The ISACA Foundation is inviting cybersecurity students worldwide, including eligible South African students, to apply for the ISACA Cybersecurity Month Scholarship. The programme will award five students scholarships worth US$2,500 each to support education-related costs during 2027.
Successful recipients will also receive an ISACA Career Building Bundle, which includes student membership, professional-development resources, mentorship and access to selected ISACA training and events.
Applications close on 3 November 2026 at 11:59 pm US Central Time.
At a glance
Sponsor/host: ISACA Foundation
Opportunity type: International academic scholarship
Academic year supported: 2027
Study focus: Cybersecurity
Who it’s for: Undergraduate, postgraduate or technical-training students worldwide pursuing or planning to pursue cybersecurity-focused studies
Minimum age: 18 years
Number of scholarships: 5
Scholarship value: US$2,500 per recipient
Closing date: 3 November 2026 at 11:59 pm US Central Time
Application method: Online through the official ISACA scholarship portal
Last verified: 11 September 2026
High-value notes (read this first)
- The scholarship is open to cybersecurity students worldwide, so eligible South African students may apply.
- Five scholarships of US$2,500 each will be awarded.
- Applicants must be at least 18 years old.
- Applicants must be enrolled in, or accepted to, an accredited college, university or technical training institute.
- The applicant’s degree or advanced degree must focus on cybersecurity.
- A letter of recommendation is compulsory.
- Students attending institutions outside the United States must submit proof of enrolment.
- Scholarship funding will be distributed between January and February 2027.
- For students attending institutions outside the United States, the scholarship money will be paid directly to the student.
- Successful recipients also receive the ISACA Career Building Bundle.
About the sponsor
The ISACA Foundation supports students and emerging professionals seeking education and careers in cybersecurity, digital trust and related technology disciplines.
The Cybersecurity Month Scholarship is linked to Cybersecurity Awareness Month, which takes place each October and promotes awareness of digital security, personal-data protection and safer online behaviour.
Through this scholarship, ISACA combines direct education funding with professional-development resources intended to help recipients build careers in cybersecurity.
What it covers
Each of the five successful recipients will receive:
- US$2,500 academic scholarship
The funding must be used for education-related expenses at the institution the recipient will attend during 2027.
Permitted expenses include:
- Full-time enrolment costs
- Part-time enrolment costs
- Credit courses
- Registration fees
- Tuition
- Other approved school fees
- Books
- Study supplies
- Essential technology
For students attending institutions outside the United States, including successful South African applicants, the scholarship funds are paid directly to the student.
For students attending institutions in the United States, payment is made directly to the institution.
ISACA Career Building Bundle
Scholarship recipients will also receive an ISACA Career Building Bundle which includes:
- One year of ISACA student membership
- Access to career-pathway and career-advancement events and webinars
- One ISACA certificate online review course
- Registration for one ISACA Virtual Conference
- Access to ISACA’s Mentoring Program
- Access to certified digital-trust professionals as potential mentors
- Resources to establish an ISACA Student Group at a university or college, where applicable
- Access to additional ISACA and ISACA Foundation resources
Eligibility
Applicants must:
- Be 18 years of age or older
- Be enrolled in or accepted to an accredited college, university or technical training institute
- Be pursuing, or planning to pursue, a degree or advanced degree focused on cybersecurity
- Provide the required letter of recommendation
The official criteria do not restrict applications to United States students; the opportunity is explicitly open to cybersecurity students worldwide.
Fields of study supported
The scholarship is specifically focused on:
- Cybersecurity
- Cybersecurity-focused undergraduate degrees
- Cybersecurity-focused postgraduate or advanced degrees
- Relevant cybersecurity technical-training programmes
Applicants whose qualifications combine cybersecurity with areas such as information technology, computer science or information security should ensure that the programme has a clear cybersecurity focus.
Documents to prepare
Applicants should prepare:
- Proof of enrolment if studying at an institution outside the United States
- Letter of recommendation
- Details of their college, university or technical training institution
- Information about their cybersecurity qualification or intended programme
- Any other supporting information requested by the online application system
Letter of recommendation
A recommendation letter is compulsory.
It may be provided by:
- An educator, such as a professor or academic counsellor; or
- A professional who works closely with the applicant, such as an employer or volunteer manager.
Applicants should arrange this document early rather than waiting until the application deadline.
Recipient commitments
Successful recipients must agree to:
- Attend at least one ISACA event in 2027, either virtually or in person
- Communicate with the ISACA Foundation twice per year for two years
- Provide updates regarding their studies and career progress
- Use the scholarship funding only for approved educational expenses
Applicants should consider these conditions before accepting an award.
Closing date
3 November 2026 at 11:59 pm US Central Time.
South African applicants should remember that the deadline is stated in a US time zone. Submit well before the deadline rather than relying on a last-minute time-zone conversion.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Applying if you are younger than 18
- Applying without being enrolled or accepted at an accredited institution
- Applying for a programme without a clear cybersecurity focus
- Forgetting the compulsory recommendation letter
- South African and other international applicants forgetting proof of enrolment
- Submitting an incomplete application
- Assuming the funding can be spent on non-education expenses
- Ignoring the recipient commitments after accepting the scholarship
- Waiting until the final hours and miscalculating the US Central Time deadline
How this opportunity was verified
This opportunity was verified directly from the official ISACA Cybersecurity Month Scholarship page.
The official listing confirms that the scholarship is open worldwide, that five US$2,500 scholarships will be awarded, applicants must be at least 18 and pursuing cybersecurity-focused studies, a recommendation letter is required, and applications close on 3 November 2026 at 11:59 pm US Central Time.
How to apply
- Open the official ISACA Cybersecurity Month Scholarship page.
- Create a free ISACA account, or sign in if you already have one.
- Start the scholarship application.
- Complete all required personal and academic information.
- Upload proof of enrolment if studying at an institution outside the United States.
- Provide the required recommendation letter.
- Submit any other supporting information requested by the application system.
- Review the complete application carefully.
- Submit before 3 November 2026 at 11:59 pm US Central Time.
- Keep confirmation of submission.