NASA SEES acceptance rate in 2026: how competitive is it and how to get in

The NASA SEES acceptance rate sits at roughly 8-12% in 2026. That makes it highly competitive but slightly more accessible than NASA's flagship summer internship program, which accepts closer to 5% of high school applicants. About 2,500 to 3,500 students apply each cycle, and around 250 to 350 are selected.

SEES (STEM Enhancement in Earth Science) runs as a free, virtual summer research program for high school students. No travel, no stipend, no cost. What it offers instead is genuine research experience with NASA satellite data, a credential that carries real weight on college applications, and a window into Earth science that most students never get.

What NASA SEES actually is

SEES is managed through a partnership between NASA and the University of Texas at Austin's Center for Space Research. The program connects high school students with NASA scientists and Earth science data for hands-on research over approximately 5-6 weeks in summer (typically late June through early August).

The core focus is Earth observation science. Participants work with real satellite data from instruments aboard missions like Landsat, Terra, Aqua, and Suomi NPP. They use tools and techniques that working scientists use daily: geographic information systems, remote sensing analysis, spectral data interpretation, and statistical methods.

This isn't a lecture series or a virtual camp. Students are assigned to research teams, given specific scientific questions, and expected to produce results. Past cohorts have studied topics including urban heat island effects, wildfire burn scar mapping, coastal erosion monitoring, and algal bloom detection in freshwater systems.

The program went fully virtual during COVID and has stayed that way. This was initially a compromise, but it turned into an advantage: students from any part of the country can participate regardless of family resources or proximity to a NASA center.

Eligibility requirements

The bar for eligibility is clear but the bar for selection is higher:

• U.S. high school student: Must be enrolled in a U.S. high school during the application period
• Rising 10th through 12th graders: Freshmen aren't eligible. You need to be entering your sophomore, junior, or senior year.
• No GPA minimum stated, but competitive applicants typically have a 3.5+ GPA
• No citizenship requirement: Unlike NASA internships, SEES has historically been open to all U.S. high school students regardless of citizenship status (verify current year requirements on the SEES website)
• Computer and internet access: Since the program is fully virtual, you need reliable hardware and connectivity

How the NASA SEES acceptance rate breaks down

The overall 8-12% acceptance rate masks some variation:

Factor	Estimated Impact on Acceptance
Rising seniors	Slightly higher acceptance (~12-15%) due to stronger applications
Rising sophomores	Lower acceptance (~5-8%) — smaller pool, less experience
Prior STEM research experience	Strongly correlated with acceptance
Strong essay connecting to Earth science	Most differentiating factor per reviewers
Geography	Virtual format means no regional bias

Rising juniors and seniors make up the majority of accepted students because they have more coursework and extracurricular experience to draw on. But rising sophomores do get in, especially those who can demonstrate specific interest in Earth science or data analysis beyond what their coursework alone shows.

The virtual format eliminates geographic barriers that affect on-site internships. A student in rural Montana has the same shot as one in suburban Houston, assuming equivalent qualifications.

The application process

Applications typically open in late January or February and close in mid-March. The timeline is tight, so you need to know about SEES before the window opens.

What you need to submit

1. Personal information and academic background: Grades, coursework, school details
2. Essay responses: Usually 2-3 short essays explaining your interest in Earth science, a scientific question you'd like to investigate, and how the experience fits your goals. These essays are the most important part of your application.
3. Transcript: Official or unofficial, showing your course history and grades
4. Teacher recommendation: One letter from a STEM teacher who knows your work well
5. Brief description of STEM activities: Clubs, competitions, independent projects, coursework beyond the minimum

Application timeline

• January-February: Application portal opens
• Mid-March: Application deadline (exact date varies by year)
• April-May: Review and selection period
• Late May/Early June: Acceptance notifications sent
• Late June: Program begins
• Early August: Program concludes with final presentations

Start preparing your essays and lining up your teacher recommendation in December, well before the portal opens. Having materials ready lets you submit early and avoid the last-minute rush.

What participants actually do during SEES

The 5-6 week program follows a structured progression:

Week 1: Training and orientation

Students learn the tools they'll use: NASA Worldview, USGS EarthExplorer, Google Earth Engine, and basic GIS software. Lectures from NASA scientists introduce the research themes for that year's cohort. Teams are formed.

