The Department of Defense (DoD) Cyber Service Academy (CSA) Scholarship Program is established under Chapter 112 of Title 10, United States Code, Section 2200, and authorized by the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2023, as amended by the NDAA for Fiscal Year 2024. This grant opportunity is designed to support the recruitment and retention of highly skilled cyber professionals within the DoD workforce. The program also aims to strengthen the national cybersecurity workforce pipeline by providing grants to institutions of higher education that facilitate full-time, institution-based scholarship programs in cyber-related disciplines.

Eligible applicants for this funding opportunity include regionally and nationally accredited U.S. institutions of higher education designated as National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (NCAE-C). These institutions, recognized for their excellence in cybersecurity defense, research, and operations, must be in good standing with the NCAE-C Program Office and must not be delinquent in their compliance with program documentation requirements. Institutions may apply independently or in collaboration with other accredited postsecondary institutions, particularly those serving minority populations.

The funding provided under this grant supports scholarships for students pursuing cyber-related degrees during the 2025–2026 academic year. Eligible student applicants include rising second-year NCAE-C community college students transitioning into four-year bachelor's programs, students with non-cyber-related degrees pursuing cybersecurity associate degrees, juniors and seniors in bachelor's degree programs, master’s students in their first or second year, and doctoral students. ROTC participants without a current service obligation and members of the National Guard or reserves are also eligible to apply. Additionally, DoD civilian employees may participate in a separate retention program, which requires nomination by their respective DoD component and is evaluated based on performance and potential.

Applications for the grant must be submitted through Grants.gov by March 28, 2025, at 11:59 PM EST. Proposals must include mandatory forms such as SF-424, SF-424B, SF-424A, a project abstract summary, a project narrative, and a budget formatted in the DoD CSA Excel template. Submissions must follow specific formatting requirements, including the use of Times New Roman 12-point font, 1-inch margins, and PDF file format. Institutions must also be registered with the System for Award Management (SAM) and have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) to be eligible.

The DoD will review applications based on technical merit, program alignment, budget feasibility, and institutional capacity. The evaluation process includes an assessment of an applicant’s compliance history and performance record using the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS). The final award decision is made by the DoD, with official notifications sent via email. Grant funds may only be used for salary, fringe benefits, and indirect costs, with restrictions on telecommunications and surveillance equipment procurement.

The program is not open to non-DoD federal employees, and applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered. The awards will be granted for a period of 15 months, beginning in Fall 2025. The DoD reserves the right to divide grant awards into option periods or combine them at its discretion. Further details on the evaluation criteria and application submission process are provided in the official funding announcement.