Cybersecurity students can combine college scholarships, federal aid, service-based programs, employer support, assistantships, and targeted training assistance in 2027. The strongest approach is to match each opportunity to your degree level, school, citizenship or residency, identity or service background, and willingness to accept an internship or government-service commitment. Award amounts and application windows change frequently, so treat the figures below as information verified in September and October 2026, not guaranteed 2027 offers.
Start with your school’s financial-aid office, submit the appropriate FAFSA as soon as it opens, and then apply directly to sponsors whose current rules fit you. Never infer a 2027 deadline from a 2026 closing date.
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What counts as cybersecurity funding?
A cybersecurity student may receive several kinds of assistance, and they do not have the same rules.
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- Academic scholarships: Gift aid based on degree level, major, grades, enrollment, identity, geography, or financial need. They usually do not require post-graduation employment.
- Service-based scholarships: Education funding tied to an internship, security clearance, and a qualifying government or approved employer job after graduation. The service obligation can last as long as the period of support, or longer under a particular program.
- Training awards: Smaller grants or subsidies for certification exams, professional-development courses, or job-transition training rather than a full college tuition bill.
- Federal student aid: Grants, loans, and work-study accessed through the FAFSA. A scholarship search does not replace the FAFSA.
- Assistantships and employer support: Graduate teaching or research positions, employer tuition reimbursement, and school-specific fellowships. These are often controlled by a department rather than a national sponsor.
Compare the obligation as carefully as the dollar amount. A $27,000 annual stipend attached to a service contract is not equivalent to a $5,000 unrestricted academic award.
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Cybersecurity scholarships and programs to investigate for 2027
The following opportunities were identified in information verified in September 2026 and a snapshot taken October 13, 2026. Several 2027 cycles were not yet announced, and some listed cycles were already closed. Confirm the live application, participating-school list, award terms, and deadline with the named sponsor before preparing an application.
| Program | Published award or benefit | Reported eligibility | Cycle or obligation note |
|---|---|---|---|
| AFCEA Cyber Security Scholarship | $5,000 | Full-time sophomores or juniors at accredited four-year U.S. institutions; at least 3.0 GPA; U.S. citizen or permanent resident; online programs eligible | Latest listed application period was closed; do not infer a 2027 date |
| Howard A. Schmidt Memorial Scholarship | $3,500 for undergraduate study | Recipients must be at least sophomores when the award is received | Reported 2026 window was February 1–June 15; 2027 deadline not announced |
| ISACA Foundation Scholarship Program | $500–$5,000 | Higher-education students globally in cybersecurity, IT audit, and related digital-trust fields | Cycle announced September 9, 2026, with applications reported through November 3, 2026; verify whether that cycle remains open and check the next one |
| Nightwing Scholarship with AFCEA | $5,000 | Qualifying undergraduate and master’s students in cyber, national security, intelligence, and related fields | Latest cycle was closed |
| vCISO Cybersecurity Scholarship | $1,000 | U.S. full-time cybersecurity majors age 18 or older, undergraduate or graduate | 2026 cycle closed May 31; no 2027 date should be inferred |
| E. Eugene Schultz Jr. Memorial Scholarship | $3,500 for graduate study | Graduate cybersecurity or information-security-related students | Ask the ISSA Education Foundation for the current cycle and conditions |
| Ralph W. Shrader Graduate Scholarship | $3,000 | Qualifying full-time graduate students in eligible STEM fields, including cybersecurity | Check the current AFCEA application period |
| CyberAI Scholarship for Service, also called CyberCorps/SFS | Up to three years of tuition and required education fees; $27,000 academic-year undergraduate stipend or $37,000 graduate stipend; professional allowance | Students at participating institutions selected through their institutions | Required internships and qualifying government service generally equal to the support period; current NSF naming and solicitation must be verified |
| Department of War Cyber Service Academy | Advertised Fall 2026–Spring 2027 package included tuition and fees, books and supplies, living stipend, certification allowance, and paid summer internship | Eligibility and school participation are program-specific | Potential support for up to five years with government-employment obligations; confirm current terms |
| NSA Stokes Educational Scholarship | Up to $30,000 per year for tuition and fees, plus a year-round salary and qualifying summer housing and travel support | Reported requirements include U.S. citizenship, high-school-senior status, clearance eligibility, academic qualifications, and testing | Summer 2027 application period was reported as beginning September 1; post-graduation service is at least 1.5 times the scholarship-supported study |
| Microsoft and Last Mile Education Fund assistance | Up to $500 in financial assistance and up to $375 toward a certification exam | Qualifying low-income U.S. community-college cybersecurity students | Training assistance, not a conventional four-year tuition scholarship; verify current intake |
Academic and association awards
The AFCEA Cyber Security Scholarship is one of the clearest undergraduate leads for a student who is already a sophomore or junior. Its reported $5,000 amount is tied to full-time enrollment at an accredited four-year U.S. institution, a 3.0 or higher GPA, and U.S. citizenship or permanent residency. The guide specifically reports that online programs can qualify, but the school and enrollment must still satisfy the sponsor’s current rules.
