Application opens: December 1, 2025
Application closes: March 1, 2026
Purpose:
The Illinois Space Grant Consortium (ILSGC) will award fellowships to outstanding students pursuing a graduate degree in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) disciplines that support NASA’s mission.
Awards:
Up to (12) $10,000 fellowships will be awarded for the 2026-2027 academic year.
Funding will be released, subject to the authorization of funds by NASA.
Requirements:
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Citizenship | Must be a U.S. citizen. |
| Enrollment | Must be enrolled at least full-time during both the Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 semesters at one of the following ISGC affiliate institutions: – Bradley University – Chicago State University – DePaul University – Illinois Institute of Technology – Northern Illinois University – Northwestern University – Southern Illinois University Edwardsville – The University of Chicago – University of Illinois at Chicago – University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign |
| Academic Level | Must be an graduate student during both Fall 2026 and Spring 2027. |
| Field of Study | Must be majoring full-time in a STEM discipline (science, technology, engineering, or mathematics), including but not limited to: engineering, computer science, biological and life sciences, chemistry, geological sciences, physics, or astronomy. Students whose academic interests and career goals align with NASA’s mission areas are especially encouraged to apply. |
| Academic Standing | Must be in good academic standing with their institution. |
| Funding Limit | Students may receive this award a maximum of two times during their degree program. |
| Application | A completed online application is required. Incomplete applications will not be considered. |
| NASA STEM Gateway | Create a profile in Gateway or use an existing one and sign up for the Illinois Fellowship Opportunity. |
| Deadline | All materials must be submitted electronically by March 1, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. |
Application Instructions
Complete the Fellowship Application. As part of the application, you will be asked to upload the following:
- A one to two-page Statement of Interest should include:
- Your reasons for seeking this fellowship.
- Evidence of your previous and current interest/experience in engineering or science related to NASA interests.
- Connection to one of NASA’s Mission Directorates
- A current resumé or CV.
- A copy of your most recent college transcript (can be an unofficial transcript).
- Provide one academic reference, which should include full contact information of the reference (name, address, position, institution, email, phone, etc.).
- ILSGC will contact the reference for a letter of recommendation if needed. A letter of reference is not needed with your application.
NASA Mission Directorates
(These may help you identify where your research connects to NASA’s goals.)
Aeronautics Research
NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate works to solve the challenges in our nation’s air transportation system: air traffic congestion, safety, and environmental impacts.
Space Operations Mission Directorate
Space Operations Mission Directorate will oversee mature human spaceflight programs, such as the International Space Station and commercial crew and cargo missions. The operations directorate is also in charge of NASA’s efforts to commercialize low Earth orbit, an objective the agency hopes will lead to privately owned space stations.
Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate
Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate will manage NASA’s Artemis moon program, including the Space Launch System heavy-lift rocket, the Orion spacecraft, and the Human Landing System, the spacecraft that will carry astronauts to and from the lunar surface.
Science
NASA’s Science Mission Directorate and the nation’s science community use space observatories to conduct scientific studies of the Earth from space to visit and return samples from other bodies in the solar system and to peer out into our Galaxy and beyond.
Space Technology
The Space Technology Mission Directorate is responsible for developing the crosscutting, pioneering, new technologies and capabilities needed to achieve NASA’s current and future missions.
Please visit each NASA organization’s website to find detailed information about current projects and current areas of interest.
For more information detailing the five mission directorates, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/offices/education/missions/gen_overview.html
Selection
Fellowships will be awarded to students with the highest academic merit who submit a transcript and a complete application.
Awardees must complete the following before their funding will be established:
- Sign and return their award letters by the deadlines provided.
- Create an account on the NASA gateway system.
- Awardees agree to participate in the NASA longitudinal tracking process. This involves requesting information from recipients to determine whether Space Grant-funded opportunities impact a student’s future education/career plans. All awardees must agree to provide timely information for this report. The data is used to demonstrate the success of the Space Grant program to NASA so that funding will continue to be appropriated for future students. The tracking occurs through the first year of your next step. For example, if you take two years to complete your graduate degree, we will ask for your information yearly until you enter a post-graduate school or take a position in your career field.
Failing to meet the above criteria will result in cancellation of the award, and the student will receive a rescission letter.
Provided candidates meet minimum eligibility requirements, at least one applicant from each affiliate institution will be awarded a fellowship. Acceptance of this award may impact a student’s income level to a degree that could affect eligibility for other funding, including student loans. It is the student’s responsibility to consult with their graduate student office and their campus financial aid advisors. ILSGC encourages students to meet with their financial aid officers before submitting their applications.
Illinois Space Grant Fellowships cannot be concurrently accepted or combined with support from other individual federal graduate fellowships. Federal graduate fellowships are defined as awards for which the applicant applies as an individual, not as part of a program. Examples from the US Government include but are not limited to, individual federal fellowship programs offered by the National Science Foundation, Department of Agriculture, Department of Defense, Department of Energy, Department of State (Fulbright fellowships), Environmental Protection Agency, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Institutes of Health, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to support the graduate education of individuals.
Deadline and Notification of Awards
| Submission Deadline: |
|---|
| March 1, 2026 |
After screening for eligibility and application review, successful awardees will be notified by the ILSGC and the affiliate institution. Notifications will also be sent to the affiliate institution.
Timeline
- December 1, 2025 – Application Opens
- March 1, 2026– Application Closes
- March 2026 – The selection process occurs
- By May 15, 2026 – Notification to awardees
- June 10, 2026 – Awardees must accept by this date, and all criteria must be met
- Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 – Your institution will disburse the payment in accordance with its policies.*
* Funding will be released upon authorization of funds by NASA, and the affiliate subaward is in place. Payments are made through the subaward to your home institution.