We are not yet accepting applications for Fall 2021.
The University of Massachusetts Amherst has received a grant from the
National Science Foundation (NSF) to bring the CyberCorps(r) Scholarship for Service (SFS) program to the campus. NSF's CyberCorps(r) program supports the educational and professional development of students who will help the nation address cybersecurity-based threats to national security. Upon graduation, students will join government agencies at full pay and benefits working in cybersecurity. These agencies are innumerable and include the FBI/Department of Justice, Federal Reserve, Department of Defense, Dept of Treasury, Dept of State, CIA, civilian positions in the armed forces (no need to enlist!) and their research labs such as the Naval Research Lab, and the NSA. A government position in an executive branch agency, in a role focused on cybersecurity, likely fulfills the service requirement. (Note that it is the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) that decides which jobs fulfill the scholarship, not UMass, and they can vary in their strictness over time.)
Students in the College of Information and Computer Sciences, Isenberg School of Management, and the departments of Mathematics & Statistics and Electrical & Computer Engineering at UMass Amherst are eligible to apply. This page provides information about the program, contacts, and the application form.
After reading this page, you may be interested in the official list of frequently asked questions from NSF and Office of Personnel Management (OPM).
As part of this program, admitted students will join a multidisciplinary cohort of students studying security at UMass. Students will have an SFS faculty advisor and receive additional mentoring from the faculty involved. Students will join research projects in security & privacy, and take part in professional development to ensure their future success. Students will be required to complete summer internships related to security with government agencies at the federal level. After graduation, students will be required to take positions related to cybersecurity at full pay.
We strongly encourage applications from women and other underrepresented groups.
Students will be evaluated based on criteria that includes academic qualifications, a demonstrated interest in cybersecurity and public service, and eligibility for a US security clearance, which is required for post-scholarship employment. Interest in cybersecurity can be demonstrated in a variety of ways, including security related coursework, student organization membership, and the like.
Students that aren't yet at UMass can apply for SFS, but they must have already submitted an application to attend UMass for the following semester. Acceptance to a program at UMass is required for consideration for SFS, but applications can be submitted in parallel. Please be aware that each department listed above has a variety of requirements and deadlines separate from the SFS program.
UMass SFS students incur the following obligations:
We don't offer an on-line version of the program. Similarly, students cannot study abroad during the time they have the scholarship. Students cannot have other jobs or tasks while taking the scholarship.
During their time at UMass, graduate students admitted to SFS will receive each year: full tuition and fees (does not include items such as meal plans, housing, or parking), a $34,000 stipend, health insurance reimbursement up to $3,000, a $4,000 travel allowance and book allowance of $2,000; undergraduates received the same except the yearly stipend is $25,000.
Ahead of your application, you may have questions. If so, please contact us via sfs-info [at] cs.umass.edu and address your questions to one of the following people depending on your area.
The application period for scholarships that start in Fall 2021 has not begun. We have applied for renewal of our program from NSF. Unfortunately, we do not have a timeline for the rennewal process. We may hear in February 2021 or as late as May 2021. Check this web page for updates.