The Howard A. Schmidt Memorial Scholarship is reported at $3,500 for undergraduate study. You must be at least a sophomore when the award is received, not merely when you submit an application. The 2026 window ran from February 1 through June 15; no 2027 closing date had been announced in the available information.
The ISACA Foundation Scholarship Program serves students worldwide in cybersecurity, IT audit, and related digital-trust fields. Its reported awards range from $500 to $5,000. A cycle announced September 9, 2026, reportedly accepted applications through November 3, 2026. Because that date belongs to a specific cycle, check whether it is still open and do not treat it as the 2027 deadline.
The ISC2 Center for Cyber Safety and Education supports associate, undergraduate, and graduate cybersecurity-focused study globally. The Center awarded a new cohort in August 2026, but the amount and next application window need to be confirmed for the current cycle.
The Nightwing Scholarship with AFCEA is reported at $5,000 for qualifying undergraduate and master’s students in cyber, national-security, intelligence, and related fields. Its latest cycle was closed when the information was compiled. The vCISO Cybersecurity Scholarship is reported at $1,000 for U.S. full-time cybersecurity majors age 18 or older, at either undergraduate or graduate level; its 2026 cycle closed May 31.
Graduate funding beyond named scholarships
Graduate students should investigate both national awards and the department running their program. The ISSA Education Foundation’s E. Eugene Schultz Jr. Memorial Scholarship is reported at $3,500 for graduate cybersecurity or information-security-related study. AFCEA’s Ralph W. Shrader Graduate Scholarship is reported at $3,000 for qualifying full-time graduate students in eligible STEM fields, including cybersecurity.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsUniversity departments may offer teaching assistantships, research assistantships, fellowships, paid research positions, or tuition waivers. Employer tuition support can be more valuable than a small external award, especially when you are already working in IT. Ask the department’s graduate coordinator what is available, whether funding is renewable, and whether an assistantship changes your enrollment or work requirements.
Federal and service-based programs
CyberAI Scholarship for Service (CyberAI SFS). The National Science Foundation reportedly renamed the program in 2026, while the Office of Personnel Management’s public student overview still uses the CyberCorps/SFS name. Present both labels when searching. The reported package can cover up to three years of tuition and required education fees, provide a $27,000 academic-year stipend for undergraduates or $37,000 for graduate students, and include a professional allowance. Students apply through participating institutions, which run their own selection processes. Recipients complete required internships and generally owe qualifying government cybersecurity service for a period equal to the support period. Confirm the current solicitation, participating schools, agency placements, and consequences of leaving the program before signing.
OPM describes the purpose this way: “The SFS program provides funds to colleges and universities for student scholarships in support of education in areas relevant to cybersecurity.” Its student overview also says recipients agree to qualifying post-graduation government or approved federally funded research and development center cybersecurity work for a period equal to the scholarship length. The 2026 naming change means you should search both terms and read the current agreement rather than relying on an older page.
Department of War Cyber Service Academy. The advertised Fall 2026–Spring 2027 package included tuition and fees, books and supplies, a living stipend, a Department of War 8140 certification allowance, a paid summer internship, and a possible post-graduation career opportunity. The reported support could last up to five years, but participation and employment terms are decisive. Confirm whether your institution participates, what the current service commitment is, and what happens if you do not accept or complete the required government employment.
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NSA Stokes Educational Scholarship Program. The available information says the Summer 2027 application period began September 1 and lists cybersecurity as an eligible planned major. The reported benefit is up to $30,000 per year for tuition and fees, plus a year-round salary and qualifying housing and travel support during summer employment. Reported requirements include U.S. citizenship, high-school-senior status, clearance eligibility, academic standards, and testing. After graduation, service is at least 1.5 times the period of scholarship-supported study. The tuition figure does not include the salary or other support; evaluate each component separately.
