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 2026 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 Tuesday, May 26, 2026.
Applicants will be notified by June 24, 2026, 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 the retail partner Under Armour, and two interviews with assigned retailers by Aug. 10, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. ET.
From there, ten students will advance and complete quick-fire video interviews with the NRF team. The top five finalists will then be selected and notified by October 6, 2026. 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.
The NRF Foundation will host two information sessions that are open to all students and educators to learn more about the 2026-27 competition:
Jan. 8, 2026 — Application opens for submissions
May 26, 2026 — Phase one deadline: Essay, personal brand video, letter of recommendation, resume, school transcripts and headshot due
June 24, 2026 — Up to 25 semifinalists selected and notified if they are moving on to phase two; company project distributed to those applicants via the scholarship platform
Aug. 10, 2026 — Phase two deadline: Company project and company interview completed by this time
Sept. 1, 2026 — Top 10 applicants selected and notified
Sept. 16-26, 2026 — Top 10 applicants complete quick-fire interviews with NRF Foundation team
Oct. 6, 2026 — Top five finalists selected and notified
Fall 2026 — Final round interviews
January 2027 — Top recipient announced on stage at NRF Foundation Honors
Juniors or seniors enrolled full time at a U.S based university at the time when the scholarship is presented in January 2027 (Note: current sophomores can apply if they will be of junior standing in January of 2027)
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 team member 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.
For more information, review the full eligibility requirements (PDF).
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 2027. 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 2027: 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.
Email scholarships@nrf.com with questions related to the scholarship process.
