Scholarship Value: $25,000
Awards Available: 5
Award Deadline:
May 28, 2025
The NRF Foundation and retail executive judges are searching for high-performing students who demonstrate a passion for retail and a unique, innovative perspective on our industry to apply for the NRF Foundation Next Generation Scholarship. Recipients will be ambitious, adaptable and have the potential to impact the future of retail.
The Application
The 2025 NRF Foundation Next Generation Scholarship application consists of two phases. In the first phase, applicants will submit an essay, personal brand video, one letter of recommendation, resume, headshot and school transcripts. Applications are due on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, at 12 p.m. (noon) Eastern Time.
Applicants will be notified by June 23, 2025, if they are selected to move on to the semifinalist stage. In this phase, 25 students are required to complete a case study created in collaboration with our retail partner, Crate & Barrel, and two interviews with assigned retailers by Aug. 8, 2025, at 12 p.m. ET. From there, 10 students will advance and complete quick-fire video interviews with the NRF team. The top five finalists will then be selected and notified by Sept. 29, 2025. The finalists will complete final round interviews with members of the NRF Foundation Board of Directors to determine the top recipient.
The top recipient will receive a $25,000 tuition scholarship and will serve on the NRF Foundation Board of Directors for one year. Four finalists will receive $10,000 tuition scholarships each.
Eligibility Requirements
- Juniors or seniors enrolled full-time at a university member school at the time when the scholarship is presented in January 2026 (Note: current sophomores can apply if they will be of junior standing in January of 2026)
- Must not have previously received an award of $10,000 or more from the NRF Foundation
- Must be U.S. citizens or legal U.S. residents eligible to work in the United States
- Must have a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale
- Must have prior or current experience working in a retail job or internship. This could be anything from working as a bagger at a grocery store or a server/host at a restaurant to having a summer internship with a retailer.
- Students in any major are eligible. Possible majors include business, merchandising, supply chain, analytics, entrepreneurship, finance, accounting, retail studies, computer science, marketing, communications, etc.
Impressing the judges
Judges are searching for high-performing students who demonstrate a passion for leadership and a unique, innovative perspective on our industry.
The top 25 applicants will either receive a travel stipend to cover registration and travel expenses to attend the NRF Foundation Student Program in New York City, or a tuition award if we are not able to convene in-person in January 2026. Travel stipends/tuition funds will be paid directly to the school. These students are also invited to attend the NRF Foundation Honors.
The NRF Foundation will announce the top recipient in January 2026: one $25,000 scholarship for the top recipient and four $10,000 scholarships. Scholarship proceeds will be made payable to the educational institution at which the student is enrolled.
How to Apply:
The $2,000 No Essay Scholarship by Sallie is only open to legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and any US Territory age 17 or older at the time of entry, and who meet one (1) of the four (4) following eligibility requirements at the time of entry:A parent who currently has a child enrolled in...
ScholarshipOwl is your source of relief from the dreaded application process. We put students on the fast-track to success by providing direct access to the scholarships they need the most. Take the hassle out of financial aid and maximize your chance at a free ride in college. No matter how much funding you need for school, we have the opportunities...
Niche can help with every step of the college search including paying for it. We're giving one student $15,000 to help cover tuition, housing, books and other college expenses — no essay required!High school seniors who apply can also be eligible to receive acceptance (and scholarship!) offers from our Niche Direct Admissions partner colleges.Apply for our $25,000 No Essay Scholarship...
The "Be Bold" Scholarship is a no-essay scholarship that will be awarded to the applicant with the boldest profile. It takes less than 2 minutes to apply.To us, boldest does not mean "best", or "most accomplished". Being bold means being:EarnestDeterminedMovingThe scholarship will be awarded to the student whose profile is most bold, according to these characteristics.Furthermore, the scholarship will be...
The Scholarships360 $10,000 “No Essay” Scholarship is open to all students who want some extra help paying for their education. Whether you are a high school student who hopes to go to college, a graduate student who’s in a master’s program, or an adult learner who wants to return to school, you are eligible for our no essay scholarship.This scholarship...
The Christian Connector offers various scholarship drawings for Christian/Faith Based colleges and universities. All of the information services provided by The Christian Connector are offered absolutely free!Eligibility:Students applying to the Faith Based College Scholarship must be current high school students (Class of 2025, 2026, 2027 or 2028) interested in attending a Christian/Faith Based university or college.About:The Christian Connector offers a...
The Scholarship is open to all residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia, age 17 or older at the time of entry. Employees and contractors of LeverEdge Association are ineligible to participate in the Scholarship Program. All federal, state and local laws and regulations apply.SelectionOne (1) entry will be selected at random at the end of the...
The Lenny Scholarship offers $1,001 US to support young individuals aged 16 and above, enrolled in college and residing in the US or India. Automatic disqualification may occur for multiple applications.EligibilityYou must be a resident of the US or IndiaYou must be 16 years of age or olderYou must be enrolled in a college
The Appily scholarship application is fast and easy.Scholarship Eligibility: This scholarship is open to high school sophomores, juniors, and first semester senior students for all majors and schools. We will judge this scholarship based on other criteria such as volunteer work, extracurricular activities, special circumstances, etc.About the sponsors of the scholarship (EAB and Appily):EAB is the market leader in helping colleges...
Scholarship Eligibility:A) Anyone who is between the ages of 14-25 who will be attending school in the Fall of 2026.B) This scholarship is provided by StudentScholarships.org. In order to apply for our scholarship follow these instructions:1. Go to www.facebook.com/myscholarships and place a comment on any post you see answering the question:In 10 words or less, tell us why you deserve...
Scholarship Value: $25,000
Awards Available: 5
Award Deadline: May 28, 2025