Apply by February 4, 2025, for doctoral studies with financial aid
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PhD studentships with a standard duration of 4 fully funded years with stipends are available for the doctoral program in Cognitive Science at Central European University (CEU).
The Department of Cognitive Science at CEU invites applications for doctoral student positions starting in September 2025. This is a research-based training program in human cognition with social cognition, learning and perception as core themes. Research topics include communication, cooperation, computational neuroscience, cultural transmission, developmental social cognition, embodied cognition, joint action, problem solving, sensory and statistical learning, social cognitive neuroscience, social learning, strategic decision making, visual cognition and visual psychophysics.
Students will follow courses in cognitive anthropology, cognitive psychology, computational cognition, linguistics, philosophy of mind, traditional and Bayesian statistics and visual perception and learning. In addition, they will receive practical research training in the laboratories of the members of this new department.
Admission criteria
Applicants to the program are expected to hold an internationally recognized Master’s or comparable degree in the disciplines that constitute cognitive science. A comparable degree in social sciences, humanities, or other disciplines will also be considered in case of an excellent academic record. In exceptional cases, students who only hold a Bachelor degree could also be admitted to the program. Admission to the program is decided on the basis of the academic record of the applicant, a written research proposal, and interviews with at least two faculty members. For the CEU PU Admissions Policy, see Annex 1.2.2.
Application materials
As part of their application package, applicants must submit the following materials as general CEU PU requirements:
- How to Apply
- The completed Online Application Form 2025/2026
- A curriculum vitae or resume, including a list of publications, if any
- Proof of English proficiency (see CEU PU Admissions Policy in Annex 1.2.2 for accepted language tests and minimum scores) Applicants need to submit a language test score by the relevant application deadline. Make sure to do the test and get the result by the time you apply!
- Two letters of Recommendations: Referees receive a link to the reference form AFTER the applicant submits the application.
- Academic records - please consult `How to apply, point 3.`
- A research proposal of 1000 to 2000 words, without references and any potential appendices. The research proposal should include the research questions, aims and objectives of a research project that is related to the ongoing work in the department. The proposal should situate the project in the context of the existing literature, be clear as to the expected academic contribution, and outline possible appropriate analytical frameworks and methodologies. Note that, if admitted, students will not be expected to pursue the research project as it is outlined in the proposal (though it may form the basis of their doctoral work). The submitted research proposal will be used during the application process to assess the applicant's understanding of what doing research in cognitive science entails.
- CEU PU charges a one-time 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, but it can be paid by a third party. The fee must be paid by bank card via the online application form when the first application is submitted in the given admission cycle.
- Checklist
Doctoral students so far have had MA or MSc from diverse fields, including Cognitive Science, Linguistics, Evolutionary and Behavioral Ecology, Cognitive and Behavioral Neurosciences, Psychology, Physics, Engineering, Neuroscience.
We encourage applicants to consult the website and approach appropriate members of the faculty in advance in order to check the suitability of their research plans.
Application Deadline
February 4, 2025 (23:59, Central European Time)
Application deadline for PhD applications. All applications must be complete with relevant standard test scores (TOEFL, IELTS, etc.).
Admissions Process
February 4, 2025:
Applications are submitted to all doctoral programs. Following an initial review by the Admissions Office, applications are either passed on for academic evaluation or rejected for formal reasons.
February 17 - March 12, 2025:
Individual interviews may take place, either by Skype or telephone.
April 1, 2025 onwards
Admissions Office enters decisions and sends out acceptance offers (including financial aid) to successful doctoral applicants.
Each decision is made by an academic selection committee within the given program on the basis of the candidate's past academic achievement, strength of recommendations, English language competency, intellectual merit, work experience (if applicable), expectations of the program, future plans, and general compatibility with the goals of the academic unit.
Application information about the candidates (including test results) is confidential and only available to the candidates concerned.
You can find more information about financial aid here.