The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and National Science Foundation (NSF) will grant “mass deferment” for CyberCorps Scholarship for Service (SFS) graduates seeking job placements as the government shutdown continues.
The SFS program – now in its third decade – funds cybersecurity education to help fill critical federal cyber workforce gaps. It provides full scholarships and stipends for up to three years to eligible undergraduate and graduate students who commit to working in government cybersecurity roles or at other qualifying entities after graduation.
With the federal shutdown now stretching into its 37th day, an OPM spokesperson confirmed to MeriTalk that the agency will work with NSF to provide deferments for SFS graduates who would otherwise enter repayment for their scholarships.
“After the shutdown ends, OPM will collaborate with NSF on a mass deferment to give graduates more time to secure qualifying positions and further guidance to encourage agencies to make use of the SFS program for their hiring needs,” the OPM spokesperson said.
Graduates who fail to obtain qualifying positions must repay the grants they received. While no scholars have yet been moved into repayment, the spokesperson said OPM “continues to communicate with scholars, reminding them of their service obligations and sharing resources – including qualifying state, local, tribal, and territorial opportunities – to help them meet those obligations.”
In a statement, OPM Director Scott Kupor said, “bringing top cybersecurity and AI (artificial intelligence) talent into the federal government are critical to our national security … OPM is committed to the success of SFS and is working closely with the National Science Foundation to ensure CyberCorps participants are supported during this challenging time.”
“Once the shutdown ends, we will issue guidance to agencies encouraging them to fully leverage the program to bring these highly skilled professionals into public service,” he added.