For information about the application timeline for each award, visit our deadline schedule. 

Harry S. Truman Scholarship

The Truman Foundation identifies aspiring leaders at an important inflection point in their development – when they are college juniors – and recognize and support their commitments to careers in public service. The fellowship supports the graduate education and professional development of outstanding young people committed to public service leadership, evaluating applicants on their leadership and community service as well as academic merit. Successful candidates have a deep and substantive record of leadership and accomplishment in community service, campus government, and/or politics, and a demonstrated capacity to be a "change agent." Applicants must have demonstrated already their capacity for leadership with a record of accomplishment that demonstrates their ability to achieve results.

• View OSD's Opportunity Profile here.

Udall Memorial Scholarship

The Udall Scholarship offers one year of funding to exceptional undergraduate students who are engaged in academic and advocacy work related to environmental sustainability or tribal policy.

The Udall Foundation awards scholarships to college sophomores and juniors for leadership, public service, and commitment to issues related to American Indian nations or to the environment. In each application cycle, the Udall Foundation will award up to 50 scholarships of up to $7,000 each, and anticipates that at least 20 scholarships will be awarded in Tribal Public Policy and Native Health Care. The Udall Scholarship honors the legacies of Morris Udall and Stewart Udall, whose careers had a significant impact on American Indian self-governance, health care, and the stewardship of public lands and natural resources.

• View OSD's Opportunity Profile here.

Humanity in Action Fellowship

Humanity in Action Fellowship programs look at the ways in which communities co-exist to create a society. Each bridges the international and the domestic, the theoretical and the practical, the political and the personal. In any program, Fellows will (virtually) go on local site visits; they will engage in practice-oriented workshops; and they will hear from local politicians, journalists, activists, and representatives from civil society organizations.

PPIA Junior Summer Institute (JSI) Fellowship Program

The PPIA Junior Summer Institute (JSI) Fellowship Program is a rigorous academic graduate level preparation program for undergraduate juniors committed to public service careers. The program was started to address the lack of diversity across the spectrum of professional public service, including government, nonprofits, public policy institutions, and international organizations. The purpose of the JSI Fellowship is to prepare students to obtain a master's or joint degree, in public policy, public administration, international affairs, or a related field.

This fully funded opportunity equips fellows with the knowledge and skills they will need to succeed in graduate school and ultimately, in influential roles serving the public good. Once a student has successfully completed their JSI, they join an alumni network of more than 4,000 leaders. In addition to the opportunities that this network provides for mentoring and career development, our alumni network can receive financial support for their graduate school education if they attend one of the programs in their Graduate School Consortium.

• Visit the funder's website here.

Emerson Hunger Fellowship

The Bill Emerson National Hunger Fellowship trains and inspires new leaders in the movement to end hunger and poverty in the United States. Fellows gain vital first-hand experience through placements with community-based organizations across the country as well as policy-focused organizations in Washington, D.C. The year-long program bridges gaps between local efforts and national public policy, as fellows support partner organizations with program development, research, evaluation, outreach, organizing, and advocacy projects.

Leland International Hunger Fellowship

The Mickey Leland International Hunger Fellowship is a two-year opportunity to promote global food and nutrition security through learning and hands-on work. Leland Fellows gain experience and professional skills working with host organizations in development or humanitarian placements around the world, and learn to see what works in international development—and what doesn't—and how to make the system more efficient, more effective, and more just. Each class of Leland Fellows forms a learning cohort, sharing knowledge and insight and growing together throughout the two-year program. And the Hunger Center's dynamic leadership development curriculum centers the skills required to create change in the international development and humanitarian sectors.

Scoville Peace Fellowship

The Herbert Scoville Jr. Peace Fellowship prioritizes the recruitment and training of the next generation of policy and advocacy leaders in international peace and security. The fellowship ensures a pipeline of the brightest, most dedicated, and diverse next-generation experts into leading think tanks and advocacy groups to inspire creative new approaches to the pervasive challenges to peace and security. Its goal is to bridge the gap between academia and the professional world by providing an entree for mission-driven grads eager to learn about and contribute to public-interest organizations. Twice yearly, the fellowship selects a small group of outstanding individuals to spend six to nine months in Washington, DC. Where they will work full time at the participating organization of their choice.

Obama/Chesky Voyager Scholarship

The Voyager Scholarship helps students pursuing careers in public service by providing access to travel and education and was created in 2022 by the Obamas and Brian Chesky, Airbnb CEO, to help shape such leaders. Even though they come from different backgrounds, both the President and Brian believe that exposure to new places and experiences generates understanding, empathy, and cooperation which equips the next generation to create meaningful change. The scholarship gives college students financial aid to alleviate the burden of college debt, meaningful travel experiences to expand their horizons, and a network of mentors and leaders to support them.

PBK Key Into Leadership Program

The Phi Beta Kappa Society is a leading national advocate for the value of arts and sciences education. Their Key into Public Service program and scholarship opportunity highlights the wide range of opportunities for arts, humanities, natural science, social science, and mathematics majors to pursue rewarding careers in local, state, and federal government.

Each scholar will receive a $5,000 undergraduate scholarship and will participate in a conference that provides training, mentoring, and reflection on pathways into local, state, and federal government careers.

• For more information, visit the Phi Beta Kappa website. 

Iowa NEW Leadership Program

Iowa N.E.W. Leadership is an intensive institute designed to empower women across the political spectrum and increase the participation of underrepresented groups in all sectors of public leadership. The Institute experience is built around a challenging curriculum that develops knowledge and skill in key areas, including strategic communication, policy analysis, philanthropy, negotiation, community development, professional sustainability, relationship-building, productive engagement with difference, conflict, and collaboration.

Developed by the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University in 1991, the NEW Leadership ™ network currently includes 23 colleges and universities serving women nationwide.

• Click here to find out more about the application process. 

Rhodes Scholarship

The Rhodes Scholarship, the oldest international educational fellowship, was initiated after the death of Cecil Rhodes in 1902 and brings outstanding students from many countries around the world to the University of Oxford. Applicants are evaluated on academic merit (the average GPA of Rhodes Scholars is 3.9+; many Oxford programs require a minimum 3.7 or 3.8 GPA), as well as leadership and character. Students who have already been honored through other awards or recognitions are frequently strong applicants. Successful candidates are selected not only for outstanding scholarly achievements, but for their character, commitment to others and to the common good, and leadership in their intended career field.

• Click here to find out more about applying to represent Iowa in the national competition. 

AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowships

AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowships (STPF) provide opportunities to outstanding scientists and engineers to learn first-hand about policymaking while contributing their knowledge and analytical skills to the federal policymaking process. Fellows serve yearlong assignments in the executive, legislative and judicial branches of the federal government in Washington. Each year, the program adds to a growing corps over 3,400 strong of policy-savvy leaders working across academia, government, nonprofits and industry to serve the nation and the world.

• Click here to find out more information about the program.