These terms and their definitions are for the purpose of this part.

Administrative agent. Organization that will administer, direct, and manage resources for NSEP.

Boren Fellowship. A competitive award granted for graduate study under NSEP.

Boren Scholarship. A competitive award granted for undergraduate study abroad under NSEP.

Critical area. Determined by the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the members of the National Security Education Board, in accordance with 50 U.S.C. chapter 37 and 50 U.S.C. 1903.

Critical foreign language. Determined by the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the members of the National Security Education Board in accordance with 50 U.S.C. chapter 37.

Deferral of the NSEP service agreement. Official NSEP documentation signed by the Director, NSEP, or his or her designee, by which an NSEP award recipient pursuing approved, qualified further education is allowed to postpone meeting the service deadline.

(1) A deferral reschedules the date by which an NSEP award recipient must begin to fulfill service.

(2) Qualified further education includes, but is not limited to, no less than half-time enrollment in any degree-granting, accredited institution of higher education worldwide or participation in an academic fellowship program (e.g., Fulbright Fellowship, Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship).

(3) A deferral is calculated by first calculating the length of enrollment in the degree program from start date to anticipated graduation date, and then adding the length of enrollment in the degree program to the service deadline.

(4) Approvals of deferrals will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Extension of the NSEP service agreement. Official NSEP documentation signed by the ASD(R), through the DASD(FE&T), by which an NSEP award recipient who has completed award requirements, reached the service deadline, and is actively seeking to fulfill the NSEP service agreement in a well-documented manner is allowed to extend the service deadline. An extension reschedules the date by which an NSEP award recipient must complete the service required in the NSEP service agreement.

Intelligence Community. The U.S. Intelligence Community is a coalition of 17 agencies and organizations within the executive branch that work both independently and collaboratively to gather the intelligence necessary to conduct foreign relations and national security activities.

Language proficiency. The U.S. Government relies on the Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) scale to determine language proficiency. According to the ILR scale:

(1) 0 is No Proficiency.

(2) 0+ is Memorized Proficiency.

(3) 1 is Elementary Proficiency.

(4) 1+ is Elementary Proficiency, Plus.

(5) 2 is Limited Working Proficiency.

(6) 2+ is Limited Working Proficiency, Plus.

(7) 3 is General Professional Proficiency.

(8) 3+ is General Professional Proficiency, Plus.

(9) 4 is Advanced Professional Proficiency.

(10) 4+ is Advanced Professional Proficiency, Plus.

(11) 5 is Functional Native Proficiency.

NSEP Service Approval Committee. Committee of key NSEP staff members who review the merits of all requests for service credit, deferrals, extensions, or waivers of the NSEP service agreement, including adjudication of all cases involving award recipients who decline job offers, in order to provide recommendations to the Director, NSEP.

Other federal agencies. Includes any federal government agency, department, bureau, office or any other federal government organization of any nature other than the Department of Defense or any component, agency, department, field activity or any other subcomponent of any kind within or subordinate to the Department of Defense.

Program end date. Official end of an NSEP award recipient's program, as set forth within the individual's NSEP service agreement.

Request of service credit in fulfillment of the NSEP service agreement. Written request made through submission of a DD Form 2753 to the NSEP office, documenting how employment an NSEP award recipient held or holds complies with fulfillment of the NSEP service agreement.

Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC). College program offered at colleges and universities across the United States that prepares young adults to become officers in the U.S. Military. In exchange for a paid college education and a guaranteed post-college career, cadets commit to serve in the Military after graduation. Each Service branch has its own take on ROTC.

Satisfactory academic progress. Maintenance of academic standards at both home and host institution(s) for every NSEP award recipient for the duration of the study program.

Service deadline. Date by which NSEP award recipient must begin to fulfill the NSEP service agreement.

Waiver of the NSEP service agreement. Official NSEP documentation, signed by the ASD(R), through the DASD(FE&T), by which an NSEP award recipient is relieved of responsibilities associated with the NSEP service agreement.

Work in fulfillment of the NSEP service agreement. Upon completion of the NSEP award recipient's study program, such individual must seek employment in the DoD, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of State (DOS), or the Intelligence Community, or if no suitable position is available, anywhere in the U.S. Government in a position with national security responsibilities. If such individual is unsuccessful in finding a federal position after making a good faith effort to do so, award recipient agrees to seek employment in the field of education in a position related to the study supported by such scholarship or fellowship. The award recipient further agrees to fulfill the service requirement, as described in this rule.