Truman State University is a public liberal arts college located in Kirksville, Missouri. Since its foundation in 1867 as the North Missouri State Normal School and Commercial College, it has changed its name six times. In 1996 it took on its current name to honour Harry S Truman, the only native of Missouri to serve as President of the United States.

Truman State is well-regarded for its education quality and value for money. There are 16 students to every faculty member. There are five schools at Truman State: arts and letters, business, health sciences and education, science and mathematics and social and cultural studies. Students can create their own interdisciplinary major or take a pre-professional programme in fields including athletic training, optometry and special education.

Almost 240 student organisations are active at the university. They range from professional organisations to Greek societies to intramural sports. Windfall, the university’s student-run literary magazine, provides experience for students interested in writing and publishing. The Bulldog Student Investment Fund gives students a chance to learn about stocks and bonds with real experience of trading.

Truman State University is the top institution in Missouri for studying abroad. Over 500 international programmes are on offer.

Truman has a longstanding reputation for providing an exceptionally high-quality education paired with an outstanding return on investment. As a result, Truman consistently appears in the most respected annual listings of the nation’s best colleges and universities.

Ranked as one of the nation’s 388 best institutions for undergraduates to earn their college degree. —Princeton Review College Guide (2023)

Ranked No. 17 on list of Best Value Colleges and Universities. —College Consensus (2022)

The only public university listed on the 30 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in the Midwest.—Great Value Colleges (2020)

For the 26th year in a row, Truman has been recognized as the No. 1 public school in the Midwest Region according to U.S. News & World Report. Truman earned an additional No. 1 ranking on the list of Best Value Schools. In the Midwest Region, Truman was the top university overall, and the only Missouri public school to be included in the first 60 places. Truman also received mention on the list of Top Performers on Social Mobility. Dedicated faculty members helped Truman secure a No. 1 nod on the list of Best Undergraduate Teaching. Truman was the top public school in the Midwest Region and No. 3 overall. Truman again garnered a place on the list of Most Innovative Schools, coming in as the No. 1 public school – tied for No. 9 overall – in the Midwest Region.

Truman provides a top-ranked education at a cost you can afford. High-achieving students receive merit-based scholarships, and our students are among the brightest in the nation. More than 90 percent of our international students earn scholarships, and those scholarships can reach up to 50 percent of tuition or more for high-achieving students.

Three TSU Scholarships for International Students

Students are automatically considered for scholarships when they apply. International students receive merit-based scholarships and our students are among the best and brightest in the nation.

Presidential Honorary Scholarship: Truman State University recognizes outstanding academic performance and extracurricular involvement by offering a significant scholarship program for international students. Scholarships can be awarded for up to 50% of tuition or more. Students are automatically considered for this scholarship when they apply. No separate application necessary. The scholarships are renewable for up to 8 semesters (4 years) by maintaining a 3.25 Truman grade point average. Students participate in 4 hours of service per week to the university when scholarships are renewed for full value.

International Baccalaureate Scholarship: Truman State University recognizes the challenging IB curriculum. Students who complete the IB Diploma will be awarded a $2000 scholarship per academic year for up to 4 years (8 semesters). Conditions of renewal are the same as the President’s Honorary Scholarship noted above.

A-Level Examination Scholarship: Truman recognizes the challenging A-Level curriculum by offering transfer of credit for the successful completion of many A-Level examinations. The amount of transfer credit awarded will depend on the score received. Students must achieve a grade of C or higher to receive transfer credit for qualified A-Levels. In order to receive transfer credit, an original grade report must be sent from the A-Level Board Examination Board directly to Truman State University. International students achieving a grade of B or higher on a minimum of three A-Level examinations will automatically receive a $2000 A-Level Scholarship per academic year at Truman.