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Harry S. Truman Scholarship


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Details

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/year


Annual 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.




Deadlines

University Deadline:
01-15-2021

National Deadline:
02-02-2022


Timeline

November: Truman Application Opens

Early January: University Deadline

February 1, 2022: National Deadline

Late February: Notification of finalists

March-April: Finalist interviews

Mid-April: Notification of selection




Length of Scholarship

2 years


Scholarship Website

https://www.truman.gov/


Contact Information

Gina Shipley
gina.shipley@hinckley.utah.edu

Office of Nationally Competitive Scholarships:
competitivescholarships@utah.edu