Academic Scholarship programme

Coordinators of Bologna-compliant academic programmes wishing to offer ESA Academy scholarships to students can apply through the continuously open call here.   

Selected academic programmes will be allocated up to 5 ESA Academy scholarships and academic coordinators will be invited to select and propose a shortlist of students to be sponsored.   

Following validation by ESA, the sponsored students can expect to have their tuition fee fully covered for each year of the study cycle.

I am an educational institution

If your educational institution offers a space-related Master programme and you wish to propose ESA Academy scholarships to your tertiary education students, please read the full description of the programme.

Application

Applications should be submitted at least 4 months before the start date of the academic programme. Applications submitted by 14 March 11:59PM CET will be evaluated during the upcoming selection for Master’s programmes starting between August and December 2025.

Applications that do cannot fit this timeframe will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

To be eligible, the academic programme should:  

• offer a Bologna-compliant Master or Advanced Master (i.e. second cycle degree: 60–120 ECTS credits);
• offer at least a space-related major and allow space-related master thesis or internships. Masters in Sustainability, Climate, Environment, Biotechnologies, Mobility, (Cyber)security, AI, Quantum Technologies, Robotics or Business Management with a strong focus on space in their curriculum (e.g. a minimum of 20 credits dedicated to space-related activities, well-established collaboration with the space sector, etc.) will also be considered.
• be held in an ESA Member State or Associate Member;
• be delivered in English;
• be accessible to international students.

To apply please fill in the application form where you will:   

• provide a series of descriptive and organizational information about the academic programme;   
• justify your request for ESA Academy scholarships.    

The next deadline to submit an application for Masters starting between August and December 2025 is the 14 March 11:59PM CET.

Academic programme selection  

Applications are reviewed on a regular basis, and selection typically takes place within one month after the application deadline.

The selection is made on competitive basis by taking into consideration the following criteria:

• compliance with the eligibility criteria;
• quality of the application;
• motivation and expected benefits of the ESA Academy scholarships for the academic programme;
• compliance to outreach expectations.

Programmes specifically offering a multidisciplinary approach and/or targeting both STEM and non-STEM students will be given priority.

Educational institutions that cannot meet one of the above criteria are welcome to submit an application and exceptions will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.   

Scholarship acceptance

After selection, ESA contacts the educational institutions to inform them about the number of full cycle ESA Academy scholarships allocated to their students, the programme requirements and payment process.

To accept the ESA Academy scholarship, the educational institution shall agree with the terms and conditions of the programme and sign an agreement with ESA.

For any question concerning the application process, educational institutions can contact  academy.engagement@esa.int.  

I am a student 

If you are a student and wish to be granted with an ESA Academy scholarship to join a space-related Master programme, you should register to one of the academic programme listed below and apply for ESA Academy scholarship via the educational institution.  

To be eligible for ESA Academy scholarship, you should:  

• be minimum 18 years old when the academic programme starts;
• be fully graduated from the first cycle (bachelor’s degree) before the beginning of the Master programme;
• be a citizen of an ESA Member State or Associate Member;
• not attend the academic programme as an incoming Erasmus student;
• not benefit from any overlapping financial support to attend this academic programme, unless duly justified;
• agree with the conditions of the ESA Academy Privacy Policy.

The educational institutions are recommended to select students based on:  

• compliance with the eligibility criteria;
• interest in the space sector (student demonstrates motivation in performing a space related thesis or internship or working later in the space domain,…)
• motivation to attend the academic programme;
• educational benefit of attending the academic programme;
• justification for, and expected benefit from, the financial support;
• academic merit.

ESA values diversity and inclusiveness which enriches its programmes and promotes balanced audience representativeness of our society. ESA encourages the educational institutions to foster diversity, equality, and inclusiveness in their selection; to welcome applications from all eligible candidates irrespective of gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, beliefs, age, disability, social origin, or other characteristics; and to take the necessary measures to accommodate special needs.

List of sponsored academic programmes