How to Apply for MA

Admission Requirements

Eligibility:

  1. A four-year Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in political science or related fields such as social sciences, economics, philosophy, public policy, public administration, law, or media. Other degrees may also be considered.
  2. Meet general CEU PU admission requirements.
  1. At least three years of prior higher education and a BA (worth at least 180 ECTS credits) in political science or related fields such as social sciences, economics, philosophy, public policy, or public administration.
  2. Meet general CEU PU admission requirements.

Note: Depending on the equivalence of prior studies with a BA in Political Science, students may need to take 5 ECTS credits worth of Remedial Courses covering core subjects such as political theory, comparative politics, constitutional law, political sociology, introductory statistics, and international relations.


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Selection Criteria:

  • Overall evaluation of academic and professional achievements.
  • Strength of recommendations.
  • English language proficiency.
  • General knowledge of social sciences and alignment with the program’s aims.

Application Materials

Curriculum Vitae or Resume

Please upload an updated CV or resume, including a publication list if available. CEU accepts all commonly used CV/resume formats.

Proof of English Proficiency

You must demonstrate proficiency in English by submitting your results on standardized English language tests such as TOEFL or others listed below.

You may request an exemption from this requirement by answering the question about English Language Qualifications in the Qualification section of the online application form. Exemptions will be considered if any of the following apply:

• your first language is English, or
• you are a current or a former CEU student applying to a CEU doctoral program, or
• you have obtained a Bachelor’s and/or a Master’s degree taught exclusively in English.

If the language of instruction is not clearly stated in your academic records, you’ll need to upload an official letter from the university confirming that you were taught exclusively in English throughout your studies.
If you are submitting a test score of one of the exams listed below, you’ll need to upload your score report in the online application.

Language test types & minimum test scores required by master's programs:

Test Type Minimum Overall/Total Score Required

TOEFL (Internet-based; not older than two years at the time of application)

88

TOEFL (Paper-based; not older than two years at the time of application) 570

IELTS (Academic; not older than two years at the time of application)

6.5

Pearson Test of English (Academic; not older than five years at the time of application) 59
Cambridge English: C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency (not older than five years at the time of application) 180
Euroexam Academic (not older than two years at the time of application) Pass 
Duolingo English Test (not older than one year at the time of application) 120

If you have any questions about our English proficiency requirements, please go here.

Letters of Recommendation

You must have two confidential letters of recommendation submitted as part of your application, assessing your ability to conduct graduate-level work, and potential for a successful academic or professional career. The letters must be written in English by a faculty member or job supervisor, i.e. people most familiar with your academic and/or professional abilities and character and sent via the online application system by the recommenders themselves. (You must not know the contents of the letters and therefore cannot submit them.) 

In order to enable your recommenders to send in their letters, you need to register them in the relevant section of the online application form, submit your application and - for your first application - pay the application fee; they won’t receive an email with a link to a recommendation form until after you have submitted your application and your application fee is confirmed by Flywire. All recommendations must be received within one week of the time the application is received. Late references may or may not be considered. 

You can track the status of your references on the applicant portal. If you have any questions about the letters of recommendation, please go here

Academic Records

Upload your complete official bachelor’s transcript and your bachelor's diploma in English.

Notes:

  • The transcript and the diploma should be issued in English by your high school/university/college or translated by the issuing institution or a registered translator. In either case, it must bear the stamp and signature of an official of the institution or the translator.
  • Master’s candidates completing a bachelor’s program must upload an official interim transcript and, in place of the diploma, a certificate of enrollment confirming their student status. The certificate of enrollment should include the expected date of graduation if possible.
  • Candidates having completed their degree program and having yet to receive their diploma must upload a certificate of graduation.
  • Candidates who have taken courses at more than one institution as part of their degree program must submit an official transcript from each school, unless the transfer credits are listed in detail (course names, credits, grades) on their final transcript.
  • Candidates applying for a one-year master's program at CEU that have earned a three-year undergraduate degree and have completed or are, at the time of application, completing a master's program must submit their master's transcript (and diploma, if available) in addition to their bachelor's transcript and diploma.
  • The official "Diploma Supplement" issued by European institutions is acceptable as a transcript; it is, however, not valid without an official copy (and translation if applicable) of the diploma.

