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The Truman Scholarship is a premier graduate fellowship for those pursuing careers as public service leaders. The scholarship is awarded to college juniors for graduate school education leading to a career in public service. Truman Scholars have been recognized as future “change agents.” They have the passion, intellect, and leadership potential that should enable them to improve the way that public entities serve the public good. The award consists of up to $30,000 for graduate or professional school. For receiving Truman funds, you are required to work in public service for 3 of the 7 years following completion of the graduate degree program.
Scholarship Amount
$15,000/yearAnnual Number of Scholarships Awarded
- 55-65 per year
Eligibility
- Be a U.S. citizen or a U.S. national by start of award
- Be a full-time undergraduate student pursuing a bachelor’s degree
- At the time of application, be at junior-level academic standing
- Have at least a 3.7 GPA or higher and be in upper quarter of your class
- Plan to attend graduate school
- Committed to a career in public service defined by the Truman Foundation as “employment in government at any level, uniformed services, public-interest organizations, non-governmental research and/or educational organizations, public and private schools, and public-service oriented non-profit organizations such as those whose primary purposes are to help needy or disadvantaged persons or to protect the environment”
Selection Criteria
- Academic excellence
- Service on campus and in the community
- Commitment to a career in public service (government, uniformed services, research, education, or public interest/advocacy organizations)
- Communication ability and aptitude to be a “change agent”
Application Material
- Truman Scholarship Application
- Policy Proposal Essay
- CV/Resume
- Transcripts
- 3 letters of recommendation
- University Endorsement
University Endorsement Process
University endorsement is a competitive process and not guaranteed. Students seeking University of Utah endorsement must submit certain application components by the University’s deadline.
Student Spotlights
Jack Jowers
An economics and political science double major, Jack believes in the promise of the American Dream and is committed to developing policy that catalyzes socioeconomic mobility. His experiences serving his community, from leading a program providing free ACT preparation tutoring for low-income students to mentoring elementary school students at risk for incarceration, imbued in him […]
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