The Bach Fellowship is intended to facilitate dissertation research to improve the understanding of national legislative assemblies and democratic governance. The Fellowship Award each year is expected to be approximately $50,000.
The Bach Fellowship honors the life and work of Stanley I. Bach, who, as a Senior Specialist in the Legislative Process at the Congressional Research Service, educated Members of Congress and their staff on House and Senate rules through written products, seminars, and personal consultations. Dr. Bach directed that after his death his assets be used to create a fellowship to fund one year of doctoral dissertation research and writing for advanced graduate students at the University of Chicago or Yale University, his two alma maters.
Eligibility
To be eligible for the dissertation fellowship, the applicant must have completed graduate coursework by the start of the academic year during which the Fellowship begins. In addition, applicants who will have most of their dissertation work completed by the start of the academic year during which the Fellowship begins will not be considered. The Fellowship winner must use the award solely for the purposes of the grant and must report periodically on the research.
Strong applicants will propose studies about one of more of these subjects:
- Political action within legislative institutions, including the political actions of legislators or legislative candidates, of the legislature
collectively, or of its organs, such as legislative parties, leaders, coalitions, factions, committees or staff - The politics of inter-branch and governing coalitions
- The policy-making context in which legislatures or their organs operate
- The activity of political actors who influence or respond to legislative actions
Application instructions
Download the application form.
Deadline
May 1, 2025
Fellowship Contact:
grad-fellowships@uchicago.edu