Adam Smith Fellowship

A one-year program for doctoral students from any university and discipline who are interested in political economy.

Applications for the 2026 - 2027 academic year are due March 15, 2026.

Application review will begin after the deadline, and decisions will begin to be announced twelve or more weeks after the deadline.

Details

The total award of up to $7,000 includes:

• A stipend
• All required readings
• Travel and lodging to attend colloquia hosted by the Mercatus Center

Qualifications

In order to be accepted into the Adam Smith Fellowship program, you must be:

• Enrolled in a PhD program from any university and in any discipline  

About the Fellowship

The Adam Smith Fellowship is awarded to graduate students attending PhD programs at any university and in any discipline, including but not limited to economics, philosophy, political science, and sociology.

The aim of this fellowship is to introduce students to and encourage them to critically engage key thinkers in political economy that they might not otherwise encounter during their graduate studies. As such, Adam Smith Fellows spend three weekends during the academic year participating in workshops and seminars on the Austrian, Virginia, and Bloomington schools of political economy. Fellows will join a network of Mercatus students, alumni, and scholars who are conducting and engaging with cutting-edge research in contemporary political economy.