ROTC participants are strong candidates for the Boren Scholarship, due to their commitment to national security and government service. The skills gained through learning a language and being immersed in a new culture overseas are incredibly valuable for ROTC students. The Boren Awards encourages all ROTC students to work closely with their home institution and commander to plan and apply for the Boren Scholarships.
Eligibility
Any Army, Air Force, or Naval ROTC student on track to commission is eligible for this initiative. Applicants must also meet the general Boren eligibility requirements. In addition, ROTC students must be in an inactive, non-drilling status during the Boren-funded overseas study.
ROTC students who receive this scholarship usually find that their Commanders are fully supportive and willing to assist with provisions for completing ROTC class and lab requirements before or after the Boren Scholarship.
Application
ROTC participants have no special instructions for the Boren Scholarship application. They should only answer “yes” for the question that asks if the applicant is in ROTC.
Duration
Boren-ROTC applicants are encouraged to study abroad for six months or longer, if possible. However, applications for a semester abroad are also encouraged. ROTC participants interested in summer study are encouraged to apply for Project GO (Global Officers) funding.
Project GO Alumni
Past Project GO participants are especially encouraged to apply for the Boren Scholarship to continue studying the Project GO language. This commitment to language and culture makes Project GO alumni especially strong Boren applicants. However, all ROTC participants are eligible under this initiative.
Service Requirement
In exchange for funding, Boren Scholarship recipients commit to working in the federal government for one year. ROTC participants may fulfill their ROTC commitment and their Boren commitment concurrently. For more information please visit the service requirement for Boren Scholars.
Study Abroad Program Resources
The resources listed below may help students create appropriate overseas plans:
- Visit our Choosing Your Study Abroad Program page to see additional resources and considerations. We suggest consulting with your home institution’s study abroad, financial aid, and academic advisor offices; your Boren Campus Representative; and IIE Passport.
- Browse our student profiles to see what Boren Awardees in your field of study have done in the past.