CyberAICorps Scholarship for Service

The CyberCorps Scholarship for Service (SFS) program is administered by the National Science Foundation (NSF) in partnership with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). It was created under the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2014, as amended by the National Defense Authorization Acts of 2018 and 2021, and the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022. The program addresses the growing national demand for a highly skilled cybersecurity workforce to protect federal, state, local, and tribal government systems and networks. Through scholarships, education, and career placement, the program aims to strengthen the United States' ability to defend cyberspace, while simultaneously broadening participation and diversity in the cybersecurity workforce. The purpose of the CyberCorps SFS program is to recruit and educate highly qualified students in cybersecurity and related fields such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and aerospace. Scholarship recipients receive full financial support for their education, including tuition and fees, stipends of $27,000 per year for undergraduate students or $37,000 per year for graduate students, and a professional allowance of $6,000 annually. In return, students commit to a period of service in a government cybersecurity role equal to the length of their scholarship support. This includes opportunities in federal executive agencies, legislative branch entities, state and local governments, tribal governments, national laboratories, federally funded research and development centers, or, with limitations, as educators in cybersecurity. Institutions applying for SFS funding must demonstrate strong existing programs in cybersecurity, often evidenced by ABET accreditation or recognition as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity. Each institution must submit proposals that outline recruitment, selection, academic support, mentoring, and placement processes. Scholars must participate in summer internships, typically hosted by government agencies, and engage in professional development activities such as conferences, workshops, and competitions. Institutions are also responsible for initial and exit counseling of students and for verifying annual post-graduation employment compliance. The program awards are structured as continuing grants, with anticipated total funding of $20 million for FY 2024. NSF expects to fund approximately 12 to 16 awards, typically ranging between $2 million and $4 million over five years. Awards cover student scholarships and may include up to $12,000 per student-year in additional institutional support costs. Institutions may apply once per annual cycle, with each institution limited to one proposal. Institutions with ongoing SFS projects must meet budget expenditure thresholds and be within two years of the current award’s end date before reapplying. Proposals must be submitted through Research.gov or Grants.gov following NSF’s Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide. Full proposals are due by July 17, 2023, and on July 15 annually thereafter. The program is recurring, with proposal deadlines continuing on an annual basis. Proposals are reviewed under NSF’s merit review principles, focusing on intellectual merit, broader impacts, and solicitation-specific review criteria such as the quality of cybersecurity education, experiential learning opportunities, student engagement, and strategies for broadening participation of underrepresented groups in the cybersecurity workforce. Eligible applicants include accredited U.S. institutions of higher education. Community colleges are eligible only as sub-awardees in partnership with a four-year SFS institution. Students must be U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents enrolled full-time in eligible associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral programs focused on cybersecurity. They must meet defined academic and professional competency standards. Recipients are required to obtain and maintain security clearances as needed for internships and employment. Failure to complete academic or service requirements results in financial liability and conversion of scholarship funds to a loan obligation. For inquiries, the CyberCorps Scholarship for Service program can be contacted via email at sfs@nsf.gov. Additional support for Research.gov submissions is available through the NSF Help Desk at 1-800-381-1532, and Grants.gov submissions are supported via the Grants.gov Contact Center at 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov. The program remains a cornerstone of federal efforts to build a diverse, highly skilled cybersecurity workforce capable of safeguarding critical government and national infrastructure.

Clearly describe student support, placement, and sustainability plans; prior awardees must document outcomes