Note: the application window for this scholarship is now closed.

If you are an undergraduate junior, undergraduate senior, master's, or doctoral student at University of Maryland Global Campus, you may be eligible to apply for a full scholarship opportunity thanks to the U.S. Department of Defense's Cyber Scholarship Program.

Eligibility

To qualify as a candidate for the Cyber Scholarship Program, you must meet all of the following requirements at the time of your application:

  • Be 18 years of age or older
  • Be a citizen of the United States or a permanent resident
  • Be enrolled or accepted for enrollment at UMGC; for the upcoming semester, you must be
    • A rising second-year student at a CAE-C community college who will be transitioning to a UMGC bachelor’s degree program
    • An undergraduate junior or senior at UMGC
    • A UMGC master's student
    • A UMGC doctoral student
  • Hold a minimum GPA of 3.2 as an undergraduate student or 3.5 as a graduate student
  • Provide official transcripts

How to Apply

Note: the application window for this scholarship is now closed.

Create one zip file containing a completed Cyber Scholarship Program application and the supplemental materials listed within the application, all in PDF format. The zip file should be named: LAST NAME_First Name_UMGC.

Submit this zip file to css@umgc.edu.

Please allow sufficient time to complete the application, as it is very detailed and requires a significant amount of supplemental content, including a personal statement, resume, two letters of reference, and possibly additional documentation.

Award Information

Students selected as Cyber Scholars will receive scholarships covering the full cost of tuition, course-required materials, required fees, and a stipend. The stipend levels are $25,000 for undergraduate students and $30,000 for graduate students.

Scholarship Renewal

Additional years of scholarship awards are dependent upon satisfactory academic progress, internship performance, if applicable, and the availability of funds. Returning students will be given first priority over new students to the program as long as they continue to meet the Cyber Scholarship Program requirements and appropriate funding is available.

Department of Defense Internship, Employment, and Service Requirement

  • Internship: As part of the Cyber Scholarship Program, you will receive hands-on cyber-related internship experience during breaks in your studies.
  • Employment/Service Requirement: Cyber Scholars will be required to complete one year of service to the Department of Defense, upon graduation, for each year or partial year of the scholarship received. There is also an option to fulfill this requirement through military service.

For more information about these requirements, please see the scholarship application or e-mail css@umgc.edu.

About the Cyber Scholarship Program

This program is executed by the National Information Assurance Education and Training Program of the National Security Agency, on behalf of the Department of Defense. The Center for Security Studies at UMGC is the point of contact for students at UMGC who wish to apply for the scholarship program.

Cyber Security Program Designation

UMGC has been designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance and Cyber Defense Education by the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security and as a National Center of Digital Forensics Academic Excellence by the Defense Cyber Crime Center Academic Cyber Curriculum Alliance.

DACCA LogoDepartment of Homeland Security LogoNational Security Administration Logo

Please note: This designation allows the Department of Defense to offer this scholarship opportunity to UMGC students.

Cyber Scholarship Program Application

Applications for this program are now closed.

FAQs: Application Information

When is the application deadline for the Cyber Scholarship Program? +

Applications for this program are now closed. Applications submitted in the wrong format, using wrong forms, or missing items will be deemed incomplete and will not be considered for the scholarship. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered for the scholarship opportunity. No exceptions will be granted.

Who can write references letters on my behalf? +

To complete your application, you will need two letters of reference. Your first letter must be from a current faculty member. Your second letter must be from either a current or former faculty member or a current or former supervisor.

Recommenders must be fully knowledgeable of your potential for successful learning, your knowledge, and your ability. Letters must be on official letterhead and contain the full name and contact information (phone, e-mail, and mailing address) of the recommenders.

How will I submit my original transcripts for the purposes of this scholarship application? +

You will have to scan your transcripts and include them in your application file. Forward the original transcripts to your appropriate contact at UMGC.

Graduate Students

Jennifer Hull
University of Maryland Global Campus
3501 University Boulevard East
Adelphi, MD 20783

Undergraduate Students

Kimberley Doyle
University of Maryland Global Campus
3501 University Boulevard East
Adelphi, MD 20783

Who is considered a full-time student at UMGC? +

Please see UMGC's policy on Student Academic Load And Enrollment Status to find out how many credits undergraduate and graduate students need to take per semester to be considered full-time students.

Does the Cyber Scholarship Program have a renewal process for awardees? +

Contingent on adequate funding appropriations, it is anticipated that successful scholarship recipients will receive follow-on support to complete their degree program. Returning students will be required to reapply each year by submitting the entire student application, one copy of their official transcript (reflecting maintenance of the required grade point average) and an endorsement/recommendation letter from the principal investigator.

FAQs: Eligibility Restrictions

I am not a U.S. citizen. Can I still apply for the Cyber Scholarship Program? +

No. Only U.S. citizens or permanent residents can apply.

I am a current member of the military, employee of the U.S. Department of Defense, or other Federal employee. Am I eligible to apply for the Cyber Scholarship Program? +

No. According to the scholarship program's rules and regulations, current U.S. Department of Defense employees and other Federal employees, active-duty military servicemembers and Reserves and Guard members, and students with an existing service obligation are not eligible to apply.

Traditional Guard and Reserves members are eligible to apply. This category refers to those who may only put the uniform on during the weekend. An example is someone who works for a regular company but goes to a military base one weekend a month to perform his or her Guard or Reserves duties. Students in this category are eligible to apply for the scholarship program.

I am a Federal contractor. Can I still apply for the Cyber Scholarship Program? +

Current U.S. Department of Defense employees and other Federal employees, active-duty military servicemembers and Reserves and Guard members, and students with an existing service obligation are not eligible to apply. If you do not fit this description, you can apply as a contractor.

FAQs: Internship and Service Requirements

What are the internship requirements for the Cyber Scholarship Program? +

Students will be required to serve in internship positions, if timing permits, with the U.S. Department of Defense while they are receiving scholarship support until they complete the course of study provided for by the scholarship. These internships will be arranged by the U.S. Department of Defense 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 scholarship.

What are the service requirements for the Cyber Scholarship Program? +

Students selected as Cyber Scholars will be required to complete one year of service to the U.S. Department of Defense, upon graduation, for each year of scholarship received.

There is also an option to fulfill this requirement through military service. Individuals choosing to enlist or accept a commission to serve on active duty in the military shall incur a service obligation of a minimum of four years on active duty in that service upon graduation. The military may establish a service obligation longer than four years, depending on the occupational specialty and type of enlistment or commissioning program selected.

Scholarship payback for traditional Guard and Reserves members is two years of service for each year of scholarship received.