctoral students;
Field and archival research grant for doctoral students.
January 9, 2026 -
(for students attending after Jan. 10th)
Conference travel grant for doctoral students;
Supplementary travel grant for doctoral students;
Field and archival research grant for doctoral students.
March 6, 2026 -
(for students attending after March 7th)
Conference travel grant for doctoral students;
Supplementary travel grant for doctoral students;
Field and archival research grant for doctoral students.
May 29, 2026 -
(for students attending after May 30th)
Conference travel grant for doctoral students;
Supplementary travel grant for doctoral students;
Field and archival research grant for doctoral students.
July 3, 2026 -
(for students attending after July 4th)
Conference travel grant for doctoral students;
Supplementary travel grant for doctoral students;
Field and archival research grant for doctoral students.
Further information is available in the Student Travel and Research Grant policy and guidelines in the
Rules and Principles
document.
Please note:
If the official acceptance/invitation letter from the event organizer will only arrive
after
the deadline, please inform
Ildiko Torok
in the Financial Aid Office before or upon submitting your application. The application must still
be submitted by the deadline
but this information will be noted. The application will be reviewed, but the letter/acceptance is required, and the decision will be conditional until this supporting document is received.
Applications must be submitted via the online application form to Ildiko Torok, the financial aid coordinator at the Financial Aid Office.
Grant Application Form - PhD Conference Travel Grant
Grant Application Form - PhD Field and Archival Research Grant
Grant Application Form - Supplementary Travel Grant
See attachments:
Rules and Principles
Student Travel and Research Grants Policy
Internal Travel Grant Report Form 23/24
Internal Travel Grant Report Know how for Students 23/24
Doctoral Research Support Grant
The Doctoral Research Support Grant Program (DRSG) is designed to help students enrolled in CEU doctoral programs wishing to spend time researching or studying at another recognized university, institute, or research center. The application deadlines are
November 28, 2025, and May 1, 2026 (Friday)
.
This grant is not available to those students who are in the 4-year PhD funding scheme from 22/23 AY.
Application deadlines:
November 28, 2025 (Friday) -
For students who will be attending
from January 2026 to Spring.
May 1, 2026 (Friday)
- For students who will be attending
from
S
ummer 2026 (August)
.
The awards are to be used in the Academic Year 2025/2026.
Currently, enrolled CEU students approved for full doctoral candidacy are encouraged to pursue their dissertation research and to build international scholarly contacts through a special study abroad program. CEU has a Doctoral Research Support Grant Program (DRSG), which enables a short research stay abroad. Students may apply to recognized universities, institutes, or research centers abroad to spend
up to a six-month period
as "visiting/research scholars". This scheme is an integral part of the CEU doctoral program.
Important: The Scholarship Advisory Committee will not review late or incomplete applications.
The Doctoral Research Support grant is given within the limits of CEU's academic and financial year. Therefore, the scheme must commence and be completed within the
August 1st - July 31st
time frame and cannot be started any earlier or end later. A student may only apply to one deadline.
In each academic year, the application deadline will be made known at least three months in advance with a reminder sent at least one month in advance. Students are encouraged to make contact with potential host institutions as soon as possible after their comprehensive exams. Finalizing arrangements will take time, students are responsible for ensuring that all arrangements are in place by the deadline (the committee will not consider applications without confirmation from the host institution and will not grant an extension).
The Doctoral Research Support grant will be considered in addition to the regular CEU stipend funding of 36 months. Grant recipients may wish to "stop the clock", i.e. to temporarily halt payment of their stipend. It is the student's responsibility to gain all information on what "stopping the clock" entails. The department coordinator or Financial Aid Office will be able to help with this.
Eligibility and General Requirements
The Doctoral Research Support Grant Program is open to every CEU doctoral student who has
passed the comprehensive exam
. Pre-comprehensive students (normally first-year students) may not submit an application.
CEU doctoral guidelines recognize
up to six months
of study abroad as part of the normal doctoral study. Some restrictions may apply from department to department, particularly if the doctoral program is externally funded. It is at the discretion of the department/program head whether to also require completion of the program's residential requirements.
Applicants must demonstrate the relevance of the proposed research/study to their thesis. Applicants must have the written recommendation of their CEU doctoral supervisor and the endorsement of the department/program head.
