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Undergraduate Study Abroad Academic Year or Semester in Conjunction with Smith Study Abroad Program

The David L Boren Undergraduate Scholarship is named for former Senator Boren, founder of the National Security Education Program in 1991. Mr. Boren is now president of the University of Oklahoma. He is a former Rhodes Scholar.

FOR JUNIOR YEAR, or semester abroad to study a foreign language &/or culture, and/or for a summer for junior applied science or engineering majors. Preference is given to students applying for a full year. Must be matriculated undergraduate entire time abroad. Seniors don’t apply, but can apply as juniors for senior-year use before graduation. Sophomores apply for Junior year, starting late summer, early fall.

• Awards up to two semesters of $10,000 maximum per semester ($20,000 total). Students can also apply for the Gilman Scholarship www.iie.org/gilman &/or to the Freeman-ASIA Program http://www.iie.org/freeman-asia for additional funding.

• 3.2 GPA required to enter Smith’s sponsorship program, as well as a suitably relevant background by way of the right courses taken to be able to demonstrate benefit from the proposed project. (2002 had 681 applicants and 194 awards = 29% chance)

Preferred countries, languages, fields of study and other related information can be found at: www.iie.org/programs/nsep/undergraduate/preferences.htm
Boren has preferred countries and unavailable countries (those in Western Europe, Australasia and Canada). There is a third category which is all other countries in neither list for which an extra-strong case must be made that includes a preferred language and or career goals that match NSEP goals. Boren awards fellowships to a handful of these each year. Questions: 1-800-618-6737

To check for State Dept. Travel Warnings (which then exclude even listed countries) go to: http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_1764.html

Targeted Fields of Study include agriculture, anthropology, applied sciences, biology, biomedical science, business, chemistry, computer & information sciences, economics, engineering, environmental sciences, food sciences, health, history, international affairs, law, mathematics, physics, political science, policy studies, psychology, social sciences, sociology.

For a first-hand account of the experiences of a Smith Boren Fellow in Jordan, go to http://caitlininjordan.blogspot.com.

Begin by attending a Study Abroad Info Session in order to decide country and program. Then submit a Provisional Plan of Study for your chosen Smith-Approved Study Abroad program to the Office for International Study for approval. (For form, click here or on the Study Abroad Plan link in the sidebar at right.) Thereafter, register with the Fellowships Program and include your Provisional Approval when submitting your Boren registration.

Application must BEGIN and be completed fall of sophomore year. Begin process ideally spring of first year.

The most advantageous time to register for a fellowship is in the spring, starting mid February. Statistics show that those who register earlier fare far better. The deadline to register for the Boren is the end of September. Petitions to register later may be considered from students who show exceptional promise to be successful in fellowships competitions.

Acceptance of scholarship requires signing a service agreement to work for one year in the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, State, or the Intelligence Community. You choose where you want to work. Online database, plus guidance is given. Graduate school assistantships qualify. You have three years to fulfill the requirement. More information is available at www.iie.org/programs/nsep/undergraduate/service.htm

STUDY THOROUGHLY www.iie.org/nsep & email nsep@iie.org or call 1-800-618-6737 for exact info about Study Abroad Options depending on your year of college. If you are planning to study on one program in the fall and a different program in the spring, you must complete two separate applications. Students interested in a summer program plus a fall program must also complete two applications. If you were to apply for a summer program following a spring semester program, that summer application would be submitted the following year. Application may be split between countries during different time periods provided these countries are in the same region or use the same language and are connected by a common project theme. If you wish to apply for a split program, contact IIE/NSEP to ensure you are approaching your application correctly.

• For help choosing a Study Abroad Program (that supports academic & career goals, and is relevant to NSEP) consult the Study Abroad Office and in creating the effective key Two-Part Statement of Purpose centerpiece (that links study abroad program and academic & international career goals with NSEP mission), you will be assigned to a Boren Mentor once your Registration and Draft Plan of Study has been approved.

• An alternate Study Abroad Program in the same country should be given if possible. This is not a requirement, though strongly suggested. It will be used only if Preferred Program is unavailable. Applications to these programs must be submitted to the institutions or program administrators at the latest when the scholarship application is sent to Boren Undergraduate Scholarship administrators IIE (Institute of International Education) in Washington D.C, preferably beforehand so that an acceptance letter from them can be included with your application.

  First-years & sophomores can win again for junior- and senior-year use, meaning applications can again be made in sophomore and junior years.

• Language study abroad is a required component of Boren project proposals, except for Spanish- and French-speaking countries, for which a higher level of proficiency is required.

Do not confuse this fellowship with the Boren Graduate International Fellowship: http://www.iie.org/programs/nsep/graduate/ (for graduates enrolled at U.S. universities)

Boren Countries