Dissertation Fellowship

The Dissertation Fellowship offers US$35,000 grants to support the final year of dissertation writing for Ph.D. or Th.D. students whose research focuses on Christian faith and life, the practice of ministry, religious trends and movements, Christian and other faith-based institutions, and religion and social issues in the United States and Canada.

2025 Application Portal Opens June 1, 2024.

Application due date: February 1, 2025 (11:59 p.m. EST)

Dissertation Fellowship Amount: US$35,000

Fellowship Timeline: Fall 2025 – Fall 2026

Awards announced: May 2025

Winter Seminar: January 21-23, 2026

What are Dissertation Fellowships?

The Louisville Institute Dissertation Fellowship offers US$35,000 grants to support the final year of dissertation writing for Ph.D. or Th.D. students whose research focuses on Christian faith and life, the practice of ministry, religious trends and movements, Christian and other faith-based institutions, and religion and social issues. Dissertation projects may emerge from diverse fields such as history, systematic and practical theology, social sciences, ethics, biblical studies, etc., or may be interdisciplinary in nature. Of particular interest to the Louisville Institute are projects with the potential to bridge church and academy, and to generate new knowledge that enriches the life of the church in North America. Students applying in 2025 should expect to complete their dissertations during the 2026 calendar year.

What Is Winter Seminar?

Dissertation Fellows also attend Winter Seminar, a three-day gathering in Louisville, KY, in which award recipients from three different Louisville Institute programs gather to share their projects and engage in valuable collaboration together. Winter Seminar for this grant cycle will take place January 21–23, 2026, and all related expenses for participants are paid by the Louisville Institute. Attending this event is a requirement of receiving a Dissertation Fellowship.

What do I need to know to apply?

Who is eligible for a Dissertation Fellowship?

Eligible applicants:

  • are candidates for a Ph.D. or Th.D. degree at an accredited graduate school in the United States or Canada. D.Min. students and others in practical degree programs are not eligible for this fellowship. 
  • must reside in the United States or Canada, and be U.S. or Canadian citizens or international students with appropriate student visas to study in North America. Students enrolled in North American doctoral programs but living outside of the United States and Canada are not eligible. 
  • must complete all pre-dissertation requirements, including approval of the dissertation proposal, and be “all but dissertation” by February 1, 2025.
  • Should expect to complete and defend the dissertation before December 31, 2026.

LI Doctoral Fellows are welcome to apply for the Dissertation Fellowship program. However, if you have previously received and declined an LI Dissertation Fellowship, you are not eligible to apply again.

If you have questions about eligibility or other stipulations of the fellowship, please email fellowships@louisville-institute.org.

How do I apply?

    • Download the 2025 Dissertation Fellowship Application Guide. The application guide contains the details you need. Review the eligibility requirements in the guide.
    • Create an account. Click on the “Apply” button to create an account and get started in the application portal.
    • Prepare your materials. Complete applications require the following (see the Application Guide for full details):
      • General information about your dissertation and progress
      • Dissertation prospectus
      • Selective bibliography
      • Doctoral transcript
      • Curriculum vitae or resume
      • Two letters of recommendation
  • All application materials are submitted online through our application portal.
  • Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. EST February 1, 2024.
  • Letters of recommendation are due from your recommenders February 8, 2024.

 

What is the selection process for Dissertation Fellowship?

Every year the Louisville Institute appoints a selection committee to review proposals and award Dissertation Fellowships. All applicants will be notified as soon as possible following the selection process, which usually takes place about 8-10 weeks after the application due date. Awards will be announced publicly in May 2025. Fellowship funds are dispersed in two equal payments: in September of the award year, and January the following year.

We typically receive 100 or more eligible applications for the Dissertation Fellowship. In 2025, we expect to award 10 fellowships. 

Additional Eligibility Information for all Grants & Fellowships

  • You are welcome to apply again for any of our grants or fellowships – in fact, it’s very common! However, you may only apply for one grant or fellowship between June 1, 2024, and May 31, 2025.
  • Any previous fellowships or grants from the Louisville Institute must be completed and final report submitted before applying for another LI fellowship or grant.
  • Members of the Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary staff, faculty, Board of Trustees, or student body or their immediate family members (parents, spouses, or children) are ineligible for Louisville Institute grants or fellowships. Members of the Louisville Institute Advisory Board and their immediate family members are also ineligible.
  • Louisville Institute grantees may not simultaneously hold two individual grants from Lilly Endowment-funded organizations that together total more than US$55,000. Please contact us if you have any questions about this stipulation: fellowships@louisville-institute.org. Individual grants are those held by the same project director, not necessarily the same institution.

Please do not hesitate to contact us with questions — email us at fellowships@louisville-institute.org.

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