Boren Scholarship

Who Can Apply: US Citizens – Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors, Seniors – GPA of 3.4 or higher recommended – All Majors – Scholarship must be used before graduation

IMPORTANT: Boren/NSEP Scholarships CANNOT be used for study abroad in Western Europe, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand.

IMPORTANT: Summer-only study abroad programs are limited to students majoring in the sciences or in engineering (regardless of class year) AND to freshmen or sophomores with outstanding qualifications. Applications for a summer-only program will be considered only if the program is eight (8) weeks or longer and is designed as a language immersion program.

IMPORTANT: All candidates for Boren Scholarships must be evaluated by their college or university. Please contact the National Scholarships Office for information about the University of Maryland evaluation process. See below for the Maryland deadline.

Description: The Boren/NSEP Scholarship program provides awards to American students for study abroad in world regions critical to U.S. national security. These regions include Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin American & the Caribbean, and the Middle East. (The countries of Western Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand are excluded.) The Boren/NSEP program uses a broad definition of national security, including the traditional concerns of protecting and promoting American well-being as well as the challenges of global society, including: sustainable development, environmental degradation, global disease and hunger, population growth and migration, and economic competitiveness. A full list of countries and languages eligible for Boren/NSEP study abroad scholarships can be found at: http://www.iie.org/programs/nsep/undergraduate/preferences.html

African Flagship Languages Initiative: Boren Scholarship applicants will have the opportunity to deepen their knowledge of, and proficiency in, African languages and cultures. Through the initiative, supplemental funding will be available for Boren Fellows to study one of the following languages at the University of Florida’s summer program only: Akan/Twi, Wolof, and Zulu. The following languages include the domestic summer session as well as an overseas program in the fall: French (Senegal) and Swahili (Tanzania). A spring overseas program is optional.

Indonesian Flagship Language Initiative: Boren Scholarship applicants will have the opportunity to study Bahasa Indonesia through a summer and fall combined program. The summer portion includes study in the U.S. at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. The fall portion will take place in Indonensia. A spring overseas program is optional.

South Asian Flagship Languages Initiative: Boren Scholarship applicants will have the opportunity to study Hindi or Urdu through a summer and fall combined program. The summer portion includes study at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. The fall portion will take place in India--Hindi in Jaipur and Urdu in Lucknow. A spring overseas program is optional.

NEW! Turkish Flagship Language Initiative: Boren Scholarship applicants will have the opportunity to Turkish through a summer and fall combined program. The summer portion includes study at in the U.S. at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. The location of the fall portion will take place is also TBD. A spring overseas program is optional.