NASA JPL Internships 2027 Application Process for Undergraduate and Graduate Students
Students who want to work alongside scientists and engineers contributing to NASA missions do not necessarily have to wait for a summer internship window. The NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Year-Round Internship Program offers paid opportunities throughout the academic year as well as during summer.
Undergraduate and graduate students selected for the program are matched with JPL scientists, engineers or professional staff and assigned projects connected with their academic interests. Both part-time and full-time internships can be available, making this program different from NASA opportunities restricted to one fixed summer session.
There is, however, one major eligibility restriction applicants should check immediately: the Year-Round Internship Program is open to U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents studying at accredited U.S. universities.
NASA JPL Year-Round Internship 2027 — Applicant Answer Box
| Organization | NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) |
| Program | JPL Year-Round Internship Program |
| Academic Level | Undergraduate and Graduate |
| Fields | STEM and STEM-adjacent disciplines |
| Internship Type | Full-time or Part-time |
| Funding | Weekly monetary award |
| Housing/Travel Support | Available to certain eligible full-time in-person interns |
| Minimum GPA | 3.0; 3.5 preferred |
| Minimum First Internship | 10 weeks |
| U.S. Citizens | Eligible |
| Lawful Permanent Residents | Eligible |
| Foreign Nationals | Not eligible for this particular program |
| Application Fee | No application fee stated |
| Application Availability | Year-round |
| Required Uploads | Resume and unofficial transcript |
What Would You Actually Do at JPL?
This is a project-based internship rather than a general workplace shadowing program.
Selected students are paired with a JPL mentor who may be a scientist, engineer or professional staff member. The mentor defines a project for the student to complete while the intern develops practical experience related to their field.
That could place students close to the type of research, engineering and technical work associated with NASA and JPL missions.
JPL also organizes enrichment activities that may include:
- Laboratory tours;
- technical and scientific lectures;
- career-development activities;
- professional networking; and
- career advisement.
The result is closer to a supervised professional research experience than a short observational placement.
Which Students Can Apply for JPL Internships in 2027?
You need to be an enrolled undergraduate or graduate student at an accredited U.S. university and meet JPL’s nationality, academic and study-field requirements.
| Requirement | What JPL Requires? |
|---|---|
| Student Status | Currently enrolled undergraduate or graduate student |
| University | Accredited U.S. university |
| Academic Area | STEM or STEM-adjacent field |
| Minimum GPA | 3.0 |
| Preferred GPA | 3.5 or higher |
| Citizenship | U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident |
| First Placement Duration | At least 10 weeks |
| University Permission | Institution must allow off-campus independent study/work during the relevant period |
A 3.0 GPA makes an applicant eligible, but 3.5 is preferred. Students sitting close to the minimum should therefore strengthen other parts of their application rather than assuming the GPA threshold itself makes them competitive.
Do You Need to Be an Engineering Student?
No. JPL specifically includes science, technology, engineering, mathematics and STEM-adjacent academic areas.
The program is consequently broader than aerospace engineering alone.
Potentially relevant academic backgrounds can include areas such as:
- Aerospace and mechanical engineering;
- electrical and computer engineering;
- computer science and artificial intelligence;
- physics and astronomy;
- mathematics and statistics;
- Earth and planetary sciences;
- chemistry;
- biology and related scientific fields;
- data science; and
- other STEM-adjacent disciplines relevant to JPL work.
The eventual internship project depends on the applicant’s qualifications and whether a suitable JPL mentor identifies a match.
How Much Does the NASA JPL Internship Pay?
JPL confirms that Year-Round Internship participants receive a weekly monetary award, but it does not publish one universal stipend amount on the current program page.
That means applicants should avoid assuming that every intern receives the same weekly payment.
| Financial Benefit | Coverage |
|---|---|
| Internship Award | Weekly monetary payment during the internship |
| Housing Allowance | Supplemental assistance for qualifying full-time, in-person participants |
| Travel Allowance | Supplemental assistance for qualifying participants |
| Distance Condition | Student’s institution must generally be outside a 50-mile radius of JPL for the supplemental allowance |
JPL’s intern guidance indicates that the individual weekly stipend amount is communicated through the student’s offer documentation.
Can International Students Apply for the JPL Year-Round Internship?
No, not unless they are U.S. lawful permanent residents.
This is probably the most important point for international readers. Being an international student studying at an American university does not by itself make you eligible.
The Year-Round Internship specifically requires applicants to be either:
- U.S. citizens; or
- lawful permanent residents of the United States.
An F-1 student who does not hold lawful permanent resident status should therefore not apply to this particular internship simply because they attend a U.S. university.
There Is Another JPL Route for Foreign Nationals
International students should instead investigate the JPL Visiting Student Research Program (JVSRP).
Unlike the NASA-JPL Year-Round Internship, the Visiting Student Research Program can accept eligible foreign nationals, alongside U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents.
However, it operates differently. Participants need research compatibility with JPL and must demonstrate sufficient outside financial support. JPL currently specifies proof of funding of at least $2,400 per month, along with appropriate health and accident insurance.
NASA security restrictions concerning designated countries and certain affiliations also apply.
This is therefore an important distinction:
| JPL Program | Foreign Nationals? | Funding Model |
|---|---|---|
| JPL Year-Round Internship | No, unless U.S. LPR | JPL weekly monetary award |
| JPL Visiting Student Research Program | Yes, subject to nationality/security restrictions | Applicant must secure qualifying financial support |
What Do You Need to Submit?
The initial Year-Round Internship application is surprisingly simple: JPL asks applicants to complete the online application and upload a resume and unofficial transcript.
Prepare:
- Resume: Accepted electronically in PDF, DOC, DOCX or TXT format.
- Unofficial transcript: Used to establish academic standing and GPA.
- Online application: Submitted through JPL’s internship application system.
A separate research proposal is not listed as a standard application requirement for this program.
How Does JPL Select Interns?
Submitting an eligible application puts you into the candidate database—it does not automatically assign you an internship.
JPL’s Education Office first reviews applications for basic program eligibility. Potential mentors can then search the applicant database for students whose academic background, skills and interests fit available projects.
Students identified as finalists are typically interviewed by the prospective mentor.
If the match is successful, the mentor can request that JPL’s Education Office issue an internship offer.
The practical selection path therefore looks like this:
Application → Eligibility Review → Mentor Search → Finalist Selection → Interview → Internship Offer
This mentor-matching system also explains why applicants cannot simply select one specific advertised research project and assume they are applying directly to that position.
When Is the JPL Year-Round Internship 2027 Deadline?
There is currently no single annual deadline because JPL Year-Round Internship opportunities are offered throughout the year.
The official program currently remains available for applications rather than operating under one Summer 2027 closing date.
That makes applying early sensible. Applications may be reviewed as relevant mentor opportunities emerge, and JPL’s FAQ notes that internship applications can remain active in its system for several months.
Applicants specifically seeking a summer placement should also compare the separate JPL Summer Internship Program, which operates under its own application schedule and deadline.
Who Should Apply — and Who Should Skip It?
Apply if you are a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident studying at an accredited U.S. university with at least a 3.0 GPA and a relevant STEM or STEM-adjacent background.
Students with a GPA of 3.5 or higher, relevant technical coursework, research experience, coding ability, laboratory skills, engineering projects or other evidence of hands-on problem solving may be particularly well placed to make their resumes competitive.
Skip this specific program if you are an international student without U.S. permanent residency. Instead, examine JPL’s Visiting Student Research Program, which provides the more appropriate route for eligible foreign nationals.