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University students in four Turkish provinces can now apply for a government-backed program that trains young people in cybersecurity and artificial intelligence, with travel and lodging costs covered for those selected.
The 2027 round of the Türkiye Cyber Homeland Program, run under the coordination of the Ministry of Industry and Technology, has begun with AI-supported cybersecurity courses. Students in Kutahya, Afyonkarahisar, Manisa and Usak, the provinces served by the Zafer Development Agency, are eligible to apply.
The program aims to build young people’s digital skills by combining AI and cybersecurity.
It is open to university students in all 81 Turkish provinces, with the goal of strengthening participants’ technical abilities and supporting them in specializing in cybersecurity.
In the first stage, students will take online courses lasting about three months. The courses are meant to teach core cybersecurity skills and to select candidates for in-person technical training.
Students who complete the online training and pass the screening will be invited to in-person sessions in a province designated within the region of the development agency they applied through.
Applicants must choose the development agency that covers the province where their university is located. Students cannot attend in-person training in another agency’s region. The relevant development agency will pay selected students’ transportation and accommodation costs.
The in-person training coordinated by the Zafer Development Agency will have two main parts, covering penetration testing and the use of AI in cybersecurity.
The training will conclude with a Capture the Flag competition, a common cybersecurity contest format. Students will be expected to use AI models they have built to solve security problems, putting theory into practice and combining different technical skills.
Students who do well in later stages will be invited to the seven-day Cyber Homeland Bootcamp. It will include advanced technical training, hands-on projects, team assignments, and meetings with industry representatives.
Throughout the program, organizers also plan technical visits, mentorship sessions with experienced professionals, conferences, seminars, one-on-one work with mentor companies, and more CTF competitions. Beyond technical skills, the program seeks to build teamwork, entrepreneurship, and innovative thinking.
Students who complete every stage may get the chance to join Cyber Homeland teams, depending on their skills and interests.
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