1. What is the Scholarship For Service (SFS) program?
It's the Federal Government's response to deal with the threat to our information technology infrastructure by strengthening the cadre of information assurance professionals who protect it. Through this program, the National Science Foundation issues selected 4-year colleges and universities scholarship grants to attract students to the information assurance field. The Office of Personnel Management administers the operational aspects of the program. Questions about the program may be addressed to Kathy Roberson, SFS Program Manager, at sfs@opm.gov or (210) 805-2423, extension 506.

2. What costs do the SFS program scholarships cover?
The SFS program covers tuition, room and board, and books for up to two years of undergraduate- or master's- level study. In addition, undergraduates receive an annual stipend of $8,000. The stipend for graduate students is $12,000. (Through a grant to the participating academic institution hosting the event, the National Science Foundation also covers travel costs to a summer symposium all students are required to attend. However, these funds are not a part of the scholarship granted to the student.)

3. When, and for how long, can a student get a scholarship?
The scholarship is conferred during an undergraduate's junior and senior years. Graduate students are conferred the scholarship while pursuing a master's degree. Scholarships may be conferred for up to two years.

4. What is the shortest period for which a student may be funded?
The shortest period for which a scholarship may be granted is one semester. However, upon completion of degree requirements, students funded for less than two years must have an information assurance academic background equivalent to that of the typical graduate funded for two years. For example, in order to enroll in the SFS at the beginning of his or her senior year, a student must have been pursuing information assurance studies during his or her junior year.

5. Is the student entitled to the full stipend during a year in which he or she is funded for less than a year?
No. The student is entitled to a prorated amount. For example, if he or she receives a scholarship for only one semester, the student is entitled to only half the stipend. If the student receives a scholarship for only three semesters (one-and-a-half academic years), he or she is entitled to only half the stipend during the year the student receives funds for only one semester.

6. Does the student incur an obligation by receiving this scholarship?
Yes. A student must serve at a Federal agency in an information assurance position for a period equivalent to the length of the scholarship or one year, whichever is longer. An academic year (i.e., the fall and spring semesters) is equivalent to a calendar year of employment. If the student is funded for two academic years, he or she must serve at a Federal agency in a covered position for two calendar years. If the student is funded for one academic year or less (e.g., only one semester), he or she must serve for one calendar year.

7. Where will the jobs be located?
Jobs will be located throughout the United States. However, the overwhelming majority will be in Washington, D.C. Therefore, participants will be required to be available for placement nationwide.

8. At what grade level will I be appointed when I serve the internship and when I'm placed after graduation?
The grade level at which a participant is appointed depends on the person's qualifications at the time of appointment. In general, persons with a bachelor's degree and superior academic achievement may be appointed at the GS-7 level. Master's degree recipients may be appointed at the GS-9 level. It's important to note that the pay rates for information technology professionals are higher than for other jobs.

9. Is the post-graduation employment commitment the only period of employment I am required to serve with the Government?
No. Students are also required to serve an internship.

10. How long must the internship be?
The internship must be at least 10 weeks long.

11. Can time spent in an internship beyond the required 10 weeks be credited toward the post graduation employment commitment?
No, there are no provisions to credit any time served in an internship toward the post-graduation employment commitment.

12. Will I be paid moving expenses when I receive placement to fulfill my internship and employment commitment upon graduation?
The program does not contain provisions that provide for the payment of travel or lodging expenses associated with the internship, or moving expenses to the first post of duty. We suggest that students ask prospective Federal employers if they have the authority, flexibility, and funds to cover any such expenses.

13. What are the student eligibility requirements?
The student must meet all of the following:

be pursuing a bachelor's or master's degree;
be attending school on a full-time basis while receiving a scholarship under the SFS program;
be willing to pursue studies with an emphasis in information assurance;
be a United States citizen;
meet criteria for Federal employment; and
be able to obtain a security clearance, if required.

14. I am interested. Can my college or university (or any college or university) participate?
Colleges and universities may vie for participation if they are certified by the National Security Agency as Centers of Academic Excellence for Information Assurance Education (CAE/IAE), or their information assurance programs are deemed "equivalent" to those of certified schools." There are 36 CAE/IAE-certified colleges and universities at present.

15. What schools have been issued scholarship grants under the Scholarship For Service (SFS) program?
You may access a list of contacts and institutions currently participating at the following web site: http://www.opm.gov/hr/employ/products/recruitment/Scholarship/SFScontacts.asp.

16. I am attending one of the institutions listed and meet the eligibility criteria. What do I need to do to participate?
The scholarships are awarded on a merit-based basis. You must contact the program's Principal Investigator (coordinator) at your institution to obtain details.

