Application Process For CyberGirls Fellowship 2024 (4.0) Program

Application Process For the CyberGirls Fellowship 2024 Program

Are you a young woman passionate about and looking to start a career in #cybersecurity?
Do you live in an African country?

If the answer to all three questions is YES, please visit cybergirls.cybersafefoundation.org/admissions/ to make sure you meet all our other criteria. And if you do, go ahead and check out the steps to follow:

STEP 1: Complete the application form

Start: Monday, 20th November 2023, 12 pm (WAT)

Deadline: Monday, 11th December 2023, 12 pm (WAT)

Intending applicants are given a 3-week window to complete and submit the application form. In this section, you’ll share detailed information about yourself, including contact information, educational and employment information, a 3000-character limit personal statement, and a 2-minute application video. Ensure to provide correct and verifiable information as failure to do so results in automatic disqualification from the process and loss of spot in the fellowship.

When you are satisfied with your application, click the ‘Submit’ button. Please note that once you have done this, you cannot modify your application, or any uploads made with it so ensure to review it carefully. We anticipate a high volume of applications, so please give yourself enough time to submit the strongest application possible. Remember, you can only submit one application and we will only accept your first application.

After submitting your application, you will see a pop-up acknowledging receipt and an email confirmation. Afterward, your application progress will also be communicated via email, refer to the application timeline or confirmation email for feedback dates.

Please note: If there are any adjustments to the feedback date, applicants will be notified via email and through our social media channels. Contact the admissions office via email if you still haven’t received an email two days after the communicated date.

Health and Disability

You are asked to provide us with information about your health if it may affect your studies. Having a health condition or living with a disability will not hinder your acceptance into the fellowship provided the condition will not restrict your full participation in fellowship activities. We are not asking whether you are ‘healthy’ as many health conditions can be managed appropriately.

Check This : Applications for CyberGirls Fellowship 2024 is now Open!

Language Proficiency

The CyberGirls Fellowship application process and training will be conducted in English Language. Hence all Applicants are advised to learn to communicate effectively in English. Any application not submitted in English is ineligible.

Personal Statement

When reading your statement, our Admissions team wants to see your interest, commitment, and passion for Cybersecurity. You are expected to use not more than 3000 characters (approximately 500 words) to pass on the message and ensure each word counts. Plagiarism is a serious offense; plagiarized responses will be deemed ineligible.

• The personal statement should be written in English language within the application form. We advise that you pause completing the application, write it out on a notepad, and paste it when completed.
• Do not use bullet points or numbering, put your response in paragraphs. You can dedicate a paragraph to answer each question.
• It is important to highlight key educational and vocational achievements, your course of study and University (indicate if completed or currently ongoing), your job role and industry (if you are currently employed), and the nature of your business if you are self-employed.

Follow our guide below to ensure you address all necessary details in your statement.

• Tell us about yourself, your work/educational background, and your key achievements.
• Tell us about your educational background.
• Tell us about any cybersecurity-related courses, training, or boot camps you have taken (indicate the name of the program, if it is currently ongoing, and the expected date of completion).
• Tell us about any cybersecurity-related association or network you belong to and how they have impacted you.
• Have you volunteered in any organization or occupied any leadership role before? If yes, what was the role and what did it entail?
• Why you should be chosen for this opportunity?

Application Video For Cybergirls Fellowship 2024

The application video should be in English language, no longer than 2 minutes (can be a little less but not more), and should contain nothing except the applicant talking. You are expected to be properly dressed, clearly visible, and seated in a well-lit quiet environment.  Ensure you are audible, and your environment is free from visual distractions.

