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Boren Scholarship


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Details

The Boren Scholarship provides funding for undergraduate students to obtain long-term linguistic and cultural immersion abroad. The scholarship provides up to $25,000 in funding to study abroad in areas of the world that are both critical to U.S. interests and are underrepresented in study abroad programs, including Africa, Asia, Central & Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin America, and the Middle East. Upon completion of the Boren Fellowship, you are obligated to work for the federal government in some capacity for 1 year after graduation.




Scholarship Amount

$8,000-$25,000, depending on program


Annual Number of Scholarships Awarded

  • ~200 per year
    • Maximum awards are determined by duration abroad:
      • Up to $25,000 for 25-52 weeks (preferred)
      • Up to $12,500 for 12-24 weeks
      • Up to $8,000 for 8-11 weeks (STEM majors only)



Eligibility

  • Be a U.S. citizen
  • Be matriculated in an undergraduate program at the time of application and remain matriculated in an undergraduate program for the duration of the scholarship
    • You may not graduate until the scholarship is complete
  • Proposed program must be at least 12 weeks
    • STEM undergraduate students may propose summer programs of 8 weeks or longer
    • Proposed programs of 2 or more semesters are strongly encouraged
      • Preference is given to applicants proposing overseas programs of at least 25 weeks



Selection Criteria

  • Academic excellence to succeed abroad
  • Clear and compelling explanation of relevance of your country, language, field of study, and overseas study to U.S. national security
  • Demonstrated commitment to language study before, during, and after overseas study
  • Proposed study plan in a country and language or field of study preferred by the Boren Scholarship
    • If not on the preferred lists, make a compelling argument for funding on the basis of U.S. national security
  • Preference is given to applicants who demonstrate a longer-term commitment to government service



Application Material

  • Boren Application
    • Budget plan for time abroad, including travel to and from the U.S. to desired country
    • National Security Essay
    • Motivation and Public Service Careers Essay
    • Language Self-Assessment
    • Language Proficiency Evaluation (Optional)
    • Study Plan Summary
  • CV/Resume
  • Transcripts
  • 2-3 letters of recommendation
  • University Endorsement



University Endorsement Process

University endorsement is a competitive process and not guaranteed. Students seeking University of Utah endorsement must submit certain application components by the University’s deadline.




Deadlines

University Deadline:
01-03-2022

National Deadline:
02-02-2021


Timeline

August: Boren Scholarship Application Opens

January 3, 2022: University Deadline

February 2, 2022 by 3 pm MST: National Deadline

Late April: Notification of selection




Length of Scholarship

Dependent on program


Scholarship Website

https://www.borenawards.org/


Contact Information

Kathryn Witzke
kathryn.timm@utah.edu

Office of Nationally Competitive Scholarships:
competitivescholarships@utah.edu