USA Scholarships
Louisville Institute Dissertation Fellowship 2027 - $35K
Louisville Institute Dissertation Fellowships support the final year of dissertation writing for doctoral students whose projects enrich understanding of Christian faith and practice in North America. Each 2027-cycle award pays $35,000 in US dollars for work between fall 2027 and fall 2028. Applicants must be Ph.D. or Th.D. candidates at accredited graduate schools in the United States or Canada, be all-but-dissertation by 1 February 2027, and expect to complete and defend the dissertation before 31 December 2028. Applications close 1 February 2027 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time through portal.louisville-institute.org. Fellows attend a required Winter Seminar in January 2028, with Louisville Institute covering approved travel and lodging.
What is the Louisville Institute Dissertation Fellowship?
Louisville Institute, funded by Lilly Endowment, has spent decades backing scholars who study how Christian communities live, worship, and respond to social change in North America. The Dissertation Fellowship (DF) is the flagship doctoral award: $35,000 to buy time for the final stretch of writing when coursework, exams, and the proposal are already behind you.
The 2027 competition expects you to be all-but-dissertation by 1 February 2027 and to defend before 31 December 2028. That timeline is tight on purpose. Reviewers want candidates who can turn a funded year into a finished manuscript, not someone still clearing language requirements. Projects can draw on history, theology, ethics, biblical studies, or interdisciplinary methods, as long as the dissertation clearly engages North American Christianity.
Money arrives in two equal checks, September and January, while you work between fall 2027 and fall 2028. You also commit to Winter Seminar in January 2028. Louisville Institute covers approved travel and lodging for that gathering, and attendance is mandatory if you accept the fellowship.
Download the 2027 Application Guide before you touch the portal, line up recommenders who know your chapter drafts, and email [email protected] if you are juggling other Lilly Endowment grants. For faculty-level support later, compare the Louisville Institute First Book Grant or the Luce/ACLS Dissertation Fellowship in American Art if your project centers visual culture.
Eligibility
-
✓Ph.D. or Th.D. candidacy at an accredited North American schoolYou must be a candidate for a Ph.D. or Th.D. degree at an accredited graduate school in the United States or Canada. International students need appropriate student visas to study in North America.
-
✓Dissertation on North American ChristianityProjects must engage Christian faith and practice in the United States or Canada. Fields may include history, theology, ethics, biblical studies, practical theology, or interdisciplinary work on religion and social issues.
-
✓All-but-dissertation by the deadlineYou must complete all doctoral requirements except the dissertation, including approval of the dissertation proposal, and reach ABD status by 1 February 2027.
-
✓Completion timelineApplicants in the 2027 cycle should expect to finish and defend the dissertation during the 2028 calendar year, before 31 December 2028.
-
✓Enrollment and residency rulesStudents enrolled in North American doctoral programs but living outside the United States and Canada are not eligible. Read the 2027 Application Guide for visa and enrollment details.
-
✓Louisville Institute conflict and prior award rulesSeminary staff, trustees, students, and advisory board members (and immediate families) cannot apply. You may hold only one Louisville Institute grant or fellowship between competing cycles, and prior awards must be closed with final reports submitted.
-
✓Lilly Endowment stacking limitYou may not simultaneously hold two individual grants from Lilly Endowment-funded organizations that together total more than $55,000. Email [email protected] if you have questions.
Benefits
- Stipend $35,000 (USD)
- Fellowship timeline Fall 2027 through fall 2028
- Payment schedule Two equal installments (September and January)
- Winter Seminar travel and lodging Covered when approved
- Tuition coverage Not a tuition award
- Concurrent Lilly grants over $55K combined Not permitted
Document checklist
-
✓Portal application at portal.louisville-institute.orgCreate an account and complete the Dissertation Fellowship form before 1 February 2027, 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.
-
✓2027 Dissertation Fellowship Application GuideDownload the PDF from louisville-institute.org and follow every formatting, length, and upload rule before you submit.
-
✓Dissertation project summary and narrativeExplain how your project advances knowledge of North American Christianity and what you will accomplish during the fellowship year.
-
✓Doctoral transcriptProvide official or certified transcripts showing completed coursework and candidacy status.
-
✓Curriculum vitaeEducation, teaching, publications, presentations, and grants relevant to your dissertation field.
-
✓Letters of recommendationReferees submit through the portal by the deadline listed in the Application Guide. Choose advisors who can speak to your readiness to finish the dissertation.
-
✓Writing sample or dissertation chapterFollow the guide for page limits and file types that show you can complete the manuscript during the award term.
How to apply
Deadline and timeline
FAQ
What is the Louisville Institute Dissertation Fellowship?
It is a $35,000 award from Louisville Institute for Ph.D. or Th.D. candidates at accredited US or Canadian graduate schools who are writing dissertations on North American Christianity. The fellowship funds the final year of writing between fall 2027 and fall 2028.
When is the Louisville Dissertation Fellowship deadline for 2027?
Applications are due 1 February 2027 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time through portal.louisville-institute.org. Recommendation letters must meet the dates listed in the 2027 Application Guide.
How much is the Louisville Institute Dissertation Fellowship stipend?
Each fellowship pays $35,000 in US dollars, disbursed in two equal payments in September of the award year and the following January.
Who is eligible for the Louisville Dissertation Fellowship?
Ph.D. or Th.D. candidates at accredited graduate schools in the United States or Canada whose dissertations focus on Christian faith and practice in North America, who are ABD by 1 February 2027, and who can finish before 31 December 2028.
Do Louisville Dissertation Fellows attend Winter Seminar?
Yes. Attendance is required. The January 2028 Winter Seminar for this cycle includes approved travel and lodging paid by Louisville Institute.
Can Canadian doctoral students apply?
Yes, if they are enrolled at accredited Canadian graduate schools and meet ABD and project requirements. Students in North American programs who live outside the US and Canada are not eligible.
Can I hold other Lilly Endowment grants with this fellowship?
You cannot simultaneously hold two individual grants from Lilly Endowment-funded organizations that together exceed $55,000. Contact [email protected] if you need clarification.
How is the Louisville Dissertation Fellowship different from the First Book Grant?
The Dissertation Fellowship supports doctoral students finishing dissertations. The First Book Grant supports pre-tenured faculty finishing a first scholarly book. Doctoral students should apply to dissertation and doctoral fellowship programs, not the First Book Grant.
Scholarship Union
More in-depth scholarship guides curated by experts.
Related guides
Always verify scholarship details on the official source before applying. Information on this page may change.
Visit official website