David L. Boren Awards for International Study

The African Languages Initiative offers Boren Fellowship applicants the opportunity to deepen their knowledge of, and proficiency in, African languages and cultures. Through the initiative, domestic funding will be available for Boren Fellows to study one of the following languages at the University of Florida’s summer 2012 program prior to commencing the overseas component of the Boren Fellowship.

• Akan/Twi
• Swahili
• Wolof
• Yoruba
• Zulu 

In addition, African Languages Initiative overseas programs are available for intensive language and cultural study during fall semester 2012 in the following countries.

• Tanzania (Swahili)
• Mozambique (Portuguese)
• Nigeria (Yoruba)
• South Africa (Zulu)  

African Languages Initiative Options for Swahili, Yoruba, and Zulu

Applicants who are at the novice or intermediate level, or who have no previous experience in the language, should plan to enroll in the official African Languages Initiative U.S. based summer 2012 program at the University of Florida for that language.  More information about the domestic programs can be found here.   

All African Languages Initiative applicants for these languages must plan to participate in the official African Languages Initiative fall 2012 overseas program for that language.  The overseas programs are administered by the American Councils for International Education, and descriptions of the programs can be found here.

An applicant may decide to use the African Languages Initiative’s summer and fall language programs as the base for his or her entire Boren Fellowship proposal.  Applicants may also apply for an extended overseas program, which would include the fall African Languages Initiative program and a proposal to conduct research, hold an academic internship, and/or engage in further classroom study immediately following the fall program.  The applicant is responsible for designing the second portion of the program.  

African Languages Initiative Options for Akan/Twi and Wolof

African Languages Initiative applicants for these languages must plan to participate in the official summer African Languages Initiative programs based at the University of Florida.  The domestic program is appropriate for those with no previous experience in the language, as well as those at a novice or intermediate level.  Because there are no official African Languages Initiative overseas programs for these languages, the applicant must design his or her own overseas program that would commence in fall 2012.  

African Languages Initiative Options for Portuguese

All African Language Initiative applicants for Portuguese must plan to enroll in the official African Languages Initiative fall 2012 overseas program in Mozambique.  The overseas program is administered by the American Councils for International Education, and a description of the program can be found here.  

An applicant may decide to use the African Languages Initiative fall language program as the base for his or her entire Boren Fellowship proposal.  Applicants may also apply for an extended overseas program, which would include the fall African Languages Initiative program and a proposal to conduct research, hold an academic internship, and/or engage in further classroom study immediately following the fall program. The applicant is responsible for designing the second portion of the program.   While there is not an official African Languages Initiative domestic program for summer 2012 to study Portuguese, applicants interested in domestic funding may request funding under the domestic funding guidelines.  

Application Instructions

Click here for special application instructions for the African Languages Initiative.