Overview

The Department of Legal Studies welcomes doctoral projects on topics pertaining to our research and teaching areas. Applicants holding a law degree and an additional master’s degree qualify for a Doctor of Juridical Science/Doctor iuris degree offered by the Department of Legal Studies.

Key facts

The Doctor of Juridical Science program at Central European University (CEU) aims to provide an opportunity to promising young scholars to conduct comparative research into a complex problem in comparative constitutional law, international business law or human rights which has both profound theoretical and practical relevance.
Supervision for doctoral projects is provided by our international permanent and visiting faculty.

In addition to conducting independent research, doctoral students benefit from doctoral courses, research grants enabling further research at renowned law schools or research institutions, opportunities for supervised teaching, and a wide range of other doctoral activities (such as conferences, workshops, summer schools).

Programme Structure

Curriculum

Physical presence in Vienna is required during the first three years of the Doctor of Juridical Science/Doctor iuris program, except for research periods abroad.The Degree is awarded on the basis of completion of the credit requirements from course work and other doctoral activities, and the successful public defense of the doctoral thesis (dissertation) before a panel composed of internal and external experts.

Our doctoral graduates have been successful in obtaining post-graduate research positions and teaching appointments at leading academic institutions. We are also proud to have senior NGO and international law firm personnel among our doctoral alumni.

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 48 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2027-09-15 00:00:00
- Apply before 2027-02-04 00:00:00

Language

English

TOEFL^® IBT

100

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IELTS

7

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Credits

240 ECTS

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Vienna, Austria

Disciplines

International Law Business Law Legal Studies View 3 other PhDs in Legal Studies in Austria

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Academic requirements

We are not aware of any specific GRE, GMAT or GPA grading score requirements for this programme.

English requirements

TOEFL^® IBT

100

Schedule TOEFL®

IELTS

7

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

Applicants for the Doctoral Program must hold a qualifying law degree, i.e. a law degree that, from an academic perspective, allows its holder to seek admission to the bar in the jurisdiction concerned. Non-university practice or traineeship periods for such bar admission shall not be necessary.

The Doctoral Program of the Department of Legal Studies asks applicants to submit the following documents:

Completed CEU Application Form

Letters of Recommendation

Two academic referees / One academic and one professional referee if the applicant has more than three years of work experience

Academic Records

Curriculum Vitae or Resume

An English-language academic writing sample (master’s thesis, essay, journal article, etc.)

Detailed research proposal (max. 3000 words excluding literature)

Proof of English Proficiency

Student Insurance via Studyportals Partner

Make sure to cover your health, travel, and stay while studying abroad. Even global coverages can miss important items like Additional medical costs, Repatriation, Liability etc. Make sure your student insurance covers your needs.

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Remember, countries and universities may have specific insurance requirements. To learn more about how student insurance work at Central European University (CEU) and/or in Austria, please visit Student Insurance Portal.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

16000 EUR / year

≈ 16000 EUR / year
EU/EEA Applies to you

Applies to you

EU/EEA Nationals

16000 EUR / year

≈ 16000 EUR / year

Living costs

Vienna

Austria

861 - 1331 EUR / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find PhD's scholarship opportunities for Doctor of Juridical Science.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

About

Overview

Key facts

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Credits

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Student Insurance via Studyportals Partner

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

EU/EEA Applies to you

Living costs

Vienna

Funding

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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