National Cyber Scholarship Competition

An annual competition designed to identify and rank top talent in cybersecurity among high school and college students, awarding scholarships and free training based on competition performance.

Geographic Scope: United States (all states and territories)

Focus Areas:

• Cybersecurity skills assessment
• Problem-solving and technical aptitude evaluation
• Practical cybersecurity challenges

Eligibility:

• High school students (11th-12th grade for scholarship awards)
• College students
• Must qualify through one of three pathways:

- CyberStart America participation
- Cyber FastTrack participation
- picoCTF participation
- CyberPatriot participation

Competition Format:

• Challenge-based competition
• Students solve cybersecurity puzzles and technical challenges
• Ranked by point scores
• Two-day competition format (based on participant accounts)

Award Tiers:

• Scholar with Honors: 30 top-scoring students nationwide, $3,000 scholarship
• Scholar: 540 top-scoring eligible students, $2,500 scholarship
• Finalist: 862 highest-scoring students, free access to Cyber Foundations Academy
• Semifinalist: 5,117+ students meeting qualification criteria

Award Benefits:

• Scholars with Honors: $3,000 college scholarship + free training
• Scholars: $2,500 college scholarship + free training from SANS
• Finalists: Free access to 4-month Cyber Foundations Academy
• Semifinalists: Recognition and pathway to advancement
• All awards include potential mentorship and career guidance

Organization: National Cyber Scholarship Foundation (NCSF), 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Texas, US

Key Notes:

• Scholarships available for U.S. colleges of student's choice
• Expanded eligibility for 2022-23 and beyond
• Geographic diversity: Students from all 50 states and territories compete
• Competitive but accessible: Tests problem-solving skills and aptitude, not just prior knowledge