Goes By: Boren Fellowship
Be sure to consult the Fellowship Website for complete eligibility and competition requirements.
Boren Campus Nomination Deadline
Monday, January 5, 2026
Noon ET
Boren Fellowship Electronic Deadline
Wednesday, January 21, 2026
5 p.m. ET
Supports graduate students seeking to study a less commonly taught language abroad in a non-English speaking country (outside of Western Europe).
Boren Fellowships provide up to $30,000 in a 12-month period for graduate-level projects that focus primarily on language study, but can also include research, coursework, or academic internship components. This award provides the opportunity to add an important international and language component to your graduate education through specialization in area study, language study, or increased language proficiency.
Strong preference is given for programs of 25 weeks or longer; students may combine other language study (summer program, language school, private tutoring) with a semester abroad to reach this threshold. Applicants must explain how their language and study relate to issues of national security, broadly defined. Fellows are also required to fulfill a service requirement of at least one year of employment with a federal agency following their graduation.
All awardees must attend a mandatory in-person Convocation in Washington D.C. in late May of the year of award. All travel costs will be included for recipients. If you are awarded and are unable to attend, you will no longer be eligible to receive the award.
While no nomination is required, students are encouraged to have their applications reviewed by NFSP well before the electronic deadline.
To participate in the campus feedback process, applicants should meet with a national fellowships advisor by December 1. Students should work with NFSP to submit application materials for review and feedback from the Boren faculty committee by the January 5, 2026 campus deadline. The committee is an opportunity to get individualized feedback on how to submit a more competitive application from faculty and staff experts who have a lot of experience supporting USC Boren applicants.
Please note: Current graduate students applying for the Boren must also submit information to the Education Abroad Office at least 30 days prior to departure. See their website for more information.
Disability Resources
Applicants should work with the overseas program provider on the on-the-ground accommodations and set up that is possible. Start early! Depending on what is needed, the program contact on the ground is likely the best resource to connect the student with instructors or an academic advisor (if academic / learning disability) or to identify the right folks for other accommodations (housing, wheelchair access, etc). By starting early, applicants have the best opportunity to fully understand what is possible in the overseas environment and program implementors have the time to make arrangements for accommodation.
Requests for additional Boren funding for an accommodation are reviewed on a case by case basis and they make every effort to ensure reasonable requests are able to be approved for Boren-eligible expenses. Some expenses, such as medication, are not eligible for Boren funding as personal medical expenses are always ineligible.
All accommodation requests are reviewed on a case by case basis but as a go-to resource, applicants should visit the Mobility International USA (MIUSA) website.
Up to $25,000 for overseas study of a less commonly taught language in a non-English speaking country. Some funding available for domestic language study to supplement overseas component, for a maximum overseas and domestic program value of $30,000.
| Requirements | Details |
|---|---|
| Year(s) of Application | Senior, Alumni/Non-enrolled, Masters, Doctoral |
Minimum Grade Point Average |
3.3 |
Citizenship |
US Citizen |
| Campus Nomination Required | Yes |
Last updated: June 18, 2025
Fellowships for individuals who want to spend a year abroad in an intensive language program to improve their Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indonesian, Khmer, Thai, or Vietnamese language skills. Provides for all basic expenses at a graduate student level necessary to pursue an academic year of full-time intensive language study in East or SE Asia, including tuition and/or tutoring fees, plus a stipend for travel, living and study expenses
The CLS Program provides intensive language study for US undergraduate and graduate students, funded by the US Department of State. Students spend eight to ten weeks abroad studying one of 9 critical languages. The program funds eight to ten weeks of language immersion and cultural enrichment, including travel, room, and board.
Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) fellowships support the study of modern foreign languages. Summer FLAS fellowships support students enrolling in summer language programs at participating institutions. Summer FLAS awards provide a stipend of $3500 and $5000 for tuition and fees.