Applications are for the Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 are closed as of February 21st. We only do one round of applications each year.
We previously held an information session on January 31st, 2024; this link will take you to a recording (new window). Most of the information is substantially the same for this year. If you have questions after viewing the video and reading this page, please send email; the address is below. We will likely have another information session this year, but really not much has changed and the information will be substantially the same.
About the Program
Georgetown University has a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) through the CyberCorps™ Scholarship for Service Program to provide scholarships to students to earn degrees critical for cybersecurity in exchange for service in the form of employment in a governmental cybersecurity position. This national program is designed to educate the individuals who will design and protect the nation’s critical information infrastructure, define the policies, and write the laws that govern and protect this infrastructure, and educate the nation’s future generations of cybersecurity professionals.
Supported Academic Programs
Please note: This is not a degree program and this is not a cybersecurity degree. Instead, this is a scholarship program that provides support for students who are earning a Georgetown degree in an academic program at Georgetown that will result in sufficient cybersecurity training to be hired into a governmental cybersecurity position. Applying for the scholarship is separate from applying for any academic program – you will have to apply to both if you are not currently at Georgetown.
We can or have supported students at the undergraduate level in Computer Science, Science and Technology in International Affairs and Math, among other programs. At the graduate level we can or have supported students in Computer Science, the Security Studies Program, Cybersecurity Risk Management, and Law (new window). We can additionally support students in any other degree (but not certificate) program as well as long as they result in Federal cybersecurity employment – you must contact us in advance to ask if the program you are interested in might qualify if it is not listed. We only supply at most two years of funding, so Law students should apply during their first year.
Program Obligations
OPM requires scholarship recipients to work after graduation in a full-time position related to cybersecurity in a governmental cybersecurity position for a time equal to the length of their scholarship. Students who receive the scholarship for less than one academic year must work for one year. Students on scholarship for two years must obtain an internship in an appropriate governmental position during the summer before their final academic year. Ultimately, NSF and OPM determine whether positions are appropriate for the program’s scholars. As an indication of what types of jobs qualify, please see the NICE Cybersecurity Workforce Framework or read NIST Special Publication 800-181. OPM also requires recipients to fulfill Georgetown’s program obligations.
The scholarships provide up to two years of tuition, stipend, and funds for books, travel, health insurance, and professional development. Recipients are obligated to work at an eligible cybersecurity position for a duration equivalent to the duration of their scholarship, but not less than one year. We are happy to support students for one or two years; we do not support students for three years even though NSF allows it. Students with scholarships longer then one academic year must complete a summer internship in an appropriate governmental position. They also take additional required classes and attend mandatory job fairs designed and offered expressly for them.
Placement
Eligible work placements include Federal Executive Branch US Government organizations like those in the intelligence community, the Department of Defense, and the Department of Homeland Security, to name a few. In theory, analogous agencies, FFRDCS, and organizations at the state, local, and tribal levels are also eligible but due to a new requirement these opportunities will be very severely limited or unavailable. The expectation is that you will seek and obtain a position at a Federal Executive Branch agency; any position outside that will only be approved as a last resort if you are unable to get employment there.
For more information, see the Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) site for the Scholarship for Service Program and their answers to frequently asked questions.
Eligibility
Candidates for Georgetown’s Cyberfellows Scholarship Program must earn a degree that will lead to full-time employment in the area of cybersecurity at an eligible governmental position. Students may pursue any undergraduate or graduate degrees in areas critical for cybersecurity, such as computer science, mathematics, law, policy, technology, and international affairs. Candidates must be US citizens or green card holders. Students must be studying full-time. Students who hold significant employment while in the program will received a reduced stipend or no stipend at all.
Many jobs require that students be able to obtain a security clearance. The SF-86 form that is used for clearances is available for review here – it is worth reviewing before committing to the application. Students entering the program must generally join the governmental workforce within two years. Please note: these requirements mean that undergraduate scholarships are generally only open to students who will be juniors or seniors. You may apply in the spring for spring of the following year if you will be abroad in the fall.
Academic Requirements
Georgetown requires that its Cybersecurity Fellows, first and foremost, maintain good academic standing and a high grade-point average. Beyond that, we mandate specific academic requirements for students that depend on the degree program, as show below.
Computer Science and STIA Students
Fellows who are undergraduate students pursuing a degree in computer science must take Information Assurance (COSC-430) and Introduction to Network Security (COSC-435). Fellows in the STIA are encouraged to start the required program early and must take:
- Computer Science I (COSC-051)
- Computer Science II (COSC-052)
- Math Methods for CS (COSC-030)
- Data Structures (COSC-160)
- Information Assurance (COSC-430)
- Introduction to Network Security (COSC-435)
Undergraduate Fellows in other areas can minor in computer science and take the above courses as well if allowed by your program, or can arrange an alternative selection of courses from your undergraduate program that are focused on cybersecurity with the director of the Cyberfellows program.
Graduate Students in Computer Science
Fellows who are graduate students pursuing a degree in computer science must take Information Assurance (COSC-430), Network Security (COSC-435), and one additional course in security if available, such as Introduction to Cryptography (COSC-530), Data Privacy (COSC-531), Differential Privacy (COSC-633), or Advanced Cryptography (COSC-732).
Security Studies Program
Fellows who are graduate students in the Security Studies Program (SSP) complete a total of 12 courses, and at least four of these must be cybersecurity courses, either in the SSP program or as external electives. Fellows who are graduate students in other programs will follow an approved course of study based on the structure of their degree program. We highly recommend the hands-on security classes.
Cybersecurity Risk Management
The program requirements as they stand are sufficient.
