The key differences from the previous GGCS program are as follows:
- Boys can play too!
- There are more rewards and prizes to play for, with $2 million in scholarships available through the National Cyber Scholarship Foundation
- Eligible participants start playing CyberStart Game straight away, rather than having the “Assess” stage first.
- Students sign up and play as individuals, rather than as part of a club - although clubs are still encouraged for collaboration and support! They will need to nominate a teacher/other school contact who can verify their eligibility on request, but the school contact doesn't need to do anything for the student to start playing.
- Gameplay starts earlier (October 30, 2020) and runs for longer (March 8, 2021 is the deadline to qualify for the National Cyber Scholarship Competition, although Game will remain open for a few weeks after that to allow students to continue practicing until just before the Competition).