FAQs

Project Global Officers (GO) is a Department of Defense initiative that promotes critical language education, study abroad, and intercultural dialogue opportunities through language study for ROTC students. The U.S. military needs future military officers who possess the necessary critical language and 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 participating universities nationwide.

• Year 1 (first and second semesters)
• Year 2 (third and fourth semesters)
• Year 3 (fifth and sixth semesters)
• Year 4 (seventh and eight semesters)
• Year 5 (ninth and tenth semesters)
• Year 6 (eleventh and twelfth semesters)

Please go to the contact us page. 

The participating universities are listed on the Find a Program page. Please click on the Program Search Tab or the "Find a Program" search box.

ROTC students are eligible to apply regardless of prior language experience; any level of language proficiency is acceptable (beginner to advanced).

There are many benefits to participating in Project GO language programs, that may include:

• Receiving a fully funded scholarship for critical language study
• Improving language proficiency
• Qualifying for language proficiency bonus pay
• Opening pathways to new career opportunities that require language and area studies
• Earning university credits and fulfill language requirements

Please speak to your ROTC cadre, academic advisor, and study abroad office regarding how the program may benefit you.

The Department of Defense has designated some languages as “strategic” because of the national need for trained speakers in those languages. These languages are also critical for U.S. national security and economic competitiveness. All languages offered through Project GO programs are considered strategic.

In addition to the following national program policies, Project GO participants agree to abide by the policies of their host institution, home institution, and ROTC program. All PGO participants must:

• Maintain eligibility for the duration of the Project GO funded experience. See eligibility requirements.
• Register in the Defense Language and National Security Education Office Student Database prior to the program start date and accurately complete all required fields.
• Enroll in the U.S. Department of State Safe Traveler Enrollment Program (if applicable).
• Participate in all required orientation sessions. 
• Complete all required pre and post program- language tests. 

See instructions on how to apply here

Yes, ROTC students nationwide are eligible to apply to any of the universities listed on this website regardless of your home institution.

Project GO summer 2023 programs follow a national application timeline:

Overseas and Hybrid Programs:

Student Applicant Deadline: Tuesday, January 17, 2023 at 11:59 PM (ET)

Selection Notification Date: Thursday, February 23, 2023

Student Decision Deadline: Monday, February 27, 2023

Waitlist Admissions Begin: Wednesday, March 1, 2023

Domestic Programs:
Student Application Deadline: Wednesday, March 8, 2023 at 11:59 PM (ET)

Selection Notification Date: Monday, March 27, 2023

Student Decision Deadline: Thursday, March 30, 2023

Waitlist Admissions Begin: Monday, April 3, 2023

See instructions on how to apply here.

Our Program Search page allows you to search for a program by language, course level, university, course type, scholarship funding or start and end dates. 

Contact the POC of the program or [email protected] if you have any questions about the program. 

First year students are encouraged to apply for Project GO. Please wait to submit your application, however, until you receive your first semester grades. At that time, you may enter your GPA and upload transcripts to your application.

All applications are reviewed after the deadline, so there is no disadvantage in waiting for your grades to come in. If you have not received your first semester grades by mid-January, please contact us at [email protected]. 

Yes. Commanders may ask another officer to complete the recommendation on their behalf. In the application, the designated officer will indicate that he/she is submitting the recommendation on behalf of the commanding officer. You should still discuss Project GO with your commanding officer, as he/she will need to give approval. 

Yes! Project GO scholarship recipients are encouraged to apply again during each summer in which you are eligible.

Project GO scholarships provide full funding to students, including tuition, room and board, textbooks, meals, visas, class fees, insurance, and travel expenses to and from the study destination. The Project GO program will let you know if there are any additional costs you are responsible for.  

ROTC students are eligible to apply for another NSEP-funded scholarship – The Boren Awards for International Study. For more information on the Boren Program, click here. 

Unfortunately, Project GO funding can only be applied to the specific programs offered at Project GO institutions as advertised on this website.

No, participation in a 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: using ROTC scholarships for funding summer studies may require extension of service but Project GO scholarships will not (please check your service policies).

Project GO participants planning to travel abroad MUST have a valid U.S. passport in their possession no later than 90 days before anticipated travel date.  Most foreign countries require visitors to hold a passport which expires no earlier than six months following the date of arrival, so if your current passport expires in the next year, you may need to apply for a new passport.

Many study abroad destinations require students to apply for a student visa. Additional processing time may be necessary for a student visa so it is important to begin the passport application process immediately. Project GO programs will assist you with the visa application process and fees.

If you do not have a passport and hope to study abroad, we strongly urge you to apply for one now.  The United States Post Office processes all passport applications. Visit the USPS website for more information on processing time and fees: https://www.usps.com/international/passports.htm.

All ROTC students are in student status while participating in a Project GO program.

