Competition format & key facts
Organized detailsOverview
The U.S. Department of Energy's 2026 CyberForce Competition is accepting student-team applications for an in-person critical-infrastructure cybersecurity competition on 13–14 November 2026 in Tinley Park, Illinois.
Complete competition details
The competition tests student teams on protecting and defending energy-focused critical infrastructure. The 2026 event is limited to a maximum of 100 teams and the organizer uses rolling acceptances. Student applications opened 20 July 2026 and the official page continues to expose the live student-team application form. No final application deadline or participation fee is stated on the checked official pages.
Eligibility requirements
Participants must be at least 18, actively attend an accredited U.S. higher education institution, be degree-seeking at associate, undergraduate, graduate or PhD level, and compete in teams of 4–6 people.
Tips for this competition
Practical Job and Scholarship guidance. These tips do not replace official rules or create new eligibility requirements.
- Study the scoring criteria and previous winners before deciding what evidence, prototype, essay, research or portfolio will best support the entry.
- Confirm country, age, team, education and organization restrictions and whether one person may enter multiple submissions.
- Follow the required file format, word/time limits and naming rules exactly; technical non-compliance can disqualify a strong entry.
- Keep proof of submission and submit before the deadline rather than relying on the final hour.
Verification notes
Official DOE CyberForce 2026 competition and eligibility pages verified 7 September 2026. Student Team Application remains linked. The page states rolling acceptances and a maximum of 100 teams but does not publish a final closing date.
Job and Scholarship is the discovery and verification layer. Confirm eligibility, dates, salary/funding and application instructions on the original source before submitting anything.
U.S. Department of Energy CyberForce Program ↗Browse current Job and Scholarship listings from U.S. Department of Energy CyberForce Program →
