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NASA Internships
April 29, 2024
Have you ever pondered a career in space exploration, working alongside industry professionals as we prepare for life outside our ever-changing world? Perhaps you’ve even envisioned yourself at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), investigating the surface of Venus in the Jet Propulsion Laboratory or attending lectures on astronaut strength and conditioning. If that’s you, have you considered interning at NASA?
Partaking in a NASA Internship is a great way to further your interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) while enhancing your resume. These prestigious internships provide interns the rare opportunity to pioneer projects alongside industry professionals and potentially pursue a career at NASA.
Today, we will be discussing:
- What is a NASA Internship and What Do Interns Do?
- Types of NASA Internships
- Types of NASA Internships for High Schoolers
What is a NASA Internship and What Do Interns Do?
There are a wide variety of NASA internships, many of which come and go as the need arises. This often means the same internship position in a lab or office may not be available the following year. NASA internships range from summer-only programs to year-round. The age limit greatly restricts what interns can do, but the same is true for almost all programs. Let’s take a look at some of the programs.
Types of NASA Internships
There are 7 main types of internships:
Both high school and college-level students have the opportunity to work on projects under the guidance of a NASA mentor. These positions are often the most popular and numerous because there are roles in nearly every mission across the U.S.
For undergraduate, graduate, and post-doctorate students to work with faculty at NASA JPL in Pasadena, California. This lab focuses on robotic exploration in the solar system.
The Pathways Internship Program focuses on preparing interns for a career at NASA and upon graduation offers a full-time employment opportunity. These pathways are highly competitive and lead to roles as full-time government employees.
Graduate students have the opportunity to contribute to NASA’s current and future science and goals while pursuing current research projects.
Specifically for veterans, the NASA SkillBridge Internship with the Department of Defense transitions veterans into NASA internships as a pipeline toward a full-time NASA position.
The Community College Aerospace Scholars program is designed for community college students to experience hands-on missions that align with the agency’s mission goals, collaboration, and career development. This program is centered on preparing students for their future in STEM.
In collaboration with international partners, the International Internships focus on providing all students a chance to experience NASA’s traditional internships abroad.
Types of NASA Internships for High Schoolers
Out of the 7 types of NASA internships, we suggest high school students focus on the NASA Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM) Paid Internship, the NASA Pathway Internship, and the International Internships. Aside from these main three, there are other NASA internships to consider.
Application Deadline: February 2nd, 2024 (Summer Session); Fall and Spring Sessions are generally in January and August respectively.
Cost: Paid
Stipend: Varies depending on the internship but most are based on academic level and session duration
Eligibility: Students must be U.S. citizens, be 16 years old at the time of application, have a 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale, be a high school student, undergraduate, or graduate student enrolled full-time in a degree-granting program at an accredited college or university
Program Dates: 10-16 weeks depending on the program (Summer is usually 10 weeks and Spring and Fall are usually 16 weeks)
Location: Varies depending on the internship
The application link is found here
Description: Under the guidance of a NASA mentor, students have the opportunity to contribute to NASA’s hands-on projects. Within the OSTEM Internships, there is a variety of engineering, aeronautics, space microbiology, and more.
Application Deadline: February 2nd, 2024 (Summer Session); Fall and Spring Session deadlines are generally in January and August respectively.
Cost: Paid
Stipend: Varies depending on the internship but most are based on academic level and session duration
Eligibility: Students must be U.S. citizens, be 16 years old at the time of application, have a 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale, be a full-time student (high school student) or be a part-time college-level student enrolled in a minimum of 6 semester hours.
Program Dates: 10-16 weeks depending on the program (Summer is usually 10 weeks and Spring and Fall are usually 16 weeks)
Location: Varies depending on the internship
The website link is found here
Description: By the end of the Pathways Internship interns are given autonomy to develop an “Individual Development Plan” that helps students define their assignments, training events, and learning opportunities that will help them achieve their career goals. The current openings revolve around Engineering, Science and Technology and Business.
Application Deadline: Generally February 2nd, 2024 (Summer Session); Fall and Spring Session deadlines are generally in January and August respectively.
Cost: Paid
Stipend: Varies depending on the internship but most are based on academic level and session duration
Eligibility: Students must be citizens of one of the countries participating with agreements (Australia, Brazil, Israel, Jordan, Lithuania, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, South Korea, Sweden, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United Arab Emirates). Students must also be currently pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) in a topic relevant to NASA’s mission priorities; maintain high academic standing; demonstrate an active interest in the U.S. space program; and communicate proficiently in English. Depending on the country, there may be additional requirements.
Program Dates: 10-16 weeks depending on the program (Summer is usually 10 weeks and Spring and Fall are usually 16 weeks)
Location: Varies depending on the internship
The website link is found here
Description: NASA International Internships follow the same general pattern as their counterpart in the U.S. Specific tasks and responsibilities depend on the available international internships.
Application Deadline: Generally October of the year before the camp
Cost: Paid
Stipend: $2,400
Eligibility: All high school students
Program Dates: 8 weeks from second half of June – August
Location: There are 3 locations: NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies, CUNY City College of Technology in New York City, or NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD
The website link is found here
Description: Educators and graduate students lead research teams for NASA projects while high school interns aid the team in conducting research, creating a scientific poster, presenting research findings, and publishing a research paper. Here is a more detailed description of the kind of research interns could partake in. Unlike the programs listed above, this program guarantees a completed project by the end of the session.
Application Deadline: Generally October of the year before the camp
Cost: Free
Stipend: Students earn a small stipend for expenses
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors who are at least 16 years of age, have a minimum 3.0 GPA, have taken high school biology
Program Dates: Generally all of July (This year’s is July 1, 2024 – July 26, 2024)
Location: Virtual
The website link is found here
Description: Known as GL4HS, this virtual program is an interactive take on omics-based bioinformatics research (collecting and analyzing complex biological data like genetic codes and computational biology) and will include computer laboratory training, virtual field trips, and more. Students will have the opportunity to compete in a research training competition where they will develop a research proposal in teams. The prize: groups will represent NASA’s Ames Research Center and present their work at the American Society for Gravitational and Space Research (ASGSR). This is a great opportunity for students looking to conduct research.
Application Deadline: Generally early February
Cost: Not listed
Stipend: None
Eligibility: Freshmen, sophomores, and juniors in high school
Program Dates: 8 weeks throughout the summer
Location: Virtual
The website link is found here
Description: Centered on aviation and aerospace, this program provides students the opportunity to network with industry professionals and collaborate with a team of six students to develop aviation concepts that solve real-world problems. Teams present their projects to the Aviation Systems Divisions and have the opportunity to publish their work on the NASA STI Repository. Throughout the program, students will have 2 NASA mentors who guide them through virtual seminars and developing their research.
Key Takeaways
- NASA internships are great opportunities to explore research for those interested in STEM fields, especially for those interested in pursuing future occupations at NASA.
- Depending on your interests, you may want to consider paid, in-person, or virtual internships that focus on project-based learning.