Project GO is funded by the Department of Defense through the Defense Language and National Security Education Office (DLNSEO). Federal funds pass from DLNSEO to the Institute of International Education, which administers the Project GO institutional grants. IIE currently awards Project GO grants to U.S. institutions of higher education.

The Institute for International Education (IIE) completed an open competition in 2021 for the 2022-2024 Project GO grant cycle. To inquire about future competitions, please contact IIE at [email protected] .

While both programs are sponsored by DLNSEO and both programs are administered by IIE, the Boren Awards are scholarship and fellowship programs aimed at civilian students with regional experience and language skills into the federal government. Project GO is designed for ROTC 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.

ROTC cadets and midshipmen are strong candidates for the Boren Scholarship, due to their commitment to national security and government service.  ROTC participants are already on track for federal careers, and will fulfill their commitment to the military and their Boren Awards service requirement concurrently. ROTC applicants for the Boren Scholarships should explain in clear, non-military-specific language how they intend to progress through their careers as officers and any subsequent federal careers they wish to seek. They should emphasize the opportunities they will have to make use of their knowledge of foreign languages and cultures acquired through their Boren Awards grant.

Eligibility

Boren-ROTC applicants must fulfill the same general eligibility requirements as all Boren applicants. In addition, ROTC students must be in an inactive, non-drilling status during their Boren-funded overseas study.  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.

Application

ROTC participants have no special instructions for the Boren Scholarship application. They should only answer “yes” for the question that asks if the applicant is in ROTC.

Duration

Boren-ROTC applicants are encouraged to study abroad for six months or longer, if possible. However, applications for a semester abroad are also encouraged. ROTC participants interested in summer study are encouraged to apply for Project GO funding.

Project GO Alumni

Past Project GO participants are especially encouraged to apply for the Boren Scholarship to continue studying the Project GO language. This commitment to language and culture makes Project GO alumni especially strong Boren applicants. However, all ROTC participants are eligible under this initiative. 

Service Requirement

In exchange for funding, Boren Scholarship recipients commit to working in the federal government for one year. ROTC participants may fulfill their ROTC commitment and their Boren commitment concurrently.

Study Abroad Program Resources

The resources listed below may help students create appropriate overseas plans:

• Visit the Boren Awards Selecting an Eligible Study Abroad Program page to see additional resources and considerations. We suggest consulting with your home institution’s study abroad, financial aid, and academic advisor offices; your Boren Campus Representative; and IIE Passport.
• Browse our student profiles to see what Boren Awardees in your field of study have done in the past.

ROTC Flagship Scholarships

Air Force Foreign Language Flagship Scholarship Program

The Air Force offers scholarships to Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) students under the Air Force In-College Scholarship Program (ICSP) – Type 2 for Foreign Languages to meet the needs of the Air Force based on the Air Force Strategic Language List. The program is designed to allow students to study at one of the 31 Language Flagship institutions focusing on Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Persian, Portuguese, and Russian, with the goal of Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) Level 3 proficiency upon completion of the program.
Air Force ROTC will award a maximum of 4-year scholarships and DLNSEO will provide funding for the fifth-year Capstone program overseas as well as attendance to intensive summer language programs, as needed, to Air Force ROTC students who successfully qualify for one of the Flagship programs. Air Force ROTC students need to meet The Language Flagship program language proficiency requirements for participation in selected summer language programs and the fifth-year overseas Capstone program.
To be eligible for the AFROTC ICSP Flagship scholarship, AFROTC cadets must enroll in one of the Language Flagship programs, pursue their AFROTC-contracted major in the language, AND meet and maintain all AFROTC cadet criteria as per AFROTC Instruction 36-2011, Cadet Operations.
Those interested in the Language Flagship should contact their desired Language Flagship institution for information on applying through the institution’s established process and its host AFROTC Detachment for information on AFROTC eligibility and the AFROTC Language Flagship scholarship. The Air Force ROTC universities identified for Flagship degree-granting authority are listed below:

Arabic
Brigham Young University (Detachment 855 -- https://www.afrotcdet855.org)
Indiana University (Detachment 215 -- https://afrotc.indiana.edu/)
University of Arizona (Detachment 020 -- https://wildcatwing.arizona.edu/)
University of Maryland, College Park (Detachment 330 -- https://www.afrotc.umd.edu/)
University of Mississippi (Detachment 430 -- https://afrotc.olemiss.edu/)
University of Texas, Austin (Detachment 825 -- https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/afrotc/)

