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RSSBoren Scholarship - What Makes a Competitive Application
- Consider the preferred countries, languages, and fields of study. Generally, Boren Awards are made to students who will study less commonly taught languages in countries that are critical to national security, but underrepresented in study abroad. We also give preference to students majoring or minoring in certain fields of study. However, as we cannot list all countries, languages, and fields that are critical to U.S. national security, we are interested in applications for non-preferred areas where the candidate can make a compelling case that such study can contribute significantly to U.S. national security and the goals of the program.
- Study abroad for a longer period of time. To encourage greater language and cultural immersion, preference is given to applicants proposing a full academic year, or at least two consecutive semesters, of study abroad. Applicants planning to go abroad for only one semester are encouraged to lengthen their time abroad by adding a summer before their fall semester
- Consider government service. Preference is given to students who will make a commitment to work in the federal government. Investigate different areas of federal service that you believe will best meet your own goals, based on your academic studies and the region of the world in which you plan to study.
- Identify an appropriate study abroad program. Not all study abroad programs are right for every student. Some are designed for beginning language learners and some are designed for advanced language learners. Some are geared toward social science majors and some are geared toward other majors. Some include strong experiential learning, while others follow a classical classroom model. No one model is right for all students. Therefore, you should investigate many different study abroad programs and decide on the program that best meets your individual goals. IIEPassport is an online resource that may be helpful in identifying study abroad programs
- Include serious language study. Not all study abroad programs include strong language programs. Investigate the language program carefully and ask your language instructors for advice. Be sure to include a plan for continuing to study the language once you return from your study abroad program. Since the Boren Scholarships focus on less commonly studied languages, it is o.k. if you have never studied the language before. But you should do all that you can do now to at least familiarize yourself with the language.
- Make a compelling case for national security. The application asks undergraduate students to describe their specific objectives and "how these compare to NSEP objectives to support U.S. national security." All applicants should review the Program Basics section of the website, especially the section that defines national security, which reads:
- “The program focuses on geographic areas, languages, and fields of study deemed critical to U.S. national security. It draws on a broad definition of national security, recognizing that the scope of national security has expanded to include not only the traditional concerns of protecting and promoting American well-being, but also the challenges of global society, including: sustainable development, environmental degradation, global disease and hunger, population growth and migration, and economic competitiveness. All applicants must demonstrate how their study programs and future goals are connected to this broad understanding of national security.”
- What this means is that students studying a variety of fields can relate their international interests to U.S. national security.
- Security studies or diplomacy - Students studying international affairs, history, or political science could discuss the bilateral relationship between the United States and the country in which they propose to study.
- International trade - Applicants studying business or economics might make the case that the United States is more secure with stable trading partners.
- Sustainable development or global disease - Students focusing on these issues could argue that regional stability is threatened by global poverty, environmental degradation or disease, and that U.S. security is enhanced by combating these concerns.
- Whatever an applicant's interests, the Boren Scholarship application's statement of purpose gives each student the opportunity to make his or her own case based on his or her own perspectives and goals. It is important that each applicant make a compelling case in his or her statement of purpose. We apply a broad definition of national security, so applicants should not feel compelled to limit their focus or concentrate their statements of purpose in an area in which they are not truly interested.
- Tie your current academic plan, your proposed study abroad experience, and your future career goals into one strong narrative that makes the case for your Boren Scholarship. The statement of purpose includes two sections, both of which include several questions. Do not answer these questions one by one. Instead, you should write two integrative and comprehensive essays that clearly answer all of the questions asked.
- Get strong letters of reference. The strongest letters of recommendation come from faculty members who know you and can comment on your proposed study abroad program. Share your essays with your referees. A better letter is one that talks about how you have studied certain subjects and how that has prepared you to complete your proposed program successfully than one that simply says that you received an A or were in the top X percentage of your class. The application requires two letters of reference, and a third is optional. You should only include a third letter if you believe it will strengthen your application.
- Work with your study abroad advisers and your campus representatives. Study abroad advisers can help you find the most appropriate study abroad program. Boren campus representatives support students applying for Boren Awards. Often, study abroad advisers and Boren campus representatives are the same person. Seek them out well before the application deadline and seek their advice as you complete the application. Note that each campus representative will set its own on campus deadline prior to the final scholarship deadline. Visit the Campus Representative section to find your campus representative and your on campus deadline. If you do not have a campus representative, you are still eligible to apply for the Boren Scholarship. IIE will work with you to answer any questions about the application process.
- Contact our staff. Feel free to contact our staff with any questions at 1-800-618-NSEP or boren@iie.org.
