CEU

Central European University

LSE offers undergraduate students the opportunity to spend a full academic year at the Vienna campus of the Central European University

An information session for students interested in applying to a GO LSE exchange programme usually takes place during the Autumn term of each academic year.

About

The Central European University (CEU) is an interdisciplinary undergraduate- and graduate-level university, which is based across two campuses: one based in Vienna and one in Budapest. Located in the heart of Central Europe, CEU has a distinct academic and intellectual focus, combining the comparative study of the region's historical, cultural, and social diversity with a global perspective on good governance, sustainable development and social transformation. 

Similarly to LSE, CEU attracts students from around the world. Though the university is rather small (made up of around 1,200 students) around 80% of its students come from overseas. This makes CEU one of the most diverse universities in the world.

Find out more on the CEU website.

Academic Information

CEU offers courses across a large number of academic departments. A full list of undergraduate courses can be viewed here.

Given the university's international diversity, all of CEU's courses are taught in English.

The CEU exchange is additional to the requirements of your LSE degree. Having completed the year at CEU, you will then return to LSE to study the final year of your programme. Your year overseas will not count towards your final degree classification at LSE, but you will be issued with a separate CEU transcript providing details of your results.

Accommodation

Students are eligible to apply for a number of CEU residences, although accommodation is not guaranteed. Further information can be found on CEU's accommodation webpage.

Eligibility

The scheme is open to all second year LSE undergraduate students (or third year BSc Philosophy, Politics and Economics students). Generally we require applicants to have passed all of their first year exams (without resits) and to have achieved a 2:1 average across their courses.

Fees, Living Costs and Financial Support

Tuition fees

GO LSE students are not required to pay any tuition fees to CEU to participate in the exchange. Instead, you will continue to pay tuition fees directly to LSE. Your tution fee while studying abroad is significantly reduced as compared to when you are on campus. For further information, please visit our fees and funding webpage

Living costs

The estimated cost of living in Austria is €1200 per month. This will cover your housing, meals, books, and personal costs, but travel expenses are not accounted for. 

Visit the Study in Austria website for more information.

Financial support

Please visit our fees and funding webpage for further information.

Past Student Experiences 

I remember how thrilled I was upon first learning of LSE’s new exchange program with CEU, and having lived in Vienna for almost a year now, I can firmly say that I have hugely enjoyed my study abroad experience. Due to advances in both my personal and academic development, I shall head into my final year at LSE feeling much better prepared and with a much clearer vision for the future.

Firstly, studying abroad has enriched me academically, for CEU’s offering of interdisciplinary courses has not only given me a broader education, but also enabled me to experience a completely new style of teaching. These courses were facilitated by the university’s highly international community, allowing me to gain an insight into the perspectives of people from a range of different countries on numerous social and political issues, thus enhancing my intercultural awareness. 
In addition to the academic aspect, living in Vienna, often hailed as “the world’s most liveable city”, has enabled me to become familiar with a new culture and a more laid-back attitude towards life.

I shall now return to the UK having acquired a better sense of what I appreciate and value in a city, and with the ability to view my own culture through a different lens. One of my main goals during my time abroad was to improve my German skills, and whilst my ability to do so was in part impeded by English being the dominant language at CEU, I do now feel more confident at speaking the language in an everyday setting. Furthermore, Vienna’s strategic location at the heart of Europe meant that I was able to travel to places that I otherwise may never have visited; in doing so, I was able to improve my previously limited historical knowledge of the region.

Looking to the future, the break from my studies at LSE has enabled me to reflect on where my true interests and strengths lie, and I now have a much clearer mindset regarding my future career plans. Furthermore, I have become much more open into looking at career opportunities outside of the UK upon graduating, as I feel more confident in my ability to live and work in a foreign country.

All in all, the past 10 months in Vienna have absolutely flown by, and upon reflection I am hugely grateful for the opportunity LSE gave me to study abroad. It has truly been an invaluable experience, and I would recommend all future students to apply.

By David Parsonage GO LSE student (2022/23)

Travel, Health Insurance, and Visas

Travel

GO LSE exchange students are expected to make their own travel arrangements. If you are eligible for Student Finance, you may be able to recoup part of the cost of up to three return journeys between your home and your host institution.

GO LSE exchange students will be covered under LSE's Travel Insurance policy, following completion of the necessary risk assessment document.

Visas

Non-EU students (including British citizens) will need to apply for a residence permit to study in Austria. Citizens of European Union countries do not need a visa to study in Austria.

For up to date information, please check this page regularly.