Opportunity Information: Apply for 17 556
The CyberCorps(R) Scholarship for Service (SFS) grant opportunity is a National Science Foundation (NSF) program designed to strengthen U.S. cybersecurity education and expand the pipeline of highly trained cybersecurity professionals. It responds to the growing reality that modern life depends on cyberspace while cyberattacks continue to threaten businesses, government agencies, critical infrastructure, and individual users. The program aligns with a broader federal strategy for cybersecurity research and education that emphasizes building stronger defenses, improving education and training, developing cybersecurity as a rigorous scientific discipline, and moving effective research outcomes into real-world practice to support national security and economic stability.
This opportunity is authorized under the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2014 (Public Law 113-274) and is coordinated with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Its central goal is workforce development: recruiting and preparing the next generation of cybersecurity talent, including information technology security professionals, industrial control systems security specialists, and security managers. NSF funds projects that help universities and colleges deliver stronger cybersecurity education while also connecting that education directly to public-sector workforce needs.
The program is structured around two main tracks. The Scholarship Track provides funding to institutions so they can award scholarships to students pursuing cybersecurity-related education. A defining feature of this track is the service commitment: every scholarship recipient is required to work after graduation in a cybersecurity-related role for a Federal, State, Local, or Tribal government organization. The required length of service must match the length of time the student received scholarship support, creating a direct and measurable return on investment for the public sector and helping government organizations address persistent cybersecurity staffing shortages.
To participate in the Scholarship Track, the proposing institution must demonstrate that it already has a strong, established cybersecurity academic program. The solicitation emphasizes documented evidence, such as being designated by the National Security Agency (NSA) and DHS as a Center of Academic Excellence (CAE) in areas like Information Assurance/Cyber Defense (CAE IA/CD), Cyber Operations, or Research (CAE-R). Equivalent proof is also acceptable, including specialized recognition by respected national organizations (for example, in digital forensics) or other comparable documentation showing that the institution has credible depth, curriculum strength, and the capacity to train students effectively in cybersecurity.
The Capacity Track is aimed more broadly at growing the nation’s overall ability to educate and produce cybersecurity professionals, especially by expanding educational opportunities and improving how cybersecurity is taught. This track encourages innovative proposals that can scale beyond a single campus and influence national practice. Examples of the kinds of efforts encouraged include research on cybersecurity teaching and learning (such as studying instructional methods, developing and evaluating interventions, and creating effective learning materials), developing curriculum recommendations for new courses, degree programs, and educational pathways with plans for wide adoption, and evaluating the effectiveness of cybersecurity courses and curricular programs. It also supports the integration of cybersecurity content into other established disciplines, including computer science, data science, information technology, engineering, and related programs, with an emphasis on approaches that can be adopted widely and pervasively rather than remaining isolated pilot efforts. Partnerships are also a key theme, particularly collaborations between higher education, government, and relevant employment sectors that improve models for applied research experiences and practical training within cybersecurity degree programs.
From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary NSF grant under the Science and Technology and other Research and Development funding category (CFDA 47.076). The funding opportunity title is CyberCorps(R) Scholarship for Service, with funding opportunity number 17-556. The opportunity was created on May 3, 2017, and the original closing date listed is July 31, 2017. The award ceiling is up to $5,000,000, with an expected 26 awards. Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others" with additional eligibility details referenced in the full solicitation text, reflecting that proposals are typically submitted by qualifying institutions of higher education and similar entities capable of operating scholarship programs and/or implementing scalable educational capacity-building projects.
Overall, CyberCorps(R) SFS is best understood as a workforce-focused cybersecurity education investment that combines scholarships tied to public service with broader educational innovation. Its Scholarship Track directly places trained graduates into government cybersecurity roles through a required service commitment, while its Capacity Track aims to improve and expand cybersecurity education nationally through research-informed teaching practices, curriculum development, interdisciplinary integration, and partnerships that connect education to real workforce and applied research needs.Apply for 17 556
- The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "CyberCorps(R) Scholarship for Service" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.076.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 03, 2017.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 31, 2017. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $5,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 26 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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