Scholarships and Fellowships

Space Exploration Astrobiology Scholarship 2003

The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) will sponsor one Canadian student to attend NASA’s Astrobiology Academy, an ten-week summer research program at NASA Ames Research Center in California

	The NASA Astrobiology Academy
	Canadian Space Agency Scholarship
	Eligibility
	How to Apply
	More Information

The NASA Astrobiology Academy is an intense summer experience providing insight into all of the elements that make space missions possible.

Opportunities for learning come in many forms. A substantial part of the student’s time is spent within a team working on projects, listening to and debating lectures, and traveling together. These avenues help to develop the leadership, teamwork, and critical thinking skills that are important to our future in space.

In addition to the rich intellectual environment, each student is assigned to a NASA Principal Investigator to work independently on and contribute to a NASA mission. This mentor relationship gives Academy participants an insight into the trials and rewards of primary scientific research. About 60% of the traditional work week is dedicated towards this aspect of the Astrobiology Academy.

Canadian Space Agency Scholarship

Canadian students are not normally eligible to take part in the Astrobiology Academy, but a special agreement has been reached between NASA and the Canadian Space Agency. All Canadian applications must follow NASA application guidelines but must be submitted to the Canadian Space Agency as noted below.

The Canadian Space Agency’s Space Exploration Program will sponsor one Canadian student to participate in this unique learning experience. The selected participant will receive Astrobiology Academy tuition, round-trip transportation between their home and NASA Ames, accommodation in the area, and a meal allowance.

Eligibility

Eligibility for the Canadian Space Agency scholarship is limited to currently enrolled full-time students who:

• are pursuing their first undergraduate degree in physical or life sciences, or engineering, at a Canadian university and will have completed at least their second year of study by the start of the Astrobiology Academy, OR graduating students (students who will complete their last undergraduate year prior to the start of the Astrobiology Academy) who have been accepted into a graduate research, Bachelor of Education, or Medical degree program at a Canadian university;
   
• have a minimum cumulative average of 75%;
   
• are proficient in English (score of at least 550 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language, TOEFL); and
   
• are Canadian citizens at least 18 but not more than 25 years of age who have or can obtain a valid Canadian passport.

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted to the Canadian Space Agency, who will forward application materials for the successful candidate to NASA directly.

Please note that the Astrobiology Academy is presented in English and applications must be submitted in English only.

Log on to the NASA Astrobiology Academy web site and follow carefully all the instructions given there with the following three exceptions:

• application materials are to be submitted by December 13, 2002;
   
• application materials are to be submitted to the Canadian Space Agency, at the address(es) given below. Do not send your application to NASA or any other US office or address;
   
• at Item 12 on the application form – Space Grant (or other sponsoring organization), insert the text "Canadian Space Agency". Leave the spaces for "Contact person" and "phone" blank.

Send your application materials to:

Astrobiology Academy Scholarship
Space Exploration Program
Space Science Program
Canadian Space Agency

Mailing address:
(Completed applications and transcripts sent by Canada Post must be postmarked by December 13, 2002.)

P.O. Box 7275, Station V
Ottawa, Ontario  K1L 8E3

Courier address:
(Completed applications and transcripts sent by courier must be received at the address below by 4:00 p.m. EST on December 13, 2002.)

100 Sussex Drive
Ottawa, Ontario  K1A 0R6

The successful candidate will be notified by mail by 31 March, 2003. An announcement will be made on this web site and/or a Canadian Space Agency press release.

More Information

If you still have questions after reading the information on this web page and the NASA Astrobiology Academy web site you can send an email message to exploration@space.gc.ca. Please allow at least three business days for a response.