Boren Awards (Scholarships and Fellowships)

Boren Awards are prestigious scholarships and fellowships funded by the National Security Education Program (NSEP) and administered by the Defense Language and National Security Education Office (DLNSEO). The program funds study abroad experiences for U.S. undergraduate and graduate students in world regions critical to U.S. national security interests, including Africa, Asia, Eurasia, Latin America, and the Middle East. The awards support language study and cultural immersion in critical languages such as Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, Portuguese, Russian, and Swahili. Recipients commit to working in the federal government for at least one year after graduation, in positions related to national security. The program aims to build a diverse pipeline of professionals with linguistic and cultural expertise for federal service in agencies including the Departments of State, Defense, and Homeland Security. Boren Scholarships are available to U.S. undergraduate students while Boren Fellowships support U.S. graduate students. Both programs offer funding based on the duration of overseas study, with maximum awards of $25,000 for programs lasting 25-52 weeks. Additional domestic language study funding is available for fellowship recipients.