Canadian Student Participation in the NASA International Internship (NASA I²) Project
Announcement of Opportunity
Publication date:
Application deadline:
The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) only receives applications when the selection process is open. This Announcement of Opportunity (AO) is currently closed.
Application deadline
Due to exceptional circumstances that have resulted in delivery delays of candidates' applications related to this AO, the Agency would like to inform you that applications received after that are postmarked no later than will be accepted. The Agency will alternatively accept a proof, to their satisfaction, of the application's registration with a recognized courier service that is dated no later than . All applications that do not meet these criteria will be rejected.
The Agency also reserves the right to refuse applications that meet the above criteria, but are received after .
Key dates:
- Summer session (10 weeks): Closed
- Publication date:
- Application deadline: , at 2:00 p.m. (ET)
- Approximate internship start and end dates: to
- Number of internships: up to 2
- Funding from CSA: $2,000/selected candidate and a possibility of $6,000 from other sources.
- Fall session (16 weeks): Closed
- Publication date: To be confirmed.
- Application deadline: To be confirmed.
- Approximate internship start and end dates: to
- Number of internships: To be confirmed.
- Funding from CSA: $3,000/selected candidate and a possibility of $8,000 from other sources.
- Spring session (16 weeks): Closed
- Publication date: To be confirmed.
- Application deadline: To be confirmed.
- Approximate internship start and end dates: to
- Number of internships: To be confirmed.
- Funding from CSA: $3,000/selected candidate and a possibility of $8,000 from other sources.
Table of contents
1. Introduction
As part of its commitment to support the development of the next generation of space professionals in Canada and to foster future international collaboration between Canada and other countries, the CSA joined the NASA International Internship (NASA I²) Project.
NASA I² is a NASA initiative that seeks to better prepare students (U.S. and international) for future missions that require innovative thinking and cooperation with international collaborators. It is an intensive experience with an emphasis on learning, teamwork, research, and creativity. The program balances science and technology exploration with intercultural experiences. Interns take part in seminars on a wide variety of topics from both internal and external experts, informal discussions, supervised research, group projects, cultural lunches/ dinners, poster presentations, tours of NASA facilities, and other self-organized social events in the area. Interns make connections with peers and professionals in their fields and form relationships that serve them throughout their careers.
Internships are offered by NASA in three sessions during the calendar year: spring (16 weeks), summer (10 weeks) and fall (16 weeks). Current NASA participating research centres are the Ames Research Center and the Goddard Space Flight Center.
As a NASA I² Project participant, the CSA may nominate highly qualified university students who may subsequently be selected by NASA to participate in internship projects along with U.S. students and students from abroad.
As the only official agency in Canada allowed to submit candidates to NASA for the NASA I² Project, the CSA will manage, through this AO, the preselection of Canadian undergraduate and graduate students that have a demonstrated expertise and background in scientific and technical areas of interest to NASA and the CSA. Interested students should refer to the NASA I² Project List and submit their application for one or more internship project(s). Candidates should verify specific project information to know the exact location of each internship.
The CSA and two funding organizations, Mitacs and Fulbright Canada, intend to award grants to the students that are selected by NASA to support them with their associated expenses such as travel, lodging, meals and visa processing costs if applicable. The total grant amounts that could be awarded to each grantee are the following:
- Up to $8,000 for a 10-week internship;
- Up to $11,000 for a 16-week internship.
The CSA's share of these amounts is $2,000 for a 10-week internship and $3,000 for a 16-week internship.
The CSA will preselect Canadian candidates that meet the AO eligibility criteria and who successfully comply with other evaluation criteria. As funding organizations, Mitacs and Fulbright Canada will also be part of the preselection process. The files of the candidates that will have successfully passed all the stages of the preselection process, as described in Section 5, will be submitted to NASA for its final selection. The CSA, Mitacs and Fulbright Canada will support a maximum of two (2) candidates per internship session.
This AO is consistent with the terms and conditions of the CSA Class Grant and Contribution Program to Support Research, Awareness and Learning in Space Science and Technology – Awareness and Learning Component.
Applicants are asked to read the following AO thoroughly before submitting their applications. This AO was prepared to help applicants complete the application process, and outlines key elements, including mandatory eligibility criteria and selection process. In the event of any discrepancies between this AO and the individual grant agreement, the latter document will take precedence.
