The campus representative at your institution will set your on-campus application deadline. The campus deadline will be earlier than the national deadline in order to allow time for the on-campus review of Boren applications. Most institutions set an on-campus deadline between mid-December and late January, but you should contact your campus representative immediately for the campus deadline at your institution.

Yes. We realize that some schools may not appoint a campus representative. If your campus does not have such a person, you may contact IIE/NSEP in Washington, D.C., for assistance (1-800-618-6737). We will answer questions about the application and assist you with finding an appropriate contact person on your campus.

Yes. we are interested in encouraging applications for study in non-emphasized countries, languages, and fields of study when the applicant can make a compelling argument that increased understanding and appreciation of that particular country, language, and/or field of study through study abroad represents an important contribution to U.S. national security and the goals of Boren Scholarship program.

Yes. Foreign language study is a key element in all Boren proposals. The language you choose should be appropriate to the country in which you plan to study. Your study abroad proposal should note the amount (number of hours per week) and level of classroom instruction you will undertake. Most importantly, you should provide a realistic estimate of the language level you expect to achieve as a result of your formal as well as informal (non-classroom) study. Students who are at an advanced level of Spanish or French must keep in mind that their proposed study abroad program should not emphasize language training, but rather academic study, which would require using Spanish or French in course work.

No. If you receive a Boren Scholarship, you must agree to take a language test prior to and after your study abroad experience. If you have had no previous instruction in the language to be studied, you may not be required to take the pre-test. The results of the proficiency testing will be used to assess the program; they will not be used to evaluate students. Information about language testing will be provided to all scholarship recipients and we will cover the cost of the tests. See Select a language for an explanation of testing for students studying Spanish or French.

In some cases, appropriate full academic year programs may not be available. In these cases, students may then submit two separate, but related, applications for study on two different programs. Details here. Applications for two different consecutive study abroad programs should entail study in the same country and of the same language. Applicants proposing study in two different countries and/or for two different languages will not receive Boren Scholarships.

If your college or university has approved applying your academic credits towards an associate's or bachelor's degree, you are considered by IIE/NSEP to be matriculated in a degree program.

Yes. Community college students — both 2-year and transfer — are particularly encouraged to apply. Freshmen are eligible for the summer term, or they may participate in a one or two semester program during their sophomore year. Students who are currently sophomores are eligible for the summer term provided they remain enrolled in the community college or transfer to a 4-year institution. If you are a transfer student who would like to study abroad next fall and/or spring, you should apply from your community college, indicating to which institution you will transfer. Despite the short term possibilities, though, remember our preference for academic year study.

All NSEP Boren Scholarship recipients must comply with the Fly America Act, which requires that all air travel supported by federal government funds be on American flag carriers departing from the United States to the foreign destination and returning to the United States, and on all internal foreign flights where such service is available. All scholarship recipients will be required to send a photocopy of the passenger receipt page(s) of their airline ticket to show compliance with the Fly America Act.

No. A Boren Scholarship is a source of portable financial assistance that can be used to support study abroad through an established program, direct enrollment in a foreign university, or an individually arranged study. The choice of a particular program for study abroad is made by you in consultation with your campus advisor. Make your choices based on the overall quality of the program, the strength of the language instruction, and on elements it offers that will enhance your period of study abroad. There are no lists of preferred programs nor do we endorse programs under a particular institution, organization, or group's sponsorship.

Many study abroad programs do not list an exact start or end date. Nevertheless, our computer database requires an exact day for both the start and end of your study abroad program. (The same procedure applies for all dates on the application.) These approximate values will not affect evaluation of your application. For example, if the study abroad program begins in mid-September 2008 and ends in late May 2009, list the start and end dates as 09/15/08 and 05/31/09, respectively.

Selecting an alternate program provides you with an option in the event that you are not accepted into your primary program, your primary program is already full, or your primary program is cancelled. Boren Scholarships may only be used for study abroad programs listed as either the primary or alternate option on the application, except in extraordinary cases. The specific programs you discuss in your statement of purpose, as your primary and alternate choices, will be evaluated by screening panels at the campus, regional and national levels. Exceptions can be made due to sudden cancellation of both the preferred and alternate programs, or extraordinary circumstances such as natural disasters.