Chinese
Arizona State University (Detachment 025 -- https://afrotc.asu.edu/)
Brigham Young University (Detachment 855 -- https://www.afrotcdet855.org/)
Hunter College (Cross Town Detachment 550 -- https://home.manhattan.edu/~afrotc/)
Indiana University (Detachment 215 -- https://afrotc.indiana.edu/)
San Francisco State University (Cross Town Detachment 085 -- http://airforcerotc.berkeley.edu/)
University of Hawaii, Manoa (Cross Town Detachment 175 -- https://manoa.hawaii.edu/undergrad/airforcerotc/)
University of Minnesota (Cross Town Detachment 415 -- https://afrotc.olemiss.edu/)
University of Mississippi (Detachment 430 -- http://www.afrotc.umn.edu/)
University of Oregon (Cross Town Detachment 685 -- https://afrotc.oregonstate.edu/)
University of Rhode Island (Cross Town Detachment 115 -- https://airforce.uconn.edu/)
University of Washington (Detachment 910 -- https://www.washington.edu/afrotc/)
Western Kentucky University (Cross Town Detachment 790 -- http://www.tnstate.edu/afrotc/join.aspx)

Korean
University of Hawaii (Detachment 175 -- https://manoa.hawaii.edu/undergrad/airforcerotc/)

Persian
University of Maryland – College Park (Detachment 330 -- https://www.afrotc.umd.edu/)

Portuguese
University of Georgia (Detachment 160 -- https://afrotc.uga.edu/)
University of Texas, Austin (Detachment 825 -- https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/afrotc/)

Russian
Bryn Mawr College (Cross Town Detachment 750 -- https://sites.sju.edu/afrotc/)
Indiana University (Detachment 215 -- https://afrotc.indiana.edu/)
Portland State University (Cross Town Detachment 695 -- https://www.up.edu/afrotc/)
University of California – Los Angeles (Detachment 055 - -- https://www.afrotc.ucla.edu/)
University of Georgia (Detachment 160 - -- https://afrotc.uga.edu/)
University of North Carolina (Detachment 590- -- https://afrotc.unc.edu/)
University of Wisconsin, Madison (Detachment 925 - -- https://afrotc.wisc.edu/)
Virginia Tech (Detachment 875 -- https://liberalarts.vt.edu/rotc/airforce.html)

For additional information on AFROTC, please visit https://www.afrotc.com/

Army Foreign Language Flagship Scholarship Program

Army Cadet Command, in partnership with the Defense Language and National Security Education Office (DLNSEO), offers scholarships to Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) students who enroll at one of the eligible Language Flagship centers focusing on Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Persian, Portuguese, and Russian with the goal of Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) Level 3 proficiency upon completion of the program.
The Army will provide dedicated scholarships to ROTC students participating in The Language Flagship programs. These scholarships will provide support during the school year. DLNSEO will provide funding for the Flagship Overseas Capstone year, as well as cover attendance to Flagship-approved summer intensive language programs for qualified ROTC students.
Army ROTC students who wish to participate in The Language Flagship must apply through their university’s established process. The Army foreign language Flagship scholarship applications will be centrally processed by Army Cadet Command and interviewed and boarded by Professors of Military Science under the current guidelines.
The Army ROTC universities identified for Flagship degree granting authority are listed below:

Arabic
Brigham Young University (https://marriott.byu.edu/army/)
Indiana University (https://iu.go-rotc.com/)
University of Arizona (https://wildcatbn.arizona.edu/)
University of Maryland (https://armyrotc.umd.edu/)
University of Mississippi (https://arotc.olemiss.edu/)
University of Texas (https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/arotc/)

Chinese
Arizona State University (https://militaryscience.asu.edu/)
Brigham Young University (https://marriott.byu.edu/army/)
Hunter College (https://www.cuny.edu/about/university-resources/army-rotc/)
Indiana University (https://iu.go-rotc.com/)
San Francisco State University (https://sfsu.academicworks.com/opportunities/4640)
University of Hawaii (https://manoa.hawaii.edu/undergrad/armyrotc/)
University of Minnesota (https://arotc.umn.edu/)
University of Mississippi (https://arotc.olemiss.edu/)
University of North Georgia (https://ung.edu/military-college-admissions/)
University of Oregon (https://universityoforegonrotc.com/)
University of Rhode Island (https://web.uri.edu/rotc/)
University of Washington (https://armyrotc.uw.edu/)
Western Kentucky University (https://www.wku.edu/rotc/)

Korean
University of Hawaii (https://manoa.hawaii.edu/undergrad/armyrotc/)

Persian
University of Maryland (https://armyrotc.umd.edu/)

Portuguese
University of Georgia (https://armyrotc.uga.edu/)
University of Texas (https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/arotc/)

Russian
Bryn Mawr College (Cross Town Widener University - https://www.widener.edu/academics/undergraduate-programs/army-rotc)
Indiana University (https://iu.go-rotc.com/)
Portland State University (https://www.pdx.edu/reserve-officers-training-corps/)
University of California, Los Angeles (https://milsci.ucla.edu/)
University of Georgia (https://armyrotc.uga.edu/)
University of North Carolina (https://armyrotc.unc.edu/)
Virginia Tech (https://liberalarts.vt.edu/rotc/army.html)

For additional information on the scholarship program, contact Mr. Larry Waller (502)-624-7023 [email protected].

Please contact the university program administrator directly. Contact information or a website link can be found on the "How to Apply" tab for each course.