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

The initiative is open to students and young professionals 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.

Application deadline passed

Vouchers FAQs

The 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 have successfully secured an internship or entry-level job within the space industry can apply for a Voucher if they meet specific eligibility criteria.

The Voucher is further open for positions in non-space industry which foresee the implementation of tasks related to space technology, data, services and applications (Earth observation, satellite navigation, satellite communication, etc.). The applicant will, in this case, need to deliver a short task description clearly implying the link between the tasks and the use of space technology, data, services and applications.

The number of 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/entry-level job, the size of the hosting entity*, 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.

*Hosting entity includes for example companies, academic institutions, research centres, international organisations, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), or similar bodies of employment. For easier readability this FAQ and other documentation simply refers to a “hosting entity”.

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 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 Voucher must submit motivation letters and compete for a limited number of available vouchers.

The financial sum is based on your internship/entry-level job duration.

  • Internship duration 3 months or longer: € 1000
  • Internship duration 6 months or longer: € 2000
  • Entry-level jobs duration minimum 1 year or longer: € 2000

This amount is foreseen regardless of a potential remuneration offered by your hosting entity 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 or entry-level position; the exact payout time may vary.

Yes, you can apply for the Voucher regardless of any 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 Voucher. If you are in doubt or have any questions regarding potential conflict between the Voucher and any other support programme, please refer to your respective university’s internship programme manager or your local career advisor.

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

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

  1. Candidates must have secured an internship or entry-level job and have created an account on the Space Career Launchpad.
  2. The internship or entry-level job1 must be performed either:
    1. In a space industry company.2
    2. In a non-space industry company, which foresees the implementation of tasks related to space technology, data, services and applications (e.g. Earth observation, satellite navigation, satellite communication, etc.). The applicant will need to deliver a short task description clearly implying the link between the tasks and the use of space technology, data, services and applications.3
  3. To be eligible for the scheme, the length of …
    1. The internship must be at least 3 months long,
    2. Entry-level jobs must be at least 1 year long.
  4. The internship or entry-level job must be performed in the territory of the European Union
  5. To be eligible for the scheme, the job must be materialised by
    1. An internship contract (involving the intern and the company) for internships, or
    2. By a working contract between the individual and the company for entry-level jobs.
  6. The candidates must be enrolled in a university programme (undergrad, post-grad, etc.) or must have concluded their university programme successfully within the last two years regardless of their permanent residency and/or nationality.
  7. The internship or entry level job position must start between 01 July 2024 and 01 July 2025. Internships or entry level jobs starting or having started outside of this period can not be considered for a Voucher.
  8. The candidates must produce a personal motivation text (300 words max) elaborating on their interest in the EU space sector and their motivations for working in the space sector. Candidates shall answer 3 questions:
    1. What makes the European space industry special to you? Why are you interested in working for the sector? (100 words max)
    2. What would you like to learn about the space industry/sector during the upcoming months? (100 words max)
    3. What are your ambitions for your future career in space? (100 words max)

1 An entry-level job refers to any job which initiates your career path outside of internships or traineeships. 

2 The space industry encompasses the development, construction, and operation of space systems. STARS*EU may verify the eligibility of the space industry company.

3 STARS*EU may ask for a more detailed task description implying the link between tasks and the use of space technology and remains the right to decide on a case basis.

The number of Vouchers is 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 working for the sector?
  2. What would you like to learn about the space industry/sector during the upcoming months?
  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 entity, as well as the international element of the internship and/or geographic representation of the applicants.

Please note that the Space Career Launchpad team can not give any feedback to applicants regarding their application nor disclose any information on the selection process of applicants.

  1. Successfully apply for an internship or entry-level job which fulfils the criteria mentioned above (see “Eligibility criteria: Can I apply to the Voucher?” section of this FAQ).
  2. Make sure that you have registered successfully with the Space Career Launchpad.
  3. Sign an internship contract or working contract with your hosting entity.
  4. Check the eligibility criteria to see if you qualify for the Voucher (see “Eligibility criteria: Can I apply to the Voucher?” section of this FAQ).
  5. Apply for the Voucher by providing the following information concerning your internship or entry-level job:
  6. Full name and email address;
  7. Currently enrolled at university or concluded university programme successfully within the last two years (yes/no);
  8. Country of ongoing or concluded university programme
  9. Type of engagement you have secured (internship/entry-level job)
  10. Name of the hosting entity
  11. Location of the hosting entity
  12. Website/LinkedIn page of the hosting entity
  13. Duration of the position (min. 3 months for internships, min. 1 year for entry-level jobs)
  14. Hosting entity is a space industry company as described in the Voucher eligibility criteria (yes/no)
    1. If no: Does the position foresee the implementation of tasks related to space technology, data, services and applications (e.g. Earth observation, satellite navigation, satellite communication, etc.)? (Yes/No)
      1. If yes: Please give a short task description clearly implying the link between the tasks and the use of space technology, data, services and applications.
    2. Confirm all eligibility criteria requirements.
    3. Motivational texts (see “Selection criteria: How are applicants selected for the Voucher?” section of this FAQ).
    4. 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.
    5. The jury will select the successful applications to receive a Voucher. Successful applicants will be informed by email.
    6. If you have been selected, one month after your position starts, request your hosting entity to fill and sign the “Position Confirmation Form” and submit it. In this way, the company confirms your statements made in step 5. Please note that purposefully providing false information may result in a ban from the Voucher scheme.
    7. Selected applicants will receive the Voucher payout approximately one month after the position starts, respectively after handing in the Confirmation Form. The exact payout time may vary.

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

  • 23:59 CET, Friday 28 February 2025
    • Due to a large number of requests, the deadline has been extented to 23:59 CET, Monday 31 March 2025
    • Application deadline has passed
  • We are reviewing a potential second cut-off date which is currently planned for May 2025. We will update this information soon.

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 position and after submitting the Confirmation Form filled out and signed by their hosting entity. The exact payout time may vary.

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

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