Eligibility
First-year Students, Sophomores, Juniors
Deadlines
- 11:59pm Central Time on November 3, 2023: Pre-Application Form due
- 11:59pm Central Time on January 19, 2024: Application materials due for Carleton deadline (please save them in the Boren Online Application System, but do not hit ‘submit’)
- January 41 2024: Official Boren deadline
Purpose
Boren Scholarships, an initiative of the National Security Education Program, provide unique funding opportunities for U.S. undergraduate students to study less commonly taught languages in world regions critical to U.S. interests, and underrepresented in study abroad, including Africa, Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin America, and the Middle East. The countries of Western Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand are excluded.
Boren Scholars represent a vital pool of highly motivated individuals who wish to work in the federal national security arena. In exchange for funding, Boren Scholars commit to working in the federal government for at least one year after graduation.
Boren Scholarships promote long term linguistic and cultural immersion, and therefore study abroad proposals for two or more semesters are strongly encouraged. Preference will be given to undergraduate applicants proposing at least 6 months of study.
Awards
Boren Scholarships provide:
- Up to $25,000 for 25-52 weeks of language study; $12,500 for 12-24 weeks of language study;
- Fully-funded participation in one of the Boren Regional Language Initiatives for African Languages, South Asian Languages, Southeast Asian Languages, or Turkish Language; OR
- $8,000 for a non-regional-initiative summer language program (only STEM students may be funded for this type of summer language program, which must be of at least 8 weeks’ duration).
Please note that Boren applicants for programs other than the Boren Regional Language Initiatives must find their own programs. The OCS Office staff can help you research programs and make a selection. The Boren website includes some resources to assist you in selecting an eligible program, and you may also consult the Institute for International Education Passport page, goabroad.com, and/or gooverseas.com for a general listing of study abroad programs around the world.
Application Process
Prospective applicants must complete and submit the Boren Pre-Application Form by 11:59pm Central Time on November 3, 2023.
Applicants will be contacted shortly thereafter with further information about the application and nomination process.
The official Boren Scholarship deadline falls in early February.
Official Website
Campus Representative
Marynel Ryan Van Zee, Director of Student Fellowships, 131 Laird, x4300, mryanvanzee
Recent Boren Scholars
Ishmael Maxwell ’21 • (Read Ishmael’s Blog)
Chris Lee ’19 • (Watch Chris’s Boren Scholarship video)
Max Esslinger ’18