Get Cyber Security Grants for Education Cybersecurity is becoming a popular major for a lot of students. As per a report by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, cybersecurity jobs are increasing much faster than the average rate with the median salary of a cybersecurity professional being more than $100,000 annually.
Cybersecurity can be a career path for you if you are interested in science and technology and enjoy the art of problem-solving. This guide will throw light on a variety of cybersecurity grants and scholarships for individuals studying in undergraduate, graduate or other types of certification programs.
Highlights of this Post
What Are The Eligibility Criteria And Documents Required To Secure Cyber Security Grant?
The eligibility criteria to secure a Cybersecurity grant may vary depending on the program you’re applying for and your location. However, the common eligibility criteria require the following
- Must enroll in a cybersecurity-related program
- Be a citizen of the United States, a legal resident or an eligible immigrant to qualify for financial assistance
- Must meet the income criteria of the program and have family income within the income thresholds set by the program
- Maintain a certain GPA
- Showcase excellent academic results
- Demonstrate commitment to the cybersecurity field.
A lot of scholarships have certain requirements such as being a veteran, a woman, or belonging to a particular minority group. The eligibility criteria in the application procedure for every program varies so it is important to learn the criteria of the program before applying.
Following are the documents that you need to submit to secure a cyber security grant or scholarship program.
- Academic transcripts
- A written essay or proposal
- Letters of recommendation
- Citizenship residency or immigration documents
- Proof of household income
How To Apply For Cybersecurity Grants For Education?
There are amazing opportunities that you can get to win cybersecurity grants and scholarships. Few students dive immediately into essay writing to secure a cybersecurity grant but there are other areas that you must consider.
To be eligible for a cybersecurity grant you need to demonstrate eligibility, submit meticulous documentation and make sure your eligibility aligns with the objectives and goals of the grant. The following is the step-by-step process to apply for cyber security grants for education.
Learn The Eligibility Criteria
The first and foremost step in the application procedure is to make sure you can meet the eligibility criteria for the specific cybersecurity grant that you are considering. Applicants who can secure cybersecurity grants for education are community colleges, K-12 schools, vocational schools, and universities including students.
Start The Application Procedure
Once you fulfill the eligibility criteria you can start the application procedure by filling out the application form. A lot of programs require candidates to outline their needs and goals regarding cyber security in a document. This will help the evaluators to get a clear and concise picture of your aspirations and objectives about pursuing a career in cybersecurity.
Submit The Relevant Paperwork
A lot of grant programs require paperwork such as the citizenship residency criteria, proof of income, filing FAFSA, state government-issued IDs and other relevant paperwork. An excellent grant proposal will help you to demonstrate your commitment to the cybersecurity field.
Evaluation And Assessment
Once you submit the application form, grant proposal and the accompanying documents the evaluators will review your application and paperwork meticulously to determine if you are eligible to get the funding.
If your proposal and application align with the overall objectives and mission of the grant program then you have a good chance of securing the funding. Your grant application will be evaluated for its accuracy, completeness and adherence to the program and grant guidelines.
Approval and Award
On completing the evaluation procedure qualified applicants receive approval and get the funding for the program. It generally takes around 6 to 12 months for the approval of the application. The volume and complexity of applications decide the approval procedure.
What Are The Federal Grants Available Cybersecurity Grants For Education?
Cybersecurity Public Service Grant
The Cybersecurity Public Service Grant is offered by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. The main objective is to help the recent graduates of Virginia schools with educational degrees in cybersecurity.
The council partners with accredited private and public colleges as well as businesses and offers them assistance up to $20,000 in combined employer and state match benefits.
Pell Grant and FSEOG
If you’re a prospective or current cybersecurity student you can qualify for federally funded need-based financial assistance through the government or your college. There are two main financial aid applications that you must know about the Pell Grants and the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants.
To qualify for both the grants you need to file a Free Application For Federal Student Aid. FAFSA will determine the amount of financial aid that you can receive through the government including other types of federal student loans. You must check in with your college to see how to apply for an application and secure the financial aid.
Cybersecurity Education And Training Assistance Program CETAP
The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Cybersecurity Education Office (CEO) makes an investment in summer camps to promote cybersecurity training, education and awareness for high school-aged students including their teachers.
By investing in teachers the number of youth who will benefit from the education and awareness of cybersecurity gets multiplied.
The program aims to develop interest in the cybersecurity career field among students at an early age.
State And Local Cybersecurity Grant Program
The State and Local Cyber Security Grant Program offers funding opportunities to help local government, state government and US territories to address the cyber security risks and threats to information systems. This program assists in targeted cybersecurity investment.
Introduced in 2002 by the Department of Homeland Security, the grant program provides direct assistance to schools for getting the right funding and addressing the cybersecurity threats at their schools.