Students must have been admitted to a university or research institute as "special" or "non-degree" students and must have received some form of financial support (tuition fee waiver, etc.) for the period of their research. The Tuition Fee is not covered by the DRSG. If the host university has a required Tuition Fee that will not be waived, it must be listed on the Budget Form and deducted from the total amount being requested. The fee in such cases must be covered by the student. The CEU grant is designed to be supplementary and covers mainly travel and subsistence costs.
This is not a competitive grant and each student may receive it
once
during their studies at CEU. However, the amount awarded will depend on justified costs and budgetary limitations.
Students may apply
up to 5,000 EUR
. The amount of the grant awarded will vary. The committee will assess each application on its own merits and will take into account the appropriateness of the budget, how well costs are documented, the breakdown of the work schedule, and the relevance of the trip to the student's doctoral project.
The student is
required
to submit receipts for all major costs listed on the budget form (airfare/train tickets, housing, transportation pass, visa costs, etc.). (All receipts/invoices, etc., should be in the name of the student only).
Upon return, the student is
required
to submit a letter from the host supervisor stating the student attended and completed the research. This must be submitted to the Financial Aid Office.
How to Apply for the DRSG
DRSG Application Form
must be sent by the supervisor:
Read all instructions and information carefully before completing the application.
Complete all forms in the application - type or print them neatly.
Submit the application and supporting documents to the Financial Aid Office. The confidential Reference Form and Letter from the supervisor should be sent via email from the supervisor to the Financial Aid Office.
The date of departure and return should be
definite
. Should the dates change, the application will need to be re-submitted to the Committee for approval once again.
All applications should include the following documents:
A completed CEU Doctoral Research Support Grant Program Application Form, endorsed by the Head of Department.
A detailed budget (part of the DRSG application form). Please attach all supporting documents to show where the price(s) were found for housing, food, travel, transport passes, visa, etc. (All receipts/invoices, etc., should be in the name of the student only).
A
Statement of Purpose
of no more than three pages which states the benefits of the visit for your research and research plan (a research plan is a description of the relevant research material/courses at the host institution, how they will help your doctoral project, and the work schedule envisaged).
A
confidential
Reference Form from the CEU supervisor supporting the application. This should be sent via email directly to the Financial Aid Office by the supervisor.
A
confidential
letter of support from the CEU supervisor should focus in particular on how your research plan will help your doctoral project. This should be sent via email directly to the Financial Aid Office by the supervisor.
An official letter of acceptance/invitation from the host institution, outlining the details of the offer and confirming the waiver of the Tuition fee, dates you will be attending, and information regarding monthly living costs, insurance, etc.
A letter of support from the supervisor at the host institution confirming the research plan, the dates attending, what you will be working on together, a monthly study-plan, how this will benefit you, etc.
CEU Transcript (an
unofficial
transcript is acceptable). You may download the unofficial transcript of records via the
SITS e:Vision Portal
.
A reservation or cost quotation for round-trip economy travel. Quotations should be given for the
exact dates
of the outward and return journeys the applicant intends to take. Applicants should look for the cheapest possible options, including traveling by train or coach when distance permits and using budget airlines wherever possible. Students are encouraged to use 'flight aggregator' websites to search for the cheapest possible fare (e.g.
https://momondo.com
). Travel should be a return trip from and to Budapest, though the committee will consider other permutations if there are sound academic reasons for doing so (e.g. conference or fieldwork).
Curriculum Vitae
Reminder: No incomplete or late applications can be accepted and reviewed by the Scholarship Advisory Committee.
The omission of one or more of these documents will render the application incomplete and could result in disqualification. Please include any additional material that may be helpful in the evaluation of the application.
It is highly recommended that students work closely with their supervisor and other faculty from their department when planning a research period abroad. Faculty may have useful contacts at universities and knowledge about which universities and departments are likely to be most relevant to student researchers.
Doctoral Research Support Grant requests are reviewed by the Senate-appointed Scholarships Advisory Committee.
Helpful Application Hints
The CEU Scholarships Advisory Committee will consider special circumstances or requests. In such situations, please include a cover letter with your application.
Submit a complete application.
If you will not be at CEU, please prepare the application packets in advance and make sure you notify the department and the Financial Aid Office before leaving CEU in case you will need additional documents or assistance.
If the official acceptance/invitation letter from the host university will arrive later than the deadline, please inform Ildiko Torok in the Financial Aid Office. This will be noted on the application, which can still be submitted by the deadline. The application will be reviewed, but the letter is required, and the decision will be
conditional
until received.
