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Stokes Educational Scholarship Program

Offered by National Security Agency (NSA) · Free to apply

Award
Up to $30,000/yr tuition + year-round salary
renewable in later years
Deadline
September 30, 2026
deadlines recur around September each year
Estimated odds
1 in 2,000
Solyo estimate, not a published rate
Application effort
~8 hrs
about $3 of expected value per hour

High school seniors headed into computer science or computer/electrical engineering can be hired by the National Security Agency before college even starts: the program pays up to $30,000 a year toward tuition and fees and adds a year-round salary. Recipients work at least 12 weeks each summer at NSA headquarters in Fort Meade, Maryland, then owe the agency about 1.5 years of employment for every year of school funded. Selection weighs a 3.0 GPA, roughly a 1200 SAT or 25 ACT, leadership, an essay, one recommendation, and the ability to pass a background investigation and polygraph. Timing is the weak point: the window opens in September and reported closing dates range from September 30 to October 31, so confirm the current date at intelligencecareers.gov in late August. A separate track funds Chinese and Russian language majors.

How hard is the Stokes Educational Scholarship Program to win?

A large applicant pool chases this award. Apply if the student is a genuinely strong fit, but build the plan around better-odds awards first.

Estimated odds
roughly 1 in 2,000 applicants
Modelled applicant field
~2,000 students
Payoff per hour of work
$3 / hr

What drives the odds here

Odds on a scholarship are mostly a question of how many students can enter. Each rule below changes the size of that field.

  • More rivalsOpen nationwide, so the field is large
  • Fewer rivalsAn essay is required, which filters out casual applicants
  • Fewer rivalsRecommendation letters are required, a step many applicants skip
  • Fewer rivalsAn official transcript is required
  • Fewer rivalsRestricted to specific intended majors
  • Fewer rivalsOpen to a single grade level only
  • Fewer rivalsRequires at least a 3 GPA
  • Fewer rivalsRequires a minimum test score
  • More rivalsA large award draws far more applicants

How Solyo estimates this: We model the applicant field from how narrow the eligibility rules are, then divide the awards available by that field. Requirements such as essays and recommendation letters improve a serious applicant’s odds, because most browsers never complete them. These are estimates derived from each award's published structure, not reported acceptance rates, which almost no scholarship provider discloses. Treat them as a way to rank where the hours go, not as a guarantee.

Who can apply for the Stokes Educational Scholarship Program?

These are the eligibility rules Solyo verified against the official award page, translated into plain English. Your student must meet each one.

  • Open to high school seniors
  • GPA of 3 or higher (unweighted)
  • SAT score of 1200 or higher
  • ACT score of 25 or higher
  • Open to U.S. citizens
  • Planning to study Computer Science, Engineering, or STEM
Confirm these before applying
  • Must be eligible to obtain a security clearance, which includes an extensive background investigation and polygraph
  • Requires working at NSA during summers (Fort Meade, Maryland area), with housing support for students living more than 75 miles away
  • Carries a post-graduation NSA employment commitment, typically 1.5 times the length of study
  • Application includes a resume, transcripts, test scores, essay, and recommendation letter
Good to know
  • Must plan to major in computer science or computer/electrical engineering; a separate track covers Chinese or Russian language majors
  • Demonstrated leadership ability is part of the selection criteria
  • Applications are generally accepted in the fall (opening around September 1); confirm the current window at intelligencecareers.gov

What the application takes

  • Essay required. The prompt centers on career goals.
  • 1 letter of recommendation. Ask teachers or counselors early; good letters take time.
  • Transcript required. Request it from the school registrar ahead of the deadline.

Deadline and application cycle

The current deadline is September 30, 2026. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around September 30 each year. Applications open September. Reported windows differ by track, so verify the current closing date at intelligencecareers.gov in late August before drafting anything.

Later close reported for some tracks
October 31, 2025
Applications open
September 2026
Application closes
September 30, 2026
Apply on the official site →Free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge a fee.

Does your student actually qualify?

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Common questions about the Stokes Educational Scholarship Program

How much is the Stokes Educational Scholarship Program worth?

The Stokes Educational Scholarship Program awards up to $30,000/yr tuition + year-round salary and is renewable in later years.

When is the Stokes Educational Scholarship Program deadline?

The current deadline is September 30, 2026. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around September 30 each year. Applications open September. Reported windows differ by track, so verify the current closing date at intelligencecareers.gov in late August before drafting anything.

When do Stokes Educational Scholarship Program applications open?

Applications open September, and close September 30, 2026. Reported windows differ by track, so verify the current closing date at intelligencecareers.gov in late August before drafting anything.

Who is eligible for the Stokes Educational Scholarship Program?

Key requirements: Open to high school seniors; GPA of 3 or higher (unweighted); SAT score of 1200 or higher; ACT score of 25 or higher. 2 more criteria are listed on this page.

Does the Stokes Educational Scholarship Program require an essay?

Yes. The application requires an essay, 1 recommendation, and a transcript. Expect to spend about 8 hours on it.

How hard is it to win the Stokes Educational Scholarship Program?

Solyo estimates the odds at roughly 1 in 2,000 applicants, against a modelled field of ~2,000 students. The pool stays that size because an essay is required, which filters out casual applicants and recommendation letters are required, a step many applicants skip. At 8 hrs of work, that is about $3 of expected value per hour. This is an estimate from award structure, not a published acceptance rate.

Is the Stokes Educational Scholarship Program free to apply?

Yes. The Stokes Educational Scholarship Program is free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge an application fee, and Solyo verifies every listed award against its official page.

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Lists this award appears on

Award details are curated by Solyo and verified against the official scholarship page. Deadlines and requirements can change between cycles, so always confirm on the provider's site before applying.