Apply for the internship voucher

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Space Career Launchpad is supporting the next generation of space leaders by awarding internship vouchers to students who successfully secure and perform internships within the space industry, and you can be one of the winners!

The initiative is open to students from diverse backgrounds, focusing on topics from STEM to the humanities and social sciences.

Did you know that the EU has more options to support you financially during your first steps of your Space career?

The ERASMUS+ Programme of the EU financially supports traineeships and internships abroad financially. ERASMUS+ is open for any student who is currently enrolled in higher education institutions of the Programme countries, either in a Bachelor or Master level as well as for doctoral candidates (other specific rules may apply). You can secure up to 450 € of monthly financial aid depending on the country you are doing your internship in. Don’t let this opportunity slip.

Learn more about the internship voucher rules below, and don’t forget to apply!

Apply now for the internship voucher

Internships Vouchers FAQs

The internship voucher is an instrument designed to incentivise students and young professionals to pursue a career in the space industry. All students and young graduates who apply for a position via the Space Career Launchpad can apply for an internship voucher if they meet specific eligibility criteria.

The number of internship vouchers is limited, and a jury made up of members from the European Commission, academic institutions, and industry will select recipients based on specific criteria. These criteria include personal motivation, the location of the internship, the size of the hosting company, and the potential cross-border nature of the internship. For more information on eligibility and selection criteria, please refer to the relevant tabs on this page.

Erasmus+ and similar programmes are designed to support young individuals and students in their pursuits of studying or interning abroad. In contrast, the Space Career Launchpad internship voucher scheme serves as an incentive for taking up first steps towards a career in the European space sector. Unlike the Erasmus+ programme, applicants for the internship voucher must submit motivation letters and compete for available vouchers.

The financial sum is based on your internship duration.

  • Internship duration 3 months or longer: € 1000
  • Internship duration 6 months or longer: € 2000

This amount is foreseen regardless of a potential remuneration offered by your hosting company and will be paid out as a one-time payment. One-time payments are paid out after the selection and after the start of the internship; the exact payout time may vary.

Yes, you can apply for the internship voucher if you are part of other support schemes.

However, do note that some support programmes, such as Erasmus+, may have certain restrictions or limitations if you gain any financial aid during a set internship period. This may or may not include the Space Career Launchpad internship voucher. If you are in doubt or have any questions regarding potential conflict between the internship voucher and any other support programme, please refer to your respective university’s internship programme manager.

The Space Career Launchpad team cannot provide any support on such matters.

To be eligible for applying to the internship voucher, candidates need to meet all of the following criteria:

  1. Candidates must have secured an internship via the Space Career Launchpad in the EU space industry*.
  2. The internship must be at least 3 months long.
  3. The internship must be performed in a Member State of the European Union**.
  4. The internship must be formalised by an internship contract (involving the intern and the hosting entity and the university).
  5. The internship must start at the latest on 01 July 2025***.
  6. The candidates must be enrolled in a university programme (undergrad, post-grad, etc.), regardless of their country of permanent residency and/or nationality****.
  7. The candidates must submit a personal motivation text (maximum 300 words) explaining their interest for the EU space sector and their motivation to work in the space sector. Candidates shall answer 3 questions:
    1. What makes the European space industry special to you? Why are you interested in an internship? (100 words max)
    2. What would you like to learn about the space industry/space sector during your internship? (100 words max)
    3. What are your ambitions for your future career in space? (100 words max)

*The space industry encompasses the development, construction, and operation of space systems, as well as products, services and applications derived from such systems. While a preliminary list of eligible companies is provided in the participation guidelines, this list is not exhaustive. The team will verify the eligibility of other companies.

** At least 50% of your internship shall be performed physically at internship location indicated on your internship contract.

*** To be eligible for the submission deadline of 28 February 2025. Any internship starting after the 01 July 2025 will not be considered eligible for applying for the internship voucher scheme.

**** If needed, applicants are responsible to obtain a visa to enter the EU in due time to allow the internship to start no later than 01 July 2025. The Space Career Launchpad team cannot provide any support on such matters.

The number of internship vouchers are limited to a set number of applicants. If you fulfil the eligibility criteria, your application will be considered by a jury composed of members of the European Commission, academic institutions, and industry.

The selection criteria consist of a base candidacy qualification, as well as additional bonus points for fulfilling specific criteria.

Candidacy qualification – Motivation text:

Your motivation is the basis of the jury’s consideration of your application. As part of the application process, you should answer three questions:

  1. What makes the European space industry special to you? Why are you interested in an internship?
  2. What would you like to learn about the space industry/sector during an internship?
  3. What are your ambitions for your future career in space?

Each question shall be answered using a maximum of 100 words. The jury will assess your motivational answers on a scale of 1 (weak) to 10 (outstanding) based on:

  • Content and clarity;
  • Grammar, style and tone;
  • Creativity and originality.

A single application can collect up to 30 points for the motivation text if all three answers are assessed as outstanding (+10 points).

Extra points may be awarded based on the nature and size of the hosting company, as well as the international element of the internship and/or geographic representation of the applicants.

  1. Successfully apply for an internship opportunity via the Space Career Launchpad.
  2. Sign an internship contract with your hosting company.
  3. Check the eligibility criteria to see if you qualify for the internship voucher (please refer to the eligibility criteria tab on this page for more information on the eligibility criteria).
  4. Apply for the internship voucher by providing the following information concerning your internship:
  5. Full name and university email address;
  6. Currently enrolled at university (yes/no);
  7. International travel required for the internship (yes/no);
  8. Signed contract with company (yes/no);
  9. Internship start and end date;
  10. Motivational texts (please refer to the selection criteria tab on this page for more information on the motivational texts).
  11. The project team screens candidates for eligibility, performs a pre-evaluation based on the agreed set of criteria and submits a candidates list to the jury.
  12. The jury will select the successful applications to receive a voucher. Successful applicants will be informed by email.
  13. If you have been selected, one month after your internship starts, request your hosting company to fill and sign the “Internship Confirmation Form” and submit it. In this way, the company confirms your statements made in step 4. Please note that purposefully providing false information may result in a ban from the internship voucher scheme.
  14. Selected interns will receive the voucher payout approximately one month after the internship starts, respectively after handing in the Internship Confirmation Form.

The deadline for applying for the internship voucher (also referred to as “cut-off date”) is:

  • 23:59 CET, Friday 28 February 2025

Our goal is to inform applicants of their selection within 8 weeks of the application deadline (without guarantee).

Accepted applicants will receive the voucher one month after the start of their internship and after submitting the Internship Confirmation Form filled out and signed by their hosting company.

You may have only one active application running at a time and you are eligible to receive the internship voucher only once. If your application has been rejected, you are eligible to apply again for the internship voucher if you apply for a new internship position via the Space Career Launchpad.

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