Weeks 2-3: Data collection and analysis

Each team tackles a specific research question using real satellite data. This is where most of the learning happens. You're downloading Landsat scenes, applying band combinations to highlight vegetation or thermal signatures, running classification algorithms, and documenting your methodology.

Weeks 4-5: Results and synthesis

Teams compile their findings, run statistical analyses, and prepare presentations. Mentors provide feedback on scientific reasoning and presentation quality.

Week 5-6: Final presentations

Students present their research to NASA scientists, program staff, and their peers. This isn't a casual show-and-tell; it follows a format similar to a scientific conference poster session.

Satellite data you'll work with

SEES participants don't just learn about satellites in the abstract. They work with data from specific NASA missions:

• Landsat 8/9: 30-meter resolution multispectral imagery. Used for land cover classification, vegetation health (NDVI), urban sprawl mapping, and thermal analysis.
• Terra (MODIS): Daily global coverage at 250m-1km resolution. Useful for fire detection, ocean color, and atmospheric aerosols.
• Aqua (MODIS): Afternoon overpass complement to Terra. Water cycle and ocean science applications.
• Suomi NPP (VIIRS): Day/night band imagery, fire monitoring, and nighttime lights for urban analysis.
• ICESat-2: Laser altimetry for ice sheet elevation change, forest canopy height, and sea ice thickness.

Learning to work with these datasets is a marketable skill. Remote sensing analysts at companies like Maxar, Planet Labs, and government agencies like USGS and NOAA use these same data products daily.

How SEES helps college applications

Admissions officers at selective universities know what SEES is. The program is one of a small number of NASA-affiliated research experiences open to high schoolers, and its selectivity gives it credibility.

Here's what SEES gives you for applications:

• Research experience: You can write about a real scientific investigation with methodology, data analysis, and conclusions. This is substantially stronger than describing a science fair project.
• Institutional recognition: "Selected for NASA SEES from X thousand applicants" is a meaningful credential.
• Recommendation material: Your SEES mentor or team lead can provide an additional recommendation that speaks to your research capability.
• Demonstrated interest: If you're applying to Earth science, environmental science, or geography programs, SEES directly demonstrates commitment to the field.
• Skills inventory: You leave with experience in GIS, remote sensing, data analysis, and scientific writing, all of which you can cite in applications.

SEES doesn't pay you, but the return on 5-6 weeks of focused work is a research experience that most students don't get until their sophomore or junior year of college.

Frequently asked questions about NASA SEES

Is SEES harder to get into than MIT? The acceptance rates are in a similar range (8-12% for SEES vs. around 4% for MIT), but these are fundamentally different selections. SEES evaluates interest and aptitude in a specific field. Don't compare them directly.

Can I do SEES and a NASA internship in the same summer? Theoretically yes, if the dates don't conflict, but the workload would be extreme. Most students pick one or the other. If you have to choose, the NASA internship with its stipend and on-site experience typically carries more weight, though it requires citizenship.

What if I know nothing about Earth science? You don't need to be an expert, but you need to show genuine curiosity. Take a free online course in remote sensing or GIS before applying. NASA's ARSET (Applied Remote Sensing Training) offers free webinars that give you real vocabulary and context for your essays.

Can I apply as a rising 9th grader? No. SEES requires you to be a rising 10th grader or above. Consider the GLOBE Observer citizen science program as an alternative for younger students.

What happens after SEES? Many SEES alumni continue research with their SEES mentors informally. Others use the experience to strengthen their NASA internship applications for the following year. Some have published research papers based on their SEES work, with mentor co-authorship.

Does SEES help with NASA internship applications? Significantly. Having SEES on your record shows NASA mentors that you've already done structured research with NASA data. Your SEES mentor can also recommend you directly for on-site internships.

Getting started

The NASA SEES acceptance rate is competitive but beatable. Students who succeed tend to prepare early, demonstrate specific Earth science interests (not generic "space" enthusiasm), and write essays that show they've already engaged with the subject matter.

If you're interested in Earth observation and remote sensing, SEES is one of the best opportunities available to high school students. For the full landscape of NASA programs, check our guide to NASA high school internship acceptance rates. You can also explore the broader world of space internships and early-career roles at organizations like NASA, NOAA, and private Earth observation companies working on everything from wildfire monitoring to precision agriculture.