National Science Foundation’s Scholarship for Service Program
The Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering, University of Florida, has received a grant from the National Science Foundation for the CyberCorps® Scholarship for Service (SFS) Program. The grant provides monetary support in the form of scholarships, covering full tuition and providing stipends, to domestic students pursuing degrees specializing in cybersecurity-related topics and information assurance. The program requires that students ‘pay-back’ the scholarship with service, that is a commitment to work for a Federal, State, Local or Tribal government organization in the United States for a period equal to the length of the scholarship. The goal of the CyberCorps® program is to recruit, educate, and train a diverse workforce of individuals interested in taking on the task of securing government agencies from cybersecurity and information technology system threats. Students from traditionally underrepresented populations, including women and minority populations, are strongly encouraged to apply. The University of Florida’s (UF) FICS Research Department will work closely with Florida International University (FIU), on the awarded joint grant towards developing an implementing the SURPASS: A Unique Scholarship Program in Hardware and Systems Security. UF and FIU are uniquely qualified to offer this scholarship program in hardware and systems security (HSS) because of their curricular efforts, strong research programs, faculty strength, as well as unique lab facilities, which will help deliver an exemplary program in the nation. Both universities serve diverse student populations, have strong internationally-recognized hardware and systems security research programs, and extensive curricular offerings in cybersecurity. The UF team is led by FICS Research’s Education Director, Prof. Swarup Bhunia, and includes fellow FICS Research faculty Diversity Director Prof. Daniela Oliveira, Co-Director Mark Tehranipoor, and Prof. Kevin Butler. While, the FIU team is led by Prof. Selcuk Uluagac and includes Profs. Kemal Akkaya and Alexander Pons.
Benefits:
- Fully-covered tuition
- Stipends of up to $34,000 for graduate students and $22,500 for undergraduate students
- Funds for health insurance, professional development and books
- Summer internships, typically paid, with a government organization
- Access to the CyberCorps® Scholarship for Service Job Fair, where scholarship recipients meet Federal or State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial government employment recruiters
Eligibility Criteria:
Minimum Requirements
- Must be a U.S Citizen or Lawful Permanent U.S. Resident. Not dual, not an alien from a country on the state-sponsored terrorism list from the state department
- Must meet criteria for Federal employment
- Must be able to obtain security clearance, if required
- Demonstration of legitimate interest in, and commitment to, pursuing an Information Assurance or cyber-security-related careers with a government entity after graduation
- Scholarships are awarded on a merit-based basis
Obligations
- Be a full-time student
- Maintain a specified grade point average
- Attend the annual job fair/symposium until post graduation commitment is secured
- Complete the degree/program requirements successfully**
- Participate in a summer internship with a local/state/federal agency***
- Work for a local/state/federal agency in qualifying positions, upon completing academic degree requirements. Length of service depends on length of scholarship support—one year of service for one year of support.***
** Although there will be flexibility in meeting individual student interests and goals, there will be a list of required courses a student must take. Contact the program director to discuss your individual requirements.
*** List of Federal Agencies and Federally Funded Research and Development Centers
Application Process – We ARE currently accepting applications at this time.
2022/20223 Academic Year Deadlines: May 24, 2022 (1st round) and June 15, 2022 (2nd round)
Here is what you will need to apply:
- Complete this application.
- And email it with the following to our NSF SFS Coordinator, Darlene Brown, at brown@ece.ufl.edu:
- 2 Letters of Reference
- Resume and/or Curriculum Vitae
- Essays requested in application form
If selected for preliminary review, you will also need to participate in a Skype interview and/or in-person interview with you prospective NSF SFS advisor.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you have further inquires about the Cybercorps® Scholarship for Service select this link to review frequently asked questions: https://www.sfs.opm.gov/StudFAQ.aspx#num8
Contact Details
NSF SFS Coordinator
Darlene Brown
NEB 434
P.O. Box 116200,
216 Larsen Hall
Gainesville, FL 32611-6120
Phone: 352-392-9036
Email: brown@ece.ufl.edu
Project Director @ UF
Prof. Swarup Bhunia (ECE)
MAE 226C
P.O. Box 116200
Gainesville, FL 32611-6120
Phone: 352-392-5989
Email: swarup@ece.ufl.edu
Project Director @ FIU
Prof. Selcuk Uluagac (EC)
Electrical and Computer Engineering Department
Florida International University Engineering Center #3141
Miami, FL 33174, USA
Phone: 305-348-3710
Email:suluagac@fiu.edu
Co-Directors @ UF
Prof. Mark Tehranipoor (ECE)
MAE 226B
P.O. Box 116200
Gainesville, FL 32611-6120
Phone: 352-392-2585
Email: tehranipoor@ufl.edu
Prof. Daniela Oliveira (ECE)
MAE 208
P.O. Box 116200
Gainesville, FL 32611-6120
Phone: 352-392-6618
Email: daniela@ece.ufl.edu
Prof. Kevin Butler (CISE)
MAE 207
P.O. Box 116120
Gainesville, FL 32611-6120
Phone: 352-562-0789
Email: butler@ufl.edu
Co-Directors @ FIU
Prof. Kemal Akkaya (EC)
Dept. of Electrical & Computer Engineering
Florida International University
Miami, FL 33174
Office: EC 3915
Phone: 305-348-3017
Fax: 305-348-3807
Email: kakkaya@fiu.edu
Prof Alexander Pons (EC)
Dept. of Electrical & Computer Engineering
Florida International University
Miami, FL 33174
Office: EC 3145
Phone: 305-348-7253 Email: apons@fiu.edu
Other Participating UF Faculty
- Prof. Domenic Forte (ECE)
- MAE 226D P.O. Box 116200 Gainesville, FL 32611-6120 Phone: 352-392-1525 Email: dforte@ufl.edu
- Prof. Prabhat Mishra (CISE)
- CSE E568 432 Newell Drive Gainesville, FL 32611-6120 Phone: 352-392-505-1880 Email: prabhat@ufl.edu
- Prof. Tom Shrimpton (CISE)
- MAE 209 P.O. Box 116120 Gainesville, FL 32611-6120 Phone: 352-294-2092 Email: teshrim@cise.ufl.edu
- Prof. Patrick Traynor (CISE)
- MAE 210 P.O. Box 116120 Gainesville, FL 32611-6120 Phone: 352-273-0738 Email: traynor@cise.ufl.edu
- Prof. Damon Woodard (ECE)
- MAE 226E P.O. Box 116200 Gainesville, FL 32611-6120 Phone: 352-273-2130 Email: dwoodard@ece.ufl.edu
Other Participating FIU Faculty
- Prof. Ismail Guvenc (EC)
- Florida International University Electrical & Computer Engineering 10555 W Flagler Street, EC 3142 Miami, FL, 33174 Phone: 305-348-4942 Email: iguvenc@fiu.edu
- Prof. Osama Mohammed
- Professor and Director of the Energy Systems Research Laboratory Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Florida International University College of Engineering & Computing, Room EC-3983, 10555 W Flagler Street, Miami, Florida, 33174 Phone: (305) 348 3040 Email: mohammed@fiu.edu
UF Staff
- Darlene Brown
- NSF-SFS Coordinator NEB 434 P.O. Box 116200, 216 Larsen Hall Gainesville, FL 32611-6120 Phone: 352-392-9036
- Email: brown@ece.ufl.edu