National Cyber Scholarship Competition

National Cyber Scholarship Competition

Overview: 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

Contact: support@nationalcyberscholarship.org