Funding

Fully Funded

Program dates

TBA

Course / Training•Remote

WiCyS Security Training Scholarship

Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS)

Application Deadline

Closed · August 30, 2025

Reopens ~Aug 2026

Official Page

The Security Training Scholarship is run by Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS), a global nonprofit based in Cookeville, Tennessee, together with the SANS Institute. A cohort moves through five tiers of training over roughly a year, starting with a beginner Capture the Flag exercise and finishing with incident-handling coursework and a GIAC exam. Selection happens again at every tier, so the cohort narrows as the material gets harder: 400 people reach the second tier and about 65 reach the third. The program is built for students and career changers who expect to be looking for a cybersecurity job within 18 months. A Veteran and Military Spouse Track, funded by Craig Newmark Philanthropies, adds mentorship, employer visibility and conference travel stipends. WiCyS reports that 92% of its advanced-training scholars were placed in cybersecurity roles within 12 months.

Benefits & funding

  • Tier 1: SANS beginner-level Capture the Flag with more than 28 content packs and built-in hints, open to every eligible applicant.
  • Tier 2: gamified, path-based online learning for 400 recipients, followed by a SANS Skills Quest week.
  • Tier 3, about 65 recipients: SANS SEC275/Foundations with the GFACT certification exam, plus AIS 247 AI Security Essentials for Business Leaders. Tier 3 recipients also receive a scholarship to the annual WiCyS Conference.
  • Tier 4: SANS SEC401 with the GIAC Security Essentials (GSEC) certification exam.
  • Tier 5: SANS SEC504 with the GIAC Certified Incident Handler (GCIH) certification exam.
  • Career support across the cohort: peer community, mentorship, and visibility with WiCyS employer partners.
  • Veteran and Military Spouse Track: added mentorship, incentives, employer visibility, access to WiCyS Military Affiliates, career placement assistance and travel stipends for conference attendance.
  • Scholars pay no course or exam fees. An active WiCyS membership is required to apply and is purchased separately.

Eligibility

  • Open to WiCyS members aged 18 and older. Joining WiCyS is a separate step on wicys.org.
  • New applicants only. Past recipients of this scholarship cannot apply again.
  • Applicants must be prepared to enter the cybersecurity job market within 18 months of starting the program.
  • No degree, certification or work-experience requirement is published. The program is designed for students and career changers.
  • No nationality or residency requirement is published, and WiCyS membership is global. The Veteran and Military Spouse Track is the one geography-bound part: it serves US veterans and military spouses.
  • WiCyS works to recruit, retain and advance women in cybersecurity, and its community also includes men and allies. The published eligibility rules for this scholarship set no gender requirement.

Can you apply?

Worth a closer look

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  • Age requirement

    ≥ 18 yrs

    Not in your profile yet

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Application process

  1. 1
    Join WiCyS, or confirm that an existing membership is current, before the window opens.
  2. 2
    Watch the Security Training Scholarship page for the application window. The next cohort opens in September 2026.
  3. 3
    Attend the launch webinar held in the first week of the window.
  4. 4
    Submit the online application with its essay before the stated close time. The last cohort closed at 11:59 pm CT.
  5. 5
    Accepted Tier 1 candidates join the kick-off call and complete the beginner CTF during its scheduled week.
  6. 6
    Advance tier by tier. WiCyS selects on the application essay, performance and engagement in the current tier, and participation in the cohort community.
  7. 7
    Return the commitment form when invited into Tier 3.

Program timeline

  1. 1 August 2025

    Applications open (2025–2026 cohort)

  2. Launch webinar

    5 August 2025

  3. Applications close

    30 August 2025, 11:59 pm CT

  4. Tier 1 acceptance notifications

    8 September 2025

  5. Tier 1 SANS beginner CTF

    10–14 September 2025

  6. Tier 2 acceptance notifications

    18 September 2025

  7. Tier 2 gamified learning

    22 September to 28 October 2025

  8. Tier 2 SANS Skills Quest

    6–10 November 2025

  9. Tier 3 acceptance notifications

    19 November 2025

  10. Tier 3 coursework

    8 December 2025 to 8 March 2026

  11. WiCyS Conference

    11–13 March 2026

  12. Tier 4 SEC401

    17 March to 17 June 2026

  13. Tier 5 SEC504

    26 June to 26 September 2026

  14. Applications open for the next cohort

    September 2026