Up to $8,000 for scholarships to U.S. students to gain an understanding of less common languages and cultures!

Content provided by the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
12.551 National Security Education Program David L. Boren Scholarships

AUTHORIZATION:

50 U.S.C. 1901-1911.

OBJECTIVES:

(1) To equip Americans with an understanding of less commonly taught languages and cultures; (2) to build a critical base of future leaders both in the marketplace and in government service; (3) to develop a cadre of professionals with more than the traditional knowledge of language and culture; and (4) to enhance institutional capacity and increase the number of faculty who can educate U.S. citizens toward achieving these goals.

TYPES OF ASSISTANCE:

Project Grants
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USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS:

Scholarship awards are given to degree-seeking undergraduate U.S. citizens enrolled in academic and professional programs at U.S. institutions of higher education. All NSEP scholarship recipients agree to seek employment in the federal government, and serve for a period of time equal to the length of the award but no less than one year.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Applicant Eligibility:   Any U.S. citizen enrolled in an accredited 2 or 4 year public or private U.S. institution of higher education (defined in Section 1201(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, 20 U.S.C. 1141(a) is eligible to apply for an undergraduate scholarship. Students enrolled in Federal government schools are not eligible.

Beneficiary Eligibility:   U.S. students enrolled in public or private two- or four-year accredited U.S. institutions of higher education.
Credentials/Documentation:   Proof of enrollment and proof of U.S. citizenship.

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APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCESS:

Pre-application Coordination:   None. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.
Application Procedure:   All eligible, U.S. undergraduate students may apply for scholarships in response to the relevant agency announcement.
Award Procedure:   Award decisions will be based on a competitive selection of proposals resulting from an independent merit review.

Deadlines:   Specified in annual application, usually in January or February.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:
From 70 to 90 days.
Appeals:
None.
Renewals:
Freshmen and sophomore Boren Scholarship recipients are eligible for a second Boren Scholarship by competing as an upperclassman. Juniors and seniors may receive only one Boren Scholarship. Boren Scholarship recipients may be eligible to apply for David L. Boren Fellowships or National Flagship Language Program Fellowships.

Formula and Matching Requirements:
None.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance:
Eligible students may receive Boren Scholarships for no more than twelve (12) months.

POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Reports:   Semi-annual progress reports are required while receiving funding followed by annual service agreement reports until service requirement is fulfilled.

Audits:   None.
Records:   None.

FINANCIAL INFORMATION:

Account Identification:

97-0100-0-1-051.

Obligations:   (Undergraduate Scholarships) FY 07 est $2,000,000; FY 08 est not available; and FY 09 est not reported.
Range and Average of Financial Assistance:
Award amounts are based on the study abroad costs and financial aid information provided by the applicant. The maximum award is $8,000 for a summer, $10,000 for a semester, or $20,000 for a full academic year. Scholarship support can be for no less than eight (8) weeks, and no more than twelve (12) months. Average awards are approximately $10,000 per scholar.

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PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

Since 1996, NSEP has awarded Boren Scholarships to nearly 2000 U.S. citizens from all 50 States and the District of Columbia. These scholarships have enabled the study of over 63 less-commonly taught languages in 68 less-commonly studied countries and world regions.

REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE:

50 U.S.C. 1901-1911 (Chap. 37); Department of Defense Instructions 1025.02, "National Security Education Program," March 09, 2006; and Department of Defense Instruction 1025.6, "National Security Education Program Service Agreement," December 20, 1996.

INFORMATION CONTACTS:

Regional or Local Office:   None.
Headquarters Office:   Ms. Stacia Falat, National Defense University, National Security Education Program, Rosslyn P.O. Box 20010, 1101 Wilson Blvd, Suite 1210, Arlington, VA 22209-2248. Telephone: (703)696-1991, E-Mail: nsepo@ndu.edu or Mr. Christopher Powers, Institute of International Education, NSEP David L. Boren Scholarship Program, 1400 K Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20005-2403. Telephone: (800)618-6737, E-mail: nsep@iie.org.
Web Site Address:   http://www.iie.org

EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS:

Sophomore international relations major and Southeast Asia area studies minor from Loyola University Chicago learned Hindi in Udaipur, India on a University of Minnesota international development program. Junior political science major from the University of Illinois at Chicago studied Arabic at Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane, Morocco.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS:

Boren Scholarship recipients are selected based on merit including (1) academic record and potential to succeed in the proposed study, (2) commitment to federal service, (3) language interests and aptitude, and (4) quality and appropriateness of the proposed program and its relevance to the National Security Education Program.

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