Deadline: March 15, 2026
Applications are open for the Mercatus Center Frédéric Bastiat Fellowship 2026-2027. The Frédéric Bastiat Fellowship is a one-year, competitive fellowship program awarded to graduate students attending master’s, juris doctoral, and doctoral programs in a variety of fields including economics, law, political science, and public policy.
The aim of this fellowship is to introduce students to the Austrian, Virginia, and Bloomington schools of political economy as academic foundations for contemporary policy analysis, policy-relevant academic research, and other applied topics. Fellows will explore how this framework is utilized for a variety of topics (including entrepreneurship, technological innovation, public health, regulation, immigration, natural disasters and military conflicts, and federal and state fiscal policy) during a series of colloquia where they will interact with Mercatus scholars that work on policy analysis and policy-relevant academic research. Fellows will join a network of Mercatus students, alumni, and scholars who are conducting and engaging with cutting edge research in contemporary political economy.
Benefits
The total award of up to $5,000 includes:
- A stipend
- All required readings
- Travel and lodging to attend colloquia hosted by the Mercatus Center
Eligibility
- 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 Frédéric Bastiat Fellowship.
- Applicants should be able to commit to traveling during 2 weekends for colloquia during the upcoming academic year.
- Have an interest in public policy and Mercatus’ approach to research and outreach in the ongoing debates on public policy.
Application
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
For more information, visit Frédéric Bastiat Fellowship.

