Cybersecurity Guide

Find the latest on cybersecurity scholarship opportunities

Written by Aireal Liddle – Last updated:
In this guide

This guide is designed as a one-stop resource for students (and prospective students) interested in exploring cybersecurity scholarship options.

It also provides detailed information about the types of scholarships available, where to find them, and the eligibility criteria.

Key takeaways from this guide include:

  1. Variety of scholarships: Scholarships are available from various sources, including colleges, non-profit organizations, and well-known companies. They can significantly reduce the financial burden of higher education, making it more accessible to many students.
  2. Eligibility and requirements: Scholarships have specific eligibility requirements, and some may require recipients to work at the sponsoring organization after graduation. The financial awards vary, with some covering tuition, fees, and books, while others offer a fixed amount.
  3. Application process: Applying for scholarships often requires thoughtful written proposals. It’s crucial to research each scholarship to ensure eligibility and fit. A higher GPA can increase the chances of receiving a scholarship.
  4. Specific scholarships: The guide provides detailed information about several scholarships, including those for undergraduate and graduate students, women, and veterans. It also highlights scholarships offered by organizations like the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the National Security Agency (NSA), (ISC)2, Cisco, and Google, among others.
  5. Starting the scholarship search: The guide offers advice on how and when to start the scholarship search, emphasizing the importance of applying early and often. It also provides links to several online scholarship search tools.

It’s important to note that all scholarships are not created equal. Some scholarships have very specific eligibility requirements.

Some scholarships have clauses that require the scholarship recipients to work at the organization that offered them the scholarship after they graduate or during their summer breaks.

Aside from that, the financial awards given out vary drastically. Some scholarships will cover everything from tuition, fees, and books, while others are for a smaller fixed amount, such as $1,000.

Applying for scholarships often requires some thought. Many of them will require written proposals that are a lot of work to produce. Because of this, students should do their research and ensure that they are both eligible for the scholarship they are applying to and that it’s a good fit for them.

Having a higher GPA will certainly provide students with a greater chance of receiving a scholarship that they apply for.

Preparing a strong cover letter and resume is an important step before applying for scholarships. Since students may not have much work experience, they should add academic achievements, awards, and extracurricular activities to their resumes.

It’s also worth noting that each state often offers its scholarships to students studying in that state.

Learn more about cybersecurity in your state

Undergraduate scholarships

Scholarships are offered based on a wide variety of requirements. Many scholarships are designed for minority groups based on things such as race, gender, and other similar factors.

Before we dig into these types of scholarships, let’s have a look at some of the more generalized scholarships available for everyone. 

Let’s begin by looking at scholarships for undergraduates:

CompTIA Security+: This is a widely recognized entry-level certification that validates the core skills needed for any cybersecurity role. It covers areas like network security, compliance and operational security, threats and vulnerabilities, application, data, and host security, access control and identity management, and cryptography.

(ISC)² Certified in Cybersecurity: This is an entry-level certification from a well-respected cybersecurity professional organization. It’s designed for individuals looking to start a career in cybersecurity and covers foundational concepts.

EC-Council Certified Ethical Hacker: While often considered an intermediate to advanced certification, some undergraduate programs may offer introductory tracks or certificates aligned with CEH principles, focusing on understanding offensive security tactics and thinking like a hacker.

GIAC Security Essentials (GSEC): This certification validates a practitioner’s knowledge of essential security concepts and is suitable for individuals in hands-on, security-focused IT roles.

CCNA Security: This certification focuses on network security concepts and technologies, which are fundamental to cybersecurity.

Undergraduate Certificates from Universities

  • SANS Technology Institute: Offers certificates like the Cybersecurity Fundamentals Certificate and the Applied Cybersecurity Certificate, which include GIAC certifications.
  • University of Maryland Global Campus: Offers undergraduate certificates in cybersecurity.
  • University of Virginia: Provides an online Cybersecurity Analysis Certificate.
  • American Military University: Offers an online Cybersecurity Undergraduate Certificate.
  • CSU Global: Provides an online Undergraduate Certificate in Cybersecurity.
  • University of Missouri: Offers an interdisciplinary Undergraduate Certificate in Cybersecurity.
  • Thomas Edison State University: Has an online Undergraduate Certificate in Cybersecurity.
  • Grand Canyon University: Offers an Undergraduate Certificate in Cybersecurity.

