Boren

‌Campus Deadline: January 13, 2025

National Deadline for Graduate Students: January 22, 2025

National Deadline for Undergraduate Students: January 29, 2025

Description

Boren awards allow U.S. undergraduate and graduate students to study less commonly taught languages in world regions critical to U.S. interests, but underrepresented in study abroad.

Boren Scholarships are for undergraduate students and Boren Fellowships are for graduate students. 

In addition to the traditional study award, Boren also offers the following special initiative programs:

• African Flagship Languages Initiative (AFLI) - Boren applicants from any U.S. college or university may apply for the African Flagship Languages Initiative (AFLI) to study Akan/Twi, French, Portuguese, Swahili, Wolof or Zulu.
• South Asian Flagship Languages Initiative (SAFLI) - Boren applicants from any U.S. college or university may apply for the South Asian Flagship Languages Initiative (SAFLI) to study Hindi or Urdu.
• Southeast Asia Flagship Language Initiative (SEAFLI) - Boren applicants from any U.S. college or university may apply for the Southeast Asian Flagship Languages Initiative (SEAFLI) to study Indonesian, Thai, or Vietnamese.
• Turkish Flagship Language Initiative (TURFLI) - TURFLI offers Boren Scholars and Fellows the opportunity for intensive study of Turkish through a combination of domestic and overseas programs.
• Boren-Flagship Initiative - Special opportunities to Boren Scholarship applicants enrolled in The Language Flagship and planning to study overseas for their capstone year.
• Boren-ROTC Initiative - A special initiative for undergraduate ROTC cadets and midshipmen. ROTC participants are strong candidates for the Boren Scholarship, due to their commitment to national security and government service. Interested ROTC students should also consider applying for Project Go.
• Summer STEM Initiative - Funding for summer study abroad to undergraduate students in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math fields (STEM).

Eligibility Criteria

Must be a U.S. citizen to apply. Open to all class years, though juniors and seniors are not eligible for summer programs. In exchange for funding, Boren Scholars commit to working in the federal government for at least one year after graduation.

Amount

Maximum scholarship awards are $8,000 for the summer (STEM only), $12,500 for a semester, and $25,000 for a full academic year. Graduate students may be eligible for up to $30,000.

Campus Application Process

• Complete your online application (via Slate) by LMU's campus deadline of January 13, 2025.
  • ONIF will be able to view your application
  •  Components generally include:
    • Essay 1 - National Security
    • Essay 2 - Motivation & Public Service Careers
      • Researching Federal Careers
      • Job Search Support for Boren Award Recipients
    • Study Plan Summary
    • Employment History and Activities
    • Abstract & Methodology (Boren Graduate Student Applicants, aka Fellows Only)
    • Letters of Recommendation 
• After you complete your application, meet with ONIF for feedback or suggestions.
• Submit your application by the national deadline. Deadline for Boren Scholars (undergraduate students) is January 29, 2025 | Deadline for Boren Fellows (graduate students) is January 22, 2025.

For official information on the Boren Awards, which supersedes any information provided here, please visit their website.

Resources

2023 Boren Awards Info Session Recording, 2024 Boren Awards Info Session Recording, Contact fellowships@lmu.edu for access to Brightspace materials.