The Boren Scholarship provides funding for undergraduate students to study abroad and, in the application, students must identify their preferred study abroad program.  There is also the option to list an alternate program.  Although not required, if a student is unable to participate in their preferred program, it is best to have an alternate listed.  The alternate program should be in the same region and language as the preferred program.   

If you are an undergraduate student applying for the Boren Scholarship, you should look for study abroad programs that include significant language study while also considering the Boren program preferences and your own personal, academic, and professional goals.   

Read More About Selecting a Study Abroad Program

Boren Fellows design their own study plans.  While study of a foreign language appropriate to the identified country or region must be an integral part of your proposal, fellows can also do overseas academic study, research (either master’s or Ph.D. level), an academic internship, or any combination of those elements.  

Read More About Designing Your Study Plan

The African Languages Initiative will continue in 2012-13 and has expanded to include additional languages.  Boren Scholarship and Fellowship applicants have the opportunity to deepen their knowledge of, and proficiency in, African languages and cultures including Akan/Twi, Portuguese, Swahili, Wolof, Yoruba, and Zulu.

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We are offering a series of webinars this fall for campus representatives and potential applicants.  Hear general information about the Boren Scholarships and Fellowships, get an overview of the application, learn more about the service requirement, and find out how to make your essays more competitive.  You will not only receive great advice, you will also have the opportunity to ask questions of the panelists.  All you need is a computer and a headset or phone. 

View the Complete List of Webinars and Register

Lorraine Keeler
2011 Boren Scholar
Portuguese, Brazil
University of Pittsburgh
Major: Environmental Studies
Minors: Portuguese & Latin

As an environmental studies major, I have always dreamt of going to the Amazon.  I was studying Latin when I began college, but I started taking Portuguese my sophomore year with the intention of studying abroad in the Brazilian Amazon.  My hard work paid off, and I am currently studying in Brazil as a Boren Scholar.

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Kate Wilkinson
2009 Fellow
Persian, Tajikistan
George Washington University
International Relations, MA    

I heard about the Boren Fellowship while working on my graduate degree in international affairs, with a focus on security and development.  I was interested in the non-Arab Muslim world, and Persian was a natural fit for me, because it is a less-commonly studied language that I thought there would be a lot of use for, and I had an interest in Iran and Afghanistan. 

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The Whitaker International Program, administered by the Institute of International Education (IIE), is launching the Whitaker International Summer Grants Program for bioengineers and biomedical engineers who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents.   With support from the former Whitaker Foundation, IIE will provide bioengineers and biomedical engineers funding for eight (8) weeks to pursue, in an international setting, a high-quality activity relevant to their field of focus in biomedical engineering (BME).  Grants can support research, or course work in BME, or an internship in industry.  The competition is now open, with an application deadline of February 6, 2012.  Awards will run from July 1, 2012 and end with a final program debriefing at the end of August, 2012.

Details and Application Guidelines