Next Generation Scholarship

Scholarship Sponsored by NRF Foundation

Overview This scholarship is for students who are serious about a career in retail and who bring original, strategic thinking to the field. The NRF Foundation and a panel of retail executives are seeking motivated, adaptable students who show leadership, retail experience, and the potential to influence the future of the industry. Timeline & selection process - Application deadline: Tuesday, May 26, 2026 — complete submissions required. - Notification of semifinalists: June 24, 2026 (up to 25 students). - Semifinalists must accept selection within 7 days or a replacement will be chosen. - On June 24, semifinalists will receive a case study created with Under Armour. - Case study deadline: Monday, August 10, 2026 at 12:00 p.m. ET. - From semifinalists, a panel of retail judges will pick the top 10. - Top 10 do quick‑fire video interviews with the NRF team, Sept. 24–28, 2026. - Top 5 finalists announced by Oct. 6, 2026. - Finalists must accept within 7 days or a replacement will be chosen. - Final round interviews: Fall 2026 with members of the NRF Foundation Board of Directors and retail executives. - Scholarship recipients announced at NRF Foundation Honors during the NRF Foundation Student Program in New York City, Jan. 7–10, 2027 (Honors on Jan. 10, 2027). - Scholarship funds distributed to each recipient’s university in February 2027. Note: Judges’ decisions are final. What to submit (Phase 1) For the initial application you will need: - Essay - Personal brand video - One letter of recommendation - Resume - Headshot - Official school transcripts Expectations for semifinalists and finalists - Semifinalists complete the assigned case study and submit by Aug. 10, 2026. - Semifinalists (25) receive a travel stipend (details below). - Top 10 complete short, timed interviews with the NRF team. - Top 5 complete final interviews with NRF Foundation Board members and retail executives. Scholarship amounts and travel stipend - One top scholarship: $25,000 tuition award (top-scoring finalist). - Four additional finalist scholarships: $10,000 each. - Travel stipend: Up to $1,000 for each of the 25 semifinalists to help cover convention registration and travel to the NRF Foundation Student Program. - The NRF Foundation will send the stipend to the semifinalist’s university. The university will pay the student’s convention registration and related expenses; any remaining funds may be used by the university to support its students’ attendance at other NRF conferences or education programs. Eligibility (key requirements) - Enrolled full-time at a U.S.-based college or university. No limit on the number of applicants per school. - At the time the scholarship is awarded (January 2027), you must be a junior or senior enrolled full-time. - Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale. - Prior or current retail work experience or a retail internship. - U.S. citizen or legal U.S. resident eligible to work in the United States. - Have not previously received an NRF Foundation award of $10,000 or more. - NRF employees and their immediate family/household members are ineligible. - Must be available to attend the NRF Foundation Student Program and the NRF Foundation Honors in New York City, Jan. 7–10, 2027 (Honors on Jan. 10). Important notes and tips - Mark May 26, 2026 (application) and Aug. 10, 2026 (case study) clearly on your calendar — late or incomplete materials will not be considered. - If selected as a semifinalist or finalist you must confirm acceptance within seven days or risk replacement. - Prepare to show not only your retail experience but also original, strategic thinking about the industry. - Scholarship funds are sent to universities to be disbursed to recipients by each institution. If you’d like, I can help you draft the essay, outline the personal brand video, or create a checklist to track your materials and deadlines. Which would you like to start with?