WGU Cybersecurity Scholarships: Requirements and Opportunities

Western Governors University (WGU) is committed to making education accessible, recognizing that talent is universal, but opportunity is not. To that end, WGU offers a variety of scholarships to help students finance their education, particularly in high-demand fields like cybersecurity. These scholarships are made possible through the generous support of companies, foundations, partner organizations, WGU alumni, faculty, and staff.

General Scholarship Information

WGU scholarships are designed to remove obstacles from the path to achieving education goals and improving career opportunities. Scholarships are awarded to students provisionally accepted to WGU. To access the scholarship application, students need their MyWGU student portal credentials, which are sent after completing the first step of the admission process.

Financial Aid Options

In addition to scholarships, students can explore other financial aid options to cover the remaining cost of their degree, including:

Federal Pell Grants: These grants do not have to be repaid and are awarded based on financial need.
Federal Direct Student Loans: These loans are available to most students, subject to eligibility.

Specific Cybersecurity Scholarship Programs

WGU's College of IT offers several scholarship opportunities specifically for cybersecurity students. Here's a closer look at some key programs:

Department of Defense (DoD) Cyber Scholarship Program

WGU participates in the Department of Defense (DoD) Cyber Scholarship Program, a nationwide initiative designed to prepare students for careers in cybersecurity. As WGU is designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (NCAE-C), junior and senior undergraduate, and graduate students in cybersecurity studies are eligible to apply. The DoD Cyber Scholarship Program offers recipients a full-ride scholarship, living stipend, and guaranteed job placement within the United States National Security Agency upon graduation.

Eligible students pursuing a B.S. in Cloud Computing, B.S. Cybersecurity and Information Assurance, B.S. Network Engineering and Security, and M.S. can apply. The program is highly competitive, with eligibility restrictions that may apply.

Cyber Service Academy Scholarship (Formerly DoD CySP Scholarship)

WGU full-time students pursuing eligible degrees, including qualified security training, can access the Cyber Service Academy Scholarship. Student applicants are pursuing their third or fourth year of an undergraduate program. This opportunity is contingent on the release of the official Cyber Service Academy solicitation, expected in December 2024.

Online Access Scholarship

This scholarship provides recipients with the technology they need to pursue an online degree, eliminating barriers to internet access. Before receiving any devices, Online Access Scholarship recipients must read the WGU Student Handbook and agree to and understand the academic progress, tuition, and refund policies. The student will also be required to agree to the WGU Online Access Scholarship Terms and Conditions before any devices are distributed. The student must maintain a cumulative Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) percentage of greater than 66.67% each term to maintain scholarship eligibility.

Cybersecurity Programs at WGU

WGU's online B.S. Cybersecurity and Information Assurance degree program combines theoretical depth with technical skills, aligning with the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) Workforce Framework. Designed with input from industry experts, this program has received ABET-accreditation. The curriculum is shaped and continually updated by experts and industry leaders to ensure you’re learning the tools, best practices, and hands-on methods that matter most in today’s fast-changing tech world.

The bachelor’s degree program in cybersecurity and information assurance was designed, and is routinely updated, with input from the cybersecurity specialists on our Cybersecurity Advisory Board, ensuring you learn best practices in systems and services, networking, scripting and programming, data management, and cybersecurity and information assurance.

The curriculum includes courses that deliver proven methods for information security in the topics of penetration testing, network security, cloud security, scripting, intrusion detection, digital forensics, security operations, project management, cryptography, Artificial Intelligence (AI), data analytics, and Identity and Access Management (IAM) to prevent, detect, and mitigate cyberattacks.

Key Courses in the Cybersecurity Program

The program consists of a variety of courses, some of which may be waived through transfer credit. Here are some notable courses:

Ethics in Technology: Examines the ethical considerations of technology use in the 21st century and introduces students to a decision-making process informed by ethical frameworks.
Applied Probability and Statistics: Designed to help students develop competence in the fundamental concepts of basic statistics.
Applied Algebra: Designed to help you develop competence in working with functions, the algebra of functions, and using some applied properties of functions.
Introduction to Communication: Connecting with Others! This course will focus on communication in the professional setting, and present material from multiple vantage points, including communicating with others in a variety of contexts, across situations, and with diverse populations.
Constitution: Examines the evolution of representative government in the United States and the changing interpretations of the civil rights and civil liberties protected by the Constitution.
Network and Security - Foundations: Introduces learners to the basic network systems and concepts related to networking technologies.
Network and Security - Applications: Prepares learners for the CompTIA Security+ certification exam.
Data Management Foundations: Offers an introduction in creating conceptual, logical and physical data models.
Managing Information Security: Provides an in-depth analysis of the relationship between an information security program and broader business goals and objectives.
Managing Cloud Security: Prepares learners to safeguard cloud data with identity and access management and to implement secure solutions in cloud service models.
Legal Issues in Information Security: Provides learners with exposure to the laws and ethical issues of cybersecurity and the importance of compliance.
Python for IT Automation: Covers the fundamentals of the Python language and its features to control program flow, inform decisions, and automate IT tasks and processes.
Linux Foundations: Prepares learners for the LPI Linux Essentials certification, and is an introduction to Linux as an operating system as well as an introduction to open-source concepts and the basics of the Linux command line.
Introduction to Cryptography: Introduces students to foundational cryptography concepts and explore implementing encryption methods with symmetric and asymmetric algorithms.
Scripting and Programming - Foundations: Introduces programming basics such as variables, data types, flow control, and design concepts.
Business of IT - Applications: Examines Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL®) terminology, structure, policies, and concepts.
Practical Applications of Prompt: Introduces learners to generative artificial intelligence (AI). This course aims to allow learners to gain skills for writing effective prompts and develop more effective conversations with artificial intelligence.

Why Cybersecurity at WGU?

Accreditation: WGU’s programs are accredited by ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology), a global seal of approval guaranteeing quality and a pathway to good jobs.
Industry-Relevant Curriculum: The curriculum is shaped and continually updated by experts and industry leaders to ensure students learn the tools, best practices, and hands-on methods that matter most in today’s fast-changing tech world.
Flexibility: WGU allows students to complete courses, take tests, and graduate on their schedule.
Reputation: WGU is a respected university, and employers, industry leaders, and academic experts hold it in high esteem.
Career Preparation: The programs include third-party certifications to help students boost their résumés and prepare for career success.
National Center of Academic Excellence: WGU has been a CAE designated institution by the NSA for its B.S. in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance program since 2021.

The Growing Demand for Cybersecurity Professionals

Employment projections reinforce the urgent need for more information security analysts. Cyberseek notes that there are currently over 700,000 open cybersecurity positions in the United States alone, and with a projected growth of 35% over the next decade from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics with continued high demand, all sectors will require cybersecurity specialists for the foreseeable future.

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