Fiscal year 2025 department of defense chief information officer cyber service academy scholarships: university of arizona

The University of Arizona received a $261,446 Project Grant award dated August 15, 2025, from the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) under the Information Security Grants program (CFDA 12.902). This award supports the Department of Defense Cyber Service Academy, a scholarship-for-service initiative designed to recruit and retain cybersecurity talent within the federal civilian workforce. The funding will support merit-based scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students pursuing cybersecurity-related degrees, with scholarship recipients committing to periods of civilian service with the Department of Defense following graduation. The award period extends through August 14, 2030.

As the initial recipient institution, the University of Arizona is responsible for distributing scholarship funds to selected scholars to cover tuition, fees, and living stipends, as well as managing any approved capacity-building project activities that enhance the university's cybersecurity education infrastructure. The university will operate as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity, contributing to the broader Defense Cyber Workforce Framework by developing graduates with the specialized knowledge and skills necessary to fill critical cybersecurity roles within the federal government.