Organizations continuously face cyber threats. And even the smallest of cyber attacks can result in massive consequences for them. It can lead to major financial losses, reputational damages, and legal issues. Cyber attacks can surely devastate even the most resilient of businesses.
Cyber attacks projected on companies and corporations could also bring trouble to their customers. For instance, it could cause their private and personal information to be leaked online.
Naturally, businesses want to safeguard themselves from such attacks. For that, they employ various cybersecurity measures. Many businesses have opted for world-class ICS and OT security by Industrial Defender.
OT security solutions protect operational technology infrastructure, people, and data as well. They provide 360-degree security to organizations, safeguarding them against DDoS, malware, ransomware, MITM, and other cyber attacks.
But, just having a robust cybersecurity solution in place is not enough. You need to have an equally robust, knowledgeable, and competent cybersecurity team to mitigate cyberattacks. Especially when your business handles a lot of data.
There is a major demand and supply gap in the cybersecurity space. As per reports, there is a cybersecurity workforce gap of around three million positions. It is said that the workforce needs to grow by 65% to effectively protect organizations.
You can take advantage of this situation and embark on a professional journey in cyber security. But, for that, you will need a degree or certification in cybersecurity. However, cybersecurity courses can turn out to be a costly affair.
The average cost of a four-year degree at a private college hovers around $30,000 per year. Similarly, the cost at an average public college is around $10,000 per year. This is still a hefty sum for many individuals.
Having a scholarship might help alleviate some of your financial load. Here is a look at cybersecurity scholarships, their different types, and how they can benefit you.
What is a Cybersecurity Scholarship
A scholarship is support money that you may use to pay your tuition fees while obtaining degrees. But, unlike a loan, you will not have to repay it. Various scholarships are available from many institutions, including non-profit groups and well-known businesses.
So as a cybersecurity student, having a scholarship will put you at ease. These financial grants make you free from your worry of reimbursing your fees and help you in concentrating all your energy on study and research.
With the growing need for data security specialists, new scholarships are being offered on a yearly basis. Students, regardless of the prize size, can apply for several scholarships.
Definitely, every little bit helps you in college, and receiving a scholarship of $1,000 or $5,000 can prove useful.
Who Provides a Cybersecurity Scholarship
Many private firms and institutions operate their voluntary or paid services to help out scholarship-seeking professionals to get their OT cybersecurity scholarships.
Let’s see some of the renowned scholarship providers in cybersecurity fields:
Central Intelligence Agency – Undergraduate Scholarship Program gives scholarships to students who want to perform a government role.
The Stokes Educational Scholarship Program from NSA offers scholarships under the term scholarship for service. So, if you are eligible for a scholarship and take the opportunity, you have to work for NSA.
The Center for Cyber Safety and Education and (ISC)2 also offers undergraduate and graduate scholarships based on the GPA.
Benefits of Cybersecurity Scholarships for the Students and Professionals
Scholarships can benefit a student in various ways. You can find some of the listed benefits of scholarships:
Cybersecurity scholarships help the students cover the expenses of higher education.
Many scholarships for students and professionals offer considerable financial aid. In some cases where the students are really worthy, it might cover 100% of their tuition and a monthly living stipend.
Some scholarships can help pay you to pay the higher charge for exclusive cyber security boot camps and other training programs in place of traditional higher education.
Besides, obtaining a scholarship can earn you a sense of honor.
Being awarded the right scholarship, students get relieved of the stress of having to work while continuing the hard study on OT security tools.
Cybersecurity scholarships not only help the professionals to work in computer security service, but they become capable of protecting and serving others.
How to Find Scholarships in Cybersecurity
Step 1: Leverage Your Personal Network
Utilizing your own network to acquire insight into prospective scholarship opportunities is one of the first stages in locating cybersecurity grants. To begin, students may chat with coworkers, mentors, and thought leaders.
Networking helps them to learn about popular scholarships in their field of study. Reaching out to instructors and other academic advisers is another excellent technique for exploring prospective scholarships in cybersecurity studies.
Step 2: Extend Your Scholarship Search Using Online Scholarship Directories
Apart from personal connections, students may also search internet scholarship directories for new funding options. When users do research on numerous scholarship websites they might narrow their results to just certain sorts of scholarships.
While there are some websites that may include unique information, the majority of them follow a similar style. And that makes it simple to quickly assess a large number of scholarship opportunities.
Step 3: Continue Applying
As individual students rarely get all of the scholarships they apply for, it may be prudent to apply for more than you believe you will need.
Submitting a variety of scholarship applications may assist students in obtaining the most amount of financial assistance feasible. Therefore, avoiding financial stress that might impair their ability to study.
Where to Begin Your Search for Cybersecurity Scholarships
As a high school student, searching for industrial cybersecurity scholarships may be quite daunting. You may be wondering where to begin? The internet is such a huge and accessible resource. It often provides too much information for the purpose, and you get lost in the ocean of data.
Fortunately, easy solutions are there to alleviate this stress. As a high school kid, you can sit down and chat with your school counselor.
The advisors are often willing to assist high school students in locating suitable scholarship options. If you have already identified a college that you want to attend, contact your financial assistance adviser at that institution. They can help you qualify for school-specific scholarships.
Alternative Sources of Financial Assistance
Occasionally, scholarships may not provide all of the financial assistance necessary. And that always becomes detrimental for a student or professional to pursue a master of science in a cybersecurity program.
However, you do not need to be despair – there are still different forms of financial help accessible. Along with the grants and scholarships from government and private organizations, students can seek financial help via the following sources:
1. Student Loans
Student loans are a resource for students who lack the financial means to finance the whole of their tuition out of pocket and also do not qualify for enough scholarships or grants to cover the complete cost.
Students will learn whether they are qualified for federal student loans after completing a FAFSA form. Student loans are available from the federal government in two forms: unsubsidized and subsidized.
Student loans that are subsidized have lower interest rates and penalties than those that are not. Banks and other financial organizations also provide private loans, although they often have higher interest rates.
2. Tuition Assistance Programs Administered by Employers
Employers may also give tuition support to working student professionals. These initiatives provide workers with the opportunity to further their education by paying for their tuition.
Similar to the Stokes Educational Scholarship Program, several of these programs require workers to commit to working for a single corporation for a specified number of years after graduation.
3. Military Tuition Assistance
All branches of the United States military promised to reimburse up to 100% of service members' education costs.
The amount of money granted and the qualifying requirements vary by service region. This web page contains an in-depth discussion of military tuition support.
Amount of Financial Assistance Necessary
Students often underestimate the amount of financial help necessary to earn their degrees. Even if they win many scholarships, they may not be able to fund the whole cost of their degree. Here is where financial assistance calculators may be really beneficial.
These calculators give an estimate of the estimated cost of attending college. In most cases, a projection of prospective student loan payback terms. Determine your ability to pay for your education via student loans. Conduct several simulations using a simple financial assistance calculator.
Final Words
Whether you are still in high school or already had a bachelor's degree and are thinking of a master's now, there is a scholarship waiting for you. A useful scholarship helps you to get your research and learning track easily.
Numerous grants demand essay submissions or letters of reference. Do not disregard a scholarship just because it involves more work. These scholarships allow you to be fully equipped for the academic world of college.