# Cybersecurity Programs & Competitions for High School Students Cybersecurity extracurriculars — capture-the-flag competitions like picoCTF and CyberPatriot, GenCyber camps, and government-sponsored training — are a fast-growing niche with strong scholarship pipelines. Because far fewer students compete here than in math or robotics, standing out is genuinely achievable. 24 verified programs match this page; 19 of the featured listings are free; 9 can be done online. ## Programs (24 total) | Program | Organization | Cost | Format | Grades | Deadline | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [CSAW High School Forensics Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/csaw-hs) | NYU Tandon | Free | hybrid | Grades 9–12 | 2026-09-01 | | [CyberPatriot National Youth Cyber Defense Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/cyberpatriot-national-youth-cyber-defense-competition) | Air & Space Forces Association (AFA) | Free | hybrid | Grades 9–12 | 2026-10-01 | | [CyberCorps Scholarship for Service](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/cybercorps-scholarship-for-service) | NSF / CISA | Free | in_person | Grade 12 | 2026-11-01 | | [CryptoHack Cybersecurity Challenges](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/cryptohack-challenges) | CryptoHack Community | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | Rolling | | [Summer High School Intern Program (SHIP)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/summer-high-school-intern-program-ship) | National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) | Free | in_person | Grades 11–12 | 2027-01-31 | | [PicoCTF Cybersecurity Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/picoctf-competition) | Carnegie Mellon University | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2027-03-18 | | [AFCEA STEM Scholarships](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/afcea-scholarship) | Armed Forces Communications Electronics Association | Free | virtual | Grades 11–12 | 2027-01-20 | | [FBLA Cyber Security and Computer Problem Solving](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/fbla-cyber-security-and-computer-problem-solving) | FBLA | $25 | hybrid | Grades 9–12 | 2027-03-15 | | [National Cyber Scholarship Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/national-cyber-scholarship) | Cyber Scholarship Foundation | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2027-02-01 | | [U.S. Naval Academy Summer STEM Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/us-naval-academy-summer-stem-program) | United States Naval Academy | $700 | in_person | Grades 9–11 | 2027-03-31 | | [MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute (BWSI)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/mit-beaver-works-summer-institute-bwsi) | MIT Lincoln Laboratory & MIT School of Engineering | Free | hybrid | Grade 11 | 2027-03-31 | | [National Security Agency (NSA) GenCyber Camps](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/national-security-agency-nsa-gencyber-camps) | NSA/National Science Foundation | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-03-31 | | [National Cyber League (High School Division)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/national-cyber-league-high-school-division) | National Cyber League | $37 | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2026-10-09 | | [HackerOne Student Ambassador Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/hackerone-student-ambassador-program) | HackerOne | Free | hybrid | Grades 11–12 | Rolling | | [NYU Tandon CS4CS](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/nyu-tandon-cs4cs) | NYU Tandon School of Engineering | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-05-15 | | [U.S. Cyber Challenge (Cyber Quests)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/us-cyber-challenge-cyber-quests) | SANS Institute | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2027-01-31 | | [DARPA Cyber Grand Challenge](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/darpa-cyber-grand-challenge) | Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | Rolling | | [DEF CON Capture the Flag (CTF) Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/def-con-capture-the-flag-ctf-competition) | DEF CON Hacking Conference | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-05-22 | | [Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/aspiring-scientists-summer-internship-program-assip) | George Mason University | $300 | in_person | Grades 10–12 | 2027-02-15 | | [CyberStart America](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/cyberstart-america) | SANS Institute & partners | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2027-03-01 | | [Stevens Summer Pre-College Programs](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/stevens-summer-pre-college-programs) | Stevens Institute of Technology | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2027-06-15 | | [Northeastern Accelerate PreCollege Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/northeastern-accelerate-precollege-program) | Northeastern University | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-01-15 | | [CyberPatriot National Finals Competitor](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/cyberpatriot-national-finals-competitor) | Air Force Association | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2026-10-01 | | [Stokes Educational Scholarship Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/nsa-stokes-educational-scholarship) | National Security Agency | Not listed | virtual | Grade 12 | Rolling | ## Frequently asked questions ### How many cybersecurity programs are listed for high school students? ExtracurricularHub currently lists 24 verified cybersecurity opportunities for high school students, each with cost, eligibility, deadline, and an official application link. ### Are any of these cybersecurity programs free? Yes — 19 of the programs featured on this page charge no participation fee. Free programs are often funded and can be more selective, so apply early. ### Which deadlines are coming up soonest? The next deadlines: CSAW High School Forensics Competition (September 1, 2026); CyberPatriot National Youth Cyber Defense Competition (October 1, 2026); CyberPatriot National Finals Competitor (October 1, 2026). Deadlines change every cycle — always confirm on the program's official site. ### Do cybersecurity extracurriculars help with college admissions? Yes — sustained, escalating involvement in cybersecurity (participation → awards or leadership → independent work) reads far stronger than scattered one-off activities. Pick one or two programs from this page and go deep. ## Related pages - [Computer Science Programs & Competitions for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/computer-science) - [Coding Programs & Competitions for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/coding) - [Stem for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/stem) - [Competitions for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/competitions) - [Browse all extracurriculars](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars) - [Find My Fit — 3-minute matching quiz](https://extracurricularhub.com/find-my-fit) --- Canonical page: https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/cybersecurity Source: ExtracurricularHub (https://extracurricularhub.com) — a free directory of 1,826 verified extracurricular programs for high school students. Cite the canonical page above; always confirm binding details on each program's official site.