David L. Boren Awards for International Study

The David L. Boren Scholarships and Fellowships focus on geographic areas, languages, and fields of study deemed critical to U.S. national security.  The Boren Scholarship application asks that you write about the “…significance of your proposed study abroad experience (including the region you selected, its culture, and the language you will study) to U.S. national security, broadly defined.” The Boren Fellowship application requirements are similar. You must explain how your project, region, and language of study would relate to U.S. national security, broadly defined. But how should a potential applicant explain the relevance of his or her study to U.S. national security?

To create a competitive application, applicants should visit What Makes a Competitive Application for the Boren Scholarships or Boren Fellowships. Applicants should also review the program preferences  and consider the significance of the countries and languages listed. 

The Boren Awards employ 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.

This broad definition of national security means that applicants studying a variety of fields can relate their international and language study interests to U.S. national security. Please see the following interpretations of national security as examples:

• 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.

It is important that each applicant make a compelling case in his or her statement of purpose or essay.  As stated above, the Boren Awards rely on a broad definition of national security. No applicant should feel compelled to limit their focus or concentrate their statement of purpose or essay in an area in which they are not truly interested.