Project Go

What is Project GO?

Project GO (Global Officers) is a collaborative initiative that promotes critical language education, study abroad, and intercultural dialogue opportunities through language study scholarships for ROTC students. US military needs future military officers who possess the cross-cultural communication skills required for effective leadership in the 21st Century operational environment. Project GO provides scholarships to ROTC students to study critical languages domestically and abroad via a network of 20 participating universities nationwide.

How is Project GO funded?

Project GO is funded by the Defense Language Office, working through the National Security Education Program. Federal funds pass from NSEP to the Institute of International Education, which administers the Project GO institutional grants. On behalf of the federal government, IIE has awarded Project GO grants to 20 U.S. institutions of higher learning. These 20 colleges and universities allocate about half of their Project GO funding to student scholarship support, with the other half supporting institutional infrastructure. 

Who is eligible to apply for a Project GO scholarship?

All ROTC students (Army, Air Force, Navy/Marines), contracted or not contracted, at any year of undergraduate study and enrolled in any US university are eligible to apply for a Project GO scholarship.

What are the benefits of doing a Project GO summer study?

There are many benefits to participate in Project GO language programs, including:

• Earn university credits & fulfill language requirements
• Learn a new language
• Study abroad on a fully funded scholarship
• Qualify for language incentive pay (consult your service language policies)
• Access unique career & leadership opportunities
• No additional service commitment

What languages are considered “critical?”

The U.S. Government has designated some languages as “critical” because the national need for trained speakers in those languages exceeds the number of available speakers. These languages are also critical for U.S. national security and economic competitiveness.

Project GO supports programs & students of the following critical languages:

Arabic, Chinese, Hausa, Hindi/Urdu, Korean, Pashto, Persian (Dari, Farsi, Tajik), Russian, Swahili, Uzbek, and Wolof. 

How can I learn which institutions have been funded?

The participating universities are listed in the program database. Please click on the Universities Tab of the "Find a Program" search box.

Where can I find information on summer language and study abroad programs?

Our program database allows you to search for a program by language, university or start & end dates. Once you locate a program or several programs which interest you, you will need to read through its program information, course details and application instructions. Course location will be indicated on the right hand side. Study abroad programs will list their actual location - i.e. Beijing, China.

Contact the POC of the program or the Project GO coordinator at projectgo@asu.edu if you have any questions about the program. You will need to apply to each program directly.

I have a question about a program. Whom should I contact?

Please contact the university program administrator directly. Contact information or website link can be found on the "How to Apply" tab for each course info. You can also contact the National Project GO Coordinator at projectgo@asu.edu.

What is covered by a Project GO scholarship?

Funding benefits vary from program to program. Most scholarships cover tuition, room & board, class fees, airfare to the study abroad destination etc. Please check with each program administrator what exactly is covered by that program.

How many programs may I apply to?

You can apply to as many programs as you want but you should check each program's eligibility requirements. 

Would participation in Project GO extend my service commitment?

No, participation in summer language program on a Project GO scholarship does not require any additional service commitments nor will it adversely affect your ROTC scholarship in any way. Please note: while using ROTC scholarships for funding summer studies may require extension of service (please check your service policies), Project GO scholarships will not.

Is Project GO part of CULP (Army) or PDT (Air Force)?

No, Project GO is not associated with CULP or PDT programs. Project GO funded summer studies can be done in addition to other summer service-specific training and deployments.

I represent a university. How can we receive Project GO grants?

Please contact Laurie Wax, Program Officer with the Institute for International Education at lwax@iie.org for criteria and application procedures required to apply for Project GO Grants.

What is the National Security Education Program (NSEP)?

The National Security Education Program (NSEP) is an organization within the Department of Defense. NSEP was established by the National Security Education Act of 1991, which created the National Security Education Board, the National Security Education Program, and resources to provide undergraduate scholarships, graduate fellowships, and institutional grants. It is guided by a mission that seeks to lead in development of the national capacity to educate U.S. citizens, understand foreign cultures, strengthen U.S. economic competitiveness and enhance international cooperation and security.

Who operates this site?

The Project GO site is hosted by Georgia Tech. However, the emails to projectgo@asu.edu reach the Project GO staff at Arizona State University. Questions about specific programs should be emailed to each program's Point of Contact (POC), identified in the program database.

Does Project GO fund a full semester study abroad?

In some circumstances, schools with Project GO grants may elect to use  their grant funding to help individual students offset the costs of semester study abroad. In general, schools may allow students to use some grant funding when the cost of the study abroad program exceeds the cost for a semester on campus. For example, if total costs including air fare for a study abroad total 14K but the cost for the same semester on campus would be 12K, the grant could cover up to 2K for the student. If the cost of studying abroad was 12K and the total cost domestically was 15K, then the grant could not be used to cover the costs of study abroad. Additionally, if a student’s ROTC scholarship or some other scholarship is completely covering costs, it would not be appropriate to use grant funding to cover any costs.

