*All dates and locations are subject to change for the 2025 Cycle*
Boren Awards applicants may either elect to propose their own programs for funding, or participate in one of the Regional Flagship Language Initiatives described below.
- Note that these initiatives are distinct from The Language Flagship. Applicants will know if they are enrolled in The Language Flagship and should consult our specific guidance for funding their Capstone year abroad.
Components of Regional Flagship Language Initiatives
- Open to undergraduate Boren Scholars and graduate Boren Fellows
- Immersive language programs during the summer (domestic) and fall (overseas) that award academic credit from U.S. universities
- Supplemental spring funding for self-designed language study and research or internships
- Coursework tailored to all levels, including beginners (except for French, which requires intermediate proficiency)
- Rapid proficiency gains in languages highly sought-after in the federal workforce
Participation in the entire summer and fall programs is required for all Regional Flagship Language Initiative participants. Applicants who wish to combine language study with other pursuits, especially Boren Fellows seeking to conduct research, during that period are encouraged to identify/design their own programs. All languages* (with the exception of French) and overseas locations featured in the Regional Flagship Language Initiatives are preferred options for self-designed programs.
Participation in the required summer and fall programs is sufficient to meet the Boren Awards preference for duration abroad. Spring programs are optional and will not affect chances of selection. Spring programs must include language study and have a maximum award amount at the 12-24 week threshold.
*French is a preferred language for the Boren Awards only through AFLI.
Applying for a Regional Flagship Language Initiative
Applications for the Regional Flagship Language Initiatives use the same form as all other Boren Awards applications. Applicants begin by selecting an overseas location and language where an initiative is offered on the first page of the application. They will then be asked whether they want to participate in the applicable initiative in the Study Abroad Program section of the Boren Scholarships application, or the Program Information section of the Boren Fellowships application.
Guidelines for filling out the Budget section of the application differ slightly depending on the initiative -- see notes below for further guidance.
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African Flagship Languages Initiative (AFLI)
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South Asian Flagship Languages Initiative (SAFLI)
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Southeast Asia Flagship Languages Initiative (SEAFLI)
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African Flagship Languages Initiative (AFLI)
AFLI offers Boren Scholars and Fellows the opportunity for intensive language study through domestic and overseas language programs in French, Swahili, Akan/Twi, Wolof, or Zulu. As noted above, participation in the entire summer and fall programs is required for all AFLI participants. Applicants who wish to combine language study with other pursuits, especially Boren Fellows seeking to conduct research, during that period are encouraged to identify/design their own programs.
The AFLI programs will be administered by the University of Florida.
Boren Scholars and Fellows studying Akan/Twi, Wolof, or Zulu must identify their own programs in Ghana, Senegal, or South Africa respectively. These programs must include intensive study of the target language and be at least 12 weeks long to qualify for funding.
AFLI - French in Senegal
Language: Instruction in French for intermediate and higher, plus basic Wolof (applicants seeking specialized study of Wolof should apply for that language instead). French is a preferred language for the Boren Awards only through AFLI. Proficiency of intermediate-high (ILR 1+ in Speaking) or greater is required for admission to the AFLI French program and will be verified through testing.
Domestic Program Location: University of Florida in Gainesville, FL
Domestic Program Start & End Dates: early June and July 2025 (dates to be confirmed)
Overseas Program Location: West African Research Center (WARC) in Dakar, Senegal
Overseas Program Start & End Dates: August to November 2025 (if not extending into spring) or end date of self-identified program
Summer costs covered by the Boren Awards include tuition, language partners, books and materials, excursions, housing, meals, and a set stipend towards round trip travel costs. Fall overseas costs include those same expenses as well as visa or residency permit costs, roundtrip FAA compliant airfare, homestay costs, and overseas health insurance.
Please note that certain costs are not eligible to be covered by the Boren Awards: passport fees; vaccinations and medical expenses; expenses related to dependents; and personal travel and entertainment expenses. Boren will not cover personal domestic expenses such as rent, credit card, college loans or car payments.
