SFS

Federal CyberCorps: Scholarship for Service (SFS)

Created in 2001, CISA is UMBC’s original and most active cybersecurity research center. Because of CISA, NSA and DHS have recognized UMBC as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber defense Research and Education (CAE-R, CAE).  It is currently supported by several grants from NSA and NSF, including research grants for protocol analysis, developing a concept inventory for cybersecurity, and cybersecurity education.

The Scholarship for Service (SFS) is a yearly awarded, National Science Foundation-sponsored scholarship program to promote the education, recruitment, and retention of rising junior and senior undergraduates and graduate students in cybersecurity studies. Read More…

Detailed information may also be found at the Official NSF SFS website.

If you have any questions, please refer to the document for frequently asked questions regarding the SFS scholarship and in the case of any further questions, email Dr. Sherman.

Note: Possible new SFS awards will depend on the outcome of our pending SFS grant application.  We expect to receive an answer very soon.

SFS Application Process

  1. Please let Dr. Sherman know that you are interested. We will help guide you through the process.
  2. Applications are due by 12:00 (noon) on Nov 15, Feb 15, April 15, for possible SFS scholarships, for students starting Fall 2020 (pending availability of funds).
  3. Submit the application (with a cover sheet) to Dr. Sherman’s mailbox in the CSEE Office, carefully following all instructions. Be sure you have an official transcript and that all letters of reference are signed and on official letterhead (otherwise your application will be returned without consideration).

Each recipient will receive full tuition and a generous stipend. UMBC will typically fund SFS scholarships only for complete academic years. In return, the recipient must work for the government (federal, state, local, or tribal) for pay for one year for each year of scholarship. Each recipient will also engage in a government summer internship for pay. The annual stipends are $25,000 undergraduate and $34,000 graduate; in addition, each scholar will receive $6000 per year in professional development funds.

SFS Eligibility Requirements (selected):

  1. Junior, senior, MS, MPS, or Ph.D. student status in CMSC or related field at UMBC (including IS, math, EE, CE, and others)
  2. USA citizen or lawful permanent resident, 18 years or older
  3. Willingness to obtain at minimum a SECRET security clearance and work for the federal, state, local, or tribal government.
  4. Students may apply for SFS concurrently with their application for full-time status in a UMBC cyber-related degree program (CS, CE, EE, IS, Cyber). No student will be offered an SFS scholarship unless and until he or she has been accepted into a cyber-related degree program.
  5.  Students who have excelled in upper-level technical courses and who have demonstrated a passion and talent for cybersecurity through relevant accomplishments would be favored(e.g., the median GPA of current SFS scholars at UMBC is 3.8).
  6. Applications from rising juniors will be considered with a GPA of over 3.0.