Students
What’s this about?
High school students compete for cash and other prizes* exclusively for eligible students competing in Virginia schools.
Top-scoring eligible players will be invited to apply for cyber training scholarships worth more than $3,000 from the National Cyber Scholarship Foundation.
Top scorer in the Commonwealth of Virginia receives a $500 cash prize.
Regional winners receive a $250 cash prize.
Top 5 Regional winners receive a cash prize of $100.
Top 100 highest scoring public school participants in the Commonwealth get recognized at their high school and/or district.
CyberStart America provides a new path for diverse and underrepresented students to enter the cybersecurity field.
The program trains and develops interest in and access to high-demand careers in a fast-growing job market.
Students earn digital achievement badges for points earned as they progress through the game.
*high school students may only be eligible for one cash prize during high school
LEARN MORE ABOUT CYBERSECURITY CAREERS HERE
Timeline from starting CyberStart to getting a job
CyberStart and the SANS Certificate
“from ZERO to employable!”
October-March
Students play CyberStart (no cyber experience required to begin)
March
Top performers invited to apply for training scholarships to enter the Cyber Foundations Academy
June-September
Scholars participate in the online Cyber Foundations Academy
September
Scholars take GFACT certification exam
(1 free attempt)
UPON PASSING
Students have the certified skills desired for entry level jobs!
The CyberStart America challenges strengthened my critical thinking and thinking outside the box. The skills I learned to complete those challenges were extremely helpful to the National Cyber Scholarship Competition like ciphers, binary, and web.
- Isabella, NewJersey
NCS Finalist
If you told me two years ago that I would be interested in cybersecurity, I would laugh a good deal. Having tried out cybersecurity, I have come to realize that cybersecurity provides thrill, teamwork, mystery and competition! It doesn't matter what your personality is, cybersecurity could very likely fascinate you."