AFLI - Swahili in Tanzania
Language: Instruction in Swahili for all levels
Domestic Program Location: University of Florida in Gainesville, FL
Domestic Program Start & End Dates: early June and July 2025 (dates to be confirmed)
Overseas Program Location: MS-TCDC in Arusha, Tanzania
Overseas Program Start & End Dates: August to November 2025 (if not extending into spring) or end date of self-identified program
Summer costs covered by the Boren Awards include tuition, language partners, books and materials, excursions, housing, meals, and a set stipend towards round trip travel costs. Fall overseas costs include those same expenses as well as visa or residency permit costs, roundtrip FAA compliant airfare, homestay costs, and overseas health insurance.
Please note that certain costs are not eligible to be covered by the Boren Awards: passport fees; vaccinations and medical expenses; expenses related to dependents; and personal travel and entertainment expenses. Boren will not cover personal domestic expenses such as rent, credit card, college loans or car payments.
AFLI - Akan/Twi in Ghana
Language: Instruction in Akan/Twi for all levels
Domestic Program Location: University of Florida in Gainesville, FL
Domestic Program Start & End Dates: early June and July 2025 (dates to be confirmed)
Overseas Program Location: Applicant must select a program for the study of Akan/Twi in Ghana according to the rules for self-designed programs
Overseas Program Start & End Dates: Actual overseas program start and end dates, which should begin in August 2025 and last at least 12 weeks
Please note that certain costs are not eligible to be covered by the Boren Awards: passport fees; vaccinations and medical expenses; expenses related to dependents; and personal travel and entertainment expenses. Boren will not cover personal domestic expenses such as rent, credit card, college loans or car payments.
AFLI - Wolof in Senegal
Language: Instruction in Wolof for all levels (applicants wishing to study French in Senegal should not select Wolof as their primary language)
Domestic Program Location: University of Florida in Gainesville, FL
Domestic Program Start & End Dates: early June and July 2025 (dates to be confirmed)
Overseas Program Location: Applicant must select a program for the study of Wolof in Senegal according to the rules for self-designed programs
Overseas Program Start & End Dates: Actual overseas program start and end dates, which should begin in August 2023 and last at least 12 weeks
Please note that certain costs are not eligible to be covered by the Boren Awards: passport fees; vaccinations and medical expenses; expenses related to dependents; and personal travel and entertainment expenses. Boren will not cover personal domestic expenses such as rent, credit card, college loans or car payments.
AFLI - Zulu in South Africa
Language: Instruction in Zulu for all levels (applicants wishing to study any other language of South Africa should not apply through AFLI)
Domestic Program Location: University of Florida in Gainesville, FL
Domestic Program Start & End Dates: early June and July 2025 (dates to be confirmed)
Overseas Program Location: Applicant must select a program for the study of Zulu in South Africa according to the rules for self-designed programs
Overseas Program Start & End Dates: Actual overseas program start and end dates, which should begin in August 2025 and last at least 12 weeks
Please note that certain costs are not eligible to be covered by the Boren Awards: passport fees; vaccinations and medical expenses; expenses related to dependents; and personal travel and entertainment expenses. Boren will not cover personal domestic expenses such as rent, credit card, college loans or car payments.
South Asian Flagship Languages Initiative (SAFLI)
SAFLI offers Boren Scholars and Fellows the opportunity for intensive study of either Hindi or Urdu through a combination of domestic and overseas programs. As noted above, participation in the entire summer and fall programs is required for all SAFLI participants. Applicants who wish to combine language study with other pursuits, especially Boren Fellows seeking to conduct research, during that period are encouraged to identify/design their own programs.
The domestic summer portion of SAFLI is hosted by the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Applicants are encouraged to visit https://safli.wisc.edu/ and to contact 608-265-9582 or safli@lpo.wisc.edu for questions about the structure and curriculum of the summer program.
The overseas fall portion of SAFLI is administered by the American Councils for International Education oversight from the University of Wisconsin, and hosted by the American Institute of Indian Studies in Jaipur for Hindi. Applicants are encouraged to visit https://fli.americancouncils.org/ for information on the structure and curriculum of the overseas fall programs for Hindi and Urdu. They may contact 202-833-7522 or safli@americancouncils.org if they have additional questions.
