The Paller Cybersecurity Scholarship

Paller Cybersecurity Scholarship Timeline

Scholarships application portal opens: October 1, 2024
Scholarship application deadline (including ALL materials): January 15, 2025
Scholarship winners notified by: February 28, 2025
Scholarship winners must confirm acceptance by: March 14, 2025
Scholarship winners can begin their program as early as: April 1, 2025

Paller Cybersecurity Scholars have the option of completing their programs fully online while working full-time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Eligibility and Cost

• Who is eligible for the Paller Cybersecurity Scholarship?
  The Paller Cybersecurity Scholarship is designed for non-U.S. individuals who would not otherwise have access to cybersecurity education. Applicants can be new to the field of cybersecurity or have a career they want to advance in.
  
  We are not accepting applications from individuals who have earned GIAC certifications (except through a scholarship program), are alumni of a SANS.edu program, have previously taken a SANS.org course, or are related to people who work for SANS or GIAC.

• What countries are eligible to apply for the scholarship?
  Citizens of all countries are eligible to apply, except citizens of the United States as this scholarship is intended solely for international applicants.

• Is there an application fee?
  There is no application fee for the Paller Cybersecurity Scholarship.

• Is there a cost to apply?
  The SANS Technology Institute does not charge any fees to apply for the Paller Cybersecurity Scholarship but applicants may need to pay fees for official transcript evaluations and an English proficiency exam, both of which are handled by external companies with their own charges.

• What does the scholarship cover?
  If you receive the scholarship, it will cover the entire tuition for the program you are admitted to by the Scholarship Committee. Items not covered include travel expenses for live events, fees for exam retakes in case of failure, and any costs related to required application materials supplied by external vendors, such as transcript evaluations and an English proficiency exam.

• How do I select which program I am interested in applying for?
  When you start your Paller Cybersecurity Scholarship application, we will ask you to indicate which program you are most interested in. However, if you earn a scholarship, the Admissions Committee will select the program you are admitted to based on your qualifications and experience.

• Is there a minimum age to be accepted?
  All accepted students must be 18 years old at the time of admission.

• Will I need to get a visa to attend classes if I'm admitted?
  Because all SANS.edu programs may be completed entirely online, we do not require or issue any visas for our programs.

Aptitude Assessment

• Is the aptitude assessment required?
  Yes, the aptitude assessment is required in order to determine a base eligibility for any of our programs.

• Can I retake the assessment?
  No, we do not allow retakes of the assessment. We recommend setting aside enough time to concentrate fully on the assessment and utilizing the entire 2-hour duration.
• Can I study for the aptitude assessment?
  No, the aptitude assessment was designed by SANS to evaluate your potential for success in SANS courses and GIAC exams, the core of our SANS.edu programs, and does not require prior study.
  
  The best way to make sure you have a strong score is to set aside the full two-hours to take the assessment uninterrupted. The assessment is timed and you cannot stop and restart the assessment.
• Do I get my assessment scores after completing it?
  No, we do not release the aptitude assessment scores. They are exclusively shared with the Scholarship Committee for their review.
• When will I know if I qualify to continue after taking the assessment?
  We will contact you within 3 days after you complete the assessment to inform you whether you qualify to proceed.
• What if I don’t qualify to proceed with a scholarship application after the assessment?
  We seek the most highly qualified students, so while your assessment score may qualify you for a SANS.edu program, it may not not meet the threshold for the Paller Cybersecurity Scholarship.
  
  If you aren't selected for the Paller Cybersecurity Scholarship and you have other funding options, please reach out to discuss possible options.
  
  

Transcripts

• What documents are required from my previous schools and what transcripts do I need to submit for my application?
  All applicants are required to submit official transcripts for all undergraduate work. Official is defined as a transcript that is sent directly from your prior school to the SANS Technology Institute (or an evaluation agency like WES or IEE) without any interaction with the student. Transcripts should include information about degrees earned, courses taken, and grades earned.
  
  Steps: (1) Request to have an official transcript from your previous school sent to WES or IEE for a course-by-course evaluation; (2) WES or IEE will send a full evaluation and the required transcript to the college for review once completed; (3) the SANS.edu transcript team will evaluate your transcript and you will see it marked as "Received" on your application checklist in the application portal. This can take up to 5 days to evaluate and connect to your application.
  
  If you are not sure what documents to send or what a transcript is, you can search on IEE’s website under “Required Documentation” to get a country-specific list of required documents. Enter the country you have earned undergraduate/bachelor’s degree credit in, and you'll receive a list of required documents.
  

• Do I need to send a copy of my diploma?
  No, we do not need a copy of your diploma. Only official transcripts are required.

• When should I request my transcripts?
  We recommend that you do not request transcripts from either of our partner agencies, WES or IEE, until after you've taken the aptitude assessment and been informed if you should proceed with your application. If you are invited to continue in the application process, please request transcripts as soon as possible because processing may take several weeks.

• What if I don’t have any or enough college credits?
  Students must have a minimum of 48 college credits (approximately 2 years of undergraduate coursework) to be eligible for any of our programs. If you have not yet earned this amount, you are not eligible at this time. We invite you to reapply in the future once you have accumulated more credits.

• How do I request a transcript from my school?
  Each school has a different process for requesting transcripts. Contact your previous schools to learn what their process is. Schools in the U.S. usually list the process on their website. Some international schools may require that the request for a transcript be made in person at the school. (International transcripts will need to be evaluated).
  
