Humane Studies Fellowships are awarded to graduate students and outstanding undergraduates embarking on liberty-advancing careers in ideas. The fellowships support study in a variety of fields, including economics, philosophy, law, political science, history, and sociology.  

Awards range from $2,000 to $15,000 and fellowship winners may re-apply for each year of their studies. In 2011, the Institute for Humane Studies awarded more than $750,000 to 195 students. 

The program is open to full-time and prospective graduate students, including law and MBA students. There are a limited number of fellowships open to undergraduate juniors and seniors with a demonstrated interest in pursuing a scholarly career.

Research Interests

Past fellows have researched historical and contemporary ideas on freedom of action and association and the rule of law. Some notable research interests include:

• market-based approaches to environmental policy
• the legal development of privacy and property rights in 18th-century England
• the role of patient autonomy in bioethics
• impediments to economic growth in developing countries
• the relationship between U.S. presidential politics, fiscal policies, and economic performance

Exceptional candidates with an evident intention of advancing liberty through other intellectual activities, such as teaching, policy analysis, and law, will also be considered.

Review the research interests of the past fellows.

A Network of Intellectuals

Fellows join a network of more than 1,400 scholars and students, including David Schmidtz at the University of Arizona, Tyler Cowen at George Mason University, and Randall Kroszner at the University of Chicago. Many fellows credit the program with providing additional support beyond the financial award:

“The Humane Studies Fellowship put me in touch with a community of people who have, throughout the years, given me good advice and encouragement.” Tom Bell, Professor of Law, Chapman University School of Law (listen to interview)

Research and Discussion Colloquia

A fellowship becomes the first of many ways in which the Institute supports the professional goals of aspiring intellectuals. Select winners are invited to present and discuss their research at the program’s annual Research Colloquium or to attend a Discussion Colloquium on the works of Friedrich Hayek, co-sponsored by Liberty Fund. Learn more.

Invitation-Only Programs

Fellowship winners are also preferred candidates for IHS invitation-only programs such as our Career Development Seminars, which help students think strategically about how to succeed in academia, and our Summer Graduate Research Fellowship, a non-residential research and writing program to complete a publishable scholarly article. 

“Due to the support I’ve received from the Institute for Humane Studies over the years, I am now finishing my dissertation, publishing academic journal articles, and interviewing for jobs.”  David B. Skarbek, Humane Studies Fellow (2005), Summer Seminar attendee (2007), Advanced Topics for Liberty participant (2008), and Hayek Fund for Scholars grant recipient (2009)

Fellowship Details