CyberCorps: Scholarship for Service

CyberCorps: Scholarship for Service is a federal program connecting cybersecurity education with internships and later government employment. It may support up to three years of undergraduate or research-based graduate study. The page lists annual stipends of $27,000 for undergraduates and $37,000 for graduate students, plus tuition and related education fees; meal plans, housing, and parking are excluded.

The program includes a $6,000 professional allowance for the SFS Job Fair, certifications, and related travel, along with a summer internship and job fairs. Support comes with a service obligation: after graduation, recipients must work in government for a period equal to the scholarship’s length. Before accepting, read the full agreement and understand the obligations and possible consequences.

Potentially eligible students are U.S. citizens and permanent residents enrolled full-time at a participating institution who are within three years of completing a cybersecurity bachelor’s or master’s degree, or pursuing a research doctorate. They must also meet federal-employment requirements and be able to obtain a security clearance if a job requires it. Institutions set additional requirements.

There is no single OPM application: students contact a participating university because each campus sets availability, dates, and steps. Community-college students may participate only through formal transfer agreements. Ask which employers qualify, how other aid coordinates, whether the degree is approved, and what happens if the academic plan changes or no eligible job is secured.

OPM directs students to review the awardee-institution list and contact a campus about availability and instructions. Treat the service obligation as part of the decision: compare eligible roles, agencies, and potential relocation before accepting funding tied to later federal employment.

To compare this benefit with other options, ask financial aid for an estimate separating tuition, fees, housing, and excluded expenses. Confirm whether it renews annually, what GPA or course load it requires, and whom to contact if the student account does not show the payment. Keep award letters and receipts until the school confirms disbursement.

Official program information and application