Institutional Aid

Direct institutional aid is awarded by the University in the form of scholarships, fellowships, payment plans and institutional loans. Availability of funding may vary by term. Students who are awarded institutional aid must remain in good academic standing and must meet their financial obligations to the University in order to continue to receive scholarship or fellowship disbursements. Eligibility for specific scholarships and fellowships may vary by program of study as described below.

Who is Eligible?

You may be eligible for institutional aid if you:

• Complete a University of Fairfax Application
• Obtain admission to the University of Fairfax

How to Qualify?

• Institutional aid is based upon merit and/or need
• Students qualify for only one institutional scholarship or fellowship at a time

Scholarships

Information Security Certification

($500 for one cert, $1,000 for 2+): To recognize their achievements, doctoral degree-seeking applicants who hold selected information security certifications such as CISSP, CISM and CISA prior to their enrollment are eligible to apply for this scholarship.

Accepted certs include – PMP, ITIl, CSIH, ISSAP, ISSEP, ISSMP, SSCP, SCNP, SCNA, GCIA, GCIH, GSE, GSEC, GSLC, GSNA, GISF and CEH. Other certs may be considered as well.

Research Fellowships

The University has created several fellowship funds to support students conducting much needed cybersecurity research. These fellowships include:

FISMA

($179/credit hour): Student must be employed by a government entity or government-contracted and must be enrolled in a doctoral program. The FISMA Fellowship Fund was established by University of Fairfax to support research intended to improve compliance with the Federal Information Security Management Act.

Cybersecurity Policy Fellowship

($179/credit hour): Student must be employed by a private company and must be enrolled in a doctoral program. The Cyber Security Policy Fellowship Fund was established by University of Fairfax to support research intended to advance cybersecurity policy development.

International Doctoral Scholarship

The International Doctoral Scholarship is designed to enhance collaboration between educational institutions and facilitate continued higher education for international students. It is available to international F-1 students who enroll into a doctoral program at the University of Fairfax.

Initial Eligibility: International F-1 students who have met the following criteria may qualify for this scholarship.

• Be in good standing with Department of Homeland Security and;
• Have met the requirements for admissions to an eligible doctorate program at University of Fairfax.

Application Process: Applicants will automatically be considered for this scholarship upon submission of a completed University of Fairfax international student application and the appropriate application fee.

Award: Eligible students will be awarded $350 per course for the doctorate degree level. Scholarship payments are applied directly to students’ tuition and fee charges on their student accounts.

Continued Eligibility at University of Fairfax: Continued eligibility from term to term is contingent on students’ continuous enrollment at the university. However, students who have had an interruption in their attendance due to a return to their home country for visa purposes or health issues may have the requirement for continuous enrollment waived and be eligible to receive the remainder of their award. Such students should discuss their situations with their Dean who will forward the information to the Executive Vice President of Operations who will make the final determination of eligibility.

The certification of receipt of the International Doctoral Scholarship will be based upon the date that the application for admission is received by an International Admissions Officer. The award year for the scholarship is defined as July 1st to June 30th. The total amount of funds allocated by University of Fairfax for the scholarship is $350,000 each award year. The availability of the scholarship will be evaluated at the end of each calendar year.

This scholarship cannot be combined with any other grants or scholarships.

Blue Ribbon Grant

The Blue Ribbon Grant is designed to recognize and assist veterans, active-duty military personnel, spouse and dependents by providing additional grant funds upon the exhaustion or expiration of military education benefits to support the individual to enhance their educational benefits.

Eligibility:

The University of Fairfax provides a grant of up to 35% of the total amount that is paid toward the direct cost of education on behalf of an individual qualified by the Veterans Administration under Chapter 30, 31, 33, 35, 1606, Military Tuition Assistance or StateNational Guard. (MYCAA recipients are not eligible)

Application:

See the Financial Aid Office staff for an application.

Award:

Eligible students may accumulate up to a maximum of $18,000 to extend or complete their programs of study, or assist a current spouse or qualified dependent at the University of Fairfax. Once earned the accumulated grant amount may be utilized to pay tuition and fees at University of Fairfax in any academic program or degree level including to fund an external certification that is associated with the students program of study. The grant funds must be used within 10 years of the last day of the term the Blue Ribbon Grant was earned.

The military student earning the grant may elect to transfer the earned grant to a current spouse or qualified dependent under the age of 30. In the event of such transfer, the grant will be considered earned, transferable, and payable toward the transferee spouse or qualified dependent’s account following the completion of any term in which the military student’s benefits are paid toward the transferor’s tuition and fees.

For more information on how to apply and qualify for institutional aid, please request a personal consultation.