Scholarship for Service (SFS)

Eligibility Requirements Obligations to the Federal Government Benefits to SFS Participants Costs for which Students are Responsible Curriculum Requirements Extracurricular Activities

Carnegie Mellon CyLab, with the INI as its educational partner, has been designated by the National Security Agency as a Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education. In that capacity, Carnegie Mellon CyLab and the INI participate in the Federal Cyber Service Scholarship for Service (SFS) Program .

Students admitted to the INI's MS in Information Security Technology and Management (MSISTM) program may be eligible to participate in the Scholarship for Service program, which provides full financial assistance to a few highly qualified applicants each year who express an interest and who satisfy all the requirements. Nine scholarships are given out each year to students in the MSISTM program (funding permitting).

Eligibility Requirements

Eligible students must meet all of the following requirements:

• Be a United States citizen
• Be pursuing a bachelor's, master's or doctorate degree
• Be attending school on a full-time basis while receiving a scholarship under the SFS program
• Be willing to pursue studies with an emphasis on information assurance
• Meet criteria for Federal employment
• Be able to obtain a security clearance, if required

Obligations to the Federal Government

Recipients of the SFS must:

• Complete the degree program successfully and on time
• Complete a summer internship with a participating federal agency
• Fulfill a one-for-one year commitment post-graduation
  • Students in a two-year program must complete 24 months of working for a federal agency
  • Students in a three-semester program must complete 18 months* of working for a federal agency

* SFS requires students to complete a summer intership at a federal agency, which results in the need to spend a fourth semester in residence.

If a student fails to complete the period of scholarship or post-academic period of employment, that student must repay a prorated amount equivalent to the length of the period not served. For example, if a student receives funds for two years and serves for one-and-a-half years, he must repay 25% of the funds received. Federal agencies must notify the SFS Program Office immediately when this occurs. That office is responsible for initiating the repayment process.

Benefits to SFS Participants

• Full tuition scholarship ($68,000 for students entering the program in Fall 2007)
• Academic stipend of $1,333* per month for 4 semesters in residence (on internships, students are paid by the agency they work for)

*These monies are taxable at the federal level only. Taxes will automatically be taken out of student payments. Amount per month is approximately $1,333.00. All expenses are to come out of that amount, and there is no additional housing or book allowance.

Costs for which Students are Responsible

Students may use academic stipend to pay these costs:

• Laptop computer (approximately $2,500)
• Health insurance (approximately $500 per semester)
• Books; some software costs (approximately $400 per semester)

Curriculum Requirements

Recipients must:

• Fulfill all requirements of an approved degree program (at Carnegie Mellon, the MSISTM and MSISPM degrees are approved for SFS scholarship awards)
• Complete a 24-unit group project (two course equivalent)

Core Courses

Core courses may not be waived

Restricted Electives (48 units of security courses are required)

• 36 units must be taken from the following courses:
  • 18-630: Computers and Security
  • 18-730: Introduction to Computer Security
  • 18-731: Network Security
  • 18-732: Secure Software Engineering
  • 18-733: Applied Cryptology
  • 95-751: Information Security Risk Management
• Up to 12 units of security courses may be taken from other departments

Extracurricular Activities

Recipients must:

• Attend annual SFS Job Fair held in Washington, DC in January
• Attend colloquia, seminars, short courses, etc. offered - sometimes exclusively to students in the SFS program

Recipients may:

• Attend a conference related to information security and assurance issues (students will be reimbursed up to $1,000 in expenses)

For more information about the Scholarship for Service program, please contact Dena Haritos Tsamitis.