The Boren Scholarship is the undergraduate portion of the Boren Awards for International Study, (which includes a Boren Graduate Fellowship—see separate listing). It was established by the National Security Education Act of 1991, in honor of Senator David L. Boren of Oklahoma. The Boren Undergraduate Scholarships offered through NSEP are designed to help prepare American students to enter professional life with more than a traditional knowledge of a foreign language and culture; acquire cross-cultural understanding and a global outlook; and enhance career and leadership opportunities in all fields-business, government, education, science and technology.

The Award

The term of the Boren Undergraduate Scholarship is one semester to an academic year (applications for longer programs are given preference). The amount of this award will vary, but the maximum scholarship award will not exceed $10,000/semester or $20,000/academic year. There is also an 8-week summer program for STEM students with support of up to $8,000.

Preference is also shown to applicants studying in certain fields critical to U.S. national security (e.g. Business, Computer Science. Foreign Languages, Law, IR, History, Science and Engineering, Mathematics, Political Science and Policy Studies, Social Sciences.)

Eligibility

As a U.S. undergraduate student, you are eligible to apply if you meet the following conditions:

U.S. citizenship at the time of application
Matriculated as a freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior in a U.S. post-secondary institution accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education
Applying to participate in a study abroad program that meets home institution standards
Planning to use the scholarship for study abroad. Boren Scholarships are NOT for study in the U.S.

African Languages Initiative (AFLI)

The AFLI offers the opportunity for applicants to enhance their Boren Scholarship with additional African language study in the United States and overseas. Although domestic funding is not available as part of the Boren Scholarship, supplemental funding is available for undergraduate students participating in the AFLI initiative at the University of Florida, Gainsville during the summer 2013.

It is for instruction in the following languages: Swahili, Yoruba, Zulu, Akan/Twi, Hausa, Wolof. Those planning on studying Swahili, Yoruba and Zulu in Tanzania, Nigeria and South Africa respectively can enroll for the summer language instruction at U. of Florida, which will require a separate application. Akan/Twi, Hausa and Wolof have no corresponding overseas programs.

Outline of Boren NSEP Requirements

U.S. National Security Focus: Boren (NSEP) focuses on geographical areas, languages and fields of study deemed critical to U.S. national security.
International Focus: Boren Scholarships can be applied to study abroad in countries outside Western Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Academic Focus: Must demonstrate an interest in undertaking serious study in foreign countries as a complement to U.S. academic and career goals. This should be reflected in the Statement of Purpose.
Language Study: Appropriate and integrated study of a foreign language is required for all study abroad proposals.
Length of Stay: Awards are for a minimum of one academic term. For juniors and seniors, full academic year programs are preferred and strongly encouraged.
Service Agreement: All Boren Scholarship recipients shall incur a service obligation equal to the amount of time of the scholarship term, but no less than one-year. Students incurring such obligation will be required to provide service in the federal government or the field of education.

The Application

If you are interested in applying for the Boren Undergraduate Scholarship, Stanford students must apply through the Overseas Resource Center (ORC). We can assist you on the following aspects of your application:

Review of your written materials
Identification of suitable programs of study overseas
General guidance of the purpose of the scholarship
Information on the service requirement

Please see the Boren Scholarship home page for this year's application.

For the Campus Deadline you submit the following supplementary materials to the ORC:

Online application
3 hard copies of your application to the ORC
Official transcripts (hard copies)
2-3 letters of recommendation (hard copies with signature across the sealed envelopes)
Language self-assessment form
Language proficiency form (optional)
Study abroad program description with cost information OR with a direct enrollment or individually arranged study abroad program, 2 letters of support

You will be asked to attest that you have read some background information on the origins and purpose of the Boren.

A campus level evaluation will be conducted following the campus deadline. Stanford faculty and staff members from various departments will form the campus committee. Following the campus level evaluation, applications will then be forwarded to the national selection committee by the national deadline.

Scholarship award recipients will be notified in early May.

The staff of the Overseas Resource Center is readily available to help you with your application. If you need assistance in defining your proposal or simply want someone to read over your completed application, please contact the ORC.

Stanford Undergraduates and State Department Travel Warnings

Stanford Undergraduates face particular challenges in wishing to use the Boren Scholarship to study in countries where the U.S. Department of State has a Travel Warning. You can find information on which countries have travel warnings here.

Stanford currently has a policy, similar to many other institutions, that prohibits the use of university funds to support undergraduates in countries with travel warnings. This policy can be found here.

Additionally, Boren requires an institutionally signed form for any applicant applying to country with a Travel Warning. This form has to be submitted after an award is made. Stanford is not prepared to sign such a form. This means that undergraduates should not apply for a Boren to study in a country with a Travel Warning issued by the State Department. If you have such an interest, please talk to an advisor in the ORC so we can help you think about other programs.

Resources:

Applicant Resources

Boren Award Webinars

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