About the opportunity
The Yehuda Elkana Fellowship is an endowed doctoral fellowship at Central European University (CEU) established in honor of Yehuda Elkana, the university’s third President and Rector (1999–2009). The fellowship supports outstanding young scholars admitted to any of CEU’s doctoral degree programs who focus on higher education policy, broadly understood. Participating fields include the Doctoral School of Political Science, Public Policy, and International Relations; Legal Studies; Sociology; History; Gender Studies; and Data and Network Science, among others. Throughout the four-year doctoral tenure, the Yehuda Elkana Center for Teaching, Learning, and Higher Education Research supports fellows by organizing academic events, hosting guest speakers, facilitating networking opportunities, and assisting with academic research and professional development.
Funding and benefits
- Full tuition waiver for 48 months (generally 4 years) of doctoral study
- Monthly stipend of €2,002 gross
- Academic and professional support from the Yehuda Elkana Center, including academic events, guest speakers, networking opportunities, and research development
Who can apply?
- Scholars admitted to or applying for admission to one of Central European University's doctoral degree programs
- Doctoral research proposal focused on a topic related to higher education policy, broadly understood
- Open across eligible disciplines including Political Science, Public Policy, and International Relations, Legal Studies, Sociology, History, Gender Studies, Data and Network Science, and other relevant fields
Required documents
- Standard Central European University doctoral application for a specific doctoral program
- Research proposal addressing higher education policy, broadly understood
- Statement of Purpose that explicitly begins with the sentence: 'Please consider this application for the Yehuda Elkana Fellowship.'
When to apply
- Application deadline: January 15, 2027, at 23:59 Central European Time (CET)
- Call published: October 5, 2026
How to apply
- Choose an eligible doctoral degree program at Central European University
- Prepare a research proposal addressing higher education policy, broadly understood
- Draft a Statement of Purpose and open it with the required sentence: 'Please consider this application for the Yehuda Elkana Fellowship.'
- Submit the completed regular CEU doctoral application online by January 15, 2027 (23:59 CET), which automatically enters you for concurrent consideration for both the Elkana Fellowship and the regular CEU Doctoral Fellowship
Additional information
- Applicants are simultaneously considered for both the Yehuda Elkana Fellowship and the regular CEU Doctoral Fellowship, as their financial terms are identical
- CEU doctoral programs may also independently recommend applications for consideration
- Yehuda Elkana was a renowned international scholar, public intellectual, and educator who served as CEU's third President and Rector from 1999 to 2009
- For application procedure queries, contact the Admissions Office or the prospective department; for financial aid details, consult CEU's Financial Aid webpage; for higher education research topics, reach out to the Yehuda Elkana Center
Our Take on This Opportunity
This section reflects Open Opportunities’ own analysis of the opportunity from an applicant’s perspective.
You may be a strong fit if…
- Aspiring doctoral researchers with a clear academic passion for higher education policy, university governance, or educational systems
- Scholars seeking doctoral training at CEU across political science, public policy, sociology, law, history, gender studies, or network science
- Applicants seeking fully funded four-year PhD support combined with specialized thematic mentoring, networking, and institutional event participation
What should you think carefully about?
- Requires strict compliance with the application prompt, specifically opening the Statement of Purpose with the exact mandated phrasing
- Research must explicitly address higher education policy, which restricts eligible dissertation topics compared to general CEU doctoral admissions
- Four-year full-time academic commitment required to complete a comprehensive doctoral degree program
How could this fit your current goals and plans?
This fellowship is tailored for candidates aiming to build an academic, analytical, or policy career centered on higher education reform and university systems. It pairs complete doctoral funding with focused institutional mentorship, allowing candidates to complete a four-year PhD while integrating into European and global higher education policy networks.
Our take
Prospective doctoral researchers whose planned dissertation connects to higher education policy should strongly consider applying, as it provides full tuition and stipend funding alongside dedicated center support. Candidates whose doctoral topics cannot be framed around higher education policy should instead apply through standard CEU doctoral tracks.
Ready to apply?
Review the opportunity on the official website before applying.
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