DoW Cyber Service Academy, Apply by 2/17

The Department of War (DoW) Cyber Service Academy (CSA) (formerly the Department of Defense Cyber Scholarship Program) is both a scholarship program for the DoW, and a capacity building tool for the nation. The program is a result of commitment from DoW and Congress to support higher education as a means to prepare the DoW workforce to deal with threats against the Department’s critical information system and networks.
 
Given our increasing reliance on cyber, information technology (IT), the growing threats to information, and information systems and infrastructures, it is critical that the DoW protect itself. To do so, the DoW must be staffed with technically savvy personnel. To help achieve this task, the DoW CSA was established. The DoW CSA is sponsored and administered by the DoW Chief Information Officer. The objectives of the program are to promote higher education in all disciplines of cyber, to enhance the Department’s ability to recruit and retain cyber and IT specialists, to increase the number of military and civilian personnel in the DoW with this expertise, and ultimately, to enhance the nation’s cyber posture.

The application is open to students who have not been awarded a scholarship previously with the DoW CSA. 

 

Student’s eligibility criteria: 

  • Must fall into one of the following categories and have at least one full academic year remaining in their current degree or a combination of two degrees (example completing undergrad and starting a grad program)
  • rising college Junior or Senior pursuing a bachelor's degree; or
  • in their first or second year of a master's degree; or 
  • pursuing doctoral degrees 
  • Must be US citizens, and must qualify for security clearance. 
  • Must not currently be a DoD or Federal employee 
  • Must be pursuing a course of study and/or have a declared major in one of the scientific, technical, or managerial disciplines related to cyber or with a concentration in cybersecurity.
  • As an undergraduate student, the applicant has a 3.2 out of a 4.0 grade point average (GPA) or, as a graduate student, the applicant has a 3.5 GPA out of 4.0, or an analogous rank based on a comparable scale. 
  • Must be willing to move – students are required to perform summer internship and a final service obligation with a selecting DoD Agency.  This may mean that the student has to physically relocated to the agency location.

 

 

 

Here are the updates to the 2026 DoW Cyber Service Academy Scholarship:

 

We appreciate your patience as we resume normal operations following the government shutdown. The shutdown affected our timeline, and we are working diligently to ensure you have sufficient time to submit all necessary documentation. Please note that this email contains a significant amount of information about the scholarship program. We encourage you to share it with those who support the program on your campus.

 

2026 DoW CSA New Student Application:  LINK:  https://www.cyberworkforce.mil/DoW-Cyber-Service-Academy/

 

The federal government has undergone significant changes in the past year, including the closure of our original application system (AVUE platform) on September 30, 2025. While we anticipated launching a new system before the 2026 cycle, the government shutdown and subsequent changes to the federal acquisition process have made that impossible. Therefore, the 2026 application process will be TEMPORARY . Please note the emphasis on TEMPORARY . We are working diligently to implement a new, permanent system for the 2027 cycle, which will include ample time for training and promotion.

 

  • 2026 TIMELINE:  We are working towards the below dates with every effort to keep to this schedule. Should changes be necessary, we will ensure wide notification.
    • 12 December - DoW CSA Program Office opens the New Recruitment Application 
    • 19 December – DoW CSA Program Office opens the Returning Scholar Application
    • Mid-January – 2026 Solicitation (Notice of Funding Opportunity) posted to grants.gov
    • 17 February - Online Application Portal Closes for New Recruitment Scholars
      • Student Applications will be transferred to Academic POCs via the DoW SAFE for review. Recommendations will be entered into the DoW CSA Budget and Student Identification Sheet 2026-2027 (this is part of the solicitation posted on grants.gov)
    • 20 February - Online Application Portal Closes for Returning Recruitment Scholars
      • Please ensure that all students intending on returning this year reapply, as it is a requirement to continue with the program
    • 20 March – Responses to solicitation due via Grants.gov.  
    • 23 March – 15 April - DoW Hiring Components reviews Scholar 
    • 15 April - DoW Components deadline to submit their Scholar Selection List, including ranked preferences
    • 22 April - DoW Component Annual Scholar Selection Meeting, commonly referred to as the “Football Draft”
    • 23-30 April - DoW CSA PO reviews and finalizes Hiring Component final selections to ensure balanced distribution of New Scholars
    • 1 May – Start of scholarship selections announcement 
    • 15 July – New Grants and Options start

 

  •  NEW Recruitment Applications: The temporary recruitment student application utilizes a Microsoft Form and will be processed in two parts. There is no log-in or creating an account.   New Applicants will be encouraged to dedicate enough time to answer both parts in one sitting. Part 1 will ask the student to identify to email address:  a personal address (.com or non-.edu address) as well as a .edu email address. Part 2 will ask the student to enter the same personal email address they used in Part 1.  This will allow our form to associate both parts with the same student.  To make this as painless for everyone (Applicant, Faculty Members, Agency Reps, DoW CSA Program Office) the following changes have been implemented:
    • Unofficial Transcripts:  Applicants will submit unofficial transcripts to the DoW CSA Program Office directly.  
    • One (1) Letter of Recommendation: Must be sent directly to the DoW CSA Program Office by the author not the applicant. The letter should come from a current or most recent faculty member or supervisor who can speak to your potential for academic success and your cyber-knowledge and ability. The applicant is responsible for contacting the author and ensuring the letter is sent by the deadline. Letters sent by the applicant will not be accepted. 
      • Due Date: 12:00 PM EST on 17 February 2026. 
      • Email Subject Line Format: Applicant Full Name – Institution Name – Letter of Recommendation
      • Email Address: osd.mc-alex.dod-cio.mbx.dod-csa@mail.mil
    • Competitions / Cyber Exercises / Capture-the-Flag Documentation: Applicants will submit any cyber competition data directly to the DoW CSA Program Office via email.  
      • Due Date:  12:00 PM EST on 17 February 2026.  
      • Email Subject Line Format:  Applicant Full Name – Institution Name – Competition Documentation
      • Email Address: osd.mc-alex.dod-cio.mbx.dod-csa@mail.mil

 Apply today, DoW CSA

Last Updated: Jan 7, 2026 9:19 AM