How to apply
Admissions to HIPS are centrally administered by Central European University in Budapest. Applicants with Japanese nationality should apply to TUFS. The applications are evaluated by the Joint Admissions and Examination Committee.
Student applications will be taken into consideration if they meet the minimum administrative, academic, and language proficiency requirements.
Students will first be evaluated based on the written materials provided with their applications. Students which clear this stage of the application process will then be interviewed by members of the Joint Admissions and Examination Committee. This is the final stage of the admissions process, and these interviews will determine which students will be admitted into the program. If a student believes that they were treated unfairly during the interview process, they may appeal the result.
Students are encouraged to apply to the other MA programs available at the Department of History, increasing their chances of admission. Financial aid is available in these programs. Public-facing MAs include the new Museum Studies MA which combines practical training at Viennese museums with a rigorous curriculum in historical studies at CEU.
Administrative requirements:
Applicants are required to submit:
- electronic versions of all higher education academic records
- curriculum vitae or resume
-
motivation letter (max. 500 words), highlighting the candidate’s reasons for applying to the program, relevant academic or work experience, and future career plans (under "document uploads" in the online application form).
- research proposal: a 500-word research proposal for the MA thesis which will be weighed heavily in the admissions decision. The topic is expected to fall within the broad thematic focus of History in the Public Sphere and should be delimited and set out with the greatest possible clarity. Previous work on the subject, familiarity with source materials, language skills, and other qualifications relevant to the proposed research should be indicated.
- Sample proposal 1
- Sample proposal 2
- proof of English proficiency
- two letters of recommendation
Academic requirements:
Applicants must hold the equivalent of an academic Bachelor’s Degree from a recognized higher education institution, corresponding to at least 180 ECTS, in a field relevant to the program, preferably in the humanities and social sciences. For candidates holding a BA degree in a different field, relevant working experience will be taken into consideration.
Language proficiency requirements:
Candidates whose first language is English or who have earned a degree taught exclusively in English are exempted from submitting proof of language proficiency. All other candidates must demonstrate proficiency in English by submitting standardized English language test scores. The results of the tests must have been obtained no earlier than two years prior to the date of application.
The minimum language proficiency requirements:
| Test type | Minimum Overall/Total Score Required |
|---|---|
TOEFL (Internet-based) |
88 |
TOEFL (Paper-based) |
570 |
IELTS Academic |
6.5 |
Pearson Test of English (Academic) |
59 |
C2 Proficiency (formerly known as Cambridge Proficiency Examination CPE) |
C |
C1 Advanced (formerly known as Cambridge Advanced English Test CAE) |
B |
Certificate of Residence:
The certificate of residence needs to be issued in accordance with your municipality’s normal registration rules. It must be an officially notarized copy in English or an official English translation of the original document and must have been issued within 12 months before the application deadline.
The place of residence will be verified on the basis of the provision of the documents listed in the PRADO website.
If it’s impossible for you to get this type of form because it’s not issued in the area of the world where you live, please email hipscoordinator@ceu.edu to ask about alternatives.
Types of documents that are NOT accepted in place of the residence cerficate are passports, driver’s licences, bills, bank statements, etc.
Admission calendar
Applicants who wish to submit an appeal must follow the official appeals procedure (see the appeals form below). All appeals must be submitted to hipscoordinator@ceu.edu within the above specified time frame. Please note that rejection decisions will be overturned only on procedural grounds.
Further information on formal requirements regarding the official documents is available on CEU’s admission’s pages.
Acceptance Forms will be sent out to admitted candidates who confirm their intention to enroll in the program. Accepted students will be expected to return their signed Acceptance Forms, pay registration fee and provide official copies of their full academic records to confirm their enrollment.
Fees and Scholarship
Tuition and other fees
Tuition fee
The full tuition fee is 12,000 EUR per academic year. To students to be admitted in 2024, besides full fee-paying places, positions with full or partial tuition waiver will be offered for their study period of 2024-2026.
Application fee
CEU charges a one-time application fee of EUR 30 for each candidate. The application fee is non-refundable and cannot be waived.
Registration fee
Every candidate accepted to CEU is to pay a registration fee of 100 EUR in order to confirm their acceptance of the study offer.
Financial Aid
The last cohort of the first grant period of the HIPS Erasmus Mundus program was admitted in 2023. The Consortium is committed to continue the program and applies for an extension in 2024.
For the 2024-2026 study period, HIPS Erasmus + program offers scholarship holder places funded by CEU, as well as full and partial tuition waiver.
Please note that the curriculum and the mobility scheme is under refining for the new application and the developments might be introduced in the Academic Year 2024/2025. Further details will be published on our website.