2. AO objectives
The key objectives of this AO are to:
- Foster the continuing development of the next generation of researchers and highly qualified people (HQPs) in areas relevant to the priorities of the CSA;
- Increase the level of student employability by exposing them to practical experiences that will enable them to acquire space science and technology knowledge, as well as skills sought by the space sector;
- Foster international collaboration on space science and technology research projects and missions by providing selected students with an exceptional opportunity to develop their international network.
3. Eligibility criteria
To apply to the NASA I² Project, candidates must meet the following eligibility criteria. Certain criteria are required by NASA under the NASA I² Project:
- Be a Canadian citizen on the date of application (NASA requirement);
- Be enrolled in a Canadian university as a full-time student in an undergraduate or graduate degree in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) in a topic of interest to the CSA and relevant to NASA's mission priorities, as reflected in the available internship projects (NASA I² Project List). Candidates that are pursuing an undergraduate degree should have successfully completed a minimum of four (4) semesters of full-time study (or full-time equivalent) in their program. University enrollment should be effective at the time of application;
- Have obtained, in each of the last two completed years of study (full-time equivalent), a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher on a scale of 4.0, or an equivalent standard if the student's university does not use GPA (an average grade of "B" or higher) (NASA requirement);
- Be proficient in written and spoken English (level "Intermediate", "Advanced" or "Native" required; this criterion may be evaluated) (NASA requirement).
4. How to apply
Candidates must complete the following three steps to submit their application and receive, if they are selected by NASA, a grant from the CSA, Mitacs and Fulbright Canada to support the eligible expenses associated with their participation.
Note on the language of the application – Candidates may submit their application in the official language of their choice, English or French. As stipulated, preselected applications will be submitted to NASA for its final selection. Therefore, preselected applications that were submitted in French will have to be translated to English with very short notice to allow NASA to proceed with the final evaluation. This translation is only required for the purposes of NASA. Failure to comply with this requirement within the prescribed deadline may result in the applicant being rejected.
- Download and complete the application form;
- A complete application must contain the following:
- A completed original Application form signed by the applicant;
- A copy of the applicant's proof of Canadian citizenship (such as a Canadian passport);
- A proof of the student's full-time enrolment at a Canadian university, at the time of application, in an undergraduate or graduate program in STEM (such as a Letter of Attestation from the university). The applicant's field of study must be in a topic of interest to the CSA and relevant to NASA's mission priorities, as reflected in the available internship projects (NASA I² Project List);
- For candidates that are pursuing an undergraduate degree only: an attestation of the applicant's successful completion of a minimum of four (4) semesters of full-time study (or full-time equivalent) in the current program (this attestation can be provided through the same document as the proof of student full-time enrolment mentioned above);
- The applicant's academic records proving that the minimum GPA of 3.0 or higher on a scale of 4.0 is met, or that an equivalent standard is achieved if the applicant's university does not use GPA (an average grade of "B" or higher). The applicant's academic record should include the name of his or her institution, the program in which the applicant is enrolled, the applicant's complete list of courses, including his or her marks in each course, and the legend explaining acronyms;
- A motivation letter written by the applicant (refer to Section 5.2 for the elements that should be covered in the motivation letter);
- A reference letter from a professor that holds a faculty position at the applicant's university (must be a separate document) (refer to Section 5.2 for elements that should be covered in the reference letter);
- The applicant's curriculum vitae (must be a separate document);
- The list of awards, scholarships and distinctions that the applicant has received, if applicable;
- One hard copy of all the documents above;
- A single PDF-formatted file containing copies (identical to the paper copies) of all the above-requested documents with all security features disabled on a USB memory key. If there is any discrepancy between the hard copy and the electronic version, the hard copy takes precedence.
Post-mail your application to the CSA at the address below:
NASA I² Project
c/o Emilie de La Haye Duponsel
Senior Program Officer, Academic Development
Canadian Space Agency
6767 Route de l'Aéroport
Saint-Hubert, Quebec J3Y 8Y9
Important notes:
- Applications must be received at the CSA no later than , at 2:00 p.m. (ET);
- Hand-delivered proposals will only be accepted during business hours. No personnel is available to receive proposals during the weekend;
- Applications sent by e-mail will not be accepted;
- Incomplete applications may not be considered.
