Harry S. Truman Scholarship

Scholarship Sponsored by Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation

What is the Truman Scholarship? The Truman Scholarship is the nation’s top graduate award for students committed to careers in public service. It provides $30,000 toward the graduate school of your choice, plus mentorship and programming, a direct hiring pathway into federal public service, and access to additional matching funds through partner schools. Who should consider applying? If you care about working in government, nonprofit leadership, policy, or another public-serving role after graduate school, this is one of the best supports you can get. The Foundation also welcomes applicants who plan to take time between undergraduate and graduate study — you don’t have to go straight into a graduate program. Quick eligibility checklist You must meet all of the following to be eligible: - Be a U.S. citizen, a U.S. national (e.g., resident of American Samoa), or be expecting U.S. citizenship by the award date. - Be enrolled at an accredited U.S. institution. - Be in your penultimate year of study if you’re on a four‑year (or longer) program — or in your final year if you will graduate in three years or fewer. - Be nominated by your institution (see “How to apply” below). Note: each school may nominate up to four students, plus up to three additional nominees who are transfer applicants. - Intend to pursue graduate study that leads to a career in public service (the Foundation encourages — but does not require — a gap between undergrad and grad school). What kinds of students and programs are eligible? - Any major that can lead to public service. - Any age. - Any graduate degree except the MBA. - Domestic or international graduate programs are acceptable. What the Truman Scholarship provides - $30,000 toward graduate school at the institution you choose. - Extensive leadership programming and mentorship from the Foundation and alumni. - Direct federal hiring authority (a pathway into federal employment). - Opportunities to apply for matching funds from partner graduate schools. Requirements if you become a Truman Scholar These are commitments you must accept as a condition of the award: - Attend Truman Scholars Leadership Week. If you cannot make that week, do not apply. - Submit annual reports to the Foundation until your funding is complete. - File a graduate school funding proposal with the Foundation before you receive Truman funds (this proposal can be for a different program than the one in your original application). - After completing a Foundation-funded graduate program, file employment reports showing at least three years of public-service work within seven years. Failure to meet this requirement may trigger repayment of funds. How to get started You cannot apply directly — you must be nominated by your institution. Each school runs its own internal nomination process under the guidance of a Truman Advisor, and some institutions set internal deadlines well before the national deadline. Contact your campus Truman Advisor as soon as possible; a directory of Advisors is available on the Foundation’s “Find an Advisor” page. If you’re a transfer or community college applicant, your former institution must submit the nomination. If you’d like, I can help you find your campus Advisor, review eligibility, or look over a draft nomination packet.