Program-Specific Requirements

Application deadline for Academic Year 2025/26 is February 4, 2025. The application forms for bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD programs for the 2025/26 cohorts are open and available online. Anyone applying to our PhD program before or on February 4, 2025, until 23:59 CET will be automatically considered for a scholarship, covering the full cost of tuition, complete with a monthly stipend to assist with housing and living costs as well as health insurance.

Doctoral Stipend: 1,880 EUR/gross/month

Please note: PhD stipends are taxable in Austria. PhD students are considered new self-employed individuals in Austria, and they have to file their own taxes and register at the national SVS insurance provider. For more information or questions, please contact studentcenter@ceu.edu. 

Housing

Doctoral students receive a monthly stipend to help with housing and living expenses. Each student is responsible for securing accommodation for themselves.

Please note: The CEU Doctoral Scholarship is awarded for a period of 48 months in total.

For students arriving after the program start date, stipends are paid out on a pro-rated basis starting from the arrival date on campus. No retroactive stipend payments are possible.

Apart from general CEU admission requirements, we expect applications from candidates with a Master’s degree in one of a broad range of related disciplines (including physics, mathematics, computer science, sociology, political science and economics), who have an interest in network science and/or its applications.

The PhD program is open for students with a wide variety of backgrounds. We have had students with MA/MSc in math, physics, sociology, psychology, architecture, economics and political science. The Program is strongly interdisciplinary with a special emphasis on quantitative methods and data-oriented research. Those who have weaker math backgrounds will have to participate in a pre-session course and will need some additional effort.

Please note that if your degree is not called "Master's", it can be accepted as a Master's equivalent if you can submit a confirmation from either (a) your university or (b) the Education Office of the country that your degree is a Master's equivalent which qualifies you to enroll to a doctoral program.

We do NOT request a GRE test.

In addition to the general application requirements set by the university, our program requires a Statement of Purpose as a key part of your application.

In your Statement of Purpose, please clearly address the following:

  • Your motivation for studying Network Science at CEU;
  • Your familiarity with the relevant Network Science literature;
  • Your openness to, and any experience with, mathematical methods and programming;
  • The specific research area within Network Science that interests you, along with any future plans in this direction;
  • Any studies or activities you’ve undertaken that align with your research goals.

Please note that the Statement of Purpose should not exceed 1,500 words (excluding references).

How to applyhttps://www.ceu.edu/apply