Government Programs
Federal Internship Landscape
The U.S. government runs some of the most valuable internship programs in aerospace — and some of the most competitive. NASA, the Air Force Research Laboratory, and the FAA each operate structured programs that place students in real research and engineering roles alongside federal scientists and engineers.
What makes federal internships different from industry:
- Mission focus. You work on Artemis, Mars rovers, stealth aircraft research, or air traffic modernization — not products designed to generate revenue.
- Career conversion. NASA Pathways and FAA Gateways convert directly to permanent federal employment. No other internship category offers this.
- Citizenship requirements. Every program listed here requires US citizenship or permanent residency. AFRL programs are US citizen only — permanent residents are not eligible.
- Earlier deadlines. Most federal programs close by late February. AFRL programs close in January. Planning ahead is essential.
Program Directory
| Program | Agency | Level | Duration | Pay | Citizenship | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OSTEM Internships | NASA | College | 10–16 weeks | Stipend ($8,200 undergrad / $9,900 grad) | US citizen | Late Feb (summer) |
| Pathways Program | NASA | College | Ongoing (480 hrs) | GS scale + benefits | US citizen | Late Feb (3–5 day window) |
| GL4HS | NASA / Ames | HS rising juniors/seniors | 12 weeks (virtual) | Free, no stipend | US citizen or perm resident | Mar 15 |
| SEES | NASA / UT Austin | HS rising juniors/seniors | ~7 weeks | $2,000 fee (scholarships available) | US citizen | Late Feb |
| Wright Scholar | AFRL | HS juniors/seniors | 8 weeks | Paid (stipend) | US citizen only | Oct 10 — Jan 10 |
| AFRL Scholars | AFRL / USRA | College + upper HS | 8–12 weeks | Stipend | US citizen only | Oct — Jan |
| Gateways | FAA | College | Ongoing (640 hrs) | GS scale | US citizen | Late Feb |
NASA Programs
OSTEM Internships — All 10 Centers
The single largest pipeline for student aerospace internships — over 2,000 placements per year across every NASA center. Interns work on real missions: Artemis, James Webb, Mars rovers, Earth observation satellites. You rank center and discipline preferences, and NASA matches you.
Key facts: Acceptance rate is roughly 5%. Average accepted intern has strong grades and relevant extracurriculars. Starting Summer 2026, high school students are no longer eligible — college enrollment is required. Housing is not provided. Do not use AI tools to write your application — NASA explicitly prohibits this and will disqualify applicants.
Centers: Johnson (TX), Kennedy (FL), JPL (CA), Goddard (MD), Marshall (AL), Langley (VA), Ames (CA), Glenn (OH), Stennis (MS), Armstrong (CA).
Pathways Program — Federal Career Pipeline
Not a standard internship — it's a career conversion pathway. You work part-time at a NASA center while in school, and after completing your degree plus 480 hours, NASA can non-competitively convert you to a permanent GS position. You receive federal employee pay on the GS scale plus benefits: health insurance, dental, vision, retirement (FERS), and paid leave.
The catch: The application window is absurdly short — the February 2026 window was open for five days. You need a federal-format resume built on USAJobs months in advance.
GL4HS — GeneLab for High Schools
A 12-week virtual program where high school students analyze real NASA biological data — gene expression in spaceflight, microgravity effects, astrobiology datasets. Guided by NASA Ames researchers. Free but unpaid (stipend dropped in 2026). Requires at least one completed biology course. One of the very few NASA programs still open to high schoolers.
SEES — STEM Enhancement in Earth Science
Run by the Texas Space Grant Consortium at UT Austin in partnership with NASA. High school students conduct original research in Earth science, remote sensing, and space science using NASA datasets. The program is competitive despite charging a $2,000 fee — scholarships and fee waivers are available.
Air Force & FAA Programs
AFRL Wright Scholar Program
The top high school aerospace internship in the country. Eight weeks of full-time, paid research at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base alongside AFRL scientists and engineers. You work in the lab on active research in propulsion, materials science, sensors, autonomous systems, and directed energy. Returning scholars are automatically invited back.
Requirements: US citizen only (permanent residents not eligible). 3.5+ GPA. Age 16+ by program start. Must pass background check. Applications open October 10, close January 10 each year.
AFRL Scholars Program
The college-level counterpart to Wright Scholar. Stipend-paid research internships at AFRL sites across the country — Wright-Patterson (OH), Kirtland AFB (NM), Eglin AFB (FL), AMOS (Maui, HI), Rome (NY), and Hanscom AFB (MA). 8–12 weeks of full-time research. Managed by USRA on behalf of AFRL. Also accepts upper-level high school students in STEM — unusual for a college-level program.
Requirements: US citizen only. Valid driver's license (AFRL sites are on military bases without public transit). Applications open October, close January.
FAA Gateways Internship
Paid internship at FAA facilities with a conversion pathway to permanent employment — complete 640 hours and your degree, and the FAA can hire you directly. Pay follows the federal GS salary scale. Covers aviation safety, air traffic management, airport planning, aerospace engineering, and other FAA mission areas.
The FAA isn't just air traffic control. They hire engineers, data scientists, policy analysts, environmental specialists, and IT professionals.
Federal resume required: Both NASA Pathways and FAA Gateways use USAJobs. Federal resumes are longer and more detailed than private-sector resumes. Build yours at usajobs.gov months before the application window opens — the windows are short and you won't have time to write one from scratch.
Government Application Tips
Start early — federal deadlines are earlier than you think. AFRL programs close in January. NASA and FAA close in late February. Boeing Engineering closes in October. By the time most students start looking for summer internships (March), the most competitive federal programs are already closed.
- Apply to NASA OSTEM even if your GPA is modest. A 3.0 is the floor, not the target. But NASA interns come from state universities, community colleges, HBCUs, and small liberal arts schools. Reference specific missions, centers, or research areas — generic enthusiasm won't cut it.
- Set USAJobs alerts now. NASA Pathways and FAA Gateways post on USAJobs with extremely short windows (days, not weeks). You need alerts set for "NASA Pathways" and "FAA Gateways" so you don't miss the opening.
- AFRL requires US citizenship — not just permanent residency. This is stricter than NASA. If you're a permanent resident, AFRL programs are not available to you, but NASA OSTEM, GL4HS, and NSF REUs are.
- Apply again if rejected. Many successful NASA interns were rejected at least once. Each session is a new application cycle.
The conversion advantage: NASA Pathways (480 hours) and FAA Gateways (640 hours) convert to permanent federal positions. No other internship category guarantees a path to permanent employment. If you want a career in government aerospace, these programs are the most direct route.