CyberCorp Scholarship Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What are the options for the duration of the scholarship?

A CyberCorp Scholarship is either:

In particular, there are no half year options to start late or end early; you must do two full academic years in the program.

How many scholarships are available each year?

We typically accept 5 new scholars each year, each of them typically getting a two year scholarship.

Do I have to do an internship in the Summer?

Yes. You must do an internship to complete the degree program and to satisfy the scholarship commitment. CyberCorp internships are supported by the federal SFS program and are typically held in the summer after you have been accepted to the URI CyberCorp scholarship program.  You apply to approved internships of your choosing and then must be accepted by the agency. In rare instances, other arrangements can be made with the approval of your URI CyberCorp program advisor.

What are the selection criteria for the scholarship?

When selecting CyberCorp scholarship recipients, we will consider whether you (a) would be able to find internships and employment in the security field (a combination of academic strength, ability to obtain a security clearance, general professional skills, etc.), and (b) would fulfill the government employment obligation that you commit to under this program. Your application statement, performance in undergraduate courses, and references are all considered.

Do I need to apply for a security clearance before applying?

No. But, scholars may need to apply for security clearance after identifying a potential employer or internship position.

Do I have to major in CS to receive a scholarship?

Yes, for URI undergraduates, since you must do the URI ABM program, and that is only open to CS majors.  For graduate applicants, the requirement is a Bachelor’s degree in CS or a closely related field from any institution, including URI.

What courses do I need to have taken to apply?

For URI undergraduates, you must meet the ABM requirement of having taken CSC 211, (CSF 202, and CSF 432 are strongly preferred) and be a declared CS major before applying. For graduate applicants, you must have a Bachelor’s degree in CS or a closely related field when you start the program.

I am a URI undergraduate who has already taken CSF 434, which means that I can’t take the graduate version CSF 534 in the PSM program, what do I do?

Contact your URI Cybersecurity advisor or dfcsc@etal.uri.edu; you will be provided with options for an alternative course to take in the PSM program.

I am a URI Senior, can I still apply for the CyberCorp scholarship?

Yes. You would apply as a PSM student for two years of graduate support.

I am a URI student that has not yet reached Junior year status, can I apply for the CyberCorp scholarship?

Typically No. Typically you can not apply until you have reached Junior year status.

As a URI undergraduate CyberCorp scholarship applicant, do I have to apply to the ABM program before applying for this CyberCorp Scholarship?

No.  There is no required order. You may apply to the CyberCorp scholarship first and then apply to the ABM program, or the ABM program and then the scholarship, or apply concurrently. Your scholarship will be contingent upon your acceptance to the ABM program; CyberCorp scholars are typically accepted to the ABM program.

As a graduate CyberCorp scholarship applicant, do I have to apply to the PSM program before applying for this CyberCorp Scholarship?

Yes. Graduate applicants must have a complete PSM application in URI’s GradCAS system before applying to this CyberCorp scholarship. You must have a complete application, not necessarily acceptance yet.

Do I have to find internships and employment on my own, or is there help?

Yes, there is help. Scholars participate in an annual job fair targeted specifically at CyberCorp program scholars. There are various other resources for finding security-related jobs as well. Information on all of these will be provided once you start the URI CyberCorp program

What letters of recommendation do I need in my application?

You do not need letters, but you will provide contact information in the application for us to contact your reference(s) if necessary. All applicants will supply the contact information for a personal reference outside of your family who can provide written insight into your readiness to obtain an internship with the U.S. government. 

URI undergraduates only will provide a second reference who can provide insight into your academic capabilities. A URI CS faculty member is the preferred choice. Graduate applicants do not need to supply this because we will use the two letters of recommendation that you submitted with your PSM application, which we will access internally at URI.

Is the URI CyberCorp program completely online?

No. Most of the courses are online courses, but the CyberCorp activities are based on campus at URI (Kingston, RI) and around RI. You will have a desk in the Computer Science department and are expected to be on campus for CyberCorp program meetings and activities.

What are my obligations as a CyberCorp Scholar?

A CyberCorp scholar must:

  • Maintain a 3.0/4.0 overall cumulative grade point average (GPA) and a 3.0/4.0 GPA in Computer Science (CSC) and Cybersecurity (CSF) courses as a full-time student.
  • Complete (or have completed) an undergraduate degree in Computer Science.
  • Complete a URI Professional Science Master’s degree in Cybersecurity.
  • Participate in all CyberCorp Scholar Activities during the academic years of the scholarship.
  • Meet the service obligation of completing one year of work in a cybersecurity position (as defined in the NICE Cybersecurity Framework) with an organization that falls under the Executive Branch of the U.S. Government (as defined on the usa.gov web site.), for every year of scholarship support. 
  • Participate in all requests for data for the SFS program.

What happens if I can’t meet the obligations after I start as a CyberCorp scholar?

  • If you withdraw from URI prior to graduation with the PSM, or fail to meet any of the scholarship obligations, URI may terminate the scholarship, and you would have to repay all SFS scholarship funds received. This is rare in CyberCorp scholarship programs in the country
  • After graduation, if you do not fulfill the service obligation, you would be obligated to repay a percentage of all SFS scholarship funds that you received that is equal to the percentage of the unfulfilled service obligation. This is rare in CyberCorp scholarship programs in the country.
  • You may request a waiver or suspension of this obligation if you can demonstrate to URI’s satisfaction that because of an extraordinary circumstance you are not able to fulfill the obligations.

A vast majority of CyberCorps scholars nationally complete their obligations and come out of the program with a CS/Cybersecurity degree(s), several years of excellent professional cybersecurity experience in a job that many choose to continue in, and no debt.