CISA Cancels Summer Internships for Cyber Scholarship Students Due to DHS Funding Crisis

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has informed participants of the federal government’s CyberCorps: Scholarship for Service program that it will not proceed with this year’s summer internship placements. The decision follows ongoing funding lapses at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and broader administrative challenges.

Emails obtained by CyberScoop revealed that CISA will not onboard any interns for the summer program, marking the second consecutive year of disrupted placements for affected students. The National Science Foundation (NSF) manages the program in coordination with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and DHS.

The Scholarship for Service program provides tuition coverage and stipends to students specializing in cybersecurity and artificial intelligence. In return, graduates must complete an internship and commit to federal service for a period equal to their scholarship duration.

An OPM official told CyberScoop:

“We are actively in contact with all Federal cabinet agencies on this topic, and are confident that we will place nearly all eligible Scholarship for Service participants within the next couple months.”

An NSF spokesperson declined to comment, and CISA did not respond to CyberScoop’s request for comment.

Federal Hiring Paralysis and Budget Turmoil

The sudden cancellation underscores the challenges federal job seekers face in a paralyzed hiring environment, compounded by budget instability at DHS and proposed workforce reductions under the Trump administration. The White House’s fiscal 2027 budget proposal includes a $707 million cut to CISA’s budget, according to a summary released earlier this month. This reduction would further strain an agency already impacted by significant budget cuts in the president’s first year.

Internship Applicants Left in Limbo

Sources told CyberScoop that CISA had previously informed applicants—who participated in a virtual job fair in February—that the agency would offer 100 internship roles. However, applicants were warned that hiring would not proceed until the agency secured funding.

Program participants expressed frustration to CyberScoop in November over enrolling in an initiative that binds them to an employer currently unable to fulfill hiring commitments. Program administrators have advised students to explore alternative job search strategies, a suggestion that has generated frustration among those relying on traditional federal placement pipelines.

OPM Announces Mass Deferment Plan

In response to the growing backlog of unplaced graduates, OPM announced plans to collaborate with the NSF on a mass deferment initiative. OPM Director Scott Kupor stated that the deferment would take effect after the government shutdown resolves, granting graduates additional time to secure qualifying positions.

Long-Term Consequences for Federal Cybersecurity Talent

The breakdown of the CyberCorps pipeline poses significant long-term risks to the federal government’s ability to recruit technical talent. The U.S. currently faces an estimated 500,000 unfilled cybersecurity positions, a gap the scholarship program historically helped address by offering competitive federal placements.

Lawmakers are currently debating legislation to end the DHS shutdown, which has further disrupted federal hiring and operational continuity.