FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Who Should Apply?

• Undergraduate Students with at least two (2) years of full time study left to complete at an accredited U.S. college or university as of Fall 2012.
• Graduate Students must have received or be on track to receive their bachelor's degrees by Fall 2012, or they may be currently enrolled in a master’s or doctoral program but will not receive their degree until Spring 2014 or after.
• All applicants must have at least two (2) years of full time study left to be eligible for the Program.
• Undergraduate Juniors are normally not eligible for the undergraduate scholarship unless they are planning to complete their undergraduate program in five years (i.e., Spring 2014) or are in a five-year joint baccalaureate-Master's program.

Award Details

NASA Aeronautics scholarship awards for UNDERGRADUATES:

• Twenty (20) awards annually
• $15,000 awarded for each school year, to be used for tuition and other education related expenses
• $10,000 Summer internship at a NASA Research Center

NASA Aeronautics scholarship awards for GRADUATES:

• Five (5) awards annually
• $35,000 stipend
• Up to $11,000 to be used for tuition and other education related costs
• Two (2) $10,000 Summer internship at a NASA Research Center

How long do graduate students receive funding?

Graduate students are awarded up to $35,000 per year for 2 years, with an option for a 3rd year.

Is there an outside funding limit?

There is a $5,000.00 limit in outside funding per academic year, however, based on financial needs this can be waived or adjusted on a case by case basis.

Outside employment is subject to approval. Please notify the program as soon as possible regarding any employment

Can I apply if my tuition is already covered?

No, if there is no demonstrated financial need for tuition, you will not be considered eligible to apply. Verification of demonstrated financial need will be required each semester.

Can I use the scholarship if I am currently studying or plan on studying abroad?

Yes, you are welcome to study abroad and use the scholarship, but you must be considered enrolled at the same institution and in the same discipline you listed in your application. Notification of international study and approval from the NASA Program Manager is still required.

If I am awarded the scholarship can I defer or accept another major scholarship in conjunction with it?

No, if you accept the scholarship, NASA does not allow for deferral or the acceptance of another major fellowship such as NDSEG or SMART. In addition you can not hold two scholarships through NASA at the same time.

Is this an internship program?

No, this is a scholarship program which includes an optional internship in the summer. A student may not accept the internship and decline the scholarship.

I planned to take classes or work on research during the summer, can my internship be waived?

Summer internships are optional. If you take classes during the summer, you will not receive the summer internship stipend. Please check the website "Summer Intern Opportunities" to see internships available.

Am I eligible for the scholarship as a NASA Co-op Student?

NASA Cooperative Education Students can apply for the program but may only receive funding while they are in a leave without pay (LWOP) status.  Proof of this status is required.  NASA Cooperative education students are not eligible for the internship portion of the program.

Will I get paid during my summer internship?

Yes. The summer internship at a NASA Research Center includes a stipend in an amount up to $10,000.

Is there a minimum GPA requirement?

There is no minimum GPA required to apply, however if selected, the student must be considered in good academic standing with his/her institution.

If I recently applied for another scholarship administered by ASEE, would I still need to submit transcripts and other documents or are they still on file from the previous application?

If you submitted transcripts by the deadline for another scholarship or fellowship program administered by ASEE, your transcripts are still on file and can be matched to your NASA application upon request. However, it is suggested that all students resubmit all required documents to avoid application incompletion. Please note that this only applies to the current year’s applications. Transcripts and other information from past years are not kept on file and must be resubmitted.

Eligibility Requirements

Undergraduates

• You do not have to be accepted into a program at the time your application is submitted; however, should you be selected, the award is contingent upon your admission to a suitable aeronautical engineering academic program or related field of study at an accredited U.S. college or university. Example related fields of study include, but are not limited to, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, and Mathematics. Please see the extended list of Supported Fields.
• Applicants must have at least two (2) years of full time study left to complete at an accredited U.S. college or university as of Fall 2012. Applicants to the undergraduate program will typically be students in their sophomore (second) year of study, at the date of application. If you are an undergraduate Junior, you would not be eligible for the undergraduate scholarship unless you are in a five-year program (i.e., expected completion date of Spring 2014).
• The program is open only to applicants who are citizens or nationals of the United States. The term "nationals" refers to native residents of a possession of the United States such as American Samoa. It does not refer to a citizen of another country who has applied for U.S. citizenship. Persons who hold permanent resident status are not eligible. Proof of citizenship will be required upon formal offer.

