NASA High School Internship: Programs, Deadlines, and How to Apply in 2026
NASA high school internship: programs, deadlines, and how to apply in 2026
NASA offers internship positions to high school students through its OSTEM (Office of STEM Engagement) program via STEM Gateway. These are real, paid positions at NASA centers where students work alongside engineers and scientists on active projects. Here's what's available and how to apply.
OSTEM internships for high school students
NASA's primary internship program for high school students runs through STEM Gateway (stemgateway.nasa.gov). You create a profile, select up to 15 projects of interest, and NASA mentors review applications and contact candidates.
Eligibility:
- US citizen or permanent resident
- At least 16 years old by the internship start date
- Currently enrolled in high school
- Minimum 3.0 GPA
- Enrolled in or completed relevant STEM coursework
Pay: Approximately $18–$20/hour for high school interns (lower than college intern rates of ~$20.50/hour for undergrads)
Duration: 8–10 weeks for summer sessions. Some centers offer fall and spring terms.
2026 deadlines:
- Summer 2026: Application closed February 27, 2026
- Fall 2026: Expected deadline ~May 2026
- Spring 2027: Expected deadline ~October 2026
NASA mentors start browsing and selecting candidates as soon as applications open — they don't wait for the deadline. Late applicants end up at the bottom of a large pool. For Fall 2026, apply the day the window opens. Set a calendar reminder.
NASA HUNCH program
NASA HUNCH (High School Students United with NASA to Create Hardware) is in its 23rd year and has sent over 4,123 student-created items to the International Space Station. It's a classroom-based program, not an individual internship — teachers enroll their classes through nasahunch.com.
Scale: 551+ classroom programs across 34 states, with 3,827 students and 375 teachers currently participating.
Nine tracks (2025–2026): Culinary/Food Science, Software (coding, AI/ML, robotics), Biomedical Science, Hardware, Flight Configuration, Design & Prototyping, Video & Media Challenge, NASA HUNCH Academy, and Sewn Flight Articles (launching soon).
HUNCH is not a paid internship, but it provides documented NASA experience with real flight hardware — a strong differentiator on future internship and college applications.
Which NASA centers accept high school interns
Not all NASA centers offer the same number of high school positions. Availability varies by year and center staffing:
| Center | Location | Typical Focus Areas | HS Intern Volume |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson Space Center | Houston, TX | Human spaceflight, robotics | Higher |
| Kennedy Space Center | Cape Canaveral, FL | Launch operations | Moderate |
| Marshall Space Flight Center | Huntsville, AL | Propulsion, SLS | Moderate |
| Goddard Space Flight Center | Greenbelt, MD | Earth science, satellites | Moderate |
| Glenn Research Center | Cleveland, OH | Propulsion research | Moderate |
| Langley Research Center | Hampton, VA | Aeronautics, structures | Lower |
| Ames Research Center | Mountain View, CA | Astrobiology, aeronautics | Lower |
| Stennis Space Center | Bay St. Louis, MS | Propulsion testing | Lower |
| JPL | Pasadena, CA | Robotics, planetary science | Separate (Caltech) |
JPL note: JPL is managed by Caltech and runs its own internship program. High school students should check jpl.nasa.gov/edu/internships for JPL-specific opportunities.
How to strengthen your application
Join competitions NASA mentors recognize. Team America Rocketry Challenge (TARC), FIRST Robotics, Science Olympiad, and NASA-affiliated challenges give you documented STEM experience that mentors look for.
Learn relevant technical skills. Python (especially with libraries like NumPy and Matplotlib), CAD software (SolidWorks, Fusion 360), and Arduino/electronics projects demonstrate hands-on capability beyond classroom grades.
Be specific in your project preferences. When selecting projects on STEM Gateway, write about specific interests — "Mars soil composition analysis using spectroscopy data" is far more compelling than "interested in Mars."
Target less competitive centers. Glenn, Stennis, and Langley typically receive fewer applications than JSC, KSC, or JPL. Getting accepted at any NASA center carries the same credential value.
Apply for fall or spring. Summer is overwhelmingly the most competitive session. Fall and spring sessions have fewer applicants.
Other NASA programs for high school students
| Program | Duration | Deadline | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| GeneLab for HS (GL4HS) | 12 weeks virtual | March 15, 2026 | Rising juniors/seniors, biology background |
| SEES (UT Austin) | 2 weeks on-site | February 22, 2026 | Sophomores/juniors, free housing |
| TX Aerospace Scholars (HAS) | Year-long | Aug/Sep 2026 | Texas residents only, grade 11 |
| Goddard GISS Internship | 6 weeks | Late spring | NYC or Greenbelt, grades 10–12 |
| N3 (Neurodiversity Network) | Summer | March 1, 2026 | $1,000 stipend upon completion |
2026 budget: OSTEM survived elimination
The Trump administration's FY2026 budget proposed eliminating OSTEM entirely ($143M to $0). Congress rejected this overwhelmingly — the FY2026 spending bill passed the House 397-28 and Senate 82-15 in January 2026, restoring full OSTEM funding at $143 million ($58M Space Grant, $45.5M MUREP, $26M EPSCoR, $13.5M Next Gen STEM). Programs are operating normally, but future fiscal years remain uncertain.
If NASA positions are limited, consider these alternatives:
| Program | Ages | Pay | Application |
|---|---|---|---|
| NASA OSTEM (high school) | 16+ | ~$18–$20/hr | stemgateway.nasa.gov |
| NASA HUNCH | High school classes | Unpaid (school credit) | Through teacher application |
| USRA (Universities Space Research Assoc.) | 16+ | Varies | usra.edu |
| Space Camp (Huntsville) | 12–18 | Paid programs ($1,200+) | spacecamp.com |
| Civil Air Patrol (STEM programs) | 12–18 | Unpaid | gocivilairpatrol.com |
The long game: high school to NASA career
A NASA high school internship is a stepping stone, not a destination. The typical progression:
- High school intern — Build NASA credential, get a mentor
- College OSTEM intern — Return for summer internships during undergrad (returning interns get preference)
- Pathways intern — Apply through USAJobs for the Pathways program, which converts directly to permanent federal employment
- Full-time NASA employee — GS-7 to GS-12 entry, depending on degree and experience
Each step builds on the previous one. A high school internship gives you a documented connection to a NASA center and mentor — advantages that compound through college applications and future intern cycles.
Browse NASA positions on Zero G Talent, or see our complete NASA internships guide covering all three programs (OSTEM, Pathways, JPL). For the singular application walkthrough, see our NASA internship application guide. Compare with SpaceX internships ($28–$40/hr), Lockheed Martin internships, or Northrop Grumman internships.
