STRENGTHENING HR

Scholarships and Grants

Funding and recognition for every stage of the HR journey, from students earning their first degree to leaders shaping the profession.

Apply on Submittable

View 2027 Deadlines

Sponsor

Supporting & Celebrating HR Professionals

SHRM Foundation and SHRM work hard to support and celebrate everyone who makes up the HR profession. Each year, the Foundation invests directly in the people building HR's future through scholarships, professional development grants, and fellowships.

500K

in scholarships and grants is distributed each year to students and HR professionals across the country.

application cycles each year: Spring, Summer, and Fall.

individuals are honored each year through our annual awards, including the Tharseō Awards.

Eligibility at a Glance

Each program maintains its own criteria. The following baseline requirements apply across each category. Complete requirements are listed within each application on Submittable.

Emerging Pros Students

Scholarships

Active SHRM membership (student or professional), remaining active through the eight-week review period.
Enrolled or accepted in an accredited undergraduate or graduate program
Pursuing an HR or HR-related degree
Demonstrated commitment to strengthening HR

View Scholarship Applications

Emerging Pros Pros

Professional Grants

Active SHRM membership, remaining active through the eight-week review period
Currently working in HR for at least one year
A specific development goal the grant will fund
Grant funds are applied directly to the program cost and are not paid as cash to recipients

View Grant Applications

Emerging Pros Pros

Fellowships

HR Tomorrow Leadership Program: emerging professionals with two to four years of experience in HR seeking a yearlong cohort experience, mentorship, and conference access
Michael R. Losey Visiting Voice Fellowship: Elevates the professions most emerging voices shaping the future of work.

Explore HR Tomorrow

Explore Losey Fellowship

How the Application Process Works

Each scholarship and grant application follows the same four-step process.

Step 1:

Apply Online
Submitting through Submittable during an open cycle, creating a free account, uploading required documents before the deadline, and adding the two Submittable notification addresses to a safe senders list.

Step 2:

Review
Eight-week review period following the close of each cycle, what the selection committee focuses on, and no status updates during review.

Step 3:

Decision
All applicants notified by email through Submittable approximately eight weeks after the deadline.

Step 4:

Receive Funding
Scholarship funds disbursed directly to the institution; grant funds applied to the approved program cost.

2026 Application Calendar

Applications are accepted during three cycles each year. Decisions are sent approximately eight weeks after each application deadline and may take longer depending on application volume.

Undergraduate and Graduate Scholarships

Program	Description	Cycle	Opens	Deadline	Decisions By	Intended Audience
Future of Work Academic Scholarships	Invests in students preparing to study and address how artificial intelligence and human intelligence will reshape work, workplaces, and the workforce.	Winter	1/4/27	3/1/27	5/17/27	Students preparing to shape the future of work through the intersection of people, technology, and organizations.
Susan R. Meisinger Graduate Scholarship	Honors Susan R. Meisinger's contributions to HR by investing in graduate education that prepares the profession's future leaders.	Winter	1/4/27	3/1/27	5/17/27	HR professionals pursuing graduate education to deepen their expertise and leadership capacity.

Professional Development Grants

Program	Description	Cycle	Opens	Deadline	Decisions By	Intended Audience
2026 SHRM Certification Grant #2	Advances professional growth through SHRM certification preparation and access to the SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP exam.	Summer	8/10/26	10/16/26	12/15/26	HR professionals pursuing the SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP credential.
Specialty Credential Grant	Expands professional expertise through focused learning and the opportunity to earn a SHRM specialty credential.	Summer	8/10/26	10/16/26	12/15/26	HR professionals seeking specialized knowledge and a SHRM specialty credential.
2027 SHRM HR-X Live! Grant	Challenges HR professionals to examine how their function creates value, strengthen areas of practice, and increase their impact on workforce and business outcomes.	Fall	12/14/26	2/8/27	4/19/27	HR professionals seeking to strengthen HR's impact on workforce and business outcomes.
Professional Membership Grant	Connects HR professionals with SHRM research, practical resources, professional learning, and a network that can inform their work and career growth.	Winter	1/4/27	3/1/27	5/17/27	HR professionals seeking continued learning, resources, and connection to the broader profession.
Student Membership Grant	Introduces students to the HR profession through career resources, professional learning, and connections to the broader HR community.	Winter	1/4/27	3/1/27	5/17/27	Students preparing to enter or explore the HR profession.
2027 SHRM Certification Grant	Advances professional growth through SHRM certification preparation and access to the SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP exam.	Spring	4/5/27	6/4/27	8/16/27	HR professionals pursuing the SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP credential.
Future of Work Grant	Invests in practicing HR professionals who need education and exposure now to understand and apply AI+HI in their organizations.	Spring	4/5/27	6/4/27	8/16/27	HR professionals seeking practical expertise at the intersection of artificial intelligence and human intelligence.

Fellowships

Program	Description	Cycle	Opens	Deadline	Decisions By	Intended Audience
2027 HR Tomorrow Leadership Program	Cultivates emerging HR leaders through applied learning, access to experienced leaders, and peer relationships that strengthen leadership judgment and professional growth.	Fall	12/14/26	2/8/27	4/19/27	Emerging HR professionals preparing to expand their leadership capacity and influence.

Please note: Scholarship and grant offerings are subject to change. Programs listed on this calendar may be updated, revised, or discontinued without prior notice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. An active SHRM membership (student or professional) is required at the time of application and must remain active throughout the eight-week review period in order to accept a scholarship or grant. If you are not yet a member, the Student Membership Grant and Professional Membership Grant can help cover the cost of joining.

Qualifying programs include human resources, human resource management, industrial and organizational psychology, organizational development or organizational behavior, labor or industrial relations, and business administration or management with an HR concentration. Doctoral students are welcome to apply for the Graduate Scholarships.

You may apply to any programs for which you are eligible, but recipients may only receive one award per cycle. Eligibility criteria for each program are available on Submittable when the application opens.

Applications enter an eight-week review period following the close of each application cycle and may take longer depending on application volume. All applicants receive a decision by email through Submittable once the review period concludes. Check the Decisions By column in the application calendar above for your program's expected notification window.

Please add notifications@email.submittable.com and notifications@email.auth.submittable.com to your safe senders list to help ensure delivery.

Scholarship funds are disbursed directly to the recipient's institution after acceptance is complete. Grant funds are applied to the approved expense, such as conference registration or certification fees.

Yes. Applicants who are not selected are welcome to apply in any future cycle for which they remain eligible. Strong applications clearly connect the applicant's education or development goals to a demonstrated commitment to strengthening the HR profession.

Applicants who have submitted an application can message our team directly through the Submittable portal. For technical issues, please contact Submittable Support using the red question mark at the top or bottom of any page in the portal.

Before reaching out, we encourage you to carefully review the information on this page, which answers most questions about eligibility, deadlines, and decision timelines.

Status updates are not available while applications are under review. All applicants are notified by email through Submittable once decisions are made. We kindly ask that you wait until the full eight-week review period has passed before reaching out regarding the status of your application.

Submittable provides technical support directly. Select the red question mark at the top or bottom of any page in the application portal to contact the Submittable Support team.