The National Security Education Program (NSEP) David L. Boren Scholarships provide up to $20,000 to US undergraduate students to study abroad in areas of the world that are critical to U.S. interests and underrepresented in study abroad, including Africa, Asia, Central & Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin America, and the Middle East. (The countries of Western Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand are excluded.)
Boren Scholars represent a variety of academic backgrounds, but all are interested in studying less commonly taught languages, including but not limited to Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, and Swahili. See the lists of preferred countries, languages, and fields of study on the Boren website.
Boren Scholarships are funded by the National Security Education Program (NSEP), which focuses on geographic areas, languages, and fields of study deemed critical to US national security. So applicants should identify how their study abroad program, as well as their future academic and career goals, will contribute to US national security, broadly defined. NSEP draws on 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.
The NSEP service requirement stipulates that an award recipient work for the Federal Government in a position with national security responsibilities for an amount of time equal to the duration of assistance provided under the program, but in no case less than one year. Service should begin within three years of graduation, but is deferrable for graduate school. Detailed information on the service obligation may be found on the official website.