For help or enquiries:

Contact the CyberGirls Admissions Team

Email: cgfellowship@cybersafefoundation.org
Call: +234 814 196 9381

CyberGirls Fellowship Application Guide

This guide is designed to help you understand and complete the 2023 CyberGirls Fellowship application

process. After reading this guide, if there is anything you do not understand please contact the CyberGirls

Admissions team

Before you apply

Before starting the application process, please ensure that you meet these eligibility criteria.

1. A female aged 18 – 28 as of 24th March 2023

2. From and resident in an African country

3. Passionate about starting a career in cybersecurity

4. Can withstand the pressures of an intensive hands-on technical training

5. Access to the Internet and are willing to devote fully to 7 months of intensive training

6. Proficient in English and have completed High school/Secondary school

Application timeline

Application 14th November 2022 - 4th December 2022

Stage 1 Feedback 10th December 2022

Written Test 13th December 2022

Stage 2 Feedback 17th December 2022

Cyber Essentials Course 19th December 2022 - 8th January 2023

Stage 3 Feedback 12th January 2023

Interview 17th January 2023 - 24th February 2023

Stage 4 Feedback 15th March 2023

Got a Question? We have some similar answered questions on the applications portal

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How to complete your application

Applying to the CyberGirls Fellowship is easy. Outlined below are the stages in the application process and

what to expect.

Stage 1- Complete the application form

In this stage, you’ll share detailed information about yourself, including contact information, educational

information, and referee contact information. 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.

Please note that once you have submitted your application, you cannot modify your application. We

anticipate a high volume of applications, so ensure to submit the strongest application possible.

Remember, we will only accept your first application.

After submitting your application, you will see a pop-up acknowledging receipt. Application status will be

communicated via email, refer to the application timeline or your dashboard for feedback dates. Contact

the admissions office via email if you still haven’t received an email a day 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.

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.

Essay

Please use this section to tell us why you should be selected for the fellowship. Applicants must meet the

word count requirement; the minimum length is 100 words and a maximum of 200 words. Plagiarism is a

serious offense; plagiarized responses will be deemed ineligible.

References

References are an integral part of CyberGirls Application selection process. A referee should be someone

who can comment on your general suitability to be a CyberGirl. Please inform your referee before

submitting their details as they cannot be changed after submission.

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Stage 2- Written test

Applicants whose application makes it past the scrutiny of the first stage will be invited to attempt a written

test. The format of the test will be communicated to you alongside instructions to access and take the test.

The test will cover comprehension, aptitude, and digital literacy. To make it past this stage you must meet

the 75% cut-off mark.

Stage 3 - Complete the Cyber Essentials course

Applicants who made it past the second stage will be enrolled in a 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 the first 4000

applicants who successfully complete the course and meet the 75% cut-off mark will make it to the next

stage.

Stage 4 - Attend and ace the interview

In this stage, you will be given the opportunity to seize a spot in the fellowship in a blind virtual interview.

You will receive an email with instructions on how to book your interview. Once you have scheduled your

interview, you will receive a booking confirmation email and your slot cannot be changed.

Whilst you might naturally feel nervous in advance of the interview, do remember that to have made it to

the interview stage is a huge achievement and it means that you are already one of the strongest

candidates. An interview is a great opportunity to really demonstrate why you should be selected for the

fellowship.

You will be asked a series of questions discussing some of the information you provided in the application

form, your aspirations, experiences, etc., and graded using a point-based system. Only 1000 (i.e., 1 in 4)

applicants will make it past this stage, so put your best foot forward as you are competing with applicants

from across Africa.

Claim your spot in the fellowship

All applicants will be informed of the outcome of their interview via email. Please only contact the

admissions team for updates if you haven’t received the email on the status of your application two days

after the feedback date.

If we were satisfied with your results across all stages of the application process, and you pass the

background check, you will be offered a slot in the CyberGirls Fellowship. Please note that successful

applicants are carefully chosen by the CyberGirls Fellowship admissions committee after an intense review

process using a point based system.

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