The CyberSafe X SANS AI Security Fellowship is a fully funded, nine-month advanced training and certification programme for experienced African women in cybersecurity who are ready to specialise in securing AI systems and applications. Over the course of the fellowship, participants move from foundational AI security literacy to advanced application security and automation practice, building the technical depth to defend, build, and automate secure AI systems.
The programme brings together two complementary strengths: CyberSafe Foundation‘s pipeline of capable women across the African cybersecurity community, built over years through programmes like CyberGirls, and SANS Institute‘s curriculum, labs, and certification path. It’s a direct answer to a widening gap. AI security is one of the fastest-growing and least-staffed disciplines in cybersecurity, and this fellowship is designed to put its fellows at the front of that demand curve, not the back of it.
This fellowship is built for cybersecurity professionals who already have the foundation and are ready to add AI security specialisation on top of it, through SANS OnDemand training, hands-on labs, mentorship, and certification preparation. This is not an entry-level cybersecurity programme.
DURATION : 9 Months | Fully Funded
What You’ll Gain What You’ll Learn in the AI Security Fellowship
- Specialised AI security expertise: Move beyond general cybersecurity knowledge into practical skills covering LLMs, generative AI applications, RAG systems, AI threat modelling, application security, and security automation.
- Hands-on practice: Build, secure, analyse, and defend systems through labs designed around real AI security challenges.
- Globally recognised certifications: Preparation for the GIAC AI Platform Security (GAIPS) and GIAC AI Security Automation Engineer (GASAE) certifications.
- Instruction from leading practitioners: Courses are taught by working AI security consultants, researchers, and course authors.
- Mentorship and Structured support
The Learning Path
The CyberSafe X SANS AI Security Fellowship follows a carefully sequenced learning pathway, moving from AI security fundamentals to advanced application security and security automation.
01-SEC411: AlSecurity Principles and Practices: GenAl and LLM Defense
Build foundational AI security knowledge, including how large language models work, tokenisation security, AI attack surfaces, prompt injection, and jailbreaking.
02-SEC495:Leveraging LLMs:Building & Securing RAG, Contextual RAG and Agentic RAG
Build a Retrieval-Augmented Generation system from the ground up, self-hosted end to end, learning to implement access controls, defend against prompt injection, and protect sensitive information.
03-SEC545: GenAl and LLM Application Security
Go deeper into securing real-world GenAI applications, including vector databases, LangChain agents, MCP, and Kubernetes, with AI threat modelling using the MAESTRO framework and a capstone capture-the-flag exercise.
04-SEC598: Al and Security Automation for Red, Blue and Purple Teams
Automate security workflows through SOAR playbooks, infrastructure as code, and AI-driven detection and response across AWS and Azure.
ELIGIBILITY
Who Is This For?
This fellowship is designed for experienced cybersecurity professionals who are ready to specialise. You may be a strong fit if you can say yes to all of the following:
- You are a woman older than 21
- You are African, speak English, and currently reside in an African country.
- You have at least three years of hands-on cybersecurity experience.
- You have a genuine interest in AI security.
- You can commit to the full fellowship, including dedicated exam preparation windows.
- You are willing to complete the prerequisite AI security course as part of the application process.
This fellowship is for you if you have already built cybersecurity experience and are asking what comes next: you want to understand the security implications of AI systems, gain practical exposure to emerging AI attack surfaces, and develop expertise that sets you apart in a fast-changing market.
Applications Deadline : September 10, 2026 at 12:00 PM WAT.
METHOD OF APPLICATION
Interested and Qualified candidates should use link below to apply.
CLICK HERE TO APPLY
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