David L. Boren Awards for International Study

Boren Scholarships fund students to study abroad for an academic year or a semester, and students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields can even be funded for the summer.   

The Boren Scholarship is intended to promote long term linguistic and cultural immersion.  Therefore, preference is given to undergraduate applicants proposing a full-year academic study, which is defined as six months or longer.  This can be done by studying abroad for two consecutive semesters or by participating in a semester program preceded or followed by a summer program. 

If you are unable to study abroad for an academic year and have chosen to study abroad for a semester, you should still apply for a Boren Scholarship.  In your application, explain why you have chosen to study abroad for a semester, whether it is because of your class sequence, participation in a particular sport, familial responsibilities, etc.  

Since students in the STEM fields tend to have very tight class sequencing and may find it difficult to study abroad for an academic year or a semester, the Boren Scholarship has a special initiative for students in these majors.  STEM field students may apply for summer study of at least eight weeks, and their applications will not be at a disadvantage.  Applicants in the STEM fields are also encouraged to apply for a semester or year program, if their schedules allow. Applicants from other majors should plan to study overseas for at least a semester.   

Regardless of how long you plan on studying abroad, in your application you will need to explain how and why you selected your study abroad program.  You should demonstrate that you are knowledgeable about the program you intend to pursue and that you selected it based on how it will help you to meet your particular goals.  You may want to include information about the program’s formal (classroom) and informal instruction, the quality and scope of the program's language component, and the administrative structure of the program.