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The Truman Scholarship

About the Scholarship

The Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation, a memorial to our thirty-third President, awards merit-based scholarships to college students planning careers in public service. Truman Scholars receive up to $30,000 for graduate or professional school, participate in leadership development activities, and have special opportunities for internships and employment with the federal government.

The mission of the Truman Scholarship Foundation is to find and recognize college juniors with exceptional leadership potential who are committed to careers in government, the nonprofit or advocacy sectors, education, or elsewhere in public service and to provide them with financial support for graduate study, leadership training, and fellowship with other students who are committed to making a difference.

The Foundation seeks future "change agents" who aspire to leadership positions in federal, state, or local governments or in the not-for-profit and education sectors where they can influence public policies and change public programs. Primary criteria for selecting Truman Scholars include:

  • extensive records of public and community service
  • outstanding leadership potential and communication skills
  • commitment to careers in government or elsewhere in the public sector

All Truman Scholars must work in public service for three of the seven years following completion of a Foundation-funded graduate degree program.

Eligibility

Each nominee for the Truman Scholarship must be:

  • A full-time junior-level student at a four-year institution or a senior-level student who is a resident of Puerto Rico.
  • Nominated by the Truman Scholarship Faculty Representative at their home institution (nomination decisions are made by faculty members of Dartmouth's Committee on Graduate Fellowships)
  • Academically in the upper quarter of their class
  • A United States citizen or a United States national from American Samoa or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Resident aliens (green card holders) are not eligible.

Application Process

Dartmouth can nominate four juniors each year for the Truman Scholarship plus additional nominees who are transfer students. To learn how to apply for nomination and see relevant deadlines, read about Dartmouth's Truman Application Process on our Canvas site.