How does the value of a Boren scholarship compare to the value of an ROTC scholarship and is it possible to use both scholarships simultaneously?

A Boren scholarship will fund up to $10,000 for a semester study abroad. However, in some cases, ROTC students may find that the value of their ROTC scholarship exceeds the value of a Boren scholarship. ROTC students should consider comparing the value of their ROTC scholarship for one semester to the potential value of a Boren scholarship (up to 10K for a semester). Boren scholarships may not be used in conjunction with an ROTC scholarship. During their semester abroad, students must select to apply either one or the other (but not both). Upon returning to the U.S., students may resume their ROTC scholarship.  Additionally, students should keep in mind that utilizing Boren for a semester may make it possible for them to utilize their ROTC scholarships for a summer term or an additional semester (students should check with their chain of command to determine if this might be possible). Finally, Army ROTC students should check through their chain of command with the Cadet Command CULP office for additional funds that may be available to support a semester study abroad.

Are there other options for funding study abroad during the semester?

Yes,  ROTC students are eligible to apply for another NSEP-funded scholarship – The Boren Awards for International Study (www.borenawards.org). See below.

When is the application due?

Most campuses have a Boren representative and an on-campus Boren deadline. Contact your on-campus representative and find out the on-campus deadline. You can find your Boren representative here. http://www.borenawards.org/participating_institutions  The national deadline is Feb 10 BUT REMEMBER THAT MOST SCHOOLS HAVE ON-CAMPUS DEADLINES PRIOR TO FEB 10!

Have ROTC students won Boren awards in the past?

Yes, usually at least one every year.

Do I incur an Active Duty Service Commitment/Obligation for Boren?

No. ROTC students do not incur any active duty service commitment/obligation for Boren. However, ROTC students do incur a service requirement which can be satisfied by military service. Most Boren recipients who are not in ROTC fulfill their service requirement in a variety of federal positions.  The priority agencies are Department of Defense, Department of State, Department of Homeland Security, and the Intelligence Community. However, an ROTC student who had a Boren scholarship and then went on to commission and serve his or her four years on active duty (as required by ROTC) does NOT need to serve a fifth year for Boren. All ROTC students should keep in mind that if they do not end up going on active duty, they will still need to fulfill their service requirement for Boren (in a non-active-duty capacity). Please view more information about Boren’s service requirement. http://www.borenawards.org/boren_scholars_service.html

Do I incur an additional service requirement for receiving a Boren scholarship?

ROTC students who receive a Boren scholarship and then go on to commission and serve on active duty for four years (as required by ROTC) will fulfill their service requirement through their active duty military service. However, if ROTC students aren’t going to be able to complete at least a year on active duty (for whatever reason—even for reasons beyond their control), you’ll need to work with the Boren program staff to make sure you’re satisfying the service requirement, which does not have to be fulfilled through military service.

What about my ROTC class and lab?

Boren is a scholarship program funded by the National Security Education Program (NSEP) to help support national security efforts. NSEP is supported by the Department of Defense.  ROTC students who receive this scholarship usually find that their Commanders are fully supportive and willing to assist with provisions for completing ROTC class and lab requirements before or after the Boren experience. If students have problems receiving local support, they should contact Project GO or Boren staff at IIE for assistance.

Can I use Boren to fund summer domestic language study?

No. Undergraduates have to go abroad with Boren. However, Project GO funds domestic summer language programs.

Can I just go abroad for a summer or do I have to go for a semester?

Minimum time periods abroad depend on major.  Science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) majors may apply for shorter periods of time. Please see the Boren awards website.

Is Boren related to Project GO?

Yes and no. Both programs are sponsored by the National Security Education Program and both programs are administered by the Institute of International Education, but the programs target different populations. Boren is a scholarship and fellowship program aimed at bringing civilian students with regional experience and language skills into the federal government. Project GO targets students who have already expressed an interest in government (military) service but who may not have had language or study abroad experience. Both programs focus on critical languages and emphasize language study and study abroad.

What is the Institute of International Education?

The Institute of International Education is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to building international goodwill through educational and cultural exchange among nations. By enabling more than 18,000 outstanding men and women each year to study, conduct research, receive practical training, or provide technical assistance outside their own countries, IIE fosters mutual understanding, builds global problem solving capabilities, and strengthens the international competence of U.S. citizens.

Can I receive funding for study abroad through Project GO as an officer on active duty?

Unfortunately, no. Project GO funding is for ROTC students only. 

My question is not answered here, whom can I contact?

Please contact Marina Akins, National Project GO Coordinator at projectgo@asu.edu, or call 480-727-6158, Mon-Fri 8:30 am - 4:30 pm Mountain Standard Time.