Requirements & Obligations

The BRONCO SHIELD CyberCorps® SFS program exclusively accepts applications from Boise State University students. To be eligible, the applicant must meet the following requirements:

• Hold either U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent residency.
• Be enrolled full-time in one of the pathway programs at BSU upon acceptance into the SFS program.
• Fall into one of the following categories:
  • In the final two years of undergraduate studies,
  • Beginning master’s studies, or
  • Beginning or currently in the first year of Ph.D. studies.
• Hold a minimum GPA of 3.0 (/4.0)
• Be pursuing their first undergraduate or first graduate degree in cybersecurity.
• Be capable of passing a background check (and subsequently obtaining a security clearance).
• Clean of illegal drug usage (including marijuana) for at least the last 6 months

Scholars in the BRONCO SHIELD program must fulfill the following obligations and commitments:

• Maintain a high level of academic performance.

• Actively participate within the BRONCO SHIELD SFS community by attending all SFS-related activities in person, including (but not limited to) SFS-specific courses, seminars, clubs, competitions, and cohort meetings.

• Actively participate in job fairs and other professional development events tailored specifically for SFS scholars, including attending the annual CyberCorps® Scholarship for Service Job Fair in D.C.

• Actively seek and apply for summer internships with government agencies during their academic program.

Upon graduation, scholars must work in a government agency or organization at the federal level (with some exceptions at the state, local, or tribal level) for a duration equivalent to the length of the scholarship.

As per NSF: “Failure to satisfy the academic requirements of the program or to complete the service requirement will result in forfeiture of the scholarship award, which must either be repaid or reverted by the institution to a student loan pro-rated accordingly to reflect partial service completed.”