No. Your primary and alternate programs must be in the same country. Boren Scholarships are designed for students who are serious about study in one particular country and for one particular language. Alternate programs in other countries will demonstrate a lack of serious focus to those who review applications.

Yes. You may study in a country with a current State Department Travel Warning; however, both you and your director of study abroad must be willing to sign a waiver, if you decide to do so. Students planning on applying for one of these countries should check with their study abroad offices to see what the university policy is. Information about active travel warnings is available on the State Department website.

Yes. We recognize that many students will submit applications to specific study abroad programs and for the Boren Scholarship simultaneously, with expected notification for each at a different date. When a student is notified of a Boren Scholarship award, however, he or she must furnish IIE/NSEP with evidence of acceptance to the study abroad program identified in the application.

Yes, but only as a pre-announced part of your study abroad proposal and through organizations not affiliated with the U.S. government. Boren Scholarships are intended for full-time study, not to support language study as an adjunct to working abroad. IIE/NSEP will, however, consider applications from students who propose an unpaid internship as an integrated and meaningful component of their study abroad program. These proposals must be included with your Boren application.

Limited travel is acceptable if it is directly related to the country and the academic program of study abroad. Applications should reflect anticipated travel requirements within the identified country. Study tours of several countries are not acceptable as study abroad proposals.

Yes. In fact, we encourage you to apply. One of our principal objectives is to expand international educational opportunity for students who have not studied abroad before and who may require financial assistance to do so. The program has been structured to provide campus-based support to first-time study abroad students as they apply for scholarship assistance. The IIE/NSEP office in Washington, D.C. is also available to answer questions about the application process.

Current employees of the federal government may apply for Boren Scholarship. However, recipients of the award may not be an employee of the federal government during the Boren-funded study period. Any awardee who was previously an employee of the federal government must provide proof that he or she is separated from the government. Military reservists or those who participate in an on-campus ROTC program must confirm de-activated status during the Boren-funded study period.

Freshman and sophomore Boren Scholarship recipients will be eligible for a second undergraduate award by recompeting as upperclassmen. Juniors and seniors may receive only one undergraduate Boren Scholarship. Boren Scholarship recipients will be eligible to apply for Boren Graduate Fellowships. Those who achieve an advanced level of language proficiency in Arabic, Korean, Mandarin, Persian, Russian, Hindi, or Central Asian languages are also eligible to apply for National Flagship Language Program Fellowships.

Yes. Please contact your study abroad and financial aid offices on campus to discuss scholarship opportunities. It may be to your advantage to combine funding from two or more scholarship programs. Additional scholarship opportunities for study abroad include:

Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program
Tel: 1-888-887-5939 ext. 25

Freeman-ASIA Program
Tel: 1-212-984-5542

Boren applicants may apply for and receive scholarship funding in addition to a Boren award. Boren Scholars who are selected to receive other scholarship funding to support their study abroad are asked to notify IIE/NSEP about their award(s). Reduced financial need as a result of increased scholarship support may reduce the amount of a Boren award.

Yes. You must be enrolled at an accredited U.S. institution of higher education located within the United States and be in the process of pursuing a graduate degree at the time the award is made. More here in our section on eligibility. Universities will usually allow students to maintain enrollment while they are abroad pursuing curricula outside the standard requirements. The option of registering for independent study or directed reading credits during the semester(s) of absence from the home institution is available. Please consult with your appropriate academic advisor for more detailed information on the specific requirements of your university.

Yes. If you are not currently enrolled but are applying to graduate school, you may apply for a Boren Fellowship. If you are a graduating senior and applying to graduate school, you are eligible for the program. Your application must indicate the graduate school programs to which you have applied. Merit review panels will consider this information when they review your application. If you are selected for a fellowship, the award will be contingent upon your acceptance into a graduate program, and you will be required to provide IIE/NSEP with proof of your intent to enroll in that program. Complete proof of actual enrollment must be provided before any funds are disbursed. Examples of evidence of intent to enroll include copies of your acceptance response to the graduate program or evidence of your enrollment deposit. Proof of actual enrollment may be established by providing an updated transcript from your university or official correspondence from the registrar's office, your academic department, or the graduate school in which you are enrolled.