Graduate scholarships

(ISC)² Certified Information Systems Security Professional: Although a professional certification requiring experience, graduate certificate programs often align their curriculum with the CISSP Common Body of Knowledge (CBK), making it a valuable target for those with some experience aiming for advanced roles.

Certified Ethical Hacker: This certification is highly valued for roles involving penetration testing and vulnerability assessment. Graduate certificates may offer in-depth training for the CEH exam.

CompTIA Security+: While also an undergraduate option, a graduate certificate might offer a more intensive focus on the Security+ curriculum alongside other advanced topics.

GIAC Certifications (various): GIAC offers a range of specialized graduate-level certifications in areas like incident response, penetration testing, digital forensics, and cloud security (e.g., GCIH, GPEN, GCFA, GCLD). Graduate certificates may focus on preparing for specific GIAC exams.

Graduate Certificates from Universities

  • Harvard Extension School: Offers a Graduate Certificate in Cybersecurity with courses covering network security, risk management, and cyber law.
  • SANS Technology Institute: Provides highly technical, job-specific graduate certificates in areas like Cloud Security, Cybersecurity Engineering, Cybersecurity Leadership, Incident Response, and Penetration Testing. These often include GIAC certifications.
  • University System of Maryland: Offers graduate certificates in areas like cybersecurity strategy and policy.
  • Capitol Technology University: Provides graduate certificates in cybersecurity.
  • American Public University System: Offers a Graduate Certificate in Information Assurance.
  • Binghamton University: Has an Advanced Certificate in Cybersecurity.
  • Boise State University: Offers a Cryptology Security Analyst Graduate Certificate.
  • Central Michigan University: Provides a Cybersecurity Graduate Certificate.

Scholarships for women

While women make up roughly half of the workforce, only about 28 percent of the STEM fields are made up of women employees.

More specifically, women make up about 30 percent of the cybersecurity workforce. However, as more women graduate with computer science degrees, this number is growing.

    Fortunately, organizations are happy to invest in bringing more female talent in by offering plenty of scholarships for women pursuing these careers.

    • (ISC)² Women in Information Security Scholarship: Offered by the Center for Cyber Safety and Education, this scholarship provides awards ranging from $1,000 to $6,000 to women pursuing undergraduate or graduate degrees with a focus on cybersecurity. Applicants typically need a minimum GPA of 3.3.
    • Scholarships for Women Studying Information Security Program: This scholarship offers up to $10,000 to women pursuing bachelor’s or master’s degrees in cybersecurity or related fields at accredited U.S. institutions. It’s generally open to U.S. citizens and permanent residents.
    • KnowBe4 Women in Cybersecurity Scholarship: KnowBe4 offers a $10,000 scholarship for tuition, fees, and books, along with a 3-month paid internship.
    • WiCyS Security Training Scholarship: This multi-stage scholarship program provides WiCyS members with training and skills development opportunities to launch and advance their cybersecurity careers. It includes mentorship and a supportive community.
    • EC-Council University President’s Scholarship for Women in Cybersecurity: Offers tuition assistance (up to $2,000) to women pursuing undergraduate and graduate cybersecurity degrees at EC-Council University.
    • FS-ISAC Women in Cyber Scholarship: The Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center (FS-ISAC) provides $10,000 scholarships, mentorship, and networking opportunities to women pursuing cybersecurity careers in financial services. The application period for the 2025-2026 academic year was from November 20, 2024, to March 7, 2025.
    • Red Education Women in Cybersecurity Training Scholarships: This program offers scholarships for entry-level cybersecurity certifications from Check Point and Palo Alto Networks. Applications are open from April 1 to June 30 each year.
    Learn more about women in cybersecurity

    Scholarships for veterans

    Military veterans looking to reenter the civilian workforce by entering cybersecurity careers are eligible for specialized scholarships. Check out our veteran’s guide to cybersecurity opportunities to learn more.

