About the Scholarship for Service Program

The Scholarship for Service (SFS) program is a unique program designed to increase and strengthen the cadre of federal cybersecurity professionals that protect the U.S. government's critical information infrastructure. This program provides scholarships to U.S. citizens that fully fund the typical costs that students pay for tuition and books while attending an approved graduate or undergraduate program. Participants receive stipends of up to $10,000 for undergraduate and $15,000 for graduate students per semester to cover living expenses and their salary. After graduation, participants must fulfill a government service obligation for a period equivalent to the length of their scholarship (up to two years). Eligible students are encouraged to visit the national program website: https://www.sfs.opm.gov/ .

Scholarship:

Recipients of the scholarship will cover all tuition, and books for up to two years of study. In addition, students receive a stipend in the amount of $10,000 for undergraduates and $15,000 for graduate students per semester. Students are funded for up to the final two years of their program. The student must then serve at a federal agency for a period equivalent to the length of the scholarship. For Example, if the student is funded for a full two year period, he or she must serve at a federal agency for two calendar years.

Benefits:

  • Full Tuition Scholarship
  • Academic Stipend of $10,000 for undergraduate students or $15,000 for graduate students (per semester)

    • * These money are taxable at the federal level only. Taxes will automatically be taken out of student payments.
    All expenses are to come out of the stipend amount, and there is no additional housing or book allowance.

Recipient Responsibility:

In return for receiving scholarship benefits, each scholarship recipient incurs two obligations:

  • During the summers while enrolled in the program, each student will be responsible for securing an internship position at a federal, state, or local government agency. Numerous resources are available to assist students in identifying and applying for internships.
  • Upon graduation, each student will be required to work in a qualified position for a federal, state, or local government agency or a qualified national laboratory. The work requirement time period matches the supported time period. For example, a full two-year scholarship requires two years of federal employment. Each student is responsible for identifying, applying for, and securing a qualified position. Numerous resources are available including an annual job fair specifically for SFS students as well as the assistance of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) which oversees permanent placement for scholarship students.