Many universities have designated a Boren Fellowships campus representative to assist students in preparing their fellowship. If you are currently enrolled as a graduate student, we encourage you to contact your campus representative or an appropriate academic advisor. The campus representative may be located in the university's office of international programs, study abroad office, graduate school, office of merit awards, or financial aid office. Please call IIE/NSEP at 800-618-6737 should you have any question.

Yes. We are interested in encouraging applications for study in non-preferred countries, languages, and fields of study when the applicant can make a compelling argument that increased understanding and appreciation of that particular country, language, and/or field of study through international study represents an important contribution to U.S. national security and the goals of Boren Fellowship program.

We especially welcome applications for multi-disciplinary and trans-regional studies, provided they are relevant to the needs of the applicant, and appropriate within the guidelines of the Boren Fellowship. Applicants in these fields who demonstrate intermediate or advanced proficiency in a foreign language, or a strong commitment to foreign language study, are particularly encouraged to apply.

We are committed to both new language acquisition and improvement of language competence for advanced language students. Thus, there are no minimum levels of language proficiency required for Boren Fellowships, except in the study of French or Spanish. Fellowship funds cannot be used for the study of French or Spanish unless such language instruction is at an advanced level or is combined with the study of applied science or engineering. IIE/NSEP will verify the self-assessed competency level of these grant recipients through a commonly used testing instrument.

Applicants are encouraged to expand their programs creatively by including study of foreign languages, particularly within their overseas components. All levels of language study and proficiency may be acceptable, as appropriate to the context of the proposal. Award recipients are required to take pre- and post-study language proficiency tests, the results of which will be used to assess the program, not to evaluate individual student performance. All programs must have a well-developed plan for language study that includes a clear framework to obtain, maintain, or advance proficiency.

We strongly encourage you to study in the country or region relevant to your field. Although study outside the United States is not required, successful applications generally include a significant overseas component.

All Boren Fellowship recipients must comply with the Fly America Act, which requires that all air travel supported by federal government funds be on American flag carriers departing from the United States to the foreign destination and returning to the United States, and on all internal foreign flights where such service is available. All fellowship recipients will be required to send a photocopy of the passenger receipt page(s) of their airline ticket to show compliance with the Fly America Act.

You may not accept remunerative employment while abroad on your Boren Fellowship. You may participate in an academic internship as a pre-announced part of your program and through organizations not affiliated with the U.S. government. Boren Fellowships are intended for full-time study. IIE/NSEP will, however, consider applications from students who propose unpaid internships as an integrated and meaningful component of their programs. These proposals must be included with the application.

Limited travel is acceptable if it is directly related to the country and program of study. Applications should reflect anticipated travel requirements within the identified country. Study tours of several countries are not acceptable as proposals.

The National Bureau for Asian Research (NBR) conducts advanced research on strategic, political, economic, globalization, health, and energy issues affecting U.S. relations with Asia. Awards will be available to Boren Fellows studying in Eurasia, South Asia or East Asia. To apply, applicants need only to answer “yes” that they are interested in the Bridge award and complete the optional one-page essay, #4, in the program proposal section of the application. Successful candidates would receive the award in lieu of the domestic portion of Boren funding. The Bridge award will afford Boren Fellows the opportunity to gain further knowledge of Asia within their regional or functional areas of interest, to work within an organization that is focused on policy-relevant research, and to become better acquainted with the U.S. foreign policy process. All 2008 awardees will begin their NBR work no earlier than the summer of 2009. For further information, please contact Sarah Snyder at NBR at (202) 347-9767 or ssnyder@nbr.org or visit the website.

Current employees of the federal government may apply for a Boren Fellowship. However, recipients of the award may not be an employee of the federal government during the Boren-funded study period. Any awardee who was previously an employee of the federal government must provide proof that he or she is separated from the government. Military reservists or those who participate in an on-campus ROTC program must confirm de-activated status during the Boren-funded study period.

Graduate students who received Boren Scholarships as undergraduates, are encouraged to apply for the Boren Fellowship, especially if they plan to continue studying the same language. Those who achieve an advanced level of language proficiency in Arabic, Korean, Mandarin, Persian, Russian, Hindi or Central Asian languages are also eligible to apply for NSEP's National Flagship Language Program.