SFS-Stem: How to Apply

Civilian Master's Degree Scholarship SFS-STEM Option

How to Apply for the SFS-STEM Program

1. Review the SFS-STEM Application Timelines

2. Read the SFS-STEM Program Description and review the Qualifications and FAQ
   
You can download the STEM brochure here.

3. Review the SFS Handbook to understand your obligations pertaining to the program.

4. Follow the instructions on "Application Instructions for Scholarship for Service STEM and MONARCH Programs"

SFS STEM introduction

SFS-STEM Program Description   

SFS - Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (SFS-STEM)

Enhance one's current knowledge and flourish in an environment that excels in the Information Assurance field.  Be on the cutting edge of technology and tools to secure our Nation's Infrastructure.  Reach your full potential!

The U.S. Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) in Monterey is proud to offer an exceptional program that enables civilians to obtain a full scholarship for a Master's Degree, receive a salary while in school, and begin a civilian career with an unlimited future. The "Scholarship for Service" program DOES NOT entail enrollment in the Military. Our students receive their Master's Degree and move on to CIVILIAN government jobs in such organizations as the CIA, FBI, NSA, and others. 

NPS's Center for Cybersecurity and Cyber Operations (C3O) is one of the world's foremost centers for cybersecurity education and research and has been key to the designation of NPS as a National Center of Excellence in Cybersecurity Defense Education, a National Center of Excellence in Cyber Defense Research, and a National Center of Excellence - Cyber Operations. 

 

Overview

  • Paid tuition at NPS for two year Master's Degree in Computer Science
  • $34,000/year stipend while enrolled in the program
  • A professional allowance of $6,000 per academic year for SFS Job Fair and other travel, conferences, research materials and supplies, a laptop, books, professional training and certifications, etc.
  • Access to state-of-the-art equipment
  • Opportunities for research with internationally recognized faculty experts in Cybersecurity and Cyber Operations
  • Access to SFS-specific resources for internship and job searches
  • Participate in a summer internship to gain real world experience
  • Upon graduation, start your paid CIVILIAN position as a cyber security professional in executive branch of the Federal government for a minimum of two years. (Occasional exceptions are made for non-executive Federal agencies and other government sector positions.)

Students selected for this program will receive a full 2-year tuition (i.e. six to nine academic quarters) to the NPS Computer Science Program, a yearly stipend while in school, and placement in a summer internship program. After completion of the program, students will seek full-time, paid positions with the Federal Government where they will work for a minimum of two full years. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0414102.

 

Qualifications 

  • Bachelor's Degree, prior to enrollment, in Computer Science or closely related field (Mathematics, Engineering, or Physics) with a minimum GPA of 3.0. The selection committee is most interested in specific computer and math classes completed and might, in certain circumstances, give special consideration to other fields of study.
  • Some undergraduate courses recommended as a basis for admittance into the Scholarship for Service program are listed below. The top 5 courses are most important. Our typical SFS STEM applicant has an undergraduate degree in computer science; applications from students who have taken fewer than half of these courses will not be as competitive for the STEM category. We expect students to be proficient in a language such as C, C++, Java or Ada.
    1. Logic and Discrete Math
    2. Computer Architecture
    3. Programming
    4. Data Structures
    5. Operating Systems
    6. Networking
    7. Algorithm Analysis
    8. Automata
    9. Artificial Intelligence
SFS - Additional Information

Additional Information

 

various links

NPS SFS FAQ

OPM FAQ

SFS Brochure

SFS Toolkit

Jobs after graduation

How to hire NPS SFS Graduates

 

Contacts

Mail
ATTN: NPS Scholarship for Service
Naval Postgraduate School
1411 Cunningham Road
Dept CS, Bldg. 305, GE210
Monterey, CA 93943-5285
Email
sfsapps@nps.edu