Graduates

• Applicants must have received or be on track to receive their bachelor's degrees by Fall 2012. Scholarship awardees selected in Spring 2012 must begin their fellowship tenure by Fall 2012.
• Potential applicants to the program may be in their final year of undergraduate study and already accepted into a master’s or doctoral program, or they may be currently enrolled in a master’s or doctoral program but will not receive their degree until Spring 2014 or after.
• You do not have to be accepted into a program at the time your application is submitted; however, should you be selected, the award is contingent upon your admission to a suitable master’s or doctoral level degree program at an accredited U.S. college or university in aeronautical engineering or a related science or engineering field of study. Example related fields of study include, but are not limited to, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, and Mathematics, with a focus on aeronautics-related research such as, but not limited to, air traffic management research and integrated vehicle health management. Please see the extended list of Supported Fields.
• Applicants must have at least two (2) years of full time study in a Masters or Ph.D. level program to be eligible.
• The program is open only to applicants who are citizens or nationals of the United States. The term "nationals" refers to native residents of a possession of the United States such as American Samoa. It does not refer to a citizen of another country who has applied for U.S. citizenship. Persons who hold permanent resident status are not eligible. Proof of citizenship will be required upon formal offer.

I'm currently enrolled in a master's or doctoral program and am scheduled to graduate in the Spring of 2013, can I still apply?

No,  as the NASA ASP for graduate students is a two year scholarship with an option of a third year, we ask that applicants will have at least two years left in their program at the time the scholarship would start.

If my institution did not require me to take the GRE upon admission, do I still need to submit scores to apply?

Yes, official GRE scores are required for each student applying for graduate funding regardless of institutional requirements except for dual degree students. GRE scores are optional for students enrolled in 5-year dual degree programs, because 5-year dual degree programs are eligible only for undergraduate funding.

Can High School Seniors and Freshman Undergraduates apply for the scholarship?

Student must have at least two (2) years of full time study left to complete at an accredited U.S. college or university as of Fall 2012. Desired undergraduate applicants to the program will typically be students in their Sophomore (second) year of study and will be a Junior in Fall 2012. Current college Freshman may be considered, but High School Seniors are not encouraged to apply.

Which program would I apply under if I am currently enrolled in a 5-year dual degree program?

If you are currently enrolled in a 5-year dual degree program, you would need to apply under the undergraduate program. If selected, documentation of dual degree program enrollment will be required. The student would still need to have a minimum of 2 years of full time study left before degree completion to be considered eligible.

Application Submission

What is the timeline for application submission and processing?

*Additional awards may be made after April 2012 depending on program needs and award acceptance rates.

What is the application period/When is the application deadline?

For awards to be distributed starting in Fall 2012, the application period is September 1, 2011 through January 17, 2012. All application materials must be received by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) on January 17, 2012.

Applications missing transcripts, required test scores, recommendations, and/or other required documentation will be considered incomplete and will not be considered for award.

I would like to review the application materials prior to opening an application file. Is there a copy I can look at?

You can register and preview the application without submitting the application by going to the Apply Online page. Also, the Application Instructions contain all the questions you will be asked and, in many cases, even includes the exact wording and length of restrictions for your responses.

Is there a paper application form I can use?

No, all applications must be submitted online.

Are F-1 Student Visa's considered eligible under the US citizenship requirement?

No, all applicants must be US citizens or nationals. Proof of citizenship will be required once students are selected as scholarship recipients.

When are scholarship offers announced?

NASA intends to announce offers in the Spring of 2012. Please be sure to keep your contact information current so that announcements will reach you.

Who can I call for questions about the application?

You may contact ASEE at:

Email: nasa.asp@asee.org
Phone: (202) 331-3548 or (202) 350-5756