BYU CyberCorps Scholarship for Service (SFS)

Applications for Fall 2025 open until February 15, 2025

About the Program

The NSF-funded CyberCorps Scholarship for Service program is designed to recruit and train the next generation of information technology professionals, industrial control system security professionals, and security managers to meet the needs of the cybersecurity mission for Federal, State, local, and tribal governments. The BYU program offers a scholarship including a living stipend, full tuition, and professional development funds, for 2 or 3 years (see next section) and participate as part of an SFS community at BYU and throughout the country. Students must complete various obligations (see Obligations below) during their time at BYU, finish a government internship each year, and work for a government entity for as many years as they received the scholarship. If SFS students do not fulfill their commitment, they must repay the entire costs associated with the scholarship.

BYU CyberCorps SFS Options

Applicants can choose one of three options at BYU as outlined below:

• Option 1 - Cybersecurity, B.S. Option (2 years):
  
  • Declared Cybersecurity majors at BYU who will be Juniors in Fall 2025 may apply.
  • Funding for Junior and Senior year will be provided.
    
• Option 2 - IT & Cybersecurity, M.S. Option (2 years):
  
  • Those who will have completed a relevant technical B.S. degree (e.g., Cybersecurity, IT, CS, EE, CE, IS) from an accredited university program before Fall 2025 may apply.
    
    • Acceptance of the SFS Scholarship is contingent upon acceptance into the BYU IT & Cybersecurity M.S. program.
    • If you have missed the deadline for applying to the IT & Cybersecurity program, we have the ability to petition for late admits for exceptional students.
  • Funding for both years of M.S. degree will be provided.
    
• Option 3 - B.S. + M.S. Option (3 years):
  
  • Declared Cybersecurity majors at BYU who will be Seniors in Fall 2025 may apply.
  • Funding for Senior year, as well as two years of M.S. degree will be provided.
    
    • The two years  for M.S. degree is contingent upon acceptance into the BYU IT & Cybersecurity M.S. degree.
  • With permission from the SFS admissions committee, students can apply to finish the M.S. degree in one year. Please contact Audra McHoes if you would like to assess this possibility.

Eligibility Requirements

• U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
• Currently enrolled in Cybersecurity B.S. program (Option 1 and 3) or applied for admissions to the IT & Cybersecurity, M.S. program (Option 2). If you missed the deadline for Fall 2025 admissions to the IT & Cybersecurity M.S. program, you may apply by the SFS deadline and still be considered for the Fall 2025 admissions.
• Have a GPA of 3.0 or higher (3.5 or higher recommended)
• Meet selection criteria for federal employment, including criteria needed to obtain a security clearance.

Benefits

• Full tuition
• Annual stipend of $27,000 (undergraduate) or $37,000 (graduate students).
• Annual professional allowance for books, certifications, and professional development travel of $6,000.
• Assistance in identifying government employment opportunities (e.g., participation in annual government career fair, connections with government agencies with strong ties to BYU) including an internship and full-time employment upon graduation.
• Participation in SFS community of students at BYU and nationally.
• Faculty mentoring.

Obligations

• Be full-time student on track to graduate at planned time.
• Maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0.
• Complete SFS Seminar (0.5 credit) each semester you receive the scholarship.
• Attend an annual government career fair in Washington DC each January.
• Participate in outreach, research, and professional development activities at BYU (e.g., cybersecurity competitions, cybersecurity club events, promotional activities for cybersecurity, faculty mentored research).
• SFS Students must not work full or part-time when receiving the scholarship unless they receive approval to work in BYU's Security Operation's Center.
• Students must participate in a summer internship with a government entity as approved by the program director between each year of receiving the SFS scholarship (i.e., one internship for Option 1 and 2, two internships for Option 3).
• Work for a cybersecurity-focused qualifying government position (e.g., federal executive agency, national research lab, or in some circumstances state, local, or tribal government agency) upon completion of academic degree requirements. Length of service must match the number of years the grant was received. If this obligation is not met, students must repay the full cost of all benefits received as part of the scholarship