Application Link:
Students eligible:
- Juniors or Seniors pursuing a bachelor’s degree
- Sophomore’s promoting to a Junior in Fall 2022
- Students in their first or second year of a master’s degree
Program Overview:
The DoD Cyber Scholarship Program (DoD CySP) is both a scholarship program for the DoD, and a capacity building tool for the nation. The program is a result of commitment from DoD and Congress to support higher education as a means to prepare the DoD workforce to deal with threats against the Department’s critical information system and networks.
Given our increasing reliance on cybersecurity, information technology (IT), the growing threats to information, and information systems and infrastructures, it is critical that the Department of Defense (DoD) protect itself. To do so, the DoD must be staffed with technically savvy personnel.
To help achieve this task, the DoD Cyber Scholarship Program (DoD CySP) was established. The DoD CySP is sponsored by the DoD Chief Information Office and administered by the National Security Agency (NSA).
The objectives of the program are to promote higher education in all disciplines of cybersecurity, to enhance the Department’s ability to recruit and retain cyber and IT specialists, to increase the number of military and civilian personnel in the DoD with this expertise, and ultimately, to enhance the nation’s cyber posture.
Here are some details on the scholarship (w/internship and job guarantee):
(a) Students selected as Cyber Scholars will receive the full cost of tuition, books (from the institution/degree specific required book list, not books which are optional for the class), required fees (including health care), and a stipend to cover room and board. The stipend levels are $22,000 for community college students (pilot program), $27,000 for undergraduate students and $32,000 for graduate (Master’s/PhD) students. Awards will be made via a grant to the NCAE-Cs.
(b) Students selected to participate in the DoD CySP will be required to sign a written agreement obligating them to work for the DoD, as a civilian employee for one calendar year for each year of scholarship assistance. This agreement is provided to the selecting agency for their records to ensure compliance with the service commitment.
(c) Students will be required to serve in internship positions, if timing permits, with the selecting DoD organization during the time they are receiving scholarship support until they complete the course of study provided for by the scholarship. These internships will be arranged by the DoD organizations to occur during the summer or other breaks between school terms, as appropriate to the individual’s circumstances and the institution’s calendar. The internship does not count toward satisfying the period of obligated service incurred by accepting the CySP scholarship.
(d) Students will be required to formally accept or decline the scholarship within 15 days of notification. Non-acceptance by this date will mean the scholarship will be offered to the next available student.
(e) Students will be required to complete a security investigation questionnaire to initiate the process for a background investigation in preparation for their internships, if applicable, and as a condition of future employment with the DoD. Drug tests or other suitability processing will occur as appropriate.
(f) Students will be required to sign an agreement stating that they will accept assignments requiring travel or change of duty stations as interns or employees. Individuals who voluntarily terminate employment during intern appointments or before the end of the period of obligated service required by the terms of Chapter 112, title 10, United States Code, will be required to refund the United States, in whole or in part, the cost of the educational assistance provided to them. Web pages have been provided in the Application Background and Application Package for review Page |4
about security clearances to assist both the principle investigator and the students in understanding these requirements before they apply.
(g) An opportunity also exists for scholarship payback through military service. Individuals choosing to enlist or accept a commission to serve on active duty in one of the Military Services shall incur a service obligation of a minimum of 4 years on active duty in that Service upon graduation. The Military Services may establish a service obligation longer than 4 years, depending on the occupational specialty and type of enlistment or commissioning program selected.
(h) Community College (pilot program) and Undergraduate scholarship recipients will be required to maintain a 3.2 out of 4.0 grade point average or the equivalent; graduate students will be required to maintain an overall 3.5 out of a 4.0 grade point average, or equivalent. Failure to maintain satisfactory academic progress will constitute grounds for termination of financial assistance and termination of internship and/or employment appointment.
(i) Students who fail to complete the degree program satisfactorily or to fulfill the service commitment upon graduation shall be required to reimburse the United States, in whole or in part, the cost of the financial (scholarship) assistance provided to them.
(j) Students will be required to agree to a code of conduct. A student handbook that includes the code of conduct rules will be provided to each selected student.
(k) Except for small achievement awards, not to exceed $6,000 in an academic year, a student may not accept simultaneous remuneration from another scholarship or fellowship. The DoD CySP is a first pay scholarship program.
