AFTER YOUR RETURN   

The Boren Service Requirement

The service requirement states that an award recipient work in the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, State, or the Intelligence Community. If, after making a full and good faith effort (according to conditions and rules established by National Security Education Program), an award recipient demonstrates that no appropriate position is available in one of these agencies, he or she may work in any U.S. federal department or agency with national security responsibilities.

There is also an expectation that Boren Scholars will use the language or regional expertise acquired as a result of the award in their work for the U.S. government.

Upon their return, students must file a "service agreement report" on an annual basis until all obligations are fulfilled. The service agreement report can be found on the NSEPNET website.

NSEP will be instituting a revised set of procedures that will assist award recipients in carefully documenting their job search history. We will also be establishing a more formal review process to review an award recipient's request to fulfill the service requirement outside of the Departments of Defense, State, Homeland Security, or the Intelligence Community, as well as requests for waiver of the service requirement.

Boren Scholars may elect to satisfy the service requirement by accepting suitable paid or unpaid full-time, part-time, temporary, and/or internship positions.

If you are looking for the pre-2005 service requirement, you can find it here, as a pdf download.

Why is there a service requirement?

The goal of the National Security Education Program is to improve America’s response to the challenging global issues of the 21st century. Boren Scholars represent a vital pool of highly motivated men and women who wish to work in the federal national security arena and contribute to the country through public service.

There is an expectation that during their period of employment to fulfill the service requirement, Boren Scholars will use the language or area expertise acquired during the course of the Boren award.

Timing

The duration of the service requirement is equal to the duration of assistance provided under the program, but in no case less than one year.

Boren Scholars must begin to fulfill the service requirement no later than three years after the date of graduation from or termination of the program of study for which the scholarship was awarded.

Deferrals are considered on a case-by-case basis for continued education, see below.

Hiring benefits

Boren award recipients enjoy several advantages as they seek federal employment.

• First, NSEPNET connects award recipients directly with potential federal employers by hosting exclusive job announcements and providing access to résumés. Federal hiring officials may perform searches of Boren award recipients’ résumés for specific types of expertise.
• Second, NSEP maintains staff that is available to guide and assist Scholars and Fellows in their job search efforts.
• Third, Boren award recipients benefit from several legal provisions that entitle them to special hiring preferences.

Failure to make a good faith effort

Boren award recipients who fail to demonstrate a full and good faith effort to fulfill the service requirement are required to reimburse the U.S. government for the full amount of assistance provided from the Boren award.

Government entities where service may be fulfilled

Department of Defense

The Department of Defense (DoD) provides the forces needed to deter war, protect the security of the United States, and render global humanitarian assistance as directed by the President.

For more information on the department, visit www.defenselink.mil

Boren recipients have found employment in many different offices within the Department of Defense, including the Defense Information Systems Agency, the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, and National Defense University.

The Intelligence Community

The Intelligence Community is a group of executive branch agencies and organizations that work both independently and collaboratively to carry out intelligence activities necessary for the conduct of foreign relations and the protection of the national security of the United States.

Boren recipients have found employment in many different organizations within the Intelligence Community, including the Central Intelligence Agency, Defense Intelligence Agency, the Bureau of Intelligence and Research in the Department of State, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

For more information on the Intelligence Community, including a list of organizations that comprise it, visit www.intelligence.gov

Department of Homeland Security

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is a network of 22 federal agencies and organizations involved in efforts to prevent terrorist attacks within the United States, reduce America’s vulnerability to terrorism, and minimize the damage from potential attacks and natural disasters.

Boren recipients have found employment in many different offices within the Department of Homeland Security, including the Transportation Security Administration and the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.For more information on the department, visit www.dhs.gov

Department of State

The Department of State is the lead federal agency responsible for U.S. foreign affairs. The department employs individuals in both Civil and Foreign Service positions.

Many Boren recipients are currently working for the Department of State as Foreign Service Officers throughout the world and as civil service employees in offices within the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, and the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, among others.

For more information on the department, visit www.state.gov

Examples

Here's a list of examples from the four categories listed above where Boren Scholars have worked. And here's a list of other departments and agencies with national security responsibilities.

Process

All Boren Scholars must make a full and good faith effort to identify and secure positions in the federal government. Scholars should seek employment on their own and with the assistance of NSEP. This effort includes a requirement to create and routinely update an online résumé that will be made available to hiring officials in the U.S. federal government departments and agencies listed above.

Boren Scholars must also document specific efforts to identify employment opportunities in the federal government that would fulfill the service requirement.

NSEP is committed to working with each Boren Scholar and Fellow before and after graduation to help identify federal job opportunities.

NSEPNET

An interactive website – NSEPNET (www.nsepnet.org) – helps Scholars and Fellows simplify and organize their job search efforts. NSEPNET maintains an online collection of federal job search tips, job notices, and résumés posted by recipients of NSEP awards. These résumés are made available to hiring officials in all federal departments and agencies where relevant employment opportunities exist. More information on NSEPNET is available on this site.

Boren Scholars should also use other widely available employment resources, such as college and university career offices, www.usajobs.opm.gov, and www.studentjobs.gov

Documenting your search

In addition to serving as a repository of résumés prepared by Boren award recipients, NSEPNET is also a tool that Boren Scholars must use to document their job search efforts. Through NSEPNET, award recipients are required to maintain a Job Search History Log of their activities to identify and to pursue opportunities in the federal government that would satisfy the service requirement.

A Job Search History Log on NSEPNET must demonstrate to NSEP that the Boren Scholar has made a full and good faith effort, according to conditions and rules established by NSEP, to identify and to apply for federal employment with the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, State, or the Intelligence Community. By maintaining detailed log entries, award recipients demonstrate specific efforts that were made to identify suitable job opportunities.

Positions that satisfy the service requirement for Boren Scholars

Boren Scholars are required to accept only paid positions commensurate with the level of education and experience they possess. As we stated above, Boren Scholars may elect to satisfy the service requirement by accepting suitable paid or unpaid full-time, part-time, temporary, and/or internship positions.

However, the length of the service requirement is based on a “full-time” equivalent position of at least 30 hours per week. Positions worked for less than 30 hours a week are pro-rated. (For example, if you owe one year of service, you would have to work a 15-hour a week job for two years.)

NSEP does not have the authority to require an individual to accept any position. Employment in the federal government prior to receipt of a Boren award does not count toward fulfilling the service requirement.

Inability to secure employment

While NSEP is deeply committed to helping Boren Scholars secure federal employment, the federal government is not obligated to hire any individuals who have received funding through this program. Therefore, if a Scholar has made a full and good faith effort, according to conditions and rules established by NSEP, to secure employment during the course of his or her service requirement period to no avail, he or she is free from any and all obligations associated with the service requirement.

Deferring the Service Requirement

We encourage continued language and area studies for Boren Scholars. Deferrals of the service requirement will be considered on a case-by-case basis for Boren Scholars who pursue an advanced degree. Scholars must demonstrate a commitment to sustain or advance their expertise in the language and/or geographic area for which the Boren Scholarship was awarded.

Exceptions to these policies

The service requirement described above applies to all Boren award recipients for the 2005-present academic years. Boren alumni who received awards in previous years must comply with the service requirement that was in effect at the time they received the award. Please download the attached pdf if you need the pre-2005 requirements.

See the video

To see examples of how Boren Scholars and Fellows fulfilled the service requirement, and launched successful careers, visit worldstudy.gov/dvd.html and view the video, “Breaking the Language Barrier.”