Women's Cyber Security Scholarships

Scholarship Sponsored by ISC2 Foundation

Administered by the Center for Cyber Safety and Education

Status
- APPLICATIONS ARE CLOSED FOR 2025
- Award and non-award notifications for the 2025–2026 school year will be sent by email in June 2025.

Note about ISC2 scholarships
- If you’re interested in other ISC2 awards, consider the ISC2 Graduate Cybersecurity Scholarship or the ISC2 Undergraduate Cybersecurity Scholarship; those are open to all genders.
- ISC2 Women’s Scholarship applicants who want to be considered for the ISC2 Undergraduate or Graduate Scholarships must submit a separate application for those awards. Applications are not moved automatically. You can import your information and supporting documents into the Undergraduate or Graduate application using the import button on the top right of the application dashboard.

Awards
- Up to ten scholarships will be granted, each ranging from $1,000 to $5,000.
- Scholarship funds are paid directly to the recipient’s educational institution and must be applied to tuition, fees, books, and required materials. Recipients do not receive the money directly.
- Award offers must be accepted within three (3) weeks of notification; unaccepted awards will be reallocated.
- All award funds must be disbursed to the student’s school by Dec. 31st of the award year; funds do not carry over to the next year.
- Awards are one-time only; recipients must reapply in subsequent years to be considered again.

Eligibility (requirements for applicants)
- Intend to pursue, or be enrolled in, a degree with a concentration in cybersecurity, information assurance, or a closely related field in fall 2025.
- Be pursuing an associate, undergraduate, graduate, or post-graduate degree in 2025.
- Minimum GPA of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale (or equivalent on a different grading scale).
- Open to applicants of any nationality (U.S. citizenship is not required).
- Eligible whether attending on-campus or online, full-time or part-time.
- Study may take place in the U.S. or internationally.
- You do not have to be currently enrolled to apply; however, funds will not be released until you are enrolled at a college or university.

Application materials (what you must provide)
1. Unofficial transcripts from your current or most recent school. If awarded, official transcripts will be required before funds are released.
2. One letter of recommendation that addresses:
a. How long and in what capacity the recommender has known you.
b. The skills or abilities the applicant has that indicate they can complete their degree.
c. Any additional information about the applicant that should be considered.
Note: Academic references are preferred; professional references that cover these points are acceptable.
3. Resume/CV — maximum 3 pages. Do not include links to publications.
4. Responses to essay questions (completed within the application). Suggested prompts:
a. Explain why you deserve this women’s cybersecurity scholarship and what sets you apart from your peers.
b. Describe your financial need for the scholarship.
c. Summarize your personal and educational background.
d. Who or what inspired you to pursue cybersecurity? Why do you believe you will succeed in information security, and what are your professional goals?
e. After you graduate and enter the cybersecurity workforce, how will you “pay it forward” to support other women (students, recent grads, or career changers) entering the field?
f. Describe any contributions you’ve made to cybersecurity (volunteer work, non‑linked articles, etc.), along with relevant hobbies or extracurricular activities and what they mean to you. (Do not include links to articles.)

Important reminders
- Awards are not renewable; you must reapply each year to be considered again.
- No award funds will be issued until enrollment is verified with the recipient’s educational institution.