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. Participating and contracted cadets and midshipmen (Army, Air Force and Naval ROTC)  can receive full funding to study a language at a participating Project GO institution (in the US) or overseas.  Language offerings currently being funded by Project GO include Arabic, Hindi, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin Chinese, Persian (Dari, Farsi, Tajik), Portuguese, Russian, Swahili, and Turkish. Project GO at UW-Madison provides instruction and full funding for Hindi, Indonesian, Russian and Turkish.

National Project GO Summer 2025 applications will open later in Fall 2024

There are many benefits to participating in Project GO summer 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.

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.  For domestic programs, travel costs up to $500 to/from Madison, WI are covered.  For study abroad programs, the reasonable cost of international airfare is covered (and is determined by the Project GO at UW-Madison office based on current cost of air travel). Project GO funding does not cover personal spending money, personal travel, costs for obtaining a passport, medications, vaccinations or expenses for dependents.

No. We welcome applications from ROTC students matriculated as undergraduates from any college institution in the US that has an ROTC department.  UW-Madison students are also eligible to apply to other Project GO institutions for funding for language programs at those universities.

UW-Madison offers Hindi, Indonesian, and Turkish, Levels 1, 2 & 3 (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced) and Russian, Levels 1 & 2 (Beginner, Intermediate).

Absolutely. If you are already studying Hindi, Indonesian, Russian, or Turkish, feel free to apply for the next level of language, either domestically, or overseas.  If you are taking other languages that aren’t offered from UW-Madison, visit the main Project GO website to apply for other schools’ programs directly.

• 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)

The dates for 2025 are:

June 16 – August 8 for domestic study at UW-Madison for all languages (Hindi, Indonesian, Russian, and Turkish)

Check the national website for other options.  Students (including UW-Madison student) can study with other universities by applying for their funding.

Yes, but you will need to fill out two applications. The essay questions are similar, so in most cases, you can use the majority of your essay answers for both applications. Study abroad awards are decided and awarded before domestic study awards, so if you accept a study abroad award, any domestic study application you completed will not be considered for review. Start your application here: http://www.rotcprojectgo.org/apply-now

No, you can study domestically.  Although studying abroad offers the kind of cultural immersion that can’t be experienced anywhere else, our domestic language programs include several activities and events that will increase your cultural competency and knowledge of the people, traditions, and countries the languages are spoken in.  What our domestic programs may lack in cultural diversity, they make up for in language intensity.  You will be more proficient in your target language after 8 weeks — that is a guarantee!

If you are currently a UW-Madison student, your grades from domestic study at UW-Madison or a UW-Madison study abroad program will count toward your overall GPA.  If you are not a UW-Madison student but are matriculating at another college or university, you should check your college’s or university’s policies concerning transfer credits and how transferred courses fit into your GPA.  All summer language courses, both domestically and study abroad, are worth 8 college credits.

If studying abroad, you should check with the Office of Study Abroad on your campus for questions about how credits and grades will transfer back.

In either case, you will not get a transcript sent to you automatically after completing the 8 credit language course.  You will need to request a transcript through your student account via the online portal.  For directions on how to request your summer transcript, click here.

Whether or not you are a UW-Madison student, receiving the scholarship funds occurs in the following way.  First, if you are not a UW-Madison student, you will have to apply for Special Student status to become a UW-Madison student and enroll in classes.  Second, you need to enroll in the language course and in e-Refund once you are granted UW-Madison student status (e-Refund is an automatic disbursement system for transferring funds into a bank account of your choice). On or around May 15th, Project GO scholarship funds will be transferred to each students’ UW-Madison account, where tuition and program fees are paid.  The remaining funds (travel, food, lodging, etc) are then deposited to the student’s bank account. Students are expected to pay for deposits, fees, visa expenses, or purchase airfare prior to May 15th with their own funds until their scholarship funds are realized mid-May.

National Project GO Summer 2025 applications will open later in Fall 2024.

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 rotc@iie.org.

We realize your military instructor or advisor may know you better than any of your other professors, but because we already are requiring a letter of recommendation from your ROTC Commanding Officer, we highly encourage a letter from an academic source outside of your ROTC department.  (Hint: The Review Committee views letters from an academic professor more favorably).  We know this may be difficult if you attend classes with large enrollment. We suggest you meet with your professor(s) during their office hours to establish communications, as this is a good professional trait to practice as a future military officer.

Project GO @ UW-Madison reserves single-room housing in the UW-Madison residence halls for Project GO students. On-campus housing in the residence halls is required for non-UW-Madison students. Please let us know immediately (prior to application) if you have any issues with this requirement.

Parking is not provided and the cost of parking will not be covered by Project GO funding. Madison is very bicycle and bus friendly, and students will receive a free bus pass and discounted bicycle pass (Madison BCycle). Parking, on the other hand, is difficult to find and expensive.  We suggest not bringing a vehicle to Madison, if at all possible.  If you have more questions about this matter, please contact us at projectgo@lpo.wisc.edu.

The Department of Defense is investing in your future, so there are lots of expectations and requirements!  Please check our Once Awarded page for more details.

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.