SAFLI - Hindi in India
Language: Instruction in Hindi for all levels
Domestic Program Location: University of Wisconsin in Madison, WI
Domestic Program Start & End Dates: June 17 to August 9, 2025 (dates to be confirmed)
Overseas Program Location: American Institute of Indian Studies (AIIS) in Jaipur, India
Overseas Program Start & End Dates: August 21 to December 6, 2025 (if not extending into spring) or end date of self-identified program
Summer costs covered by the Boren Awards include tuition, language partners, books and materials, excursions, housing, meals, and a set stipend towards round trip travel costs. Fall overseas costs include those same expenses as well as visa or residency permit costs, roundtrip FAA compliant airfare, homestay costs, and overseas health insurance.
Please note that certain costs are not eligible to be covered by the Boren Awards: passport fees; vaccinations and medical expenses; expenses related to dependents; and personal travel and entertainment expenses. Boren will not cover personal domestic expenses such as rent, credit card, college loans or car payments.
SAFLI - Urdu in India
Language: Instruction in Urdu for all levels
Domestic Program Location: University of Wisconsin in Madison, WI
Domestic Program Start & End Dates: June 17 to August 9, 2025 (dates to be confirmed)
Overseas Program Location: Applicant must select a program for the study of Urdu in India according to the rules for self-designed programs
Overseas Program Start & End Dates: Typical departure dates are in August. Awardees must depart for their overseas program no later than September 30.
Summer costs covered by the Boren Awards include tuition, language partners, books and materials, excursions, housing, meals, and a set stipend towards round trip travel costs. Fall overseas costs include those same expenses as well as visa or residency permit costs, roundtrip FAA compliant airfare, homestay costs, and overseas health insurance.
Please note that certain costs are not eligible to be covered by the Boren Awards: passport fees; vaccinations and medical expenses; expenses related to dependents; and personal travel and entertainment expenses. Boren will not cover personal domestic expenses such as rent, credit card, college loans or car payments.
Southeast Asian Flagship Languages Initiative (SEAFLI)
SEAFLI offers Boren Scholars and Fellows the opportunity for intensive study of either Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia - formerly IFLI), Thai, or Vietnamese through a combination of domestic and overseas programs. As noted above, participation in the entire summer and fall programs is required for all SEAFLI participants. Applicants who wish to combine language study with other pursuits, especially Boren Fellows seeking to conduct research, during that period are encouraged to identify/design their own programs.
The domestic summer portion of SEAFLI is hosted by the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Applicants are encouraged to visit https://seafli.wisc.edu/ and to contact 608-265-9582 or seafli@lpo.wisc.edu
The overseas fall portion of SEAFLI is administered by the American Councils for International Education with oversight from the University of Wisconsin, and hosted by the State University of Malang in Indonesia, and the overseas programs for Thai and Vietnamese will be updated in fall 2023. Applicants are encouraged to contact 608-265-9582 or seafli@lpo.wisc.edu if they have additional questions.
SEAFLI - Indonesian in Indonesia
(formerly IFLI)
Language: Instruction in Indonesian for all levels
Domestic Program Location: University of Wisconsin in Madison, WI
Domestic Program Start & End Dates: June 17 to August 9, 2025 (dates to be confirmed)
Overseas Program Location: The State University of Malang (Universiti Negeri Malang) in Malang, Indonesia
Overseas Program Start & End Dates: August 21 to December 6, 2025 (if not extending into spring) or end date of self-identified program
Summer costs covered by the Boren Awards include tuition, language partners, books and materials, excursions, housing, meals, and a set stipend towards round trip travel costs. Fall overseas costs include those same expenses as well as visa or residency permit costs, roundtrip FAA compliant airfare, homestay costs, and overseas health insurance.
Please note that certain costs are not eligible to be covered by the Boren Awards: passport fees; vaccinations and medical expenses; expenses related to dependents; and personal travel and entertainment expenses. Boren will not cover personal domestic expenses such as rent, credit card, college loans or car payments.
