The Harry S. Truman Scholarship is a federal award from the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation that gives $30,000 toward graduate school to college juniors who plan careers in public service. You need a nomination from your college, and the 2027 national deadline is February 2, 2027, at 11:59 p.m. in your time zone. In 2026 the Foundation selected 55 Truman Scholars from 48 institutions.
The facts below come from the Foundation’s own pages at truman.gov, including its eligibility, important dates, selection process and graduate school partner pages.
Who is eligible for the Truman Scholarship
According to the Truman eligibility page, candidates must be:
- “US Citizens, US National residents of American Samoa, or expecting their citizenship by the date of the award.”
- “Currently enrolled at a US-based accredited institution.”
- In “their penultimate year of school” if their degree takes four or more years, or in their final year if it takes three years or fewer. For most students this means junior year.
- Nominated by their current school, or by a former school if they transferred or attended a community college.
- “Planning to attend graduate school in pursuit of a career in public service.”
Any major and any age can apply, and you may study at graduate programs in the U.S. or abroad. Each school may nominate up to “four nominees plus three additional transfer nominations.” The Foundation also “encourages time between undergraduate and graduate school,” so you do not have to start graduate school right after graduation.
What the Truman Scholarship pays
The Foundation’s graduate school partners page describes the award as “$30,000 from the Foundation” for graduate study. Many partner schools add their own money on top. Examples listed by the Foundation:
| Partner school | What it adds for Truman Scholars |
|---|---|
| Arizona State University | Full-tuition award for up to two years, on-campus programs |
| Duke (Sanford School) | Matches the $30,000 with $30,000 of its own |
| Harvard (Kennedy School) | Matches the $30,000 for up to five scholars a year |
| Princeton (SPIA) | Covers all costs beyond the $30,000 |
| Vanderbilt Graduate School | Covers tuition, fees, health insurance and stipends beyond the $30,000 for up to five years in doctoral programs |
The list runs to more than two dozen schools in the U.S. and abroad. The award also comes with programs: scholars must attend Truman Scholars Leadership Week, and the Foundation runs a Summer Institute and several fellowship programs for scholars.
The public service requirement
The money is tied to a career commitment. Scholars must “file an employment report for three of seven years after graduation.” If you cannot work in public service during that period, you may have to repay the funding. Scholars must also file a graduate school proposal before receiving funds and send annual reports until the funding is used up.
How selection works
The selection process page lays out the steps:
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- Campus nomination. Most schools run their own internal competition first. Some use their own forms.
- National application. Your campus advisor uploads three letters of recommendation and a transcript from each school you attended.
- Finalist selection. Readers score the files. Finalists are chosen on their “leadership and service records” and “likelihood of success in graduate school.”
- Interview. Regional Review Panels interview finalists. “Each finalist will have a 20 minute interview with the panel,” and “questions begin as soon as the finalist enters the room.”
Each panel is expected to choose “one Scholar selected from each state.” Panels may recommend more, but the Foundation decides how many it can fund each year.
Deadlines and timeline for 2027
The important dates page calls these dates firm:
| Step | 2027 date |
|---|---|
| Application deadline | February 2, 2027, 11:59 p.m. your time zone |
| Foundation confirms receipt | February 8, 2027 |
| Finalists notified | February 15, 2027 |
| Finalist confirmation due | February 18, 2027, 9:00 a.m. ET |
| Regional review panels | March 1 to April 15, 2027 |
| Scholars posted | April 23, 2027 |
| Truman Scholars Leadership Week | May 25 to May 30, 2027 |
Your campus deadline will be earlier than February 2, often by months. Ask your school’s Truman faculty representative for the internal date.
How to make a strong Truman application
- Find your campus advisor now. The Foundation says, “We recommend reaching out to your campus advisor as soon as possible,” because campus processes vary widely. Its Advisor Locator lists them.
- Plan for weeks, not days. The Foundation says “strong applications require significant research and revision” and most winners rewrite several drafts.
- Show a record, not just a plan. Finalists are picked on leadership and service already done. Give specific roles, results and the people affected.
- Prepare for a fast interview. You get 20 minutes and questions start at once. Practice explaining your policy interests and career path aloud.
- Check Leadership Week first. Attendance is a condition of the award. The Foundation says, “If you cannot attend, you should not apply.”
Similar programs to consider
Students committed to the environment or Tribal policy should look at the Udall Scholarship, which also runs through campus representatives. Students who want federal careers tied to languages abroad can compare the Boren Scholarship. Read how to pay for graduate school to plan for costs beyond $30,000, and see scholarship essay tips before your first draft. More awards are in our scholarship finder.
Truman Scholarship questions
Can I apply without a nomination from my school?
No. Every candidate must be nominated by a current school, or a former school for transfer and community college students.
Do I have to go to graduate school right away?
No. The Foundation encourages time between undergraduate and graduate school.
What counts as public service?
The Foundation tracks it through employment reports for three of the seven years after graduation. Check the definitions with your campus advisor before you apply.
How many Truman Scholars are chosen each year?
Panels aim for one scholar from each state. In 2026 the Foundation selected 55 scholars from 48 institutions.