Scholarship Details

CIA Undergraduate Scholarship Program

Application Deadline:

7/27/2024

Requirements:

High School, Freshman or Sophomore

Purpose:

The Undergraduate Scholarship Program is a financial needs-based initiative that offers undergraduate students an unmatched experience in a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment. Undergraduate students, serving as scholarship recipients with CIA, attend an accredited college/university on a full-time basis and work during summer breaks at the Agency. While working at CIA, you will be exposed to real intelligence challenges while performing meaningful work that relates to your college major. An IT major, for example, might be given increasingly complex projects involving sophisticated computer systems. An engineering major might help produce a piece of state-of-the-art equipment. A finance major could be involved in developing and analyzing budgets for a worldwide operation, while a foreign language major might be instrumental in translating documents for U.S. policymakers. An international relations major might brief a senior policymaker and, as a final example, a human resources major could have the opportunity to develop and implement personnel policies and procedures.

Because CIA invests in scholarship recipients, accepting an offer means continued employment with the Agency for a specified timeframe. You are required to work at the Agency after college graduation for a period equal to 1.5 times the length of the college sponsorship you received from CIA. Students who leave earlier are required to reimburse the U.S. Government for their tuition. All positions require relocation to the Washington, DC area during summer work tours.

Who You’ll Work With
At the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), we recognize our Nation’s strength comes from the diversity of its people. People from a broad range of backgrounds and viewpoints work at CIA, and our diverse teams are the reason we can keep our country safe.

Read more about diversity and inclusion

What You’ll Get
If selected as a scholarship recipient, you will receive a wide array of benefits, including:

Tuition assistance up to $18,000 per calendar year for tuition, mandatory fees and books; STEM field positions receive tuition up to $25,000 per calendar year.
Daily allowance for meals and incidentals during summer tours
Reimbursement for transportation costs between school and Washington, DC
Annual salary
Federal health and life insurance
Federal retirement plans
Paid time off, as well as sick and holiday leave
Education and training
Health services
Child care center
Credit union
As a CIA employee, you’ll also get the satisfaction of knowing your work is part of something bigger than yourself. Our work is driven by one mission: to keep our Nation safe. Every day is an opportunity to enhance U.S. national security.

Eligibility:

Minimum Qualifications
18 years of age by date of application to the scholarship program
Financial need as demonstrated by the gross annual household income ceiling up to $120,000
If the applicant has not been listed as a dependent for the previous tax year, the gross annual household income ceiling is $50,000 or less
1000 SAT; or 21 ACT score for high school students, if available.
Acceptance at a 4-year college/university; or pursuing undergraduate degree as a full-time student and enrolled in or planning to take at least 12 credits per semester
At least a 3.0 GPA on a 4-point scale for high school and/or college
Availability to work at least one 90-day summer tour prior to graduation and willingness to work at CIA full time after graduation
Ability to meet the minimum requirements for joining CIA, including U.S. citizenship and a background investigation
Desired Qualifications

Terms of Award:

If selected as a scholarship recipient, you will receive a wide array of benefits, including:

In this program, you will perform meaningful work related to your college major. In addition to a year-round salary, recipients are provided up to $18,000 per year for tuition, fees, books and supplies. Students in STEM fields who will work in select CIA STEM positions are provided up to $25,000 per year. All scholarship recipients are eligible for health insurance, paid time off and more.
Daily allowance for meals and incidentals during summer tours
Reimbursement for transportation costs between school and Washington, DC
Annual salary
Health insurance
Life insurance
Federal retirement plans
Paid time off, as well as sick and holiday leave

Please Submit:

The following items must be attached to your on-line application (PDF format preferred):

Cover sheet listing all documents attached
SAT or ACT scores (for high school seniors who are taking the SAT or ACT in the fall, please make note of your test date in your application).
Names and ages of all family dependents and proof of gross annual household income. Please provide one of the following documents to prove that you meet the financial requirements of the program:
Either a copy of your most current Federal Application for Financial Student Aid Form (FAFSA),
Or a copy of the most recent W2(s) stating gross annual household income
Unofficial transcripts for all degrees.
Two letters of recommendation
Scholarship Program Application [PDF*]
Qualification Supplement [PDF*]

Online Application:

https://www.cia.gov/careers/jobs/undergraduate-scholarship-program/