SEAFLI - Thai in Thailand
Language: Instruction in Thai for all levels
Domestic Program Location: University of Wisconsin in Madison, WI
Domestic Program Start & End Dates: June 17 to August 9, 2025 (dates to be confirmed)
Overseas Program Location: Language Institute of Chiang Mai University (LICMU) in Chiang Mai, Thailand
Overseas Program Start & End Dates: August 21 to December 6, 2025 (if not extending into spring) or end date of self-identified program
Summer costs covered by the Boren Awards include tuition, language partners, books and materials, excursions, housing, meals, and a set stipend towards round trip travel costs. Fall overseas costs include those same expenses as well as visa or residency permit costs, roundtrip FAA compliant airfare, homestay costs, and overseas health insurance.
Please note that certain costs are not eligible to be covered by the Boren Awards: passport fees; vaccinations and medical expenses; expenses related to dependents; and personal travel and entertainment expenses. Boren will not cover personal domestic expenses such as rent, credit card, college loans or car payments.
SEAFLI - Vietnamese in Vietnam
Language: Instruction in Vietnamese for all levels
Domestic Program Location: University of Wisconsin in Madison, WI
Domestic Program Start & End Dates: June 17 to August 9, 2025 (dates to be confirmed)
Overseas Program Location: The University of Languages and International Studies (ULIS) in Hanoi, Vietnam
Overseas Program Start & End Dates: August 21 to December 6, 2025 (if not extending into spring) or end date of self-identified program
Summer costs covered by the Boren Awards include tuition, language partners, books and materials, excursions, housing, meals, and a set stipend towards round trip travel costs. Fall overseas costs include those same expenses as well as visa or residency permit costs, roundtrip FAA compliant airfare, homestay costs, and overseas health insurance.
Please note that certain costs are not eligible to be covered by the Boren Awards: passport fees; vaccinations and medical expenses; expenses related to dependents; and personal travel and entertainment expenses. Boren will not cover personal domestic expenses such as rent, credit card, college loans or car payments.
Turkish Flagship Language Initiative (TURFLI)
TURFLI offers Boren Scholars and Fellows the opportunity for intensive study of the Turkish language through a combination of domestic and overseas programs. As noted above, participation in the entire summer and fall programs is required for all TURFLI participants. Applicants who wish to combine language study with other pursuits, especially Boren Fellows seeking to conduct research, during that period are encouraged to identify/design their own programs.
The domestic summer portion of TURFLI is hosted by the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Applicants are encouraged to visit https://turfli.wisc.edu/ and to contact 608-265-9582 or turfli@lpo.wisc.edu for questions about the structure and curriculum of the summer program.
The overseas fall portion of TURFLI is administered by the American Councils for International Education oversight from the University of Wisconsin, and hosted by the Azerbaijan University of Languages. Applicants are encouraged to visit https://fli.americancouncils.org/turfli-turkish if they have questions about the structure and curriculum of the fall program. They may contact 202-833-7522 or turfli@americancouncils.org if they have additional questions.
Language: Instruction in Turkish for all levels
Domestic Program Location: University of Wisconsin in Madison, WI
Domestic Program Start & End Dates: June 17 to August 9, 2025 (dates to be confirmed)
Overseas Program Location: Azerbaijan University of Languages (AUL) in Baku, Azerbaijan
Overseas Program Start & End Dates: September 9 to December 20, 2025 (if not extending into spring) or end date of self-identified program
Summer costs covered by the Boren Awards include tuition, language partners, books and materials, excursions, housing, meals, and a set stipend towards round trip travel costs. Fall overseas costs include those same expenses as well as visa or residency permit costs, roundtrip FAA compliant airfare, homestay costs, and overseas health insurance.
Please note that certain costs are not eligible to be covered by the Boren Awards: passport fees; vaccinations and medical expenses; expenses related to dependents; and personal travel and entertainment expenses. Boren will not cover personal domestic expenses such as rent, credit card, college loans or car payments.