Ph.D. Fellowship/Scholarship

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.

The Institute is currently accepting applications for the 2027-28 academic year (beginning August 2027). The priority application deadline is Monday, February 1, 2027. Applications will be accepted after the priority deadline on a rolling basis, subject to funding availability. Interested applicants should carefully review the information on this page.

Ph.D. Fellowship in Agricultural and Applied Economics

The FMI Ph.D. Fellowship has an initial three-year term. The Ph.D. Fellowship includes a waiver for all allowable tuition and fees associated with the Ph.D. program of study in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics and a part-time research assistantship with the Free Market Institute. Annual compensation for the research assistantship is competitive, up to $30,000 each academic year.

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 and around the world. Visit the link below for more information about the job placements of the Institute’s Ph.D. Fellow graduates.

Ph.D. Fellow Job Placements

Ph.D. Scholarship in Political Science

Current and prospective Ph.D. students in the Department of Political Science at Texas Tech University are 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 Institute’s research meetings and other extracurricular 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.

Graduate Courses and Research Programs

Ph.D. students take required and elective courses with Institute faculty through their academic programs of study and participate in the Institute’s research programs. Both graduate coursework and the Institute’s research programs are designed to build familiarity with fields of inquiry related to the Institute’s 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.

Graduate Courses

Graduate Student Handbook

The FMI Graduate Student Handbook provides more information about the FMI Ph.D. Fellowship opportunity, including guidance for the admissions process and information about the policies governing this program. Visit the link below to view the document.

Graduate Student Handbook — August 2026

How to Apply

Applicants should have strong academic backgrounds and a demonstrated interest in research fields related to the Institute's mission. 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.

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: Joel Sievert, Graduate Director (joel.sievert@ttu.edu)

FMI Application Materials

Review of the FMI application materials listed below will begin after confirmation of admission or enrollment at Texas Tech. 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 Monday, February 1, 2027. Applications will be accepted after the priority deadline on a rolling basis, subject to funding availability.

Interested applicants may contact the Free Market Institute with any questions by email at free.market@ttu.edu or phone at 806.742.7138.