To amend the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2014 to make improvements to the Federal Cyber Scholarship for Service Program, and for other purposes.
To amend the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2014 to make improvements to the Federal Cyber Scholarship for Service Program, and for other purposes.
Plain Language Summary
# HR 494 Summary: Cybersecurity Scholarship Program Expansion **What the Bill Does:** HR 494 would expand the CyberCorps Scholarship for Service program by increasing scholarship coverage from three years to five years of college tuition. The program helps students pay for education in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and aerospace fields. In exchange for receiving a scholarship, recipients must work for a government agency or university in a cybersecurity role for a period matching how long they received the scholarship. If they don't fulfill this work requirement, they must repay the scholarship or have it converted to a loan. **Who It Affects:** This bill would benefit college students pursuing degrees in cybersecurity and related technology fields, as well as federal agencies and educational institutions that need skilled cybersecurity workers.
By extending scholarships to cover five years instead of three, more students could pursue advanced degrees or doctoral programs in these high-demand fields. The National Science Foundation, which manages the program, would gain clearer authority to convert unpaid scholarships into federal student loans. **Current Status:** The bill was introduced by Rep. Gerald Connolly (D-VA) and is currently in committee, meaning it hasn't yet been debated or voted on by the full House of Representatives.
CRS Official Summary
This bill makes certain changes to the CyberCorps Scholarship for Service program, including increasing available scholarship amounts to cover up to five years of eligible tuition. The program offers scholarships to students pursuing higher education in cybersecurity and related fields, including artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and aerospace. Under current law, the scholarship covers up to three years of tuition. Recipients must generally commit to work in cybersecurity for a government agency or institution of higher education following completion of their degree program for a period equivalent to the duration of the scholarship. If a recipient fails to fulfill the postgraduation work requirements, some or all of the scholarship must be repaid or treated as a loan. The bill also provides statutory authority for the National Science Foundation to treat as a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan the full amount of any scholarship award that is treated as a loan. Under current law, Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans are subject to certain conditions (e.g., interest rates and repayment schedules) and are eligible for student loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.
Latest Action
Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.