Other programs
As stated above, we can fund students in programs that are not currently listed. If you believe the program you are applying for will qualify you for federal cybersecurity employment, contact us at the email below and we can determine if we are able to support your program. In that case, we will work with you to determine which courses in your program would be required.
Cybersecurity Program Requirements
All Georgetown Cyberfellows must take a cybersecurity seminar during every semester of their scholarship. This course provides students with an understanding of topics such as the requirements for security clearances, Federal cybersecurity regulations and standards (e.g., FISMA), the roles federal agencies in securing and protecting government and civilian networks, and the policy controls and best practices to protect networks and systems and allows them to hear from speakers in federal cybersecurity positions.
All Scholars must take two credits, one per semester during their first year, of professional communication. The course teaches Fellows how to write and communicate effectively in the most common genres required for professional careers.
Fellows must also attend special events, such as Georgetown’s advising sessions, kick-off meetings, talks related to cybersecurity, and OPM’s annual CyberCorps™ Scholarship for Service Job Fair in every year of their scholarship, as well as external professional development courses.
Conversion to a loan
Students who withdraw from or do not meet their obligations to Georgetown’s Cybersecurity Fellows Program will need to repay the portion of the scholarship they used through a conversion of the scholarship to an educational loan. Prior to starting the program, students will accept these obligations and terms, including repayment, through signed agreements with OPM and with Georgetown University.
Application
Candidates for Georgetown’s Cybersecurity Fellows Program should time their application so they can enter the program at most two years before they plan to enter the federal workforce.
- Prospective applicants to Georgetown for undergraduate study should express an interest in the program only after they matriculate, with the exception of incoming freshmen from schools in the Cristo Rey or KIPP networks. If you fall in the latter category and wish to apply, please contact us.
- Prospective applicants to Georgetown for a master’s program in computer science, security studies, or in an area that will lead to employment in cybersecurity can apply to the CyberFellows Program the same academic year they apply for graduate study. Applications can be pending for the academic program and the scholarship at the same time.
- Current Georgetown undergraduate students should express an interest in the program and apply during or after the spring semester of their sophomore year. Students pursuing a degree in an area other than computer science should take Computer Science I (COSC-051) and Computer Science II (COSC-052) prior to applying; taking Information Assurance and Network Security before applying can help your application as well as making it easier to get internships and jobs.
Applications for Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 are closed. We do not accept students starting in the summer. We expect applications for the 2025/2026 school year to open in January of 2025.
Questions
We encourage prospective applicants to review OPM’s answers to frequently asked questions. Prospective applicants who are within one year of applying to Georgetown’s Cyberfellows Program can send questions to cyberfellows at georgetown dot edu if your question is not addressed below.
Frequently-asked Questions
• Is this a degree program in Cybersecurity?
No. We are not offering a cybersecurity degree. We instead support students in a variety of degrees across campus but do not have a dedicated cybersecurity degree associated with the scholarship. You apply for the scholarship separately from the academic program you wish to pursue. You must apply to both.
• Do you support online degrees?
We do not.
• Do you support students in part-time programs?
We do not. We will only fund full-time students. The funding in the program is intended for students who will work full-time on their studies and preparing for a career in government.
• Do you support students who are also working full time?
We can support students who work. However, you must still be a full-time student and the stipend is reduced or eliminated for students who have significant outside employment. Your employment must be approved by the PIs; typically we allow limited outside employment unless it is in the cybersecurity area.
• Can you support someone who is in the Law program?
Yes, and we have, but we only supply funding for two years so apply once you are already here.
• Is the scholarship competitive? What are you looking for in an applicant?
Yes, the scholarship is very competitive. We have recently had acceptance rates as low as 12%. We primarily consider two things: first, ability to successfully complete your academic program as indicated by past academic results; second, a demonstrated desire and ability to pursue, obtain, and follow a career in a cybersecurity-related governmental positions. While a security clearance is not required for all such jobs it frequently is; we also take into consideration the ability of an applicant to receive a clearance. Where possible, we prefer to fund students who would not be able to come to Georgetown otherwise.
• How many people are you accepting? What are the odds of receiving the scholarship?
We do not have a set number of positions in any given semester. We instead have funding over several years and can shift it around to support strong applicants. The chances of getting the scholarship depend on your qualifications and the number of other qualified applicants in any application round. We cannot provide an estimate of your chances of getting accepted. But applying is very easy, so you should try if you qualify!
• What make for a strong application?
We are looking for candidates who can excel at an academic program and who will be excellent candidates for government service. Accordingly, we look at past academic performance to ensure you can succeed at your academic program. We look for those who have a compelling story as to why they want to work in government, and who will be strong candidates for jobs. This can include past work in cybersecurity or government, or holding a security clearance. Going into a government job as part of the program is an imperative and understanding why you want to do so can make a difference in an application.
• When will we hear if we are accepted to the program?
We understand that students need to apply to and commit to academic programs as part of the process. We aim to have first-round acceptances done by early April, in time for students to meet deadlines for accepting or declining offers for academic programs.
• Can I arrange a call or office visit to talk about the program?
No. We are sorry, but we receive far too many requests for calls or office visits to be able to handle them. We have found that if you are looking for information then in almost all cases it is somewhere on these web pages. If you are hoping to find out your chances of receiving the scholarship we literally cannot tell you as it depends on who applies in a given year. If you are hoping to make an introduction to the PIs to bolster your application then the effort is better directed towards your application statement.
• Who do I contact if I have questions?
If you need information that is not addressed on these pages or still have questions, you can contact the program at cyberfellows at georgetown dot edu.