6 Ways to Secure Funding for MS Cybersecurity Studies

Investing in a graduate degree might be rather costly. Fortunately, there are many fundings or scholarships available for cybersecurity master’s programs as the public and private sectors compete to address the severe lack of talent in the field. The top six ways to secure funding for MS Cybersecurity Studies are listed below.

1. SWSIS (Scholarships for Women Studying Information Security) Program Scholarship

Up to $10,000 is available for female students pursuing a bachelor’s or master’s degree in an information security-related career. To reduce the widening gender disparity in the profession, scholarships are provided to women pursuing careers in cyber security.

Eligibility

You must be admitted to or enrolled at a US university’s US campus to be eligible. Candidates must be citizens or legal permanent residents of the US.

How to Apply

Contact swsis@swsis.org or visit http://cra.org/cra-w/scholarships-and-awards/scholarships/swsis/#overview for more information.

2. Center for Cyber Safety and Education Graduate Level Scholarships

Graduate students can apply for the women’s scholarship and the graduate scholarship offered by the Center for Cyber Safety and Education. Recipients will receive an award ranging from $5,000 to $40,000.

#1. Women’s Scholarship

The women’s scholarship can be worth as much as $40,000.

Eligibility

• Must be studying, or intend to pursue, a degree with an information assurance or cyber security concentration.
• A minimum GPA of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale is required, or an equivalent rank based on a similar scale.
• Any nationality is acceptable (US citizenship is not necessary).
• May participate virtually or on campus.
• May be a part-time or full-time student.
• Maybe you are traveling from abroad or within the US.
• Though enrollment is not currently required, prizes won’t be given out until the student enrolls in a college or university.
• If the funds are granted, the school will receive them and be instructed to use them for books, fees, and tuition.

How to Apply

Visit https://iamcybersafe.org/scholarships/womens-scholarships/ or contact scholarships@isc2.org

#2. Graduate Scholarship

Applicants may be awarded up to $5,000 each.

Eligibility

• Although it is not currently required, rewards will not be given out until the student enrolls in a college or university.
• If granted, the school will receive the prize and be instructed to use it toward books, tuition, and fees.

Applicants must:

• Holding, or want to have, a degree focused on information assurance or cybersecurity.
• Be qualified to start a master’s program in its first or second year or to pursue a Ph.D.
• Own a GPA of at least 3.2 on a scale of 4.0 (or a similar rank based on a similar scale).
  • Note: To complete these requirements, you will utilize the final cumulative GPA from your undergraduate degree transcript if you have recently started coursework or have just received admission to graduate school.

Applicants may:

• Be a citizen of any country (US citizenship is not required).
• Attend on campus or online.
• Attend full-time or part-time.
• Attend in the US or internationally.

How to Apply

Visit https://iamcybersafe.org/scholarships/graduate-scholarships/ or contact scholarships@isc2.org 

3. MPower

MPOWER’s loans don’t need collateral of any kind, nor do you need cosigners. To help with the expense of your education, you can borrow up to $100,000 and have a fixed interest rate that will never go up. 

You can make interest-only payments for the six months following graduation as well as while you’re still in school. You are required to make all of the loan’s principal and interest installments once you graduate from college and the grace period has ended. All loans have a 10-year repayment period; however, if you choose to pay off your loan earlier, there is no penalty. 

Eligibility

International students, DACA recipients, citizens of the United States, refugees, and asylum seekers can all apply for loans from MPOWER. 

You must fulfill the following requirements to be eligible for an international student loan from MPOWER: 

• Enrollment: You have to be accepted into or enrolled in one of the more than 400 universities sponsored by MPOWER. Check out MPOWER’s partner list to see if your school qualifies. MPOWER’s partner list. 
• Level: Within two years of your graduation date, you must be enrolled as an undergraduate or graduate student. 
• Current ID: A copy of a current, valid, and unexpired government-issued photo ID will be required when you apply. 
• Supporting documentation: Your passport, previous transcripts, a letter of school admission, the results of your English proficiency exam, and verification of your home country address are among the documents that will be requested. 