Criteria for Evaluations and Appeals Process
All PhD students who have passed their comprehensive exams are eligible to receive the Doctoral Research Support Grant as long as they have their supervisor's support. The committee will only evaluate three issues:
1)
the budget, in other words, whether or not the items and amounts listed are justifiable and reasonable given the location of the planned research trip;
2)
whether or not the timing of the research trip is conducive to the completion of the PhD project and meets the supervisor's approval; and
3)
whether or not the institution the student plans to spend time at is in high academic standing and relevant for the proposed study.
The committee will not send individual evaluations to the applicants as this would place an undue burden on those administering this grant. However, in case a student wants to find out the reason why the application was not approved for the grant, an inquiry may be sent to Ildiko Torok - Financial Aid Coordinator, at
toroki@ceu.edu
.
Appeals against the decision of the committee may be submitted within a maximum of 2 weeks after the notification to the Provost.
Visa, Travel, and Living Cots
What are the visa requirements? Find out and plan ahead. Visas take time and cost money. The grant will be paid in two equal installments. The first installment will be paid two months prior to the date of departure, which will cover visa costs and provide pocket money during travel. The second installment will be paid on the date of departure. Should the trip be canceled or delayed for any reason, the funds must be repaid to CEU immediately.
You may include in your budget travel costs to and from airports as well as commuting costs during the period of study. If you plan to use public transport, please include documentation outlining its cost and look for the most cost-efficient option (e.g. a monthly pass).
Living costs - contact your host university for details of reasonable living costs for students. A detailed breakdown of costs is required.
All budget calculations should be made in Euros. When needed, include the exchange rate and tell us where you obtained the rate (e.g. from a recognized website such as
https://xe.com/ucc
) and the date at which the rate is valid.
Include health insurance if you need it. In most cases, EU citizens do not require health insurance if they travel to an EU member state. It is the applicant's responsibility to check their eligibility. If you travel to North America, you most likely will require health insurance. However, costs vary from state to state, please ask your host university for a quote. British university health insurance usually covers most nationalities.
Students should investigate any tax liability and plan accordingly. CEU will not cover any financial losses due to taxation.
Students should always plan for bank charges and currency fluctuations when changing the EUR into another currency.
Applications must be submitted via the online application form to Ildiko Torok - Financial Aid Coordinator in the Financial Aid Office by
no later than November 28, 2025, and May 1, 2026 (Friday)
Grant Application Form - 6-year Funding Scheme (for DRSG, Summer School, Winter School)
Winter School Grant
CEU funds a limited number of Winter School grants each academic year for doctoral students who have passed their comprehensive examination. The application deadline is
November 7, 2025 (Friday)
.
This grant is not available to those students who are in the 4-year PhD funding scheme from 22/23 AY.
Application deadline:
November 7, 2025 (Friday)
for awards to be used in the Academic Year 2025/2026.
The CEU Scholarships Committee has reserved a small sum of money from its general pool of travel funds for enrolled students who wish to attend a Winter School whose courses are (a) demonstrably necessary for the student's doctoral research at this stage of her/his research and (b) not offered at a CEU Department. The Committee invites applicants from
post-comprehensive
CEU doctoral students.
Application materials required are outlined in the Winter School Grant Application Form. The Committee would like to emphasize that each application must include (a) a letter from the applicant's supervisor confirming that the courses offered in the Winter School are necessary for furthering the applicant's work at this stage of her/his research and (b) a letter from either the Head or Doctoral Program Director confirming that such courses are not currently offered in the applicant's Department.
Due to financial constraints, the Scholarships Committee may fund only a part of the total requested by the applicant, regardless of the quality of the application. Students may apply for
up to 1,500 EUR
.
Applications must include:
A completed application form signed by the supervisor
Information about the Winter School (flyer or call for application, including information about fees, if applicable).
Acceptance letter from the Winter School. Please note: If the official acceptance/invitation letter from the host university will arrive later than the deadline, please inform Ildiko Torok in the Financial Aid Office. This will be noted on the application which can still be submitted by the deadline. The application will be reviewed, but the letter is required, and the decision will be
conditional
until received.
A statement of purpose or motivation letter or cover letter – submit a max. one-page summary of how attending the school will benefit your research.
A letter from your supervisor supporting your application and clarifying that it will benefit your research and that the courses you will attend are either not offered at CEU, or that they enhance existing courses offered.
