TL;DR
You’ll find everything you need to apply to NASA SEES below: who’s eligible, what it costs, how the essays, video, and recommendation form work, and eight tips to make each part stronger. The virtual track is free, and scholarships can cover the on-site fee without affecting your chances of getting in. Applications usually close in late February, so line up a recommender and start your essays by January. Want research that ends with your own paper? Apply to Horizon, and you’ll work one-on-one with a professor or PhD mentor for a full term, fully online, with cohorts starting three times a year.
What is the NASA SEES internship?
The STEM Enhancement in Earth Science (SEES) Summer Intern Program is a high school internship hosted by the University of Texas at Austin’s Center for Space Research (CSR). The program is funded by NASA through its Science Activation program.
You’ll work with NASA, university, and industry experts on projects built around real mission data. Topics span aerospace, astronomy, planetary science, remote sensing, microgravity research, and space geodesy. Along the way, you’ll build skills in data analysis, engineering design, and systems modeling.
How does the program run?
- Distance learning: Everyone completes an Earth and Space Science module online. Some projects also require a Python module.
- Online project work: You start working on your project with mentors before anyone arrives in Austin.
- Project work: You work with scientists to complete your project (on-site or virtual)
- Virtual SEES Science Symposium: Every intern, on-site and virtual, presents their research.
NASA SEES at a glance
Hosted by: UT Austin Center for Space Research, funded by NASA
Who can apply: Current high school sophomores and juniors
Age: 16 by the first day of the on-site program
Citizenship: U.S. citizens only
Format: Two weeks on-site in Austin, or a virtual project from home
Cost: Free for virtual; $2,000 for on-site, with scholarships available
Decisions: Around May 1
Selectivity: 215 accepted out of about 2,000 applicants
Stipend: None listed
What you get: A NASA Certificate of Completion (no course credit)
Apply: spacegrant.net/apps/sees
How competitive is NASA SEES?
Very. According to the official SEES FAQ, the program has an acceptance rate of roughly 11%.
That number puts SEES in the same range as many of the most competitive summer programs for high school students. It’s NASA-funded, it calls itself “nationally competitive,” and you’ll present your work to NASA experts at the end. So yes, it’s fair to call SEES prestigious.
But here’s the part that should make you feel better. SEES says outright that it isn’t only for top students. It looks at both aptitude and need, and it actively encourages students with limited access to STEM to apply. Strong grades help. So do clear essays that show curiosity and teamwork.
Who is eligible for SEES?
Check these before you spend a single evening on essays. The eligibility page is strict, and the official pages say “no exceptions” more than once.
- You’re a current sophomore or junior, so you’ll be a rising junior or senior during the program. Seniors can’t apply.
- You’ll be 16 by the start of the on-site program. A 15-year-old sophomore who won’t turn 16 in time can’t participate.
- You’re a U.S. citizen. International students aren’t eligible.
- You haven’t been a SEES intern before. You can only do it once, though alumni can come back as program ambassadors.
- You have a strong interest in STEM.
- You can finish the online modules before the on-site program starts.
Not eligible yet? Bookmark the page and come back when you are. And if you’re a freshman, use this year to build the kind of STEM experiences the essays ask about.
What does SEES cost?
It depends on which track you’re on and whether you get a scholarship. Here’s how it breaks down, based on the official FAQ:
| Option | Cost | What’s covered |
| Virtual track | Free | Everything. You work from home. |
| On-site, paying | $2,000 | Meals, housing, tours, and local travel in Austin |
| On-site, scholarship | $0 | Tuition, meals, housing, tours, and local travel |
| Travel scholarship | Limited number available | Your trip to and from Austin |
Unless you get a travel scholarship, getting to Austin and back is on you. On-site interns stay in UT Austin dorms in double rooms, with three meals a day plus snacks.
Asking for a scholarship won’t hurt your application. SEES says all applicants are evaluated equally, and applying for or receiving a scholarship doesn’t affect acceptance decisions. If you’re looking for more programs that won’t cost you anything, see our list of fully funded STEM programs for high school students.
What do SEES interns work on?
