Boren Fellowships
Boren Fellowships support U.S. graduate students in overseas language study and research to build regional expertise and connect graduate education with U.S. national security and public service goals.
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Funder: Institute of International Education
Due Dates: January 20, 2027 (National fellowship deadline)
Funding Amounts: Up to $12,500 for 12–24 weeks abroad or $25,000 for 25–52 weeks abroad
Summary: Boren Fellowships support U.S. graduate students pursuing overseas language study and research in regions critical to U.S. national security.
Key Information: Recipients must fulfill a one-year federal service requirement.
Description
Boren Fellowships, administered through the Institute of International Education and funded by the National Security Education Program (NSEP), support overseas study that adds an international and language component to graduate education. The program emphasizes intensive language learning and regional expertise in areas critical to U.S. interests and underrepresented in study abroad, including Africa, Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin America, and the Middle East.
Fellows may focus entirely on language study or combine it with graduate research, academic coursework, or eligible internships. Applicants must connect their proposed activities and future academic and career goals to U.S. national security and public service. National security is understood broadly, encompassing sustainable development, environmental degradation, global disease and hunger, population growth, and economic competitiveness alongside traditional concerns about American well-being.