A letter from either the Head or Doctoral Program Director confirming that such courses are not currently offered in the applicant's Department.
CEU Transcript (unofficial transcript is acceptable). You may download the unofficial transcript of records via the
SITS e:Vision Portal
.
Information about fees for travel, housing, food, etc. (All items listed on the budget form). Please attach supporting documents showing where the price(s) were found.
Receipts should be kept for all costs listed on the budget form in the application for review. (All receipts/invoices, etc., should be in the name of the student only).
Upon return, the student is required to submit proof of attendance and/or a certificate of completion of course(s). This must be submitted to the Financial Aid Office.
Students may only receive a Winter School grant
once
during their studies.
Applications must be submitted via the online application form to Ildiko Torok - Financial Aid Coordinator in the Financial Aid Office by
no later than November 7, 2025 (Friday)
.
Grant Application Form - 6-year Funding Scheme (for DRSG, Summer School, Winter School)
Summer School Grant
CEU funds a limited number of Summer School grants each academic year for doctoral students who have passed their comprehensive examination. Doctoral students whose comprehensive exam is scheduled for the fall semester after completion of their first-year obligations may also be considered for the grant. The application deadline is
April 3, 2026 (Friday)
.
This grant is not available to those students who are in the 4-year PhD funding scheme from 22/23 AY.
Application Deadline:
April 3, 2026(Friday)
for awards to be used in Academic Year 2025/2026.
All enrolled
post-comprehensive
doctoral students are eligible to apply for a grant to support attendance at a graduate Summer School of their choice. (Exceptionally, doctoral students whose comprehensive exam is scheduled for the fall after the completion of their first-year obligations may also receive the grant). The Summer School should be of demonstrably high academic quality and fit the research topic of the attending student.
Eligible expenses
are
travel and accommodation costs, course fees
(but applicants are encouraged to ask for a fee waiver, if possible), and a limited (
max 10 EUR/day
) per diem allowance for meals (unless the fee covers meals in which case no separate per diem allowance can be given).
The grants will be distributed on a competitive basis, taking into account the
academic performance of the student,
the academic quality of the hosting school,
the demonstrated relevance of the school to the student's research.
Depending on the number of applications, grants will be offered to cover all or part of the expenses. Decisions will be made by the Scholarship Advisory Committee. Students may apply for
up to
1,500 EUR
.
Important: The Summer School Grant is a very competitive program. No incomplete or late applications can be accepted and reviewed by the Scholarship Advisory Committee.
Applications must include:
A completed application form (Summer School Grant Application Form for 2025-2026), signed by the supervisor.
Information about the Summer School (flyer or call for application, including information about fees, if applicable).
Acceptance letter from the Summer School. Please note: If the official acceptance/invitation letter from the host university will arrive later than the deadline, please inform Ildiko Torok in the Financial Aid Office. This will be noted on the application, which can still be submitted by the deadline. The application will be reviewed, but the letter is required, and the decision will be
conditional
until received.
A statement of purpose or motivation letter or cover letter – the same that is asked when applying to a Summer School. If the Summer School did not ask for a letter, submit a max. one-page summary of how attending the school will benefit your research.
A letter from your supervisor supporting your application and clarifying that it will benefit your research and that the courses you will attend are either not offered at CEU or that they enhance existing courses offered.
CEU Transcript (unofficial transcript is acceptable). You may download the unofficial transcript of records via the
SITS e:Vision Portal
.
Information about fees for travel, housing, food, etc. (All items listed on the budget form). Please attach supporting documents showing where the price(s) were found.
Upon return, the student is required to submit proof of attendance and/or certificate of completion of the course(s). This must be submitted to the Financial Aid Office.
Receipts should be kept for all costs listed on the budget form in the application for review. (All receipts/invoices, etc., should be in the name of the student only).
Students may only receive the Summer School grant
two times
during their studies.
Reminder: No incomplete or late applications can be accepted and reviewed by the Scholarship Advisory Committee.
Applications must be submitted via the online application form to Ildiko Torok - Financial Aid Coordinator in the Financial Aid Office by
no later than April 3, 2026 (Friday)
.
Grant Application Form - 6-year Funding Scheme (for DRSG, Summer School, Winter School)
Should you have any questions, please contact her directly at
toroki@ceu.edu
.
Thank you!
Contact
Should you have any questions, please contact:
Ildiko Torok
Financial Aid Coordinator in the Financial Aid Office
toroki@ceu.edu
Thank you!