HOW TO APPLY 

Application cycle and deadlines

August-Early December

Students contact campus representatives to discuss their interest in the program. When you start an application, the representative's name and contact information are automatically added to the form from our database. The representative will also receive an email notifying him or her of your interest. But don't wait for your campus representative to get in touch with you; you are responsible for taking the first step. If you have any trouble locating your campus representative, please call us at 1-800-618-6737.

Students prepare essays, gather transcripts and recommendations, and develop their online applications.

December–February

Students complete application by on-campus deadline.

Most institutions set an on-campus deadline between mid-December and late January. You should contact your campus representative immediately to find out the campus deadline at your institution. The campus deadline is likely to be earlier than the national deadline in order to allow time for the on-campus review of Boren applications.

Many institutions will convene on-campus committees to review applications, and some may interview applicants. This process is recommended, so that campus representatives and faculty may help you strengthen your application.

The 2007-2008 Boren Scholarship Deadline, which was February 13, 2007, has passed. Please check back here for the deadlines for 2008-2009.

By the national deadline, the online application must be complete and all supplementary materials must arrive at IIE/NSEP, at the address below.

Boren Scholarships
Institute of International Education
1400 K Street NW, 6th Floor
Washington, D.C. 20005
1-800-618-6737

Here’s what happens after you submit your application:

The local campus representative and selected on-campus reviewers will rate the candidates on their campus. At this stage, each candidate is rated individually, not ranked against others.

The qualities outlined in the detailed evaluation criteria will be considered first by the campus representative, then by IIE-organized screening panels and a national nominating panel. Panels will be comprised of study abroad advisors and faculty with expertise in areas of the world and fields of study emphasized by the Boren Scholarship program. The national nominating panel will designate scholarship finalists to the National Security Education Program Office.

Selection panels will also seek wide geographic and diverse institutional representation among candidates, as well as ethnic and gender diversity and distribution among academic disciplines related to national security interests.

February/March

IIE/NSEP processes applications and distributes application packets for panel review

March/April

Review committees meet to evaluate applications and recommend award recipients

Early May

Scholarship awards are announced, applicants are notified by mail, and award packets are mailed

May/June

Program Orientation and Convocation