5. Evaluation process
5.1 Eligibility
Applications will first be submitted to an eligibility assessment by the CSA to verify whether they comply with the eligibility criteria listed in Section 3. Only applications that have passed the eligibility assessment will be given further consideration.
5.2 Evaluation by the CSA
Once the eligibility criteria are confirmed, the CSA's evaluators will assess the screened applications according to the criteria presented in Table 1 below. Candidates shall provide the appropriate documents, as indicated in the "Evidence" column and requested in Section 4, to demonstrate how each evaluation criterion is met. Only applications that obtain a total minimum score of 70% will be given further consideration.
| Criteria (weighting %) |
Indicators | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Academic excellence (30%) |
|
|
| Relevance of the candidate's experience to the internship project(s) selected (40%) |
|
|
| Personal characteristics, leadership and interpersonal skills (15%) |
|
|
| Motivation to contribute to the Canadian space sector (15%) |
|
|
Notes:
- The overall score, which is the total of the scores for each of the criteria, will be used to establish a ranking of applications.
- The CSA may, at its sole discretion, reject any application that fails the evaluation.
5.3 Evaluation by Mitacs and Fulbright Canada
As funding organizations, Mitacs and Fulbright Canada will assess the applications of the candidates preselected by the CSA. Only applications deemed eligible by Mitacs and Fulbright Canada will be given further consideration.
5.4 Security screening
Candidates who have successfully completed all of the above-mentioned stages will be contacted by the CSA with instructions for authorizing the CSA's Security Services to run a security screening (reliability status), which is mandatory for this process. Candidates will be asked to complete a Screening, consent and authorization form and to submit their fingerprints within a very short timeframe. Only candidates that have obtained a reliability status will be given further consideration.
5.5 Final preselection by the CSA
The CSA will rank the applicants who have successfully completed the security screening based on the score obtained in the evaluation conducted by the CSA (Section 5.2).
Priority may be given to candidates participating in the NASA I² Project for the first time. The CSA could also take into consideration factors such as a balanced representation across Canada as well as a diversified representativeness of the four designated groups: women, Aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities and members of visible minorities. Please visit Employment Equity website for a complete definition of each group. We encourage you to indicate on a voluntary basis if you belong to one or more of these groups.
As stipulated in Section 4, preselected applications submitted in French will have to be translated to English by the applicants in a timely manner. Failure to comply with this requirement may result in the application being rejected.
5.6 Final selection by NASA
The applications of up to ten (10) candidates who have successfully passed all the above-mentioned stages will be submitted to NASA for its final selection. NASA security processing takes time, and delays are possible.
NASA may, at its sole discretion, reject any application and is under no obligation to select any candidate. NASA may also require additional information to evaluate applications.
The number of candidates who will participate depends on the quality of the applications received, NASA's final selection and available funding.
6. Service standards
Applicants will be notified by email of decisions regarding their application. The CSA has set the following service standards for application processing times, including acknowledgements of receipt, funding decisions and payment procedures.
Acknowledgement: The CSA's objective is to acknowledge the receipt of the applications within two (2) weeks following the AO's closing date.
Decision: The CSA's objective is to advise candidates that will have been selected by NASA within eighteen (18) weeks following the AO's closing date, and, to send to selected candidates their grant agreements and other mandatory documents for signature within three (3) weeks following such replies.
Payment: The CSA's objective is to issue its share of the total grant amount within four (4) weeks of the successful fulfillment of the requirements outlined in the grant agreement.
Applicants must submit all required documentation within the prescribed deadline.
7. Available funding
The CSA, Mitacs and Fulbright Canada intend to award grants to the candidates who successfully complete the selection process and participate in the NASA I² Project. The total grant amounts that could be awarded to each grantee are the following:
- Up to $8,000 for a 10-week internship;
- Up to $11,000 for a 16-week internship.
The CSA's share of these amounts is $2,000 for a 10-week internship and $3,000 for a 16-week internship.
Each grant received from the CSA must only be used to cover, for the purposes of the internship, the following eligible expenses:
- Round trip transportation to the NASA research centre where the internship will take place;
- Accommodations during his/her internship; and
- meals for the duration of his/her internship.
Eligible expenses exceeding the total grant amount as well as any other types of expenses, such as car rentals, are entirely the beneficiary's responsibility.