• Do not recite a written script: Use bullet points instead. Using bullet points, just talk spontaneously as you would to a friend. Reading a written script doesn’t help your application, convey communication skills, or display passion.
• When uploading your video file, ensure that it is properly named with your first name, last name, and document title e.g., Jane Doe – Application Video
• The accepted file format is .MP4, if your video file is in another format, feel free to use an open-source (free) video converter like FreeConvert, Veed.io or cloudconvert 
• If dealing with a file that exceeds the 10 MB file size restriction, feel free to use an open-source (free) video compressor like FreeConvert, Veed.io, or Clideo

In the video, please respond to the following;

• Tell us about yourself, your work/educational background, and your key achievements.
• Why are you interested in cybersecurity and what aspect of cybersecurity interests you?
• Where do you see yourself in 5 years (Career goals)?
• Why did you choose to enroll in this program?
• If selected, how does this program fit into your 5-year career goal?
• Peradventure you do not scale through this application stage, would you still pursue a career in cybersecurity and why?
• Why are you the right candidate for this opportunity?

Stage 2: Complete the Cybersecurity Essentials Course

Start date: Friday, 15^th Dec 2023, 12 pm (WAT)

Deadline: Monday, 8^th Jan 2024, 9 am (WAT)

Applicants who made it past the first stage of the application stage will receive an email prompting them to enroll in our Cyber Essentials course on our Learning Management System.  The Cyber Essentials course is beginner-friendly and equips you with the first tool you need to begin your cybersecurity journey, awareness. This stage is competitive and only applicants who successfully complete the course and meet the 70% cut-off mark will make it to the next stage.

Please note: If there are any adjustments to the feedback date, applicants will be notified via email and through our social media channels. Contact the admissions office via email if you still haven’t received an email two days after the communicated date.

Step 3: Complete the Identity Verification and Recommendation Form

Start date: Friday, 12^th January 2024, 12 pm (WAT)

Deadline: Monday, 12^th February 2024, 9 am (WAT)

In this stage, you will be required to complete the identity verification and recommendation form.

Verifying your identity

Applicants who make it to this stage are expected to provide a valid means of identification in JPG/PNG/PDF format. The means of identification should be one that supports your nationality claim. Accepted means of identification include National identification card, international passport, and driver’s license.

A valid means of identification meets the following criteria;

1. Contains your date of birth
2. Has a clear photograph of your face
3. Indicates your nationality
4. Is a valid national identification method in your country

Recommendation

Recommendations are an integral part of the CyberGirls Application selection process. You are expected to turn in two letters;

1. A signed Academic or Educational recommendation letter written by an individual who has known you in an academic or professional capacity. We recommend having a former teacher, professor, academic advisor, a current or former employer or supervisor writing this for you.
2. A Signed Character Reference letter written by an individual that can comment on your general suitability to a CyberGirl. This can be a family member, friend, guardian, or community leader. This person will also serve as an emergency contact and guarantor liable to incur charges in the event of damage or loss of property.

Ensure you inform the individuals whose letters you are submitting that they will be contacted by our team before submitting their details.

Please note: The submitted data cannot be modified or corrected after submission. Ensure to provide correct and verifiable information as failure to do so results in automatic disqualification from the process and loss of spot in the fellowship.

cybersecurity and how have you been able to nurture this passion?”. The applicants are expected to demonstrate an interest in developing their knowledge of cybersecurity through research, free and paid courses, workshops, training, boot camps, and university education.

• Presentation and Delivery

This section assesses all the applicants’ responses taking into consideration how applicants are able to clearly communicate the points, display passion, and present themselves as excellent choices. The goal is to answer the question “Do you think this candidate fits the profile of our ideal CyberGirl fellow?”

Claim your spot in the Cybergirls fellowship 2024

Only 1 in 40 applications will make it to this stage. All applicants will be informed of the status of their application via email. Successful applicants are carefully selected through an intense review process by the CyberGirls Fellowship admissions committee. Applicants who meet all admission requirements will be sent an email welcoming them into the fellowship before the 7^th of March 2024. 

Note: Only contact the admissions team for updates if you haven’t received the email on the status of your application two days after the communicated feedback date.