Scholarship Details
Scholarship for Service (SFS) (check back Jan 2022)
Application Deadline:
3/14/2024
Requirements:
US Citizen
Purpose:
Through the Federal Cyber Corps Scholarship for Service (SFS) program, Penn State provides scholarships to outstanding students studying in the field of Cybersecurity (broadly defined). Each scholarship recipient will complete either a Bachelor, Master, or Ph.D. degree in diverse Cybersecurity-related programs at Penn State (e.g., IST, CSE, Engineering, Geography, International Affairs).
The SFS Program is offered and funded through the National Science Foundation (NSF) in collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). The SFS program is a unique program designed to increase and strengthen the cadre of federal cybersecurity professionals that protect the U.S. government’s critical information infrastructure. This program provides scholarships to U.S. citizens or permanent residents that fully fund the typical costs during the study. After graduation, participants must fulfill a government service obligation for a period equivalent to the length of their scholarship.
Eligibility:
A United States citizen.
Currently enrolled student at Penn State.
Attending school on a full-time basis while receiving a scholarship under the SFS program.
Either a full-time graduate student within two years of graduation, or a qualified rising junior or senior.
Able to meet selection criteria for federal, state, or local government employment. Final job placement may require a security clearance, so each scholarship recipient may be required to undergo the background investigation required to obtain such a clearance.
Competitive students will have a strong GPA (3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale).
Terms of Award:
The scholarship program will cover in-state tuition for up to two years of study for Bachelor or Master students, and up to three years of study for Ph.D. students.
Full benefits include:
Tuition and fees (excluding items such as meal plans, housing, or parking)
Annual stipend (undergraduate: $25,000, and graduate: $34,000)
A professional development allowance of up to $6,000 per year for books, SFS job fair, travel, professional certification etc.
Please Submit:
An application form
Two letters of recommendation from faculty, staff, or employers. The letters must be either in an envelop sealed/signed by the letter writer, or directly emailed from the letter writers to sfs@ist.psu.edu.
Most current resume and/or curriculum vitae
Official transcripts from all colleges or universities attended (i.e., copy of transcripts will not be accepted). Note: “Official Digital/Electronic Transcripts” are allowed (like this one from PSU) if the institution has created them in a way that they can be validated/verified (digitally signed, etc.). Unofficial transcripts or printouts from university websites are NOT accepted. Have “Official Digital/Electronic Transcripts” sent to sfs@ist.psu.edu.
A statement of purpose detailing academic, professional, and personal goals, and how participation in the Scholarship for Service Program will help achieve these goals
A recent writing sample that is no more than 10 pages. Writing skills are a critical discriminator during hiring processes and will be heavily weighted during your evaluation for the SFS Scholarship
Due to security reasons, applications need to be submitted on paper (in person, via campus, or US mail) to:
Dongwon Lee
E353 Westgate Building
University Park, PA 16802