The program is operated through state agencies and helps schools to apply for grants and improve cybersecurity measures. The staff and students can also get cybersecurity training and implement an advanced threat detection system with the funds obtained through this program.
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Graduate and Undergraduate Cybersecurity Grants
The Snort Scholarship
Cisco, the technology behemoth, is giving cybersecurity education grants through its Snort Scholarships program. Selected students will receive a $10,000 scholarship. The qualifying criteria that must be met in order to receive these scholarships are simple to meet.
The first and most important requirement is that you must be enrolled in an institution of higher learning, university, or other institution of your preference. A total of 5 students will receive the Snort Scholarship.
Central Intelligence Agency Undergraduate Scholarship Program
The Central Intelligence Agency Undergraduate Scholarship Program provides current and future undergraduate students the right opportunity to work at the Central Intelligence Agency during the summer breaks and provides tuition assistance of up to $18,000 annually. STEM candidates can receive assistance at $25,000.
The scholarship money can be used for tuition, books and fees. High school students accepted to a four-year college or university including undergraduate students are eligible to apply.
Last Mile Education Fund
The Last Mile Education Fund promotes diversity in technology by assisting low-income and underrepresented students who are committed to building a career in the technology industry and accessing high-paying jobs provided they can showcase outstanding academic results. The fund offers financial support to students within four months of graduating from college.
The fund assists low-income women who are pursuing computing-associated degrees. Various types of funding are provided through this fund including the Last Mile Grant that offers assistance up to $10,000 and emergency mini-grants for $600.
The Strokes Educational Scholarship Program In NSA
The National Security Administration offers the Strokes Education Scholarship program for current high school seniors who are planning to major in electrical engineering or computer science in college. The program offers assistance up to $30,000 annually in tuition assistance and provides summer internship opportunities to students during college.
Qualified students get an annual salary and other perks like health insurance, retirement savings plans, and PTO. The recipients of this scholarship program have to work at the National Security Administration for a particular time.
National Science Foundation Scholarship for Service
The National Science Foundation Scholarship for Service is among the few national cybersecurity education scholarships that provide financial support to students interested in pursuing cybersecurity professions in the IT sector.
The only requirement for applying for these cybersecurity education grants is that the candidate should be a student. You can be a student from any participating school and should be pursuing a bachelor’s, masters, or doctoral degree in the information assurance field.
To be qualified for the stipend term, you must also complete a 10-week internship. The National Science Foundation’s official website has all the information you need regarding these cybersecurity grants for education.
Also Read : How to get Free Government Grants for Educations
National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship:
These are for individuals interested in pursuing higher education in national security-related disciplines. One of the few cybersecurity grants for education that gives financial support to individuals and homeland security grants institutions is the National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship.
Students wishing to apply for these funds must be in their final year of high school and accepted into a PhD program. If this requirement is not met, the applicant may be up to two years into their graduate studies.
Chosen candidates will be given the once-in-a-lifetime chance to work on research at the Department of Defense, which will be based purely on their merits and expertise. The students who apply will be chosen based on their merit and expertise in the field of cybersecurity.
Information Security Undergraduate Scholarship (ISC)
ISC encourages cybersecurity research of all kinds. They offer $5,000 scholarships to students planning to complete a college degree focused on cyber security and/or information assurance through their education wing.
Anyone can apply for this scholarship, not just US residents or students studying in the US. A student applying for the scholarship also must be a high school senior, graduate, or a freshmen, sophomore, or junior at a college.
Scholarship recipients must also adhere to certain restrictions. Prior to receiving the award, you must enroll (although you can win the prize without enrolling yet). Tuition, books, and fees will be paid by the funds, which will be disbursed only to your institution.
The Cybersecurity and Education Center
There are around twenty scholarships offered by the Cybersecurity and Education Center in the United States, a non-governmental organization that offers scholarships to students who want to pursue a bachelor’s degree, regardless of their nationality. Each recipient will receive up to $5,000 from this organization.
Enter the Scholarship Application Portal once all the requirements have been met. You should easily be able to set up an account in just a few steps, since some applicants don’t have one. You can then proceed with your application.
Cyber Security Graduate Scholarship Program
As with undergraduate scholarships, (ISC) provides scholarships for graduate students in cybersecurity. Applicants for both programs must achieve a minimum GPA of 3.5 out of a 4.0 scale, or an equivalent. This scholarship is also open to students outside the US, just like the undergraduate scholarship.
Cybersecurity Grants/ Scholarships For Students Of Color
Minority Students x Stem Scholarship
This scholarship seeks to assist underrepresented and underserved students to gain success while pursuing a career in the field of technology. Minority students often face a lot of difficulty in today’s society to pursue a career in the STEM field.
From establishing connections in this sector to finding part-time jobs, internships or full-time employment at tech companies it can be difficult for them to access opportunities so this scholarship has been designed to help them in every way possible. One winner is selected every year and provided a grant award worth $3050.