CIA Stokes Undergraduate Scholarship. The program was not accepting Summer 2027 applications at the October 2026 snapshot. The reported structure is financial-need-based, with summer work and relevant cyber career areas. Monitor the agency’s current announcement rather than assuming that a closed or paused cycle will reopen on a particular date.
Focused awards for women in cybersecurity
Identity-focused programs can narrow the field, but each has its own definition of eligibility. The information available for ESET’s 2026 U.S. scholarship listed two $10,000 awards and a March 8–April 8 application window. Those figures and dates are historical to 2026; they do not establish a 2027 cycle.
The ISC2 Center lists a $5,000 Samantha Jennings-Jones Memorial Scholarship. ISACA’s SheLeadsTech program offers awards for women in technology and digital-trust fields, while ISSA’s Shon Harris Women in Information Security Memorial Scholarship is reported at $2,000. An EC-Council University tuition reduction is school-specific and cannot be transferred to another institution. Check whether the award is restricted to tuition, whether enrollment must be full-time, and whether it can be combined with other aid.
Veterans, military families, and community-college students
AFCEA’s War Veterans Scholarship is reported at $2,500. AFCEA also lists an iWorks award for a military member’s or veteran’s spouse or child. An EC-Council University veteran tuition deduction is another school-specific benefit. Military status alone does not establish eligibility: service history, relationship, enrollment, major, and documentation requirements differ.
Microsoft and the Last Mile Education Fund describe assistance for qualifying low-income U.S. community-college cybersecurity students, with up to $500 in financial assistance and up to $375 in certification-exam subsidies. WiCyS’s Security Training Scholarship is professional-development funding for members seeking cybersecurity work. ISSA/SANS training support is separate from ISSA’s academic scholarships, so do not count a training award as a substitute for a degree scholarship.
How to search without missing the best-fit awards
- Define your student profile. Record degree level, year in school, enrollment status, major wording, school type, online or campus format, GPA, citizenship or residency, state, veteran or military-family status, financial need, and whether you can accept an internship or service commitment.
- Start with your institution. Ask the financial-aid office about institutional scholarships, state programs, work-study, and whether outside awards reduce other aid. Ask your department about assistantships, research roles, and cybersecurity-specific fellowships.
- Search professional associations and foundations. Look at cybersecurity, audit, digital-trust, veterans, women-in-technology, and regional technology organizations. Read the current eligibility page instead of relying on a search-result summary.
- Check government programs separately. Service programs have different applications, selection processes, internships, clearance steps, and post-graduation obligations. A large stipend can be a poor fit if you need unrestricted career choice after graduation.
- Use employer and community sources. Ask your employer about tuition reimbursement and look at community foundations, local technology groups, and community-college aid. Smaller awards can cover books, exam fees, or a gap left after institutional aid.
- Build a deadline tracker. For every program, record the opening date, closing date, recommendation requirements, transcript format, essay prompts, FAFSA requirement, renewal rules, and contact person. A paper or digital planner is optional; no paid tool is necessary.
- Verify before submitting. Confirm the sponsor, current cycle, eligible school, award amount, expense restrictions, and service terms on the sponsor’s live page. Save a copy of the terms that applied when you submitted.
FAFSA timing for the 2027–28 academic year
Federal Student Aid says, “The FAFSA® form is the first step students take to apply for federal student aid.” The same official guidance says many states and schools also require the FAFSA. Complete it even when you are pursuing private cybersecurity scholarships because schools and state agencies may use FAFSA information for their own grants and need-based awards.
The 2027–28 FAFSA covers attendance from July 1, 2027, through June 30, 2028. The federal submission deadline is June 30, 2028, but state and institutional deadlines can be much earlier. Submit as soon as the form becomes available, then check your state agency and school financial-aid pages for priority dates. A federal deadline is a final outside limit, not a sensible target for a student competing for limited funds.
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How to compare an award beyond its headline amount
Create a side-by-side comparison using these fields:
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- Degree and enrollment: Freshman, sophomore, junior, senior, associate, graduate, full-time, part-time, or online requirements.
- Major and institution: Some sponsors accept broad information-technology majors; others require cybersecurity or an eligible STEM discipline and may limit participation to accredited or partner schools.
