Stokes Educational Scholarship Program - STEM (Maryland)

CNSS • National Security Systems; Tompkinsville (KY); On-site; USD 35,000 - 37,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Housing benefits

Travel benefits

Tuition assistance up to $30,000/yr

Job summary

The National Security Agency (NSA) is currently accepting applications nationwide for the Stokes Educational Scholarship Program. This highly competitive tuition assistance program is designed for high school seniors pursuing STEM degrees, including Artificial Intelligence, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Data Science, Electrical Engineering, and Mathematics.

Selected participants may receive up to $30,000 per academic year toward tuition and mandatory educational fees.

Qualifications

• U.S. citizenship required
• Preferred GPA of 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale
• Demonstrated leadership ability
• Minimum SAT score of 1200 or Minimum ACT score of 25

Responsibilities

• Attend college full-time at an accredited U.S. institution and work at NSA for a minimum of 12 weeks each summer in positions related to your field of study.
• Commit to work at NSA in your area of study after graduation for a period equal to 1.5 times the length of your scholarship support.
• If the service commitment is not fulfilled, repayment of government tuition and mandatory educational fees is required.

Job description

Responsibilities

As a participant in the program, you will attend college full-time at an accredited institution of your choice within the United States and work at NSA for a minimum of 12 weeks each summer in positions related to your field of study. In return, participants are required to work at NSA in their area of study after graduation for a period equal to one and one‑half times the length of their scholarship support. Participants who leave the program before fulfilling this service commitment will be required to repay the government for tuition and mandatory educational fees received through the program. Students accepted into the program must maintain:

• A minimum 2.75 GPA on a 4.0 scale during the freshman year
• A minimum 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale each semester/quarter after the freshman year

Location

Fort George G. Meade Complex, MD

Pay Plan: GG

Grade: 02/1 to 02/10

Open: 2026-09-01, Close: 2026-09-30

Job Summary

The National Security Agency (NSA) is currently accepting applications nationwide for the Stokes Educational Scholarship Program. This highly competitive tuition assistance program is designed for high school seniors who plan to pursue degrees in the following STEM disciplines:

• Artificial Intelligence
• Computer Engineering
• Computer Science
• Cybersecurity
• Data Science
• Electrical Engineering
• Mathematics

offers students a unique opportunity to gain valuable STEM experience across the Agency while earning an annual salary. Selected participants may receive up to $30,000 per academic year toward tuition and mandatory educational fees. Students whose school is located more than 75 miles from NSA may also be eligible for housing and travel benefits during summer employment at NSA.

Qualifications

Basic qualifications are listed below. Important:

• Applicants who have a full college scholarship are not eligible for the Stokes Program.
• Students who are dually enrolled and will earn an AA degree are also not eligible for this program. Those students are encouraged to apply to the Cooperative Ad or the Summer Internship Ad instead.

Basic Requirements for High School Seniors Applicants must meet the following criteria:

• U.S. citizenship
• Preferred GPA of 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale
• Demonstrated leadership ability
• Minimum SAT score of 1200
• 600 Evidence-Based Reading and Writing
• 600 Math OR
• Minimum ACT score of 25 Academic

For Data Science, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, and Electrical Engineering High school transcripts must show:

• At least one Physics or Calculus course, and
• At least two courses combined in any of the following:

• Data Science
• Computer Science
• Computer Programming
• Engineering

For Mathematics High school transcripts must show:

• One Physics course
• One Calculus course
• At least two courses combined in any of the following:

• Data Science
• Computer Science
• Computer Programming
• Engineering

For Cybersecurity High school transcripts must show:

• A minimum of three years of coursework in cybersecurity or computer science

Pay, Benefits, & Work Schedule

Salary: $35,749 annually (GG 2, Step 1)

Contact Information

For questions, please contact: 1-844-424-4737 or 410-854-4725. For phone menu options, please select: Student Programs, then Stokes

