Launch a Cybersecurity Career Affordably with the SANS.edu Income Share Agreement (ISA)

Make little or no college payments until you get a job. That's the promise of the SANS.edu Income Share Agreement (ISA).

The SANS Technology Institute (SANS.edu) — the best college in cybersecurity — launched an income share agreement (ISA) to make our undergraduate programs more accessible to U.S. applicants who demonstrate high potential to succeed.

Our Investment in Your Success

If you are offered and accept our Income Share Agreement (ISA), you'll pay little or nothing toward your tuition until after you've completed your undergraduate program and are earning at least $40,000 per year. We only receive payments when you succeed.

The average starting salary for our job seeking graduates is $94,000.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are you offering the Income Share Agreement?

We want to make our undergraduate programs more accessible to U.S. students and permanent residents who demonstrate high potential to succeed. We're aligning our goals with our students', so SANS.edu only gets paid when an income share agreement student succeeds.

Do I need experience to qualify?

No prior experience in computer science or cybersecurity is required for the assessment exam, the undergraduate programs, or selection for the ISA. In order to qualify for one of our bachelor’s degree programs, applicants must currently hold an associate degree or at least 70 credits. Please see the bachelor’s degrees page for more information.

Will SANS.edu help me with my job search?

Yes, the SANS.edu Career Center offers professional advice and resources to help you with each step of the job seeking process. Cybersecurity is the only focus of our Career Center and we draw on SANS's unmatched professional expertise and vast industry network to connect you to opportunities in the field.

How do you decide which students are offered the Income Share Agreement option?

The ISA option is offered to select highly qualified U.S. students and permanent residents who meet the minimum credit threshold. All U.S. citizens who have been admitted to our undergraduate programs can be considered for the ISA. To identify students with the greatest potential, the Admissions team considers several factors, including prior academic performance and performance on a proprietary assessment exam that measures your likelihood to excel at cybersecurity.

When do ISA payments begin? 

Once you complete your program, Leif, our Program Manager, will work with you to verify your income. Once you are earning above the Minimum Income Threshold, you will make monthly payments of 8% of your pre-tax monthly income through the Leif portal.

How much will I pay?

For the undergraduate certificate program, you will stop making payments once you reach the sooner of 60 qualified payment months or when you hit the payment cap of $21,250. You will never pay more than the payment cap and if you don't earn the monthly equivalent of $40K or above per year, your ISA will be forgiven after 4 years, even if you paid nothing at all.

For the bachelor's degree programs, you will stop making payments once you reach the sooner of 96 qualified payment months or when you hit the payment cap of $46,050. You will never pay more than the payment cap and if you don't earn the monthly equivalent of $40K or above per year, your ISA will be forgiven after 4 years, even if you paid nothing at all.

Is there a limit on how much I will pay, even if I earn a lot of money?

Yes, you will never be required to pay more than a total of $21,250 for the education received through the undergraduate certificate program or $46,050 for one of our bachelor's degree programs.

If I’m already employed in the field, can I qualify for the ISA?

For applicants already employed in the field for more than a year, we will consider them for an ISA product that will allow them to use the ISA to pay for their tuition while in the program.

If I currently earn more than $40,000 per year, can I still qualify for the ISA?

Regardless of employment status or salary, every undergraduate applicant who is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident can be considered for the ISA.

Is there an additional cost for participating in the ISA?

Students who participate in the ISA pay 15% more than the base tuition cost.

What if I no longer need the ISA at some point in the program?

Whether due to another funding source, recent employment, or other reason, students can choose to opt out of the remainder of the ISA and pay the base tuition for remaining courses.

What if I lose my job?

If you lose your job or earn below the Minimum Income Threshold, you will be placed into the Deferment Period and no payments will be due until you are earning above the Minimum Income Threshold again.

What happens if I don't finish the program?

Should a student under ISA contract withdraw or be dismissed from the undergraduate program, they will be eligible to reduce their ISA payment cap obligation in proportion to their progress through the program.

I have more questions.

We're happy to help. Email info@sans.edu or call 301.241.7665.