- Personal eligibility: Citizenship, permanent residency, state, age, identity, veteran status, military-family relationship, financial need, or membership.
- Amount and covered costs: Tuition, required fees, books, supplies, living costs, certification exams, housing, travel, or equipment. “Up to” is a ceiling, not a guaranteed payment.
- Application burden: Essay length, transcripts, recommendations, FAFSA data, interview, test scores, security-clearance paperwork, or institutional nomination.
- Renewal: Minimum GPA, credit load, annual reapplication, satisfactory progress, and whether unused funds carry forward.
- Obligation: Internship, summer work, clearance, government employment, approved-employer placement, or a service period after graduation.
- Failure consequences: Read the agreement for repayment, cancellation, placement, or other consequences if you leave school or do not complete the required service.
Keep no-service academic awards in a separate shortlist from service programs. The two categories solve different problems and should not be ranked by dollar amount alone.
Can online cybersecurity students receive scholarships?
Yes, some can. The AFCEA Cyber Security Scholarship information specifically says online programs are eligible, provided the student still meets the full-time, accredited-institution, class-year, GPA, and citizenship or residency requirements. Other sponsors may require a participating campus, a particular accreditation, an institutional nomination, or in-person internships. Ask the financial-aid office whether the online section is treated as the same eligible program and whether outside funds can be posted to your account.
Can you apply for several scholarships?
Usually, you can submit applications to multiple programs, but each sponsor controls its own rules. Check for clauses limiting simultaneous awards, enrollment in another funded program, or total aid above your cost of attendance. Tell your school about every award you accept so the financial-aid office can coordinate the package. Applying broadly is sensible; accepting an obligation you cannot meet is not.
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A conventional academic scholarship is normally gift aid while you satisfy its published conditions, such as enrollment and academic progress. Service-based funding is different: you agree to internships, employment, or a defined period of qualifying service. If you withdraw, fail to meet the service requirement, or breach the agreement, the sponsor’s contract may impose consequences, including repayment provisions. Read the current agreement before treating a service stipend as free money.
Can the money pay for books, fees, equipment, or certifications?
Only when the award permits those expenses. CyberAI SFS is reported to cover tuition and required education fees and to include a professional allowance. The Department of War academy package specifically listed books and supplies. NSA Stokes separates tuition and fees from salary and qualifying summer housing and travel support. The community-college assistance described above includes a separate certification-exam subsidy. Equipment is not automatically covered by a scholarship; ask whether a laptop, lab hardware, software, or internet access qualifies before buying it.
A practical application calendar
Six to twelve months before enrollment
- Choose target degree programs and verify accreditation, online status, and cybersecurity curriculum.
- Ask each school about institutional awards, assistantships, FAFSA priority dates, and outside-scholarship procedures.
- List service programs separately and decide whether government employment fits your career plan.
Three to six months before each deadline
- Request transcripts and recommendations early.
- Draft essays that explain a specific cybersecurity problem you want to solve, evidence of preparation, and how the award fits your plan.
- Collect citizenship, residency, veteran, financial-need, or enrollment documents required by that sponsor.
When the application opens
- Re-read the live eligibility and expense rules; do not reuse an old deadline.
- Complete every field, upload readable documents, and submit before the sponsor’s stated time zone cutoff.
- Save the confirmation, submitted materials, and terms for your records.
After an award decision
- Accept only after checking renewal conditions, disbursement timing, and service obligations.
- Give the award notice to your school’s financial-aid office.
- Track required GPA, credits, internships, employment paperwork, and annual progress reports.
Warning signs of scholarship scams
Current scholarship-safety guidance reflecting Federal Trade Commission advice says you should not pay simply to apply. Treat guaranteed-award claims, fees to reserve or release money, requests for bank or card details before a legitimate award process, and high-pressure demands as warning signs. Verify the sponsor through an independently located official channel, not only through a message or social-media account that contacted you. Legitimate programs explain eligibility, application steps, award terms, and a way to ask questions.
What to verify before relying on a 2027 date
Award amounts, eligibility, participating schools, and deadlines are volatile. The 2026 information used for the opportunities above included closed cycles, a 2027 program that was not accepting applications at the time, and several awards with no announced 2027 deadline. Recheck every sponsor’s current page, confirm the year printed on the application, and ask the financial-aid office how an outside award will affect your package. That final verification is the difference between a realistic funding plan and a spreadsheet full of expired opportunities.
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