    • KnowBe4 Military, Veteran and Spouses Cybersecurity Scholarship: This scholarship offers $10,000 for tuition, fees, books, and electronics, with up to $3,000 potentially applicable to housing. It’s open to honorably discharged U.S. military veterans, current or former National Guard or Reserve members, and their spouses pursuing degrees in cybersecurity, information assurance, or related fields.  
    • (ISC)² Scholarship: While not exclusively for veterans, this scholarship, ranging from $1,000 to $5,000, is open to undergraduate and graduate students studying cybersecurity, regardless of citizenship. Veterans are highly encouraged to apply.  
    • AFCEA War Veterans Scholarships: These $2,500 scholarships are specifically for active duty personnel, U.S. veterans, and other military personnel pursuing full-time undergraduate degrees in STEM fields, including cybersecurity, at accredited U.S. institutions.  
    • EC-Council University Cybersecurity Veteran’s Scholarship: EC-Council University offers a 20 percent tuition scholarship for U.S. military veterans and first responders pursuing their undergraduate or graduate cybersecurity degrees at ECCU.
    • Veterans Cybersecurity Scholarship: This scholarship by CybersecurityEducationGuides.org offers $1,000 per year to veterans enrolled in a qualifying cybersecurity program (certificate, diploma, or degree at an accredited institution).  
    • Infosec Accelerate Military & Veteran Scholarship: This scholarship provides one of four boot camp scholarships (valued up to $4,999) to an active military member or veteran seeking a cybersecurity career.  
    • vCISO Cybersecurity Scholarship: While a general scholarship, veterans studying cybersecurity full-time in the US (undergraduate or graduate) are eligible for this $1,000 award. The application period for 2025 is March 1 to May 31, 2025.
    Learn more about veterans in cybersecurity

    Where to begin the cybersecurity scholarship search

    As a high school student, it can seem extremely overwhelming when looking for scholarships. Where do you even begin?

    The internet is such a vast and open resource that it can often provide too much information for what you are looking for.

    Luckily, there are ways to make this burden lighter. For high school students, it’s beneficial to sit down and speak with your school counselor. They are often happy to help high school students locate scholarship opportunities and will have information regarding local and state scholarships available.

    If you have already found a college that you’d like to attend, speak with the financial aid advisor for that college. They may have scholarships specific to their school.

    Another option is to check with the state grant office for the state in which you reside. You can find more information about your state grant office by visiting this website.

    In addition to all of these resources, there are plenty of free online scholarship search tools. Let’s look at a few of these search options:

    • Fastweb – Fastweb provides a simple tool to search for scholarships, internships, universities, part-time jobs, and more. It’s a great resource for students as it allows them to search for scholarships by category. The site also allows students to create profiles that will then match them with applicable scholarships instantly.
    • Scholarships.com – The scholarship search feature offered by scholarships.com is another great search resource for students. Students will be required to create an account and set up a profile.
    • BigFuture – BigFuture scholarship search is very similar to those offered by FastWeb and Scholarships.com. Students will fill out a profile divulging information such as ethnicity, race, gender, and which major they are pursuing.
    • Sallie Mae – Sallie Mae, an organization that provides students with education loans, also has a scholarship search of their own. Their college planning platform requires students to create a profile, which will then provide access to a scholarship search and a college planning calculator.

    Unfortunately, there is no golden rule for the deadlines of scholarships. However, it’s best to begin applying for scholarships early and often.

    It may seem as though you need to have a set plan and know exactly which college you will attend before you apply for scholarships, but this isn’t the case.

    Most scholarships can be used at any accredited institution, so you can begin applying for scholarships well before you have made up your mind on the college you want to attend.

    Some scholarships have deadlines that are a year before they are awarded. This means that the earlier you begin your search and applications, the better your chances of being awarded one of these scholarships.

    Scholarships are often offered throughout the year, so it’s best to continue searching all year long, even if you missed out on an opportunity for one scholarship there may be more.

    Do not limit yourself to applying to only one scholarship. Apply to as many as apply to you. It will improve your chances of receiving the award.

    It’s also important to note that once you are in college, you may still apply for scholarships for the years that you are there. You should apply for scholarships each year to help with the financial burden of the full years you spend in school.

    Last thoughts on cybersecurity scholarships

    Whether you are still in high school and have just started looking at colleges, or you hold a bachelor’s degree and are considering going back for your master’s degree, there is a scholarship out there for you.