Additional Information

All positions at the National Security Agency are in the excepted service. U.S. citizenship is required for all applicants. A security clearance must be granted prior to employment, and applicants must successfully complete extensive pre‑employment processing. This includes:

• Aptitude testing
• A Psychologist interview
• A security interview conducted with the aid of a polygraph
• A personnel interview
• A background investigation

Reasonable accommodations are provided, where appropriate, to applicants with disabilities during the application and hiring process. NSA is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable employment laws and regulations. All applicants and employees are subject to random drug testing in accordance with Executive Order 12564. Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a security background investigation and polygraph.

Apply soonest, as job postings can close earlier than stated end dates due to changes in requirements. It is important to review and note the minimum qualifications, as only those applicants who meet the required qualifications will be contacted to continue the employment process. Please populate the resume tool to showcase any relevant work experience and education related to the position and answer any applicable screening questions. Information collected will be used to determine eligibility, and failure to provide accurate information may result in disqualification for this position. A confirmation email will be sent after submission of the first application and also after any future updates to submitted applications. Due to time sensitive communications regarding applications, please ensure your spam filters are configured to accept email from [e-mail]. For job vacancies that include stated testing requirements, also include the following: @uwe.nsa.gov, @nsa.gov, and @pearson.com

The following four narrative questions provide an opportunity for you to highlight your dedication to public service for the hiring manager and agency leadership (or designee(s)). While your responses are not required and will not be scored, we encourage you to thoughtfully address each question. Please provide a response of 200 words or less to each question. You will be asked to certify that you are using your own words and did not use a consultant or artificial intelligence (AI) such as a large language model (LLM) like ChatGPT or Copilot. (Please attach in application)

1. How has your commitment to the Constitution and the founding principles of the United States inspired you to pursue this role within the Federal government? Provide a concrete example from professional, academic, or personal experience.
2. In this role, how would you use your skills and experience to improve government efficiency and effectiveness? Provide specific examples where you improved processes, reduced costs, or improved outcomes.
3. How would you help advance the President's Executive Orders and policy priorities in this role? Identify one or two relevant Executive Orders or policy initiatives that are significant to you, and explain how you would help implement them if hired.
4. How has a strong work ethic contributed to your professional, academic or personal achievements? Provide one or two specific examples, and explain how those qualities would enable you to serve effectively in this position.

DCIPS Disclaimer

• VETERANS AND TRANSITIONING SERVICE MEMBERS** Thank you for your service! The National Security Agency (NSA) is part of the Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel System (DCIPS). All positions at NSA are in the Excepted Service under Title 10, United States Codes (U.S.C.), Section 1601 appointment authority. Veterans' Preference In accordance with the procedures provided in DoD Instruction 1400.25, Volume 2005, "DoD Civilian Personnel Management System: Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel System Employment and Placement," NSA applies veterans' preference, as defined by Section 2108 of Title 5, U.S.C., to eligible candidates. If you are claiming veterans' preference, you are required to provide acceptable documentation of your preference eligibility upon application. Acceptable documentation includes: - DD-214: "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty," which shows dates of service and discharge under honorable conditions (Copy 4); OR - Certification of Service: A written document on letterhead from the appropriate branch of the armed forces that certifies the service member is expected to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the certification is signed. The certification should include the military service dates, including the expected discharge or release date; AND - Standard Form 15 (SF-15) Application for 10-point Veteran Preference (http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/sf15.pdf). If you are claiming a service-connected disability of 30 percent or more, the documentation you provide must specifically demonstrate this level of disability; AND - VA Letter of Disability (for 10pt and Sole Survivorship rating) You may obtain a letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs reflecting your level of disability for preference eligibility by visiting a VA Regional Office, contacting a VA call center, or online (https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/). **Failure to provide sufficient documentation of veterans' preference eligibility may preclude NSA from identifying you as a preference eligible candidate during the hiring selection process.