If you have any questions about academic records, please go here.

Academic Writing Submission

Submit:

  • A short (approximately 500 words) exposition on a political science issue or problem of interest.
  • Samples of previous writings in English and/or a list of scholarly publications and relevant research experience in English (as applicable)

Statement of Purpose

A 100-word statement of purpose explaining why you are applying to the program.

Completed CEU Application Form

Notes:

  • All application materials must be submitted with the online application form(s). Materials sent by postal mail, electronic mail or fax are not considered.
  • You may apply to up to 5 programs offered by any academic unit at CEU. To apply for multiple programs, you must submit a complete application (including refererences) for each program. Some programs have different application deadlines; please always refer to the program websites for detailed guidelines.
  • CEU charges an application fee of EUR 30 for each candidate irrespective of the number of programs applied to in the given admissions cycle. The application fee is non-refundable and cannot be waived. The fee must be paid via the online application form after the first application is submitted in the given admission cycle. Once you hit "submit" on your application, the page will redirect you to the payment portal where you can pay the application fee. NOTE: Fee payments to CEU are processed by Flywire. For your (first) application to be processed, Flywire must receive your application fee payment. Because Flywire may take several days to receive and process your payment, we recommend that you pay the fee with a bank card OR submit your first application with your fee payment at least one week before the deadline to avoid any issues. (Please see our FAQ's here.)
  • Applications cannot be edited after submission with the exception of certain data (contact information) that can be updated via the Applicant Portal. Please submit your application only when it is 100% final and complete. (Please see the related FAQ's here.)
  • CEU does not return application documents, or provide copies thereof.
  • If you applied to CEU in a previous admission cycle, please use your existing login and password to start a new application. If you do not remember your password from last year click on Forgotten Password. With technical problems, bugs or errors related to the online application forms please contact the CEU IT Help Desk. DO NOT CREATE MULTIPLE ACCOUNTS TO APPLY TO CEU!

 

Student Experience

Hear from our students directly! Watch this video where Esai Inaltekin talks about his experience at CEU, the MA program, and life on campus:


Application Deadlines


October 15, 2024 (23:59, Central European Time)*  

Application deadline** for applicants from visa-sensitive countries(i.e. countries where it may take 9 to 12 months to obtain a study residence permit and visa).  

Early application deadline** for applicants seeking an early decision because they either need no CEU financial aid or wish to apply for external funding.  Those applicants in this category should email the Admissions Office to request an early decision after they have applied.  

*Applicants will receive a response in December 2024.  

**Please note: this deadline does not apply to Erasmus Mundus (MESPOM, Mundus MAPP) programs and the MA in International Relations New York track -- see below. 

February 4, 2025 (23:59, Central European Time)* 

Application deadline for applicants  from non-visa-sensitive countries who wish to be considered for CEU financial aid (where available).  

Application deadline for Erasmus Mundus (MESPOM, Mundus MAPP) programs and the MA in International Relations New York track for all candidates seeking financial aid, regardless of citizenship. 

April 15, 2025 (23:59, Central European Time)

Application deadline for self-financing applicants for all master’s programs (including MESPOM, Mundus MAPP and the MA in International Relations New York track)

who need a visa to enter Austria (except applicants from visa-sensitive countries).  

July 1, 2025 (23:59, Central European Time)  

Application deadline for self-financing applicants for master’s programs  (including MESPOM, Mundus MAPP and the MA in International Relations New York track) who need no visa to enter Austria. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Subject to spaces available.  


Application Tips and FAQ:

  • For tips on preparing your application and answers to common questions, visit our Application Tips and FAQ pages. These resources provide valuable insights to help you complete your application successfully.

  • Explore our Admissions Webinar where faculty and students share application tips and answer questions about the application process.


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For further details, check the CEU main admissions pages and feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions!