SANS.edu Application and Tuition Assistance Instructions for Mastercard Employees
Congratulations on your decision to pursue hands-on cybersecurity courses and career-advancing academic programs through SANS.edu — the best college in cybersecurity. Here's a step-by-step guide to get you started.
Please Note: These instructions are specific to the SANS Technology Institute (SANS.edu) and differ from Mastercard's general application and tuition assistance instructions for other programs.
Contact Information
- For SANS.edu admissions inquiries, email info@sans.edu or call 301.241.7665.
- For Mastercard tuition request questions, email ISTS at mastercard@applyist.com.
STEP 1: Review the Mastercard Tuition Assistance Program Policy
Before choosing your courses/programs, review the Mastercard Tuition Assistance Policy (available on PeoplePlace or the Cyber Talent Hub), covering critical items such as::
- Eligibility: Who can use tuition assistance?
- Coverage: What courses, degree paths, and certifications are covered, and what is not?
- Benefit Details: Tuition assistance amounts, usage timelines, local currency effects, and taxation information.
- Payment Methods: How tuition assistance works, direct bill and reimbursement options, and reimbursement request submission processes.
You can find this information and more in PeoplePlace.
STEP 2: Choose Your SANS.edu Courses/Pathway
| SANS.edu Tuition and Mastercard Tuition Assistance by Program |
|---|
Master of Science in Information Security Engineering MC employees are eligible to receive $11,000 annually in tuition assistance for this program. Course costs range from $1,500 to $4,500 each, covering the course itself, textbooks, and certification exams. MC employees will need to pay some of the tuition out of pocket to maintain the 8-credit per year requirement. The total program cost is $54,000. |
MC employees are eligible for receive $5,000 per year in tuition assistance for these programs. The standard course cost is $5,700, which covers the course, textbooks, and certification exams. However, for 2024, the SANS Technology Institute is offering Mastercard employees a special rate of $5,000 per course for invoices paid by 12/31/2025. Graduate certificate students are required to take at least one course per year and must finish their program within 30 months. The total program cost ranges from $22,800 to $29,250. Graduate Certificate Programs:
|
Bachelor's Degree in Applied Cybersecurity (BACS) MC employees are eligible to receive $7,500 per year in tuition assistance for this program. Course costs range from $1,500 to $4,500 each, covering the course itself, textbooks, and certification exams. To meet the requirement of completing 19 credits per year, MC employees will need to pay some of the tuition out of pocket. The total program cost is $40,500. |
Undergraduate Certificate in Applied Cybersecurity (ACS) MC employees are eligible to receive $5,000 per year in tuition assistance for this program. Courses cost either $1,500 or $5,700 each, which covers the course itself, textbooks, and certification exams. MC employees will need to pay some of the tuition out of pocket to maintain the 6-credit per year requirement. The total program cost is $18,600. |
Individual Courses as a Non-degree Seeking Student Mastercard will provide tuition assistance for MC employees for single courses taken through the college (SANS.edu) at a special rate of $5,000 per class for invoices paid before 12/31/2025. Students must apply through the college as a Non-matriculated Student (NMS) to receive this rate. |
Full program descriptions and single course information can be found online at SANS.edu.
The Mastercard Tuition Assistance Program provides financial assistance to eligible employees for undergraduate and graduate coursework at regionally accredited institutions recognized by the US Department of Education, like the SANS Technology Institute, for college-level credit related to the business of Mastercard. You can use the Tuition Assistance Program in the pursuit of a degree or a certificate at SANS.edu.
STEP 3: Manager Awareness
Discuss your plan to take courses with your manager. Your manager can help verify if the courses qualify for Tuition Assistance and identify steps that need their approval.
STEP 4: Complete the SANS.edu Application for Admission
STEP 5: Complete the New Student Orientation
- Students are notified of admissions decisions by email.
- If admitted, you will be prompted to accept your offer of admission and instructed to register for and participate in New Student Orientation, which begins the first of every month.
- Following New Student Orientation, you will meet with your dedicated student advisor.
STEP 6: Meet with your student advisor
Please do not register for your course until your student advisor has confirmed your admission to the SANS Technology Institute and you have completed New Student Orientation. Failure to follow these instructions may result in the course being ineligible for tuition assistance.
After completing New Student Orientation, ask your Student Advisor for details on obtaining your Letter of Credit (LOC). The LOC enables SANS to bill Mastercard directly, eliminating the need for employees to pay upfront and seek reimbursement afterward.
STEP 7: Apply for Tuition Assistance
Mastercard’s Tuition Assistance Program is managed by International Scholarship and Tuition Services (ISTS). They review all requests for eligibility, completeness, and accuracy before forwarding them for manager approval. This may take 3-5 business days.
Process Overview:
- Obtain course details (start/end dates, cost) from your SANS.edu Student Advisor.
- Submit this information to your manager and ISTS before registering for a class.
- ISTS reviews the request, then forwards it to your manager for approval.
- Once approved, you will be notified to register for the course.
To start, click here and choose Step 1: Request Course Approval from the "Choose Your Step" menu.
STEP 8: Register for your course
Once you have been admitted, completed New Student Orientation, and met with your advisor, it’s time to register for the course or program.
Working with your student advisor, submit your Letter of Credit (LOC) from ISTS. The advisor will then send you a link allowing you to register for your course.
STEP 9: Complete your course
After you have successfully completed your course(s), your advisor will send you a grade report that lists your grade, the payment date, amount, and general payment method.
Please note:
- To determine what a passing grade is by country, please review the Tuition Assistance policy on either the Cyber Talent Hub or in PeoplePlace.
- To pass the class, employees must successfully complete the associated GIAC exam within the course timeline. If they do not pass on the first attempt, they will need to purchase a retake exam at their own expense.
Contact Information
Important Distinctions
Please Read Carefully
- The SANS Technology Institute (www.sans.edu) is a regionally accredited educational institution and our courses are eligible for tuition reimbursement, while SANS Institute (www.sans.org) training classes are not eligible.
- It is also important that you apply specifically to take only a course offered by the SANS Technology Institute rather than specific SANS Institute training classes. Graduate courses at the SANS Technology Institute (SANS.edu) begin with "ISE" and have four digits, undergraduate courses at SANS.edu begin with "ACS" or "BACS" and have four digits, while training classes at the SANS Institute (sans.org) never use "ISE," "ACS," or "BACS" and have only three digits. As an example, graduate students would apply to take ISE 5101, not SEC 401, even though ISE 5101 incorporates SEC 401 class material and GSEC exam. (see chart below)
- Students must pass the associated GIAC exam within the specified course timeline in order to pass the class. If the student does not pass the exam on his/her first attempt, they will need to purchase a re-take exam out of pocket.
| SANS Institute | SANS Technology Institute | |
|---|---|---|
| URL | www.sans.org | www.sans.edu |
| Course Numbers | Three digits Example: SEC504 |
Four digits Example: ISE 5201 |
| GIAC Exam | Optional | Not Optional |
| Outcome | Certificate of Completion | Grade Report, Letter Grade |
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