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.
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.
Interested Yale applicants should first carefully read all the information and excellent advice given on the official Truman website, as well as the Yale application information here.
After doing so, applicants may refer questions to Fellowship Programs (meetings by appointment).
A complete application for Yale's nomination for the Truman includes the following, which must be submitted before the campus application deadline.
A pdf of the completed sample application form. NOTE: for the competition for Yale's nomination, the sample Truman application will be used.
A policy proposal concerning a significant issue or problem confronting our society that is of particular interest to the applicant. The topic selected should be directly related to the applicant's career goals as outlined in question #9 in the sample application. In this outline the applicant should briefly describe the issue or problem, list one or more suggested actions for improving the situation, and identify major obstacles to the implementation of these suggestions. Main sources and references should be cited. Please see the tips on the Truman website.
Three letters of recommendation. See the letter of recommendation forms on the Truman website.
Letters may be submitted online, via the Yale Student Grants Database.
Transcripts: Unofficial Yale College transcripts are required for all applicants. Transcripts must also be requested from any other institution attended for post-secondary studies; only one copy of each transcript is required to be submitted to the Fellowships office.
Eligible candidates must be US citizens or nationals at the time of application, be planning to attend a graduate program leading to a career in public service, and have a GPA appropriate to the relevant graduate program. A variety of disciplines can lead to public service careers: for example, engineering, mathematics, physical sciences, biology, and environmental studies, as well as traditional fields such as history, political science, government, public health, public administration, economics, and international relations.
The primary criteria for evaluating candidates and selecting Truman Scholars are demonstrated leadership abilities and potential, quality and extent of public and community service and government involvement, commitment to careers in government or the public sector, intellectual depth and breadth and academic performance, and analytic abilities and communication skills. Selectors also consider the suitability of the candidate's intended program of graduate study and its appropriateness for a leadership career in public service. Financial need is not a criterion for selection.