Boren Scholarships (2025)

Boren Scholars represent a vital pool of highly motivated individuals who wish to work in the federal national security arena. In exchange for funding, Boren Scholars commit to working in the federal government for at least one year after graduation.

The program focuses on geographic areas, languages, and fields of study deemed critical to U.S. national security.

It 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.

Boren Scholarships are awarded with preference for countries, languages, and fields of study critical to U.S. national security.

Preference is also given to students who will study abroad for longer periods of time, and who are highly motivated by the opportunity to work in the federal government. As we cannot list all countries, languages, and fields that are critical to U.S. national security, we are interested in applications that fall outside the preferences, if the candidate can make a compelling case that such study can contribute significantly to U.S. national security and the goals of the program.

Government Service

In exchange for scholarship funding, all Boren Scholars must agree to the NSEP Service Requirement.

For more information, please visit, what makes a competitive Boren Scholarship application.