The Boren Awards (Scholarships for undergraduates and Fellowships for graduate students) provide up to $25,000 to study abroad in areas of the world that are critical to U.S. interests and underrepresented in study abroad, including Africa, Asia, Central & Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin America, and the Middle East. For a complete list of countries, click here.
Boren Scholars represent a variety of academic backgrounds, but all are interested in intensive study of less commonly taught languages, including but not limited to Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, and Swahili. For a complete list of languages, click here.
Boren Awards are funded by the National Security Education Program (NSEP), which focuses on geographic areas, languages, and fields of study deemed critical to U.S. national security. Applicants should identify how their study abroad program, as well as their future academic and career goals, will contribute to U.S. national security, broadly defined. NSEP draws on a broad definition of national security, recognizing that the scope of national security has expanded to include not only the traditional concerns of protecting and promoting American well-being, but also the challenges of global society, including sustainable development, environmental degradation, global disease and hunger, population growth and migration, and economic competitiveness.
Boren Awards promote long-term linguistic and cultural immersion, and therefore study abroad proposals for two or more semesters are strongly encouraged. Boren applicants are committed to public service, working in positions critical to U.S. national security throughout the Federal Government, including the Departments of State, Defense, and Homeland Security, and USAID.
Institutional Nomination
The Boren awards recommend institutional nomination. Interested undergraduate and graduate student candidates are encouraged to meet with Fellowships Advising before the end of the fall semester.
Suggested Draft Deadline
Submit a draft of Essay 1 before the end of the fall semester. Undergraduate candidates should also meet with a Study Abroad advisor before the end of the fall semester.
Campus Deadline
January 20 annually
National Deadlines
Early to mid-February for Boren Scholarships (undergraduates); Late January for Boren Fellowships (graduate students). Check Boren website for exact dates.
Eligibility and Selection Criteria
- Applicants must be U.S. citizens by the application due date. Applicants may not be citizens of the countries where they are applying to study.
- Applicants must be planning to study a foreign language as a core and ongoing element of their time abroad.
- Recipients of the Boren Scholarships or Fellowships must be matriculated — that is actively enrolled — in an undergraduate or graduate degree program at an institution accredited in the United States for the entire time that they are receiving the award. Applicants may apply for the Boren Fellowships while also applying for graduate school, but they must be enrolled by the time they start their Boren-funded programs.
- Boren Scholarships are available to undergraduates pursuing bachelor’s or associate’s degrees at any U.S. college or university.
- Graduate students pursuing master’s, doctoral, or professional degrees are eligible for Boren Fellowships.
Furthermore, the Boren Awards give preference to geographic areas, languages, and fields of study deemed critical to U.S. national security. Preference is given to applicants proposing at least 25 weeks overseas (summer combined with fall, fall and spring, or spring combined with summer), and who are planning a career in federal service. Summer-only programs must be eight (8) weeks or more and are limited to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) students.
Campus Application Instructions and Checklist
Submit the following five application components by January 20.
Explain the significance of your proposed country, region, and language to U.S. national security. The Boren Awards recognize a broad definition of national security, but you should make a specific, detailed, and focused argument.
Strive to submit a draft of Essay 1 to Fellowships Advising, before the end of the fall semester.
Please discuss the following points in one integrated essay, giving equal attention to each point. You can discuss the points in any order.
- Think about a previous experience that has led to growth or a personal quality. Reflect upon it and describe how it will assist you in preparing to spend significant time overseas studying a critical foreign language and culture [+ for Fellows: and, if applicable, conducting your proposed research].
- Explain how the country and language you selected will help you achieve your career goals, including your plans to fulfill the federal service requirement. Be specific. If appropriate, you may also include relevant past academic, extracurricular, volunteer, internship, and professional experiences.
- As you will be committing to working for the federal government for at least one year, describe what makes you interested in federal service and what you will bring as a leader in the federal workforce.
Campus Contact
Alexandra Depner, Director
Education Abroad and National Student Exchange
Email: adepner1@uca.edu
Phone: (501) 450-5229