CSR publishes a new list of project themes each year. You don’t pick a project on the general application, but knowing the range helps you write sharper essays. Here’s a sample from 2026:
- Earth and space research: Astronaut photography of Earth, surveying the universe, planetary geology
- Technology: Weighing Where the Water Goes
- Engineering: The X-59 quiet supersonic aircraft, a planetary glider, a mission planning tool that requires Python
- Mission design: Designing a lunar mission, Mars rover resource use, Moon and Mars habitats
- Virtual projects: Exoplanet transits, urban heat islands, air quality monitoring with GLOBE Mission EARTH, comparing geology across planets
Love the telescope side of things? Our guides to astronomy research programs and astrophysics summer programs list more options. Leaning toward engineering? Try these aerospace engineering research opportunities.
8 tips for getting into NASA SEES
1. Start weeks ahead, not days
SEES doesn’t accept late applications, and it doesn’t make exceptions. You’re juggling essays, a video, a transcript upload, and a recommender who works on their own schedule. That’s a lot to squeeze into one weekend. Start at least a month out, and aim to submit a few days early so a slow upload or a broken link can’t sink you.
2. Draft your essays in a separate document
SEES itself recommends writing your answers somewhere else first, then pasting them into the form. Each answer has a 250-word limit. Here’s what you’ll be asked:
- What subjects interest you most, what’s your academic path, and what are your career plans? How might SEES affect them?
- Describe important STEM experiences, either academic ones (courses, science fairs, competitions) or life experiences outside school.
- What skills have you gained from extracurriculars that will help you as a research team member?
- How did you hear about SEES? Have you done similar STEM programs, or is there a lack of STEM opportunities where you live?
With only 250 words, every sentence needs to do a job. Cut the warm-up. Lead with the specific thing you did or noticed, then say what it taught you.
3. Count every STEM experience, not just the formal ones
The STEM experience question gives you a choice. You can write about schoolwork, or you can write about life outside school. SEES’s own examples include cooking with the scientific process, caring for animals, exploring nature, coding a game, hobby astronomy, math clubs, robotics, tinkering, and crafting.
So if your school doesn’t offer research or science fairs, that’s not a dead end. Did you rebuild a bike, track the moon for a month, or test which bread recipe rises best? That counts. And the last question asks directly whether STEM opportunities are scarce where you live. It’s not a trick. SEES wants to reach students who don’t have many other options, so answer it plainly.
4. Pick your recommender carefully, then follow up
You’ll need a teacher, counselor, youth leader, or principal to fill out a recommendation form. It’s a form, not a letter, and in 2026 it was due March 1, a week after the main application.
- Following up is your job. SEES puts the responsibility on you, not your recommender.
- Enter your recommender’s real email address. Don’t use your own.
- Ask early, and tell them what SEES is and why you want it. The form asks how you’d work on a research team, so pick someone who’s seen you do that.
- Send them the sample recommendation form so they know what’s coming.
5. Treat the video like an interview
Your video should run 3 to 5 minutes and answer three things: who you are, where you’re from, and why you want to be a NASA high school intern. It’s the only part of the application where the reviewers actually see and hear you, so make it count.
Then get the technical stuff right:
- Upload it to YouTube, Vimeo, Google Drive, or your own website, and submit the link. Don’t upload the file itself.
- Set it to Unlisted. Private or password-protected videos can’t be reviewed.
- If you’re under 18, YouTube needs a parent’s consent before you can upload.
- Skip copyrighted music. Royalty-free music or none at all is safest.
Watch CSR’s short video on how to make an engaging video before you hit record.
6. Read the project themes before you write
“I like space” is what most applicants will say. You can do better. Spend twenty minutes on the project themes page and find two or three that actually excite you. Then let that show up in your essays and your video.
A student who says they want to study how cities trap heat, and why, sounds like someone who’s ready for a research team. You’re not locking yourself into a project. You’re showing that you’ve done your homework.
7. Be sure your summer is actually free
SEES expects full participation. On-site interns can’t miss a single day unless it’s cleared in advance. If a family trip, camp, or other activity gets in the way, the program asks you to apply another year.
- The Earth and Space Science module is due July 1 at 8:00 PM PT, with no exceptions.
- On-site, you’ll be chaperoned by teachers and graduate students. Personal cars, rideshares like Uber, and unsupervised travel aren’t allowed.
- Have a summer job or a trip you can’t move? SEES suggests applying for a virtual project you can do from home.
Waiting a year isn’t failing. It’s a lot better than earning a spot and losing it in July.
8. Ask for the scholarship you need
The application asks three yes-or-no questions about money: whether your participation depends on a travel scholarship, whether you need a scholarship to attend on-site, and whether you need help with both. Answer them truthfully. Saying yes won’t count against you. SEES evaluates every applicant equally, whatever they check here. Pretending you can cover $2,000 plus a flight when you can’t only leaves you stuck later.
