The College of Information Sciences and Technology and Penn State are able to offer a number of scholarships to undergraduate students thanks to the generosity of alumni, corporate partners, and friends.
Full-time students enrolled in the college at University Park who meet the eligibility requirements described below will automatically be considered for scholarship awards. A separate application is only required for the David Rusenko Entrepreneur scholarships and Scholarship for Service program.
Students will be evaluated for either a need-based scholarship or a merit-based scholarship as determined by their financial status after completing the FAFSA. Note that the majority of IST scholarships require students to be Pell eligible. Awards are typically made by mid-summer, and they are not automatically renewed unless specified by the donor when the award was established. For questions about College of IST Scholarships, please email: scholarships@ist.psu.edu.
To be considered for IST scholarships, students must:
- receive an offer of admission to the College IST
- be registered as a full-time student in the College of IST for both the fall and spring semesters
- file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by February 15 of each calendar year
- earn a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0
All recipients will receive notification to their Penn State email address upon completion of the awarding process. Award amounts are divided equally between fall and spring semesters.
Students are not eligible for new and/or continuing awards if they:
- are entering their ninth semester at the University, unless special dispensation is approved by the dean of IST
- have a cumulative GPA below a 3.0
- change their major to one outside the College of IST
- drop below full-time status (fewer than twelve credits), unless documented special circumstances are present and the donor approves
- do not have a current FAFSA on file
The College of IST has innovative scholarships for innovative students. If you have a great idea for a startup or hope to pursue a career in innovation, IST may have scholarship money for you.
The David Rusenko Entrepreneur Scholarships offer financial support and/or academic credit and mentorship to students with entrepreneurial potential and experience. Learn more about eligibility requirements and application information.
The National Defense Authorization Act for 2001 established a formal Department of Defense Scholarship program, which promotes the education, recruitment, and retention of rising junior and senior undergraduate and graduate/doctoral students in cybersecurity studies. Students selected for the program will receive full scholarships, and during breaks in their academic studies, will receive progressive, hands-on experience in information security internships. In return, scholars must agree to some restrictions and obligations regarding curriculum, GPA, and pre- and post- program employment. If all conditions are met, Information Assurance Scholars will receive full-time conditional/permanent positions in Components of the DoD upon program completion. Selected student agree to serve one year of service to the DoD, upon graduation, for each year of scholarship received.
Through the Federal Cyber Corps Scholarship for Service (SFS) program, Penn State provides scholarships to outstanding undergraduate and graduate students studying in the field of general field of cybersecurity. The program provides full scholarships and additional benefits to U.S. citizens or permanent residents that fully fund the typical costs during the study. After graduation, participants must fulfill a government service obligation for a period equivalent to the length of their scholarship.
All students who receive a scholarship from the College of IST are expected to show their appreciation by writing a letter of thanks to their scholarship provider. Scholarship recipients should complete the form linked below and upload their thank you letter as a Word document or PDF. Students are encouraged to resubmit this form to update their donor on academic success, project or research updates, and post-graduation plans.
Note that all submitted correspondence will be reviewed to ensure appropriate content.