17. I meet the eligibility criteria but I am not attending a participating institution. How can I participate?
In order to participate, a student must enroll in a participating institution. You should contact the program's Principal Investigators (coordinators) at participating institutions to inquire if there are slots open at the particular institution at which you are inquiring. Bear in mind that educational institutions have total discretion and control over their student admission policies and practices.

18. How do I enroll in the program once I'm selected by the Principal Investigator (coordinator) to participate?
The Principal Investigator nominates you. Your nomination is reviewed, and your participation approved, by the Scholarship For Service Program Office, San Antonio Service Center, U.S. Office of Personnel Management. After you are approved, you will be asked to sign a service agreement. This agreement stipulates the nature and conditions of the scholarship and the service obligation you will incur with the U.S. Government. Once the SFS Program Office receives your signed agreement, it will send you, via the Principal Investigator, instructions on how to register for the program.

19. What does registration entail and what happens after registration?
Participants are asked to complete an electronic résumé in OPM's Résumé Builder. Once all participants are registered, the SFS Program Office provides Federal agencies electronic copies of these résumés. Upon receiving the résumés, agencies contact directly those students in whom they are interested to effect "student/agency" matches. These matches are for the purpose of serving the required internship, and for job placement upon graduation. It is likely that most students will be contacted by more than one agency. When a match is made, the agency obtains from the student an E-mail statement indicating he or she has accepted an offer to match with the agency. The agency forwards a copy of the E-mail to the SFS Program Office.

20. Suppose I don't want to match with any of the agencies that make me an offer. What happens then?
If a participant receives one or more offers for an internship or post-graduation employment, he or she must accept an offer at least three months before the beginning of the period during which the internship or post-graduation employment is programmed to occur. For example, students who plan to serve an internship during the summer must accept an internship offer (if they receive at least one) by the end of February. Otherwise, the SFS Program Office may place the student at an agency of its choice if there are agencies with available placement opportunities.

21. What happens if I do not accept an offer made to me and I am not placed?
If a participant receives at least one, but fails to accept a placement offer, it will constitute a breach of the service agreement. In these situations, the SFS Program Office will seek the remedial action that best serves the objectives of the SFS program and the interests of the Government.

22. Why is it important that matches be made early?
It is very important that matches be made early to ensure all students who receive scholarship funds for more than one academic year serve an internship performing information assurance-related work. The internship is intended to enhance the students' information assurance knowledge by exposing them to worthwhile, field-related work experiences. This will require thoughtful planning by the Federal agencies. Failure to effect matches early places the content and value of, and even the internship itself, in jeopardy. The student must have an academic term remaining after the internship is served.

23. May I contact agencies with which I would like to serve the internship or be placed to fulfill my post-graduation employment commitment?
Students are encouraged to find placement opportunities for the internship on their own. However, they should keep in mind that the agency at which they served the internship makes a significant investment in them in terms of effort, time, and resources. Therefore, they are urged to inform the agency with which they are matched of their reasons for seeking post-graduation placement elsewhere. Additionally, students should keep in mind the SFS Program Office exhorts agencies to refrain from making post-graduation placement offers to students who served the internship at another agency without consulting with that agency.

24. Does the student have to serve the internship at the Federal agency that will employ him or her upon graduation?
No. The student may serve the internship at another Federal agency. However, the nature of the work assignments must meet program requirements. Moreover, for several reasons, it is strongly recommended that the internship be served at the agency that will ultimately hire the student. For example, the internship provides the environment that helps create a bond between the student and the employer. It also provides the participant the opportunity to meet and work with the agency's cadre of information assurance professionals and become familiar with the agency's information assurance needs and programs. Additionally, the internship should be an integral part of a mentoring process that should span throughout the entire academic and employment phases of the program. Therefore, Federal agencies are exhorted to refrain from making post-graduation placement offers to participants who served the internship at another Federal agency without consulting first with that agency and the SFS Program Office.

25. Can I defer my graduation date to enter into a conventional co-op arrangement?
If the IA curriculum permits it, students may defer their graduation date by up to six months to enter into a Student Career Experience Program arrangement with a Federal agency. This will allow for an internship of 640 hours or longer and make the student eligible for conversion into the competitive Federal service. However, the maximum period during which the student may receive scholarship funds is still limited to two academic years (i.e., the student does not receive scholarship funds during the period(s) of employment).

26. What happens if the student leaves his or her Federal position before he or she serves the required period?
The student must repay a prorated amount equivalent to the length of the period not served. For example, if the student received funds for two years and serves for one-and-a-half years, he or she must repay 25% of the funds received. Federal agencies must notify the SFS Program Office immediately when this occurs. That office is responsible for initiating the repayment process.

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