  If you are not sure what documents to send or what a transcript is, you can search on IEE’s website under “Required Documentation” to get a country-specific list of required documents. Enter the country you have earned undergraduate/bachelor’s degree credit in, and you'll receive a list of required documents.

• Where should I send my transcripts? If my previous school will only mail physical copies of my transcripts and email is not an option, how do I get them evaluated?
  Steps: (1) Request to have an official transcript from your previous school sent to WES or IEE for a course-by-course evaluation; (2) WES or IEE will send a full evaluation and the required transcript to the college for review once completed; (3) the SANS.edu transcript team will evaluate your transcript and you will see it marked as "Received" on your application checklist in the application portal. This can take up to 5 days to evaluate and connect to your application.
  
  If transcripts are international, then our evaluation agencies, WES or IEE, will send official evaluations via email. Transcripts should be emailed to the SANS Technology Institute at [email protected]. However, if your previous school will only mail a physical copy of your transcript, they can mail it to this address: SANS Technology Institute, 2093 Philadelphia Pike #4606, Claymont, DE 19703, USA.

• Is an international evaluation needed for my transcripts?
  Yes, if you completed your undergraduate education outside the United States, you will need to have your transcripts evaluated by one of our partner agencies: WES or IEE. Please visit one of their websites and follow their steps for submitting your transcripts for a course-by-course evaluation.
  
  Once an evaluation is completed by either agency, WES or IEE will send the evaluation and official transcript to SANS.edu directly. When we have received an official review copy of your transcript, we will mark your transcript as received on your application portal checklist.
  
  Steps: (1) Request an official transcript from your previous school be sent to WES or IEE for a course-by-course evaluation; (2) WES or IEE will send a full evaluation and the required transcript to the college for review once completed; (3) SANS.edu transcript team will evaluate your transcript and you will see it marked as Received on your application portal checklist. This can take up to 5 days to evaluate and connect to your application.

• Is there a cost to getting my transcripts evaluated?
  Yes, both agencies charge a fee for evaluating transcripts. You can find more information on their websites: WES or IEE. We are unable to offer exceptions to this requirement or scholarships for the cost.

• Do I need to send my graduate transcripts?
  We do not need graduate transcripts to consider your application. For any of our programs, we primarily need to review your official undergraduate transcripts. If you have graduate transcripts that you can obtain without difficulty and that you believe will be helpful to your application review, please feel free to have them sent to us.
• If my university/college credits were completed at a school on the American credit system, do I need to have my undergraduate transcripts evaluated by WES or IEE?
  Yes, we still require an international evaluation, even if your school used the American credit system. The WES or IEE course-by-course evaluation provides a comprehensive review beyond just credit alignment with U.S. institutions.

English Proficiency

• If my native language is not English, is there an English proficiency requirement?
  Yes, international students will need to take an English proficiency assessment and submit it as part of their application. We accept TOEFL, IETLS or Cambridge assessment exams. We do not accept other assessments such as TOEFL Essentials and Duolingo. Details on the scores and tests can be found here: https://www.sans.edu/admissions/international.

• What are the minimum English proficiency scores? 
  
  For the TOEFL exam, applicants must attain a minimum score of 25 in each of the sub-categories (Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing) and a minimum overall of 100, before applying to the SANS Technology Institute. Scores must be sent to us directly by the testing agency.
  
  For the IETLS exam, applicants must attain a minimum score of 7.5 in each of the IELTS sub-categories and a minimum overall of 7.5, before applying to the SANS Technology Institute. IELTS scores must be sent to us directly by the testing agency, and candidates should take the Academic version of the IELTS exam.
  
  For the Cambridge exam, applicants must attain a minimum score of 191 in each sub-category and a minimum overall score of 191. Scores must be sent to us directly by the testing agency.
  
  We cannot grant exceptions for any scores that fall below our minimum requirement.

• What if I do not meet the minimum English proficiency scores? 
  At this time, we only accept students who have met our minimum English proficiency scores. To ensure a successful academic experience at the SANS Technology Institute, applicants must demonstrate fluency in both written and spoken English, encompassing professional, academic, and technical communication.

• Are there any exceptions to the English proficiency requirement? 
  The only exception to the English proficiency requirement is for students who hold a degree from a college or university that conducted their program in English. If you believe you qualify, please make a request for an exception on the English Proficiency Form in the applicant portal. We will need official transcripts (and evaluated transcripts if obtained internationally) to verify your exception. After receiving your request and transcripts, we will evaluate your eligibility.

• If my work is primarily in English, is that an exception to the proficiency exam?
  No, we are unable to take work experience as an exception to the English proficiency requirement.

• If I live in an English-speaking country, is that an exception to the proficiency exam?
  No, an English proficiency exam is required for any applicant who is not a U.S. citizen, regardless of residency.

Deadline

• Is there an extended deadline?
  No, because the application will remain open for several months there is no extended deadline available.

Decisions

• If I am denied, what are my options?
  If you aren't selected for the Paller Cybersecurity Scholarship, you might still qualify for a SANS.edu program. If you have other funding options, please reach out to discuss possible options. Additionally, the Paller Cybersecurity Scholarship is a yearly scholarship and you can apply again next year.
• If I am admitted, what are my next steps?
  Next steps will be listed in the applicant portal. Once you complete those, you will be enrolled in New Student Orientation to meet your student advisor and start your first course.