It’s a good idea to start early because the full procedure, from loan application to disbursement, can take several weeks or even months. You can apply for MPOWER up to a full year before the start of your semester. 

Ready to get started? You can apply for education loans for international students at any time. 

4. The Google Anita Borg Memorial Scholarship

The $10,000 award comes with perks like the chance to attend the yearly Google Scholars Retreat in Mountain View, California, attend workshops, and take advantage of various chances for professional growth and community service.

Eligibility

• Declare yourself a woman.
• Be enrolled for the 2016–17 academic year at a university with accreditation.
• Plan to enroll in or be admitted as a full-time student to a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral program at a US or Canadian university for the 2017–2018 school year.
• Be enrolled in a program of study in computer science, computer engineering, or a similar technical field.
• Provide examples of your computer science coursework or experience.
• Show off a solid academic background.
• Lead by example and show that you are passionate about getting more women involved in computer science.

How to Apply

Visit https://www.womentechmakers.com/scholars

5. The AFCEA Scholarships

A number of scholarships are available from the AFCEA to students who want to study cyber security. The Ralph W. Shrader Graduate Diversity Scholarship and the War Veterans Scholarship are two graduate-level cyber security scholarships available.

#1. Ralph W. Shrader Graduate Diversity Scholarship (Women and Minority Students) 

Recipients receive $3,000.

Eligibility

• At the time of application, candidates must be enrolled full-time in the second semester of a US college or institution that has received accreditation.
• At the time of application, candidates must possess a current overall GPA of 3.5 or above.
• The year the scholarship is awarded cannot coincide with the anticipated graduation date.

How to Apply

Visit https://www.afcea.org/shrader-graduate-diversity.

[FREE GUIDE] Eight Important Considerations for Getting a Cybersecurity Degree

#2. War Veterans Scholarship

Scholarship recipients get a $2,500 merit-based award.

Eligibility

• At the time of application, candidates must be citizens of the United States enrolled as sophomores or juniors in a four-year accredited college or university in the country.
• Candidates must be enrolled full-time or part-time in an undergraduate degree program that meets the requirements.
• Candidates must have a GPA of at least 3.0 overall.
• Candidates must major in one of the accepted majors, including cybersecurity, as listed on the eligibility page.
• Candidates need to show proof of their service (a DD214 or Certificate of Service) if they served in Afghanistan or the Iraq War (from 2003 to the present).

How to Apply

Visit https://www.afcea.org/war-veterans.

6. The Yellow Ribbon Program

Veterans can get assistance from yellow ribbon colleges like the University of San Diego in the form of annual scholarships, which are matched dollar for dollar by the VA. The value of the scholarships varies every year. The scholarship amount in US dollars for 2017 was $14,896.

Eligibility  

• The Post-9/11 GI Bill maximum benefit rate must be available to applicants.
• Neither active duty nor a spouse using a transferred entitlement is acceptable for applicants.
• The school of the applicant must consent to taking part in the Yellow Ribbon Program.
• The applicant’s school must not have provided Yellow Ribbon to more people than specified in their participation agreement.
• Your enrollment must be verified by your school with the VA, and they must also give you details on the Yellow Ribbon Program.

Candidates may qualify if any of the following apply to them:

• After September 10, 2001, you have served a total of 36 months on active duty.
• You were honorably released from active duty due to a disability related to service, and you completed 30 days of nonstop service following September 10, 2001.
• If a dependent meets the above-mentioned service eligibility requirements, they may be qualified for Transfer of Entitlement under the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

 How to Apply

Visit here for more information.

Start With Us

Do you want to study abroad? Note that obtaining a bachelor’s degree or a master’s degree in this field helps to improve your chances in the labor market. Studying abroad is no joke for international students due to the cost. However, you can achieve your dreams without breaking the bank by applying for student loans, which you can pay for as long as 10 years. 

MPower Finance and Prodigy Finance are some of the best student loan providers for international students. They also do not require a cosigner or collateral before an application. Reach out to us today, and let’s help you get started. 

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