CIA Undergraduate Scholarship Program

The Undergraduate Scholarship Program is a financial needs-based initiative where you will be exposed to intelligence challenges while performing meaningful work that relates to your college major.

Applications are now being accepted for the Undergraduate Scholarship Program for Summer 2024. The application window is from 1 March to 30 June 2023.

The Undergraduate Scholarship Program is a financial needs-based initiative that offers undergraduate students an unmatched experience in a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment. Undergraduate students, serving as scholarship recipients with CIA, attend an accredited college/university on a full-time basis and work during summer breaks at the Agency. While working at CIA, you will be exposed to real intelligence challenges while performing meaningful work that relates to your college major. An IT major, for example, might be given increasingly complex projects involving sophisticated computer systems. An engineering major might help produce a piece of state-of-the-art equipment. A finance major could be involved in developing and analyzing budgets for a worldwide operation, while a foreign language major might be instrumental in translating documents for U.S. policymakers. An international relations major might brief a senior policymaker and, as a final example, a human resources major could have the opportunity to develop and implement personnel policies and procedures.

Because CIA invests in scholarship recipients, accepting an offer means continued employment with the Agency for a specified timeframe. You are required to work at the Agency after college graduation for a period equal to 1.5 times the length of the college sponsorship you received from CIA. Students who leave earlier are required to reimburse the U.S. Government for their tuition. All positions require relocation to the Washington, DC area during summer work tours.

Who You’ll Work With

At the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), we recognize our Nation’s strength comes from the diversity of its people. People from a broad range of backgrounds and viewpoints work at CIA, and our diverse teams are the reason we can keep our country safe.

What You’ll Get

If selected as a scholarship recipient, you will receive a wide array of benefits, including:

• Tuition assistance up to $18,000 per calendar year for tuition, mandatory fees and books; STEM field positions receive tuition up to $25,000 per calendar year.
• Daily allowance for meals and incidentals during summer tours
• Reimbursement for transportation costs between school and Washington, DC
• Annual salary
• Federal health and life insurance
• Federal retirement plans
• Paid time off, as well as sick and holiday leave
• Education and training
• Health services
• Child care center
• Credit union

As a CIA employee, you’ll also get the satisfaction of knowing your work is part of something bigger than yourself. Our work is driven by one mission: to keep our Nation safe. Every day is an opportunity to enhance U.S. national security.

Minimum Qualifications

• At least 18 years of age by September 15th of this year
• Financial need as demonstrated by the gross annual household income ceiling up to $120,000
  • If the applicant has not been listed as a dependent for the previous tax year, the gross annual household income ceiling is $50,000 or less
• Acceptance at a 4-year college/university; or pursuing undergraduate degree as a full-time student and enrolled in or planning to take at least 12 credits per semester
• At least a 3.0 GPA on a 4-point scale for high school and/or college
• Two 90-day tours are preferred; however, one 90-day tour is the minimum requirement. Also, willingness to work at CIA full time after graduation
• Ability to meet the minimum requirements for joining CIA, including U.S. citizenship and a background investigation

Desired Qualifications

• Academic excellence in core subjects relating to college major or desired major
• Relevant practical or job experience in your field of interest
• Demonstrated leadership qualities
• Genuine interest in contributing to CIA’s mission
• Proficiency in a foreign language.