Pre-departure checklist
Click here to go directly to Budapest related information below
Vienna
Documents
Please have a valid travel document (passport or ID card) with you when you come to Austria. If you require a visa or have questions about your residence permit process, please visit this page for further information.
- proof of travel insurance: Travel insurance is required because it is intended to cover medical expenses, trip cancellation, lost luggage, flight accident and other losses incurred while traveling. Travel insurance can usually be arranged at the time of the booking of a trip and it should be valid until students get enrolled with the Austrian public health insurance (recommended period of travel insurance is 1-2 months). Full-time Bachelor's, Master’s and non-stipend recipient PhD students at CEU are eligible to receive health insurance support. PhD students receiving a stipend are required to cover tax and Austrian SVS health insurance contributions from this sum. Students from VISA-required countries are provided with temporary short-term insurance to help their residence permit application and are advised to register with the relevant Austrian public health insurance upon arrival.
- university-related documents: For more detailed information, please see here.
- photographs: at least two passport photos. EU passport photo size must be 35 mm x 45 mm (width x height).
Don’t forget to register your address within the first three days after entering!
Luggage
As you are coming to Vienna for almost a whole year, it is best to pack for all seasons. Remember that luggage may be roughly handled on its way here, make sure that suitcases and other luggage are securely strapped and have clearly typed labels with your name and the address of Central European University Vienna (Central European University (CEU): Quellenstraße 51, 1100 Wien) both outside and inside each luggage item. If you travel by air, make sure that you do not exceed the weight limit for luggage on the plane unless you are prepared to pay for "excess baggage". On most European flights the limit is 20 kg and for those coming from outside of Europe, the limit is usually two pieces of luggage, each weighing no more than 30 kg, but it is wise to check with the airline before you start packing.
Climate
The climate of Austria can be described as typical European continental influenced climate with warm, dry summers and fairly cold winters. January is the coldest month with daytime temperatures usually around zero, but in some cases winter months can be very cold with temperatures far below zero.
In summer daytime temperatures reach 25°C, but sometimes quite higher, 30°C or more. In most of the time it is dry weather with sunny spells, although sometimes heavy thunderstorms can occur at the end of the day. July is the warmest month with an average temperature of 22°C. The number of hours of sunshine averages between 1900 and 2500 a year - among the highest in Europe.
Although it can be pretty wet in April and May, spring is just glorious throughout Austria. Generally, the weather is best May-September, when days are warm and the nights are cool, although it rains more in spring than in summer. Summer is warm, sunny and long: holiday resorts can get very crowded in late July and August.
Click here for further weather information.
Clothing
Make sure to bring clothes for all season! Lightweight cottons and linens during summer months; an umbrella or raincoat is advised for local showers. Warmer clothing and rainwear are needed during the winter months. A sweater may be needed throughout the year in the evenings or for trekking in the mountains, even in the summer.
Travel
The following items should be kept with you at all times during your journey to Austria: Your personal documents (passport, ticket, boarding pass). Carry these documents in your hand luggage so that they are easily accessible: buying a small document travel pouch is a good idea.
Before entering Austria, please make sure that you have all required documents on you. Due to the current pandemic you may be requested to arrange specific papers to enter Austria. Please check the latest updates on the situation in Austria. In case you need a document for entering the country, please contact the Admissions Office (admissions@ceu.edu).
Budapest
Documents
- your passport or national ID: Passports should be valid at least until the end of 2022.
- your visa (if necessary): You need to apply for a long-term visa (in Hungarian: "tartózkodási engedély átvételére jogosító vízum"). Detailed information is available in the Visa Section of the Admissions Office website.
Other documents you may need to bring to Budapest:
- proof of travel insurance: A travel insurance is required, because it is intended to cover medical expenses, trip cancellation, lost luggage, flight accident and other losses incurred while traveling. Travel insurance can usually be arranged at the time of the booking of a trip and it should be valid until the beginning of the program when the CEU Health Insurance Plan gets active.
- university-related documents: For more detailed information, please see here.
- photographs: at least two, passport photos.
Luggage
As you are coming to Budapest for almost a whole year, it is best to pack for all seasons. Remember that luggage may be roughly handled on its way here, make sure that suitcases and other luggage are securely strapped and have clearly typed labels with your name and the address of Central European University Budapest (CEU Residence Center: 1106 Budapest, Kerepesi ut 87) both outside and inside each luggage item. If you travel by air, make sure that you do not exceed the weight limit for luggage on the plane unless you are prepared to pay for "excess baggage". On most European flights the limit is 20 kg and for those coming from outside of Europe, the limit is usually two pieces of luggage, each weighing no more than 30 kg, but it is wise to check with the airline before you start packing.
Climate
The climate of Hungary can be described as typical European continental influenced climate with warm, dry summers and fairly cold winters. January is the coldest month with daytime temperatures usually around zero, but in some cases winter months can be very cold with temperatures far below zero.
In summer daytime temperatures reach 25°C, but sometimes quite higher, 30°C or more. In most of the time it is dry weather with sunny spells, although sometimes heavy thunderstorms can occur at the end of the day. July is the warmest month with an average temperature of 22°C. The number of hours of sunshine averages between 1900 and 2500 a year - among the highest in Europe.
Although it can be pretty wet in April and May, spring is just glorious throughout Hungary. Generally, the weather is best May-September, when days are warm and the nights are cool, although it rains more in spring than in summer. Summer is warm, sunny and long: holiday resorts can get very crowded in late July and August. Autumn is beautiful, particularly in the hills around Budapest and in the Northern Uplands.
Click here for further weather information.
Clothing
Lightweight cottons and linens during summer months; an umbrella or raincoat is advised for local showers. Warmer clothing and rainwear are needed during the winter months. A sweater may be needed throughout the year in the evenings or for trekking in the mountains, even in the summer.
Travel
The following items should be kept with you at all times during your journey to Hungary: your personal documents (passport, ticket, boarding pass). Carry these documents in your hand luggage so that they are easily accessible: buying a small document travel pouch is a good idea.
Before entering Hungary, please make sure that you have all required documents on you. Due to the current pandemic you may be requested to arrange specific papers to enter Hungary. Please check the latest updates on the situation in Hungary. In case you need a document for entering the country, please contact the Admissions Office (admissions@ceu.edu).