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The Central European University
The Central European University reported $82.2 million in revenue and $109.1 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending July 31, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $99.73 went to program services, $0.22 to management and general costs and $0.05 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 96.0% of the total. Revenue fell 86% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending July 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $109MFor context, the median across 469 covered international, foreign affairs & national security charities: $89.04 programs, $8.28 management, $2.68 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending July 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $82MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 99.7% | 86.1% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 0.2% | 8.0% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 0.1% | 2.6% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.00 | $0.03 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 96.0% | 96.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | Not reported | $341,362 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | Not reported | 1.06% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 0 | 10 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 45.2 | 7.5 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 16 of 16 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
FY2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseThe university is an international institution for undergraduate and post-graduate study and research offering bachelor, master and doctoral degree programs. The university offers non-degree programs of study as well. The university currently offers 11 doctoral programs, 35 master's degree programs and 3 undergraduate programs in vienna. The undergraduate programs are offered in philosophy, politics and economics, culture, politics and society, and data science and society. There are one-year and two-year master's degree programs offered in the following fields: business analytics, historical…
The vera and donald blinken open society archives (osa) at Central European University is a complex archival institution. Osa is both a repository of important collections, primarily related to the history of the cold war and grave international human rights violations, and a laboratory of archival experiments on new ways of assessing, contextualizing, presenting, and making use of archival documents. Osa is a research institute dealing with archival, taxonomical, informational and historical problems related to its holdings, and also reflecting on the role, obligations, and limits (as well…
Through its 13 research centers, ceu promotes an environment where high-quality research can take place, where readiness for intellectual risk-taking and for radical rethinking of foundations is strongly encouraged, and where values of open society, democracy and critical, reflective thinking are cultivated. Ceu research centers complement research and teaching activities in ceu departments, enhancing interdisciplinary connections among different academic areas and interfacing academic and policy relevant activities. The centers support ceu's mission by raising the university's international…
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
FY2025 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b16 · 16 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aNo
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2Yes
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4No
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 50
- Volunteers Part I, line 616
Private foundation grants it received
7 private foundations reported grants to The Central European University totaling $107M on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from The Central European University's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for The Central European University, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 The Central European University spent in FY2025, $99.73 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- The Rhodes TrustUnited Kingdom, · revenue $81M · programs 91.7% · FY2025
- Cis Development FoundationEast Brunswick, NJ · revenue $82M · programs 99.7% · FY2025
- Citihope InternationalDelhi, NY · revenue $80M · programs 99.8% · FY2023
- Human Rights WatchNew York, NY · revenue $85M · programs 68.7% · FY2025
- Operation Blessing International Relief and Development CorporationVirginia Beach, VA · revenue $78M · programs 91.1% · FY2025
All international, foreign affairs & national security charities · Largest charities in New York
Questions people ask
How much of The Central European University's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending July 31, 2025, The Central European University reported that 99.7% of its $109.1 million in expenses went to program services, 0.2% to management and general and 0.1% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
Where does The Central European University get its money?
Of $82.2 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending July 31, 2025, 96.0% came from contributions and grants and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is The Central European University a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 13-3956444 as a 501(c)(3) organization (school), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending July 31, 2025, object 202631469349300243 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending July 31, 2024, object 202520949349301037 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending July 31, 2023, object 202421079349301007 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending July 31, 2022, object 202321169349301427 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending July 31, 2021, object 202210709349301661 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending July 31, 2020, object 202120339349300517 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 13-3956444: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.