About the Fellowship

The Humane Studies Fellowship (HSF) is a non-residency, renewable award of up to $15,000 per year to assist students enrolled or planning to enroll in full-time PhD programs. They are currently accepting applications for spring 2022 fellowships.

Humane Studies Fellows not only gain financial aid, but also connect with IHS and our network of scholars working to advance classical liberal ideas in the academy. This includes access to academic advising and invitations to future career development seminars, research workshops, discussion colloquia, and other networking events.

Accepted Fellows research a broad range of topics from migration and 18th-century property rights to bioethics and environmental policy. IHS welcomes scholars working in unique and diverse research areas. They are looking for anyone doing exciting classical liberal research in the humanities and social sciences.

Looking for similar opportunities, join Opportunity Cell on WhatsApp or Telegram here.

A few examples of the research interests of previous Humane Studies Fellowship include (but are not limited to):

  • The displacement of civil society by the welfare state
  • 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

Eligibility

To be eligible to apply for the Humane Studies Fellowship, you must:

  • Be enrolled full time in a PhD program at any institution for the 2021-2022 academic year.
  • Have a research interest that contributes to the advancement of classical liberal scholarship.
  • Previous Humane Studies Fellowship applicants and winners who will be enrolled as full-time PhD students in the 2021-2022 academic year are welcome to apply. Prior participation in IHS programs is not required. The fellowship is open to PhD students at any university – applicants do not need to be enrolled at George Mason University to be eligible.
  • International students are eligible; however, preference is given to applicants who live or study in the United States, Canada, and/or the United Kingdom.
  • Qualifying fields of study include economics, political science, philosophy, law, history, sociology, and similar disciplines in the social sciences and humanities. They generally do not fund students studying the natural sciences, medicine, or engineering.
  • IHS supports a diverse collection of graduate students across a wide range of academic disciplines within the humanities and social sciences.
  • Larger awards of $6,000 – $15,000 are highly competitive and generally reserved for late-stage graduate students who have demonstrated academic excellence and publication success with highly relevant research that advances the classical liberal tradition.

Requirements

  • Fellowship recipients in fall and spring terms are required to show proof of full-time enrollment before claiming their award.
  • As part of the fellowship, fellows must either present a paper at an academic conference or have a paper ready for submission to a peer-reviewed journal.
  • Please note that presentation at a future graduate student conference or at the annual IHS Graduate Conference is acceptable.

Essay Questions

Each essay should be 500 words or fewer.

  • Explain your research agenda as if speaking to a colleague in your field and why it is important.
  • How do you plan to use your Humane Studies Fellowship award?
  • Explain a current or prospective paper or research project you will complete as part of this fellowship, and how it advances an understanding of classical liberal ideas.

Required Documents

To complete the application for the Humane Studies Fellowship, you must upload the following documents:

  • CV
  • A recent writing sample of 3,000 words or fewer. Partial samples of longer works are acceptable.
  • An official or unofficial electronic transcript from your current or most recent institution.
  • Two letters of recommendation are required for this application. On the application, please provide the name and email of two references. When you submit your application, we will send them an email with a link to submit a letter of recommendation. Letters of recommendation are due two weeks after the application due date.
  • If applicable, please upload your dissertation proposal.

Supporting documents must be uploaded to the application as electronic files (.doc, pdf, etc.). We do not accept applications submitted by mail. It is recommended that you begin collecting supporting materials early, as certain items might take time to compile. Instructions on how to submit supporting materials are listed at the end of the online application.

Two letters of recommendation are required for this application. On the application, please provide the name and email of two references. When you submit your application, we will send them an email with a link to submit a letter of recommendation.

Important Dates

  • Spring 2022
    August 1, 2021 | Applications for spring 2022 fellowships are due.
    October 1, 2021 |     Decisions announced.
  • Summer 2022
    December 1, 2021 | Applications for summer 2022 fellowships are due.
    February 1, 2022 |     Decisions announced.
  • Fall 2022
    April 1, 2022 | Applications for fall 2022 fellowships are due.
    June 1, 2022 |     Decisions announced.

How to Apply

Contact

  • Email: HSF@TheIHS.org

Looking for similar opportunities, join Opportunity Cell on WhatsApp or Telegram here.

Fellowships, Social Sciences