NASA SEES application checklist
- Online application at spacegrant.net/apps/sees
- Essay responses, 250 words max each
- Video introduction link, 3 to 5 minutes, set to Unlisted
- Unofficial transcript or report card, with sensitive personal info removed
- Recommendation form from a teacher, counselor, youth leader, or principal (due about a week after the application)
- Answers to the three scholarship questions
When to start your SEES application
The 2027 dates weren’t posted when we checked in October 2026. This plan works backward from the 2026 deadlines, so adjust once the new dates go up.
| When | What to do |
| October to December | Confirm you’re eligible, watch CSR’s application videos, and browse the project themes. |
| Early January | Ask your recommender. Send them the sample form and a short note about why you’re applying. |
| January | Draft your essays in a separate doc. Get one person to read them. |
| Early February | Record and upload your video. Check it’s Unlisted and the link works in a private browser window. |
| Mid-February | Submit everything a few days before the deadline (February 22 in 2026). |
| Late February | Check in with your recommender before their deadline (March 1 in 2026). |
| Around May 1 | Decisions arrive from [email protected]. Check your spam folder. |
CSR’s four help videos are worth watching first: tips for completing your application, recommendation form tips, how to make an engaging video, and SEES frequently asked questions.
Is NASA SEES worth it?
If you love Earth or space science and your summer is clear, yes, it’s worth applying. You don’t need prior research experience. The virtual track is free, and scholarships can cover the on-site fee. And you’ll be working with real NASA data and the people who use it, not a classroom simulation.
It’s not right for everyone, though. The schedule is rigid, the application takes real effort, and about nine in ten applicants don’t get in. Go in with a plan B. Our guides to NASA internships for high school students and prestigious STEM programs are good places to build one.
Want a research paper of your own? Apply to Horizon
SEES gives you two weeks on a team project with NASA data. Horizon gives you a full term on a research question you choose. You’ll work one-on-one with a professor or PhD mentor and finish with a research paper that’s yours to submit to journals or competitions.
It’s fully online, so where you live doesn’t matter. Cohorts start three times a year, so you can do Horizon during the school year and still apply to SEES for the summer. Interested in space? Horizon offers 600+ research specializations, so a space science question is fair game. Start your Horizon application here.
Frequently asked questions
SEES is funded by NASA and you’ll work with NASA experts, but it’s run by the University of Texas at Austin’s Center for Space Research. You’ll be in Austin or working online, not at a NASA center.
No stipend is listed. The virtual track is free, the on-site track costs $2,000 unless you get a scholarship, and every intern gets a NASA Certificate of Completion.
About 11%. SEES received roughly 2,000 applications in 2024 and accepted 215.
No. SEES is open to U.S. citizens only.
No. Only current sophomores and juniors can apply, and you must be 16 by the start of the on-site program.
No. You can only be a SEES intern once, but alumni can become program ambassadors. If you apply as a sophomore and don’t get in, you can apply again as a junior.
Three to five minutes. Upload it to a site like YouTube or Vimeo, set it to Unlisted, and submit the link.
Your application won’t be considered. SEES doesn’t accept late applications, so you’d need to apply the following year if you’re still eligible.
NASA’s own internship program page now lists college enrollment as a requirement, which makes NASA-funded options like SEES especially valuable for high schoolers. For the full picture, see our list of NASA internships for high school students.
It isn’t required, but SEES highly recommends bringing one. A few spares are available on site.
Final thoughts
SEES rewards students who plan. Check the eligibility and how-to-apply pages when the new cycle opens, since details can change from year to year. Then give yourself the full month. And yes, a NASA-funded research internship looks good on a college application, but the real win is finding out whether this is work you want to keep doing.
Resources
Official SEES pages
- SEES Summer Intern Program, UT Austin Center for Space Research
- SEES eligibility
- How to apply to SEES
- SEES project themes
- SEES FAQs
- SEES on NASA Science Activation
- NASA internship programs
More from Horizon
- 15 NASA internships for high school students
- 11 aerospace engineering research opportunities for high school students
- 18 astronomy research programs for high school students
- Astrophysics summer programs for high school students
- The most competitive summer programs for high school students
- 16 fully funded STEM programs for high school students
- How to get into a top high school research program
Image source: NASA