David L. Boren Awards for International Study

As a Boren Scholarship applicant, you should have noticed that there are a number of steps required to complete the application.  Please use the following as a guide for submitting a complete application. The national application is February 11, 2009, but you should contact your campus representative for your earlier on-campus deadline.

The Boren Scholarship includes the online application, as well as a number of supplementary materials that should be gathered, given to the Boren campus representative, and sent to IIE by the national deadline.

1. Online Application – This is where the applicant lists basic information, designates the study abroad program, and completes the statement of purpose. The application includes a budget section where applicants estimate the cost of the study abroad program (last year’s budget for the same study abroad program may be used as an estimate).  

The statement of purpose is the most important part of the online application. It gives applicants an opportunity to present a rationale for studying abroad, to explain the significance of the study to U.S. national security and future career work, and to describe his or her foreign language learning goals and study abroad program.

2. Letters of Recommendation – Two letters of recommendation are required, and a third letter is optional. Applicants should see the November newsletter article entitled Obtaining Stellar Letters of Reference for suggestions about finding appropriate referees. Letters of recommendation must be original and signed.

3. Transcripts – Applicants must submit official academic transcripts from all colleges and universities attended. College freshmen must also submit high school transcripts. Unofficial transcripts will not be accepted.

4. Description of the Study Abroad Program – Applicants must include a one page description of the study abroad program.  This can be a print out from the program’s website or a copy of the program brochure. For those applying to receive funding for an individually arranged program or a direct enrollment program, letters of support from the home institution and host institution must be included.

At the time of application applicants do not need to have an official acceptance letter from the study abroad program. The Boren Awards office requires these letters only after the scholarship winners have been announced.

5.  Language Self Assessment Form – Applicants must assess their foreign language skills in the language proposed for the Boren Scholarship, as well as any other languages studied or spoken.

6. Language Proficiency Form – Applicants may choose to include an optional language proficiency form, which must be completed by a language instructor or other qualified language evaluator.

Once you click on the “Submit Application” button in the online application and have presented all of the supporting materials to your campus representative, you have completed your portion of the application process.  Your campus representative will take care of the rest. If you do not have a campus representative, you should mail all materials to the address below, ensuring that they arrive by February 11, 2009.

Institute of International Education
Boren Scholarships
1400 K Street NW, 6th Floor
Washington, DC 20005

Boren will mail all applicants the competition results during the first week of May.