Deadline: Noon, January 22, 2010

• Official Boren Scholarships Website

Boren Scholarships provide up to $20,000 to U.S. 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 American, and the Middle East. The countries of Western Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand are excluded. Boren Scholarships are funded by the National Security Education Program (NSEP), which focuses on geographic areas, languages, and fields of study deemed critical to U.S. national security. Applicants should identify how their study abroad program, as well as their future academic and career goals, will contribute to U.S. 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.

Eligibility requirements

• A U.S. citizen at the time of application.
• A high school graduate, or have earned a GED, and are matriculated in an undergraduate degree program in a U.S. post-secondary institution, including universities, colleges and community colleges accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
• Applying to engage in a study abroad experience in a country outside of Western Europe, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand that meets home institution standards.
• Planning to use the scholarship for study abroad, and the study abroad program ends before you graduate. Boren Scholarships are not for study in the United States.

Selection criteria

Scholarship award recipients will be selected on the basis of merit with consideration for program preferences, academic record and potential to succeed in the proposed study abroad program, commitment to international education to fulfill academic and career goals, language interest and aptitude, and the quality and appropriateness of the proposed program and its relevance to the National Security Education Program.

* Applicants should submit all materials by the campus deadline, to receive the benefit of the campus ranking. IIE does not encourage students who have missed the campus deadline to submit an application individually, but they will process all applications submitted by the February 2010 deadline.

Application requirements

Applicants MUST submit the following:

• Completed and forwarded online application to Scholarship Connection in 301 Campbell Hall.
• Completed letters of reference. Two letters required; three optional.
• Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended. Freshmen must also include high school transcripts.
• Choose one of the following:
  • One page study abroad program description with cost information. (This may be a page from the program's website or a photocopy of part of the program brochure.)
  • If you set up a direct enrollment or individually arranged study abroad program, please provide two letters of support. The first letter should be from your home institution and the second letter should be from your overseas host institution.
• Language self-assessment (Language self-assessment guide)
• Language proficiency form (optional)

The UC Berkeley selection committee will select the university's nominees based on the above application materials and criteria.

Candidates from UC Berkeley should make an individual advising appointment with Scholarship Connection staff. For more information, contact Scholarship Connection.