Alan Paller Memorial Scholarship Fund created by NCSF's Board of Directors
Cybersecurity is a complex topic that can appear daunting to teach. Let CyberStart America become the teacher.
An engaging cybersecurity learning program that is accessible and fun for high school students of all abilities.
Great for students
92% of students surveyed would now consider a career in cybersecurity.
Great for teachers
No experience needed from teachers; perfect for beginner students!
Tried and tested
"Don't be put off by worrying that your own skill set won't be good enough. The students won't realize as they work with you to crack the codes."
CyberStart America is powered by CyberStart – the cybersecurity educational game loved by over 200,000 students!
01 | What is CyberStart America and why does it matter?
CyberStart America has had a major impact on students, teachers, and educational institutions across the nation.
students participated
schools participated
students received scholarships
million in training & scholarships awarded
CyberStart America gives you and your students free access to CyberStart
Cybersecurity is a complex and hands-on subject to teach that changes quickly. There is a growing national skill shortage in this critical field, but teachers are already too busy, scarce and often do not have the background knowledge in this area to get more students involved.
CyberStart, the world-renowned cybersecurity learning platform for students in 9th-12th grade, is here to help.
Register now for 2023/24
CyberStart is an independent online learning platform developed by industry experts.
CyberStart has accessible but challenging content for students of all abilities.
CyberStart brings learning to life with 200+ hands-on labs and challenges.
CyberStart requires no experience from an already stretched teacher.
See CyberStart in action with a tour from cybersecurity expert James Lyne
CyberStart was founded by James Lyne, a world leader in cybersecurity education. Built by an expert team of cybersecurity professionals, CyberStart gives you hands-on experience of real-world cybersecurity tasks and simulations that help you learn the skills you need to succeed!
Make sure to also watch the student video for more information.
02 | How does CyberStart America work?
Introduce
An inclusive and easy-to-follow platform perfect for students and teachers of all starting points in cybersecurity.
Develop
The all-in-one platform to build skills in cryptography, digital forensics, Linux command line and much more!
Enable
A stepping-stone towards further education, future career prospects and scholarships!
03 | How do I get involved?
Join
Register to gain access to the learning platform and see the content and challenges!
Register now for 2023/24Share
Share the opportunity with as many students as you can. Each student must register for their free access.
Download the promotional toolkitMonitor
Monitor your students' progress with an awesome groups feature!
Relax!
That's it, let CyberStart America do the rest with our on-demand, self-guided platform!
04 | What are the key dates and achievements?
Key dates
Registration for 2023 opens:
Oct 16 2023
Play CyberStart between:
Oct 16 2023 to Mar 15 2024
Top players invited to apply for scholarships:
Jan 4 2024 (cohort 1)
Mar 19 2024 (cohort 2)
Scholarship application deadline:
Jan 17 2024 (cohort 1)
Apr 2 2024 (cohort 2)
Scholarship winners announced:
May 1 2024
Achievements
Cyber Opportunity School: Bronze Award
Awarded to schools who have a minimum of 5 students participating in the CyberStart America program.
Cyber Opportunity School: Silver Award
Awarded to schools who have a minimum of 20 students participating in the CyberStart America program.
Cyber Opportunity School: Gold Award
Awarded to schools who have a minimum of 40 students participating in the CyberStart America program.
