CEU's Student Engagement Office welcomes applications for their Civic Engagement Fellowship. The CEU Civic Engagement Fellowship is a dynamic, interdisciplinary program designed to nurture socially conscious student leaders and support impactful community-based initiatives across Vienna and beyond. Each year, a select group of students receive mentorship, training, and resources to design and implement civic projects rooted in equity, sustainability, and social justice. The program provides training and resources to support CEU students in designing, developing, and delivering their own civic engagement projects.
PROGRAM STRUCTURE
Application Cycle
- The program has one application cycle.
- A Selection Committee reviews and decides on the applications.
Eligibility
- Application is open to students currently enrolled and placed in the Vienna campus.
- Projects can be submitted only individually.
Fellowship Support
Fellows receive:
- Project funding (depending on scope and budget). Projects in the start-up phase, requiring financial support can also apply for small funding of up to 1500 EUR. Additionally, all project owners will receive a stipend of 500 EUR following a successful implementation of their project.
- Mentorship from faculty and the Student Engagement Office
- Access to networking events with civic leaders and changemakers
- Skills workshops on stakeholder mapping, impact measurement, ethical engagement, and more
Requirements for fellowship completion
- Participation in the Building NGO Partnerships in Vienna: Trust, Context & Mutual Benefit workshop on the 8th of October at 12-2 pm. More details about the workshop here.
- Fellowship must be successfully completed by 11 Dec 2026.
- Program participants are expected to participate in at least three capacity-building workshops, organized by the Student Engagement Office, during the academic year.
- A narrative report, including photos and/or videos of the activities, is to be submitted upon the project's completion.
- A financial report with records of expenses.
Selection Criteria
The submitted project proposals should meet the following criteria:
- Applications must be submitted individually.
- Prior consultation with CEU Student Engagement colleagues (Bernadett Fekete or Shwetha Nair) is required.
- The purpose of the project aligns with CEU’s mission and values and/or supports its activities.
Application should address one or more of the following areas:
1. Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion (DEI) Initiatives
Thematic Focus: Promoting and fostering diversity, equality, and inclusion in various sectors.
2. Education for Social Change
Thematic Focus: Using education as a tool to address inequality, promote democracy, and drive social transformation.
3. Environmental Justice and Sustainability
Thematic Focus: Addressing environmental issues with a focus on justice for marginalized communities most
4. Human Rights Advocacy
Thematic Focus: Promoting and defending the rights of marginalized individuals and communities.
5. Strengthening Democracy and Civic Engagement
Thematic Focus: Reinforcing democratic systems and encouraging participation in governance.
6. Art for Social Justice
Thematic Focus: Using art as a medium to inspire social change, address injustices, and raise awareness.
- The project and the planned activities are based on real community needs and seek to affect change in the life of Austrian people.
- Projects collaborating and strengthening partnerships with NGOs or institutions outside of CEU is a requirement
- The project needs to be realized in cooperation with an Austrian partner NGO.
- The project has potential to achieve long-lasting results in the area addressed.
- For projects requesting financial support, the budget should be realistic and reflect the planned activities. *
- No political and religious initiatives will be accepted for consideration.
In addition to the criteria mentioned above, projects with the following aspects are preferred:
- Projects showcasing innovative and creative methods in their implementation.
- Projects building on experience from similar previous activities/projects.
- Projects clearly indicating involvement/engagement of other CEU Community members.
- Projects developing partnerships with other universities in Vienna.
Funding
The maximum amount of funding available per project is 1,500 EUR. The following types of costs can be accounted for:
- Direct costs related to the realization of the project activities (materials, services, meals and accommodation of project beneficiaries, etc.)
- Reimbursement of expenses of the project team related to the realization of project activities (travel, meals, accommodation, etc.)
- Please note that personnel costs (e.g., salary) cannot be covered from the funding.
- Projects will be reimbursed, conditional upon submission of necessary invoices. Guidance on exact submission procedures will be given by the Student Engagement Office.
All project owners will receive a stipend of 500 EUR following a successful implementation of their project. The stipend may count as income and may be subject to federal and/or state taxes.
Application procedure and deadline
- Apply through the application portal (institutional access is needed)
- The deadline for submitting the applications is October 26, 2025.
- Documents requested through the application portal
- Project Proposal
- Budget Plan
- Timeline
- Letter of confirmation from NGO Partner
- Late submissions and incomplete forms will not be considered.
- Applicants will be notified about the results of their applications within 15 days after the deadline via email.
Please contact us if you have any questions at studentengagement@ceu.edu.