David L. Boren Awards for International Study

As a Boren Fellowship applicant, you are required to have three letters of reference submitted using the online application system.     

When considering who to ask, keep in mind that the best references are written by people who can comment on  1) your academic, linguistic, and personal preparation for your plan, 2) the feasibility of your plan, and 3) your understanding of the relationship between your plan and U.S. national security, broadly defined, as well as your career interests.

Therefore, it is best if at least two of the letters are from academic sources. If your Boren Fellowship application includes a research component, one of your letters must be from your research advisor.  The third letter can come from another professor or from a language instructor.  Students who have relevant work or internship experience can also ask a supervisor to write the third letter.  Since this person will be writing from the perspective of interacting with the you in a practical manner outside of the classroom, it can add an additional perspective to your application.   

Regardless of who you choose to write your letters of reference, you should:

• Give the person adequate time to complete the letter.  Referees who do not have ample time may neglect valuable details when writing the letter.
• Explain what the Boren Fellowship is and why you have decided to apply. 
• Visit potential referees during office hours to discuss the award.  If that’s not possible, set up a phone meeting.
• Provide a resume or short biography along with the Boren Fellowship essays.   This will give your referees a clearer picture of you and your goals.  Plus, they may have feedback or questions that can help you revise your essay. 
• Send a friendly reminder about the competition to referees, if necessary, in order to ensure that letters are completed on time.
• Verify that they have received the username and password necessary to complete the reference.
• Login to the online system regularly, where you can see if the letters have been submitted.