The purpose of the DoD CySP is to support the recruitment of new cyber talent and the retention of current highly skilled professionals within the DoD cyber workforce. Additionally, this program serves to enhance the national pipeline for the development of cyber personnel by providing grants to institutions of higher education
The DoD CySP administrators have made extensive information about the scholarship for service available at this link.
Applications Closed for 2022-2023 academic year
We anticipate that this yearly program will open applications for the 2023-2024 academic year in spring 2023.
Deadline for Submission:2022-2023 Academic Year was February 1, 2022.
Because it has been a successful recruitment and retention program, the DoD CySP is an annual program offered by the DoD. For example applications for the 2022-2023 program were due February 1, 2022. Please contact the Director of the Center for Cyber Security Awareness and Cyber Defense for information about the application cycle. The DoD program hosts an application information web site and an application web site for the program. We provide information about the application process and the program for your consideration in the future.
Applicants should review all application instructions and materials carefully. Pay close attention to the mandatory conditions of financial assistance and employment. If you have not yet applied to the M.S. in Computing and wish to apply for the DoD CySp, please go to Graduate School Application Instructions. Current DoD employees can apply for this scholarship and take advantage of the online delivery that our MS in Computing program offers.
Starting in 2022, there was an online application process. The Director of the Marquette center can provide you the link to the application proces.
BASIC SCHOLARSHIP BENEFITS
The scholarships covers study in the Information Assurance and Cyber Defense specialization in the M.S. in Computing program. New graduate students, junior and senior undergraduates and current master’s and doctoral candidates who are U.S. citizens and are at least 18 years of age are eligible for consideration for the program. Students selected as Cyber Scholars will receive the full cost of tuition, the cost of most educational materials, and a stipend to cover living expenses. The stipend levels are $27,000 for undergraduate students and $32,000 for graduate (Master’s/PhD) students. Awards will be made via a grant to the CAE that is then distributed to the students. Disabled students may receive additional allowances. There are no allowances for dependents.
ELIGIBILITY FOR SCHOLARSHIP AND APPOINTMENT
To be eligible for the CySP opportunity you must meet all of the following minimum requirements:
- You must be 18 years of age or older.
- You must be a citizen of the United States or a permanent resident admitted to the U.S. for permanent residence prior to the time of application.
- You must be enrolled (or accepted for enrollment) in one of the identified CAE-C colleges or universities listed in the announcement, or enrolled (or accepted for enrollment) at an institution selected by a CAE-C as a collaborative partner for these purposes.
- You must have
- completed (or by the start of the next academic year will have completed) at a minimum:
- first two years of an undergraduate degree program; or
- bachelor’s degree; or
- master’s degree
- And be eligible to:
- begin either the third or fourth year of an undergraduate degree program; or
- begin the first or second year of a Master's degree program; or
- pursue doctoral studies
General Application Information
Marquette University must recommend you for the scholarship. We review the application materials, and conduct verification as may be necessary to establish standards of academic sufficiency. Factors to be considered in arriving at the rating for “demonstrated potential” are
- The applicant’s original transcript(s) from all institutions of higher education attended
- The applicant’s current Grade Point Average (GPA)
- Academic honors, distinctions and awards
- Letters of reference
Many of the supporting documents are also required and used to assess factors for admission to the M.S. in Computing program.
Additional Details
Expand all | Collapse all
These are one-year awards. Additional years of scholarship awards are dependent upon satisfactory academic progress, internship performance, if applicable, and the availability of DoD funds. Returning students will be given first priority over new students to the program as long as they continue to meet the CySP requirements and appropriate funding is available. Scholarship recipients who successfully complete the terms of an initial one or two-year scholarship (for example, complete an undergraduate degree), may apply for a second scholarship of up to three years for completing an advanced degree, if the sponsoring agency agrees. Funding amounts will be pro-rated for returning Cyber scholars requesting less than a full year of support. When funding allows, students may be provided funding to attend one cybersecurity-related conference - USA-based only. No foreign travel authorized.
DoD agencies will provide sponsors
Selecting DoD agencies will provide sponsors who will maintain contact with the student during the scholarship period, and who will facilitate the student’s entry into internships, if applicable, and eventually into DoD employment. Contingent on adequate funding appropriations, returning students will be required to re-apply each year by submitting the entire student application, one copy of their official transcripts, reflecting maintenance of the required grade point average and an endorsement/ recommendation letter from the Principal Investigator.
Recipients of scholarships will participate in experiential learning assignments (called "internships" in the law) at the DoD Components and Agencies while completing their academic degree programs. There are a variety of hiring authorities across DoD and the determination will be made by those Agencies in conjunction with the CySP Program Office.
Cyber Scholars will be appointed at those General Schedule grade levels for which they are qualified and selected by DoD component officials. Since the Area of Consideration for scholarship applicants includes master’s and doctoral degree candidates, it is anticipated that applicants will (variously) meet minimum qualification standards for Student Trainee appointments at GS-0099-7, GS-0099-9, and GS-0099-11. The Military Departments and DoD Components that select and appoint students will decide at what grade levels successful Cyber Scholars will be appointed in light of any applicable component-unique factors such as the target occupations or full-performance position levels for the candidates. To obtain information on the general salary schedule, please visit: The Office of Personnel Management general salary schedule.