Cybersecurity And The Latinx Community Scholarship
A one-time scholarship award worth $5000 is provided to Latinx students who are pursuing undergraduate degrees in the cybersecurity sector. Low-income students who are studying cybersecurity can believe in this scholarship program.
The Cybersecurity and Latinx Community Cybersecurity scholarship seeks applicants to write an essay about why they decided to pursue a career in cybersecurity and what are their future plans.
Also read: How to apply for Scholarships for college students
Cybersecurity Grants And Scholarships For Women
Raytheon Women’s Cybersecurity Scholarship
The Raytheon Scholarship Program offers two separate scholarships to female applicants in conjunction with (ISC) 2. Unlike other Raytheon scholarships, this scholarship has a slightly distinct set of requirements.
The requirements are:
- Citizenship in the United States
- High school or college graduate with at least a bachelor’s degree
- A specialization in cybersecurity
- A minimum grade point average of 3.3 out of 4.0
Your institution will receive funds directly for books, tuition, and fees. Furthermore, people with mid-career goals can apply if they are working towards a college degree. You may also be a second- or third-year student at the time of your application if you are a mid-career applicant.
Scholarship For Women Studying Information Security Program Scholarship
The scholarship is designed particularly for women who are pursuing a bachelor’s or master’s degree in a field related to cybersecurity.
To be eligible for this scholarship you need to get enrolled or be accepted at a recognized US institution. This scholarship is limited to citizens of the United States and permanent residents only. Since 2019 the program has provided scholarships to 90 women for up to $10,000 each.
Few more cybersecurity grants and scholarships particularly for women are
- Women Tech Maker Scholars Program
- VIP Women In Technology Scholarship
- Women In Technology Fellowship
Cybersecurity Grants And Programs For Veterans
Google Student Veterans Award Scholarship
There are around 8 scholarship programs $10,000 each that Google provides to student veterans who are pursuing a career in the field of computer science or cybersecurity. The scholarship is used towards a graduate or undergraduate degree at a recognized four-year educational institution.
To qualify for this program you need to showcase your student veteran student on active duty or a veteran receiving honorable discharge and has good standing with his or her branch of service.
The Yellow Ribbon Program
The US Department of Veterans Affairs provides the Yellow Ribbon program to eligible veterans or those pursuing higher out-of-state, graduate or private school tuition that the post 9/11 GI bill does not cover. This scholarship is not specific to careers in the cybersecurity field however you can use the program towards a Cybersecurity degree.
Cisco Veteran Cyber Scholarship Program
Cisco has partnered with Onward to Opportunity to provide the Cisco Veteran Cyber Scholarship Program. This is somewhat different to other scholarship programs since this scholarship is for free certification and training from Cisco. Veterans can take advantage of this scholarship and make a career in cybersecurity.
Companies That offer Cyber Security Scholarship
Microsoft STEM Scholarships
According to Microsoft ‘s president Brad Smith, the company will train 250,000 cybersecurity professionals. This will help solve the shortage of qualified workers in this area.
The program will entail providing free educational materials to colleges and universities, cybersecurity training to teachers, grants to 42 colleges and scholarships for 25,000 students.
The Microsoft scholarship is available to anyone pursuing a degree in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) (which includes cybersecurity).
IBM cybersecurity grant for public schools
Approximately 60% of school staff members are unprepared for cybersecurity threats, according to an IBM study due to lack of training, lack of knowledge, lack of budget, lack of virtual learning.
In recent years, schools have been increasingly targeted by cyberattacks, including ransomware, which locks down computer systems and demands payment before it can be accessed again. To strengthen cyber security in America’s K-12 schools, IBM announced a $3 million grant program. The deadline for applications is March 1 and schools interested can apply for one of six $500,000 grants for their institution through IBM.org.
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Conclusion
Cybersecurity grants for education are important to ensure the security and safety of educational institutions as well as their sensitive data. Education institutions are taking advantage of grants by submitting a grant proposal outlying the cybersecurity education and workforce development plan including the research objectives and methodology. Not only educational institutions but a lot of students are also eligible to receive financial support to pursue a career in the cybersecurity field. With the aforementioned resources educational institutions and students can develop a robust cybersecurity program and successfully contribute to the development of a skilled cybersecurity workforce.
Learn more about grants and scholarships that can help you get the right financial support and reduce your burden. Read more of our resources at Get Government Grants’ blog section.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are Cyber Security Grants?
Cybersecurity grants and scholarships are financial awards provided to low-income students for pursuing a career in the field of cybersecurity. The programs are designed to support and encourage students to become a part of this rapidly growing field.
Who Offers Cybersecurity Grants And Scholarships?
Cyber Security Grants and Scholarships are provided by several entities such as nonprofit organizations, governmental agencies, universities and private companies.
