Ph.D. Fellowship
The Free Market Institute (FMI) provides financial support to Ph.D. students interested in scholarly and academic careers. Students enrolled in or admitted to the Ph.D. program in either the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics or the Department of Political Science at Texas Tech University are eligible to apply for consideration of funding.
Ph.D. students take courses with Institute faculty through their academic programs of study and participate in the Institutes research programs. Both graduate coursework and the Institutes research programs are designed to build familiarity with fields of inquiry related to the Institutes mission and competency in different parts of the research development process. Visit the link below for more information about graduate courses taught by Institute faculty.
The Free Market Institute is currently accepting applications for the 2025-26 academic year (beginning August 2025). The priority application deadline is Saturday, February 1, 2025.
Ph.D. Fellowship
The FMI Ph.D. Fellowship has an initial three-year term and includes a waiver for all allowable tuition and fees associated with the Ph.D. program of study and a part-time research assistantship with annual compensation up to $27,500. Applicants should have strong academic backgrounds and a demonstrated interest in research fields related to the Institute's mission.
FMI Ph.D. Fellows support faculty research and teaching and seek to develop original research projects, both independently and in collaboration with other Institute faculty and staff. After the initial three-year term, Ph.D. Fellows are eligible for consideration of dissertation fellowships that support progress toward completion of the Ph.D. degree. Ph.D. Fellows are also eligible to apply for funding to support travel to academic conferences and other professional development programs.
Past FMI Ph.D. Fellows have secured both tenure-track and visiting faculty positions, as well as post-doctoral research appointments at colleges and universities across the United States. Visit the link below for more information about the job placements of the Institutes Ph.D. Fellow graduates.
Ph.D. Scholarship
Current and prospective Ph.D. students in the Department of Political Science at Texas Tech University are also eligible for consideration of the FMI Ph.D. Scholarship. The FMI Ph.D. Scholarship augments previously committed funding from the department.
The FMI Ph.D. Scholarship is awarded for three years, up to $5,000 each academic year, and is contingent on attendance at the Institutes weekly research meetings and periodic Public Speaker Series programs. Scholarships are renewable following the initial three-year commitment. Scholarship recipients are also eligible to apply for funding to support travel to academic conferences and other professional development programs. The Institute will also consider FMI Ph.D. Scholarship recipients for the Ph.D. Fellowship in later years of study.
How to Apply
Applicants must either be enrolled or have gained admission to the Texas Tech University Graduate School and the Ph.D. program of study in either the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics or the Department of Political Science.
Review of the FMI application materials listed below will begin after confirmation of enrollment or admission. Visit the links below for more information about the corresponding programs and application procedures.
Graduate School
Contact: Graduate Admissions (graduate.admissions@ttu.edu)
Agricultural/Applied Economics
Contact: Chenggang Wang, Graduate Director (aaec.grad.admin@ttu.edu)
Political Science
Contact: Daehee Bak, Graduate Director (daehee.bak@ttu.edu)
FMI Application Materials
To apply for the funding from the Free Market Institute, send the following documents to the Director of Graduate Students, Andrew Young, at free.market@ttu.edu:
• Current Resume/CV.
• Statement of Interest in the Free Market Institute Mission.
• All Academic Transcripts (Unofficial Copies are Acceptable).
• GRE Scores (Unofficial Copies are Acceptable).
• Writing Sample (An Academic Term Paper is Acceptable).
• Three Reference Letters.
Applicants should ask for reference letters to be sent to both the department and the Free Market Institute. At least one reference letter should address the applicant's fit with the Free Market Institute. The priority application deadline is Saturday, February 1, 2025.
Interested applicants may contact the Free Market Institute with any questions by email at free.market@ttu.edu or phone at 806.742.7138.
Free Market Institute
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Address
Texas Tech University - Box 45059 - Lubbock, TX - 79409-5059 -
Phone
806.742.7138 -
Email
free.market@ttu.edu