David L. Boren Awards for International Study

The Boren Fellowship covers expenses associated with overseas study including tuition, living expenses, books, supplies, equipment, travel expenses, and insurance. In addition, the Boren Fellowship provides limited funding for domestic language study. Please see the budget guidelines for more information.

If you are in the process of applying to graduate schools, you may also apply for a Boren Fellowship. In your Boren Fellowship application, you will need to indicate the graduate programs to which you have applied. 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 with proof of enrollment before any Boren Fellowship funds are disbursed.

Boren Fellowship applicants should work with their academic advisors and campus representatives, and all applicants should read What Makes a Competitive Application. In addition, you should see the applicant resources for other helpful information, including a PowerPoint presentation, a schedule of upcoming webinars, and the Boren Awards newsletter.

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.  We are committed to both new language acquisition and improvement of language competence for advanced language students.

Yes. While the Boren Fellowships have a preference for 6 months or longer overseas, applicants proposing overseas programs of 3-6 months, especially those in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields are encouraged to apply.  In your application, explain why you have chosen to go overseas for a shorter period, whether it is because of your class sequence, participation in a particular sport, familial responsibilities, or other compelling reasons.

Yes. You may study in a country with a current State Department Travel Warning; however, if you decide to do so, you must be willing to sign a waiver. In certain countries, further restrictions may apply, including possible outright prohibition on using the Boren Fellowship in a particular country. In such cases, IIE will work with the Fellow to find an alternate program. Information about active travel warnings is available on the State Department website.

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

You can participate in an internship if it is an integrated and meaningful component of your academic program. However, you may not accept paid employment while abroad. In addition, you cannot intern with U.S. or foreign government agencies.

Yes, we recognize that it may be difficult to receive a letter of overseas affiliation by the time of application; therefore, the letter is not required at that time. Applicants should use the essays to describe their overseas plans. Applicants who do have a letter from an academic institution, research institute, or non-governmental organization should include it in the application.

Current employees of the federal government may apply for a Boren Fellowship. Recipients of the award, however, may not be employees of a federal agency during their Boren-funded study period. A Fellow who was previously an employee of the federal government must provide proof that he or she is separated from that agency. In addition, ROTC students, military reservists, and members of the National Guard must confirm de-activated status during the Boren-funded study period.

Boren Fellows represent a vital pool of highly motivated individuals who wish to work in the federal national security arena. Boren Fellows must make a commitment to work in the federal government for a minimum of one year. For more information about the service requirement, please click here. 

Yes. 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, or Persian are also eligible to apply for The Language Flagship Fellowships.

Students who plan to participate in overseas Flagship programs are encouraged to apply for the Boren Fellowship. Applicants must be currently enrolled in a Flagship domestic graduate program or be enrolled in a non-Flagship graduate institution and plan on participating in an overseas Flagship program. Please review The Language Flagship section of this website for more information.

You can receive additional awards provided that there is no duplication of support in requested budget line-items. Boren Fellows who receive scholarship funding to support their study abroad must notify IIE about their award(s). In some cases, reduced financial need as a result of increased support may impact the amount of the Boren Fellowship.