    With the average cost of a private 4-year college sitting around $30,000 annually and the average cost of a public 4-year college at $10,000, scholarships can help make the financial burden a little bit lighter.

    With an increased demand for cybersecurity professionals, new cybersecurity scholarships are popping up every year. Students should apply for many scholarships, regardless of the award amount.

    In college, every bit helps. Receiving a $1,000 or $5,000 scholarship is all the money that you don’t have to pay back later on.

    Many scholarships will require essays or letters of recommendation. Don’t count a scholarship out just because it requires extra effort. These scholarships help prepare you for the world of college academics. 

    Be sure to apply to scholarships in various categories, such as those specific to your major, those that are targeted to your hobbies, and those in special categories, such as those for women and minorities.

    Apply to scholarships early and often, and do not forget that scholarships are also available to students who are already enrolled in a college or university. 

    Frequently asked questions about cybersecurity scholarships

    What is a cybersecurity scholarship?

    A cybersecurity scholarship is a financial award given to students pursuing studies in the field of cybersecurity. These scholarships aim to encourage and support students interested in this rapidly growing field.

    Who offers cybersecurity scholarships?

    Cybersecurity scholarships are offered by various entities, including universities, non-profit organizations, government agencies, and private companies.

    What are the eligibility criteria for cybersecurity scholarships?

    Eligibility criteria vary depending on the specific scholarship. Common criteria include being enrolled in a cybersecurity-related program, maintaining a certain GPA, and demonstrating a commitment to the field. Some scholarships may also have specific requirements, such as being a woman, a veteran, or belonging to a certain minority group.

    How can I apply for a cybersecurity scholarship?

    The application process varies for each scholarship. Generally, you will need to fill out an application form and provide supporting documents, such as academic transcripts, letters of recommendation, and sometimes a written essay or proposal. Check the specific requirements of each scholarship for detailed information.

    When should I start applying for cybersecurity scholarships?

    It’s best to start applying for scholarships as early as possible. Some scholarships have deadlines that are a year before they are awarded. Remember, you can apply for scholarships before you’ve decided on the college you want to attend, as most scholarships can be used at any accredited institution.

    Can I apply for more than one cybersecurity scholarship?

    Yes, you can apply for as many scholarships as you are eligible for. Applying for multiple scholarships increases your chances of receiving financial aid.

    Do I have to pay back a cybersecurity scholarship?

    No, unlike student loans, scholarships are a form of gift aid and do not need to be repaid. However, some scholarships may have conditions, such as committing to work for the sponsoring organization after graduation.

    Are there scholarships for graduate students in cybersecurity?

    Yes, there are scholarships available for both undergraduate and graduate students in cybersecurity. Some scholarships are specifically designed for graduate students.

    Are there cybersecurity scholarships for women and minorities?

    Yes, many organizations offer scholarships specifically for women and minorities to encourage diversity in the cybersecurity field.

    What can cybersecurity scholarship funds be used for?

    Scholarship funds are typically used to cover educational expenses, including tuition, fees, and books. The specific use of funds can vary depending on the scholarship’s terms and conditions.

    Sources

    • CompTIA Security+ scholarships | Sourced from CompTIA in Apr 2025
    • Cybersecurity scholarships | Sourced from ISC2.org in Apr 2025
    • Certified Ethical Hacker | Sourced from EC-Council in Apr 2025
    • GIAC Certifications | Sourced from GIAC in Apr 2025
    • CCNA certification | Sourced from Cisco in Apr 2025
    • SWSIS program | Sourced from ACSAC in Apr 2025
    • ISC2 women’s scholarships | From the Center for Cyber Safety and Education in Apr 2025
    • Security Training Scholarship | Sourced from WiCyS in Apr 2025
    • FS-ISAC scholarships | Sourced from FS-ISAC in Apr 2025
    • Red Education Women in Cybersecurity scholarships | From Red Education in Apr 2025
    • AFCEA war veterans scholarships | Sourced from AFCEA in Apr 2025
    • Infosec Accelerate Award Program | Sourced from Infosec in Apr 2025
    • vCISO cybersecurity scholarships | Sourced from Fractional CISO in Apr 2025