Sponsors (13)
The bill expands affordable pipelines into the cybersecurity workforce—especially for two‑year college students—and aligns training with employer needs, but it ties participants to service obligations, creates meaningful repayment risk if commitments aren’t met, and may face scaling and quality challenges.
Students at two‑year institutions will receive full scholarships that cover tuition, fees, travel, lodging, stipends, internships and certification costs, lowering the financial barrier to entering the cybersecurity workforce.
Program participants will get prioritized internship placements and federal hiring opportunities, improving job placement and career pathways into cyber roles.
The program starts security‑clearance processing at least one year before completion so graduates can access higher‑paying cleared jobs sooner.
Students who leave the program, are dismissed, or refuse the required service must repay awards with interest as Federal Stafford loans, creating a significant debt risk for participants.
Graduates face a two‑year post‑completion service obligation that can limit employment choices and effectively tie participants to government roles for a fixed period.
Ambitious enrollment quotas and rapid scaling targets (e.g., doubling enrollments annually toward a large goal) may be unrealistic and could strain program quality if appropriations or institutional capacity do not keep pace.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Introduced February 5, 2025 by Mark E. Green · Last progress February 5, 2025
Establishes a CISA-run scholarship and training program that pays full costs for qualifying students in two-year cyber or cyber-related programs and in exchange generally requires a two-year public-service employment commitment in a government cyber role. The program funds tuition, fees, travel, lodging, stipends, internships, certification testing, and related expenses; includes skills-based exercises, internships with priority placements, security-clearance initiation, certification vouchers, and a federal recruitment fair; and sets enrollment growth targets and reporting requirements to Congress. Funding and some features are subject to available appropriations and repayment rules apply if recipients do not meet obligations.