National Science Foundation Scholarship for Service Program

Scholarship for Service (SFS) is a unique program designed to increase and strengthen the cadre of federal information assurance professionals that protect the government's critical information infrastructure. This program provides scholarships that fully fund the typical costs that students pay for books, tuition, and room and board while attending an approved institution of higher learning. The scholarships are funded through grants awarded by the National Science Foundation. Each year or partial year of scholarship benefits incurs a one year government service obligation.

This is built on the CAE Designation held by MSU.

SFS Student FAQs

With the CyberCorps program, both MSU undergraduate and graduate students will benefit immensely. For each year in the SFS program, students' benefits include:

• Full coverage of all tuition
• Health insurance reimbursement
• $6,000 as Professional Allowance
• $27,000 stipend (for undergraduates) and $37,000 stipend (for graduate students)

• Students must be a citizen or lawful permanent resident of the United States of America. They should be willing and eligible to obtain a security clearance. NO EXCEPTIONS!
• SFS Scholarship Students must serve at a government agency in a cyber security position for a period equivalent to the length of the scholarship or one year, whichever is longer.
• Students must commit to participating in the SFS program for a minimum of 3 semesters (fall/spring).
• You must be a full-time student or accepted into an MSU academic program working towards an undergraduate or graduate degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Cybersecurity, Information Systems, or Cybersecurity and Operations. At MSU, undergraduate full-time status has been defined as 12 credit hours. Graduate full-time status requires a student to register for 9 credit hours.
• Undergraduates should be within two years of completing a bachelor's degree and have completed CSE 2383 (Data Structures); Master's and Doctoral students must have completed at least a bachelor's degree by enrollment.
• Applicants must have a minimum of a 3.2 GPA as an undergraduate student or a 3.5 GPA as a graduate student.
• Applicants must have demonstrated involvement with independent/group projects/ undergraduate research/competitions and/or professional experience in the field.
• Applicants must demonstrate a commitment to a career in cybersecurity.
• SFS scholars must commit to contribute to cybersecurity related educational, research, and outreach activities at MSU.

1. A cover letter providing details of the student's citizenship status.
2. A personal statement outlining interest in cybersecurity and commitments to contribute to cybersecurity related educational, research and outreach activities at MSU.
3. A current resume
4. Unofficial transcripts (for existing MSU students) / official MSU student enrollment application number/confirmation, past unofficial transcripts (for new incoming students),
5. At-least two letters of recommendation. Letters are to be submitted directly by the recommender to the contacts below via email. Applicants must waive their rights to access these letters.

Applications are due April 1 (for Fall semesters), October 15 (for Spring semester). Spring semester deadline is only active if there are open positions in the SFS cohort.