Please note: The Truman Scholarship requires a Cornell endorsement to be nominated to the national competition. In order to be considered for an endorsement, a candidate must submit all application materials to the Office of Fellowships by 1pm ET on November 21, 2025.

The Truman Scholarship is open to juniors only. 'Junior' here means a student who plans to continue full-time undergraduate study and who expects to receive a baccalaureate degree between December 2026 and August 2027.  

 

The Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation, established by Congress in 1975, awards scholarships to college students who have outstanding leadership potential and who intend to pursue careers in public service. Truman Scholarships are awarded on the basis of merit to U.S. citizens and nationals who, at the time of application, are Juniors at four-year institutions or Sophomores at two-year colleges.

Description:

The Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation, established by Congress in 1975, awards scholarships to college students who have outstanding leadership potential and who intend to pursue careers in public service. Truman Scholarships are awarded on the basis of merit to US citizens and nationals who, at the time of application, are juniors at four-year institutions or sophomores at two-year colleges.

One scholarship will be available to a qualified resident nominee in each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and, considered as a single entity, the Islands: Guam, Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. (Residency is generally determined by home address for school registration, family's primary residence, and voter registration.) The Foundation will also select up to 15 at-large Scholars.

The Truman Scholarship is currently an award of up to $30,000 to help cover tuition, fees, books, and room and board expenses for a program of graduate study. Scholars are required to work in public service for three of the seven years following completion of a Foundation-funded graduate degree program as a condition of receiving funding. The Foundation also provides assistance with career counseling, internship placement, graduate school admissions, and professional development. Scholars are invited to participate in a number of programs: Truman Scholar Leadership Week, The Summer Institute, The Truman Fellows Program, and the Public Service Law Conference.

Watch a great short video about the Scholarship, here. About 60 scholarships are awarded each year.