Opportunities for Undergraduate, Graduate, and Post-Graduate Students

The Human Health and Performance (HH&P) Directorate and the Human Research Program (HRP) offer a wide variety of educational opportunities ranging from short internships to in-depth research fellowships and NASA grants. Depending on your current stage of academic completion, the links below can help you find the best match for your career goals.

Medical Clerkships and Research Grants

The Aerospace Medicine Clerkship is a four-week opportunity that is offered on a semi-annual basis during the months of April and October at the Johnson Space Center. The clerkship involves formal lectures on space medicine topics and issues, as well as familiarization with the medical aspects of International Space Station (ISS) operations, design and function. Clerkship participants are required to complete a research project and paper in a current focus area of space medicine, which will be presented both orally and written to the JSC Space and Clinical Operations community. 

NASA, and more specifically HRP, also offer a variety of research grants. Since 1989, the National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program, also known as ‘Space Grant’ has expanded opportunities for Americans to understand and participate in NASA projects by supporting and enhancing science and engineering education, research, and public outreach efforts.

Take it to the Next Level: Co-Ops, Work Programs, and Fellowships

For a truly immersive experience, NASA and HH&P offer cooperative or ‘Co-Op’ programs that combine academic studies with on-the-job training allowing students to work at NASA while completing their education. One such program is the NASA Pathways Co-op Program. Pathways consists of three distinct levels:  the Intern Employment Program (IEP), the Recent Graduates Program (RGP), and the Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Program. Each level requires progressively higher levels of academic achievement to better match the student’s goals.