Boren Undergraduate Scholarship

Website

www.borenawards.org

Award Details

Boren Scholarships provide US citizen undergraduate students with resources and encouragement to acquire skills and experiences in areas of the world critical to future security of our nation, in exchange for their commitment to seek work in the federal government. The National Security Education Program (NSEP) awards Boren Undergraduate Scholarships to US undergraduates for study of world regions including Africa, Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin America, and the Middle East, but excludes countries of Western Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. 

Maximum awards are determined by duration abroad:

Up to $25,000 for 25-52 weeks (preferred)

Up to $12,500 for 12-24 weeks

Up to $8,000 for 8-11 weeks (STEM majors only)

Webinars and application resources

Eligibility

Applicants must be US citizens enrolled in accredited undergraduate degree programs. Boren scholars must remain matriculated in their undergraduate programs for the duration of the scholarship and may not graduate until the scholarship is complete. 

Application Timeline

The Boren Undergraduate Scholarship Application encourages a university interview and endorsement. Please contact Ashley Weibel to discuss your interest in applying. 

Timeline: 
Mines Campus Deadline (optional, if you’d like feedback): January 10th, 2025
Boren National Deadline: January 29, 2025
Notification: April 2025

Application Tips

A few common issues committee members have pointed out: 
■ “The national security argument was all over the place”  
■ “Their government service plan was not very detailed” 
■ “We didn’t see any connection between their national security argument and why it’s important to the U.S.” 
■ “They didn’t answer the question of ‘why do they need a Boren Award’ to help them in their future career goals” 
A few aspects committee members have liked: 
■ “The connection between their U.S. national security argument and career goals in essay two is clearly described and strong” 
■ “There’s a strong commitment to language before, during, and after Boren” 
■ “They provided names of departments/agencies where they could employ their topical knowledge and linguistic capabilities” 
■ “Their commitment to federal service covers both the near- and long term”

Mines Contact

Ashley Weibel

Assistant Director, Office of Nationally Competitive Scholarships

ashley.weibel@mines.edu

Mines Boren Recipients

Year

Name

Country

Language
2024 Richard Jung Japan Japanese
2020 Shannon Keohane Tanzania Swahili
2014 Else Wolff Argentina Spanish
2011 Melissa Kern Israel Hebrew
2010 Ryan Bracken China Mandarin