CyberCorps Internships Canceled
CISA canceled its planned CyberCorps summer internships—affecting roughly 100 student placements—after a Department of Homeland Security funding lapse reversed earlier plans to hire those interns. The cancellations were announced as part of a short-term funding issue at DHS. (govexec.com)
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has canceled its 2026 summer CyberCorps internships after a Department of Homeland Security funding lapse upended earlier hiring plans. (govexec.com) The agency had planned to offer about 100 CyberCorps: Scholarship for Service internship slots for undergraduate and postgraduate students this summer, then reversed course in messages sent this week. Federal News Network reported the Department of Homeland Security has been in a funding lapse since February 14, 2026. (federalnewsnetwork.com) CyberCorps is a federal scholarship pipeline: the National Science Foundation funds up to three years of tuition support, and students agree to work in government cybersecurity after graduation. The Office of Personnel Management runs placement support for the program. (sfs.opm.gov) (nsf.gov) For many scholars, the internship is not optional practice. National Institute of Standards and Technology program material says the scholarship carries both a summer internship and a post-graduation service requirement, and federal rules tie the award to later government service or repayment procedures. (nist.gov) (federalregister.gov) The cancellation lands after months of instability in the same program. CyberScoop reported in November that some students had job and internship offers rescinded, leaving them at risk of having grants converted into loans if they could not meet placement deadlines. (cyberscoop.com) The reversal is especially stark because CISA had publicly advertised the internships for 2026. A CISA webpage, still live as of this week, says the agency was “offering 100 new summer SFS cybersecurity internship roles” and listed an application window from December 15, 2025 to February 27, 2026. (cisa.gov) The funding lapse has already cut deeply into CISA’s operations. Nextgov/FCW reported on February 13 that the agency expected to furlough most of its workforce under a shutdown plan, and later coverage said the internship cancellation became the second straight year of disrupted summer placements for some scholars. (nextgov.com 1) (nextgov.com 2) The Office of Personnel Management told CyberScoop it is “actively in contact” with cabinet agencies and expects to place nearly all eligible Scholarship for Service participants within the next couple of months. CISA did not respond to CyberScoop’s request for comment, and the National Science Foundation declined comment. (cyberscoop.com) For now, students who were told to expect a summer at the federal government’s top civilian cyber agency are back to waiting on a placement system that was supposed to be the bridge into public service. (govexec.com)
