Harry S. Truman Scholarship
Scholarship Sponsored by Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation
Overview
The Truman Scholarship is the nation’s leading graduate award for students committed to careers in public service. Each Scholar receives $30,000 toward the graduate school of their choice, access to extensive leadership programming and mentorship, direct hiring authority with the federal government, and opportunities to apply for additional matching support through partner graduate institutions.
Eligibility
To be eligible, applicants must:
- Be U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals residing in American Samoa, or be expected to become U.S. citizens by the date the award is granted;
- Be enrolled at an accredited institution located in the United States;
- Be in the penultimate year of study if their degree program takes four years or more to complete, or be in the final year if their degree program is three years or shorter;
- Be nominated by their current institution (or by a former institution for transfer and community college applicants). Each school may nominate up to four candidates, plus three additional nominees for transfer students; and
- Intend to pursue graduate study that will prepare them for a public service career. The Foundation supports applicants who plan to take time between undergraduate and graduate studies, so immediate enrollment in graduate school is not required.
Who may apply
- Any undergraduate major that is likely to lead to public service is acceptable;
- There is no age restriction;
- Applicants may pursue any graduate degree except the MBA;
- Graduate study may be planned at either domestic or international institutions.
Scholar obligations
Selected Scholars are expected to:
- Participate in Truman Scholars Leadership Week — attendance is a condition of receiving the award. If you cannot attend, you should not apply;
- Submit annual reports to the Foundation until all funding has been disbursed;
- Provide a graduate school proposal before receiving Truman funds (this proposal does not need to match the graduate program described in the original application);
- Report employment for at least three of the seven years following graduation from a Foundation-funded graduate program. Failure to meet the public service employment requirement could result in a requirement to repay the funds.
How to begin the application process
Applications must be submitted through a nomination by the applicant’s institution under the guidance of the campus Truman Advisor. Nomination procedures and internal deadlines vary by school, and some institutions set early internal deadlines. Contact your institution’s Truman Advisor as soon as possible. A directory of Advisors is available under “Find an Advisor.”