Eligibility

College and University Participation (USLI)

Any U.S. College or University can submit a proposal to be considered for the Student Launch Challenge – University Student Launch Initiative (USLI). The USLI Division is a competitive division.

Middle and High School / Grades 6-12 Participation (SLI)

Qualifying Middle Schools, High Schools, and informal education institutions serving students in grades 6-12 can submit a proposal to be considered for the Student Launch Challenge – Student Launch Initiative Division (SLI). The SLI Division is a non-competitive, educational experience division.

Grades 6-12 teams can qualify to submit a proposal for Student Launch in either the American Rocketry Challenge (ARC) or Rockets for Schools (R4S):

• Top 25 finishing schools in the American Rocketry Challenge are invited to submit a proposal for the upcoming Student Launch Challenge year. Learn More
• Top 7 finishing schools in the Rockets for Schools competition Class II are invited to submit a proposal for the upcoming Student Launch Challenge Year. Learn More

Eligibility for Pre-Qualifying teams is for two years with requirements met. For all information regarding pre-qualification see SLI Eligibility Requirements.

Proposals

Proposals to participate in the NASA Student Launch College/University Division may be submitted from and U.S. college or university. Proposals to participate in the High School/Middle School Division may only be submitted from teams who:

1. Have qualified at the American Rocketry Challenge (Top 25) or Rockets For School (Top 7) and have completed the Advanced Rocketry Workshop (ARW)
2. Student Launch proposals and participation are limited to one team per school.

How to Apply

The NASA Student Launch proposal period is now open, and all proposals must be submitted by September 14, 2026, at 8:00 a.m. Central Time. Please upload your proposal using the NASA Student Launch Proposal Submission Link, which contains all required submission instructions.