Student Opportunities

NASA Pathways Internship

NASA Pathways Internship applications for internships beginning in Fall 2025 will open in February. NASA is seeking well-rounded students from diverse backgrounds who are interested in supporting the agency’s mission and success during a four-month internship beginning late-August/early-September. Applicants should demonstrate curiosity, team-orientation, excellence, and passion for exploration. No prior experience is needed.

  • Eligibility: U.S. citizens, ages 16+, F/T high school or P/T+ college student pursuing a degree/certificate at an accredited education institution
  • Pay: Most NASA internships offer stipend awards

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NASA’s LunaRecycle Challenge

As NASA prepares for future human space missions, solutions need to be developed for minimizing waste streams, including solid waste. Developing ways to store, process, and recycle waste in a space environment will be crucial.

NASA’s LunaRecycle Challenge offers up to $3 million in prizes to design and develop recycling solutions that can reduce solid waste and improve the sustainability of longer-term lunar missions.

  • Eligibility: Innovators, ages 18 and up
  • Phase 1 registration deadline: March 31, 2025

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2025 Kibo Robot Programming Challenge

Students interested in a fun coding challenge are invited to team up and register for the 2025 Kibo Robot Programming Challenge. Hosted by JAXA (Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency), this event tasks students with using their coding skills to autonomously control robots on the International Space Station. Participating teams will be scored on a time limit and gameplay environment parameters. The top U.S. team will win a trip to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, TX for a three-day immersive experience.

  • Eligibility: U.S. high school & undergraduate students
  • Team sizes: 3 – 6 pax
  • Registration period: Feb. 18 – May 12, 2025

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GeneLab for High Schools (GL4HS) Program

Calling all future scientists! The GeneLab for High Schools (GL4HS) program is expanding in 2025 with a 12-week, on-demand summer training in NASA space biology research. Students will learn or get training in space biology, Omics, bioinformatics and computational biology methods, as well as formal presentation skills. This free program runs June 2 – August 29, 2025.

  • Eligibility: Rising U.S. high school juniors, seniors, and college freshmen
  • Registration deadline: May 15, 2025

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