The Ronald Coase Fellowship is a one-year, competitive, and online fellowship program awarded to graduate students attending master's, juris doctoral, and doctoral programs in a variety of fields including economics, law, political science, public policy, sociology, and history.
The aim of this fellowship is to introduce students to the Austrian, Virginian, and Bloomington schools of political economy to understand the causes and consequences of social problems. The insights from political economy will be applied to contemporary policy analysis and broader issues in civil society. Fellows will use political economy to explore a variety of topics, including markets, entrepreneurship, regulation, culture, and post-disaster recovery. Fellows will interact with one another and with Mercatus scholars during a series of synchronous virtual colloquia and asynchronous portal participation. The synchronous and asynchronous discussions will focus on real-world applications of the ideas from the texts. Fellows will join a network of Mercatus students, alumni, faculty, and scholars who are conducting and engaging with cutting-edge research in contemporary political economy.
Students who meet all of the following 2 criteria are strongly encouraged to apply:
Yes. Acceptance to the program is conditional on enrollment in an accredited graduate program during the year of participation in the Ronald Coase Fellowship.
To apply to the Ronald Coase Fellowship, click the “Apply” button above or below, and complete the online application, including:
A 1-2 page cover letter explaining:
your graduate school career to date,
your research interests and current projects,
your familiarity with Mercatus scholars and their research, and
what you hope to get out of the program.
A current resume/CV
A few short answer questions
Application review will begin after the deadline, and decisions will begin to be announced twelve or more weeks after the deadline.
Yes. It is the responsibility of the applicant to determine whether work related to completing a dissertation, thesis, or going on the job market will interfere with full involvement in the program. Applicants who can commit to full participation in the program are strongly encouraged to apply.
Students that are enrolled in an accredited graduate program, including master’s, juris doctoral, and doctoral programs are strongly encouraged to apply. That includes, but is not limited to, MA, MPP, LLM, JD, and PhD degree programs.
Yes. Graduate students from any discipline who have an interest in the program are strongly encouraged to apply.
Any student of any nationality enrolled in any degree-seeking graduate program at any university, in the US or abroad, is eligible to apply for the Ronald Coase Fellowship. Since the fellowship is virtual, a reliable internet connect is required.
Each fellow is responsible for making the appropriate verifications of their eligibility to receive funding from the Mercatus Center. Fellows should check with their home departments, international student offices, or private foundations (as appropriate) to verify their eligibility. Fellows are responsible for any applicable taxes on the honoraria provided through the Ronald Coase Fellowship.
Ronald Coase Fellows are required to (1) remain enrolled as a degree-seeking student throughout their participation in the program, (2) attend and actively participate in all aspects of the scheduled program of events, (3) arrive on time and prepared for each event having carefully read any assigned readings in advance, and (4) be honest, responsible, fair, and civil in all activities of the program.
Specific dates are subject to some variability and are communicated to successful applicants.
Fellows are responsible for making sure the program has up to date contact information, including email and valid postal address. Readings will be distributed both by email and by post two months in advance of each colloquium.
Yes, we encourage you to apply again.
Yes. Fellowship recipients are eligible to re-apply to the Ronald Coase Fellowship program each year of their studies. Doctoral students may also be eligible for the Adam Smith Fellowship, Oskar Morgenstern Fellowship, Elinor Ostrom Fellowship, Carl Menger Fellowship, and Don Lavoie Fellowship. Non-doctoral students may also be eligible for the Frédéric Bastiat Fellowship and Don Lavoie Fellowship.
Email [email protected] regarding general questions about the programs or questions about your application materials or application status.
