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Home ― Academics ― Leadership Opportunities ― DoD Cyber Security Scholarship Program (CySP)

DoD Cyber Security Scholarship Program (CySP)

The Department of Defense Cybersecurity Scholarship Program (DoD CySP) is a nationwide program with the goal of increasing the number of qualified students entering the fields of cybersecurity, computer science, information assurance, and information technology at the Department of Defense through a scholarship for service program. These students will help secure the nation against threats of increasing attacks against our nation’s infrastructure and secure our country against threats.

Benefits

  • Stipend for undergraduates: $29,000 annually
  • Stipend for graduate students $34,000 annually
  • The scholarship pays all tuition and fees
  • $1,650 for the purchase of a laptop or desktop computer
  • $1,000 for books, supplies, and tablet/e-readers
  • $1,750 in professional development funding
  • Internships each summer with a selected DoD agency for hands-on experience
  • Full-time job within a Department of Defense agency
  • Both on-campus and online/distance students are eligible
  • The scholarship is renewable for up to 5 years

Eligibility

  • Students must be accepted into an appropriate program at DSU at the time of their application
  • All students must be enrolled as a full-time student while receiving the scholarship
  • You must be 18 years of age or older
  • You must be a citizen of the United States at the time of application
  • Undergraduates must have completed at least 60 credits at the time in which they would receive the award
  • Students must have at least one year of school left (at least a fall and spring semester) in their plan of study. This may be a combination of bachelors & masters, just bachelors, or just graduate work
  • Must meet minimum GPA standards of: 3.2 (undergrad) or 3.5 (graduate).
  • Students should be enrolled in one of the following programs:
    • Bachelors: Network & Security Administration, Cyber Operations, Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence
    • Masters: Computer Science, Cyber Defense
    • Ph.D.: Computer Science, Cyber Operations, Cyber Defense

Overall, this scholarship is worth approximately $45,000 per year for a DSU student. When you leverage the scholarship for up to 5 years, it provides a benefit of over $200,000 to you as a student!

To learn more about the CySP program as a DSU student, attend an information session; check out the DSU Activities Post for when sessions will be offered.

Application

Students who meet the requirements for the scholarship may apply online by following these steps:

  1. Complete the DSU portion of the application at:
    1. https://forms.office.com/r/chDrEsrN4M
    2. We recommend that you work with your advisor to create a plan of study for next fall through your graduation date.
    3. This form is required of all applicants. Applicants who have not completed this form will not have tuition dollars budgeted for them and will not be considered for the scholarship.
  2. Create an account and begin the application process at:
    1. https://www.dodemergingtech.com/cyber-scholarship-program-cysp/
    2. Provide the necessary biographical information
    3. Upload an unofficial transcript
    4. Respond to the six competency areas, where you’re demonstrating to the scholarship selection group just how smart you are! Be detailed in what you know!
    5. Work with your faculty to obtain your letters of recommendation

The deadline for applications is February 1, 2024. 

The deadline for applications is set annually by the Department of Defense. The 2024/2025 application cycle is due on February 1, 2024. If you have specific questions about eligibility, how to apply, or how the program operates, please reach out to CySP@dsu.edu ASAP!

Kyle Cronin

Kyle Cronin

Associate Professor, Coordinator for Ph.D. in Cyber Defense

Department

The Beacom College of Computer & Cyber Sciences

Contact

Office Location: Beacom Institute of Technology
Phone: (605) 256-5838
Email
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