Notes:
- Grant terms and conditions specific Mitacs and Fulbright Canada may apply;
- The CSA reserves the right to reject applications or to reduce its share of the total grant amounts at its sole discretion.
8. Grants agreement
8.1 Payment
Grants are to be awarded separately by the CSA, Mitacs and Fulbright Canada.
For the CSA's share of the total grant amounts:
- Obtaining the grant is conditional upon the applicant signing a grant agreement with the CSA that includes conditions that the candidate will have to agree to;
- All terms of payment for the grant will be set out in the grant agreement;
- The eligibility criteria and the terms and conditions of that grant agreement must be met throughout the duration of the agreement. Each recipient has the obligation to inform the CSA in writing of any change in the conditions used to establish his or her eligibility for the grant.
Note: The management of Mitacs and Fulbright Canada's grants is the sole responsibility of these respective organizations. Selected candidates should directly communicate with Mitacs and Fulbright Canada for any concern or question regarding their share of the total grant amount.
8.2 Intern obligations
Selected candidates will have to comply with certain obligations that will be described in the grant agreement, including but not limited to the following:
- Consent to comply with the Participant Code of Conduct and Ethics which outlines the conduct and behaviours expected by NASA and the CSA. This document will be provided to selected candidates with their grant agreement, for their consent and signature;
- Obtain appropriate insurance coverage that will remain in effect for the duration of the travel;
- Plan their travel, book their accommodations, and have in their possession all the mandatory documents required to enter the U.S.;
- Fully participate in the internship experience;
- Submit an internship report upon their return that will be shared with Mitacs and Fulbright Canada.
9. Confidentiality and consent of personal information
The CSA manages and protects the information provided by the applicant under the Privacy Act and the Access to Information Act. By submitting your personal information, you consent to its collection, use and disclosure in accordance with the following Privacy Statement, which explains how the information about the applicant will be processed.
The information is collected under the CSA Class Grants and Contributions Program in Support of Awareness, Research and Learning - Research Component (ASC PPU 045) and Awareness and Learning Component (ASC PPU 040). This information will be used for administration and application evaluation purposes. Personal information will be kept accordingly to the retention schedule. You may also refer to Info Source for additional information about the functions, programs, activities and related information holdings of government institutions subject to the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act. According to the Privacy Act, any individual may, upon request, have access to his or her personal data and request correction of the incorrect information.
Applicants should also note that information relating to the Funding Agreement could be disclosed publicly in accordance with the laws, policies and directives of the Government of Canada.
Applicants also agree to the CSA using and disclosing all the information provided in their application package, including any personal information provided, with the funding organizations (Mitacs and Fulbright Canada) and with NASA for the following purposes:
- Reviewing eligibility;
- Evaluating the application;
- Statistics and reporting.
For additional information regarding this statement, please contact:
Office of Access to Information and Privacy
Canadian Space Agency
Telephone: 450-926-4866
Email: aiprp-atip@asc-csa.gc.ca
10. Outreach activities
Applicants that are selected to participate in the NASA I² Project are encouraged, upon their return, to take part in outreach activities to share their experience with other students. Applicants may refer to Section J of the Application Form to indicate their interest, if they are selected, to participate in outreach activities upon their return. The answer to this question will not influence the assessment of the applications.
11. Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Should the need arise, it is the applicant's responsibility to obtain clarification regarding the requirements contained in this opportunity before applying.
For all questions, applicants must use this generic e-mail address: stedia-dstemu@asc-csa.gc.ca. Questions and their answers will be posted on the CSA website under the "Frequently asked questions" section of this AO. The CSA will answer questions received no later than 5 p.m. (ET) on .
At any point, applicants are welcome to share with the CSA their comments or suggestions regarding the program using the following generic email address or the generic web-based comments and suggestions box.
Question 1: Is a Canadian citizen studying abroad eligible to apply for the NASA I² Project?
Answer 1: No. As stipulated in Section 3 of this AO, an eligible applicant must be a Canadian citizen and be enrolled in a Canadian university as a full-time students at the time of application.
Question 2: For undergraduate students, do transfer credits earned because of the completion of a CEGEP program prior attending a university in Quebec count as completed semesters?
Answer 2: No. Undergraduate students must have completed a minimum of four (4) semesters of full-time study (or full-time equivalent) in their program at the time of applying.
Question 3: Must undergraduate students have completed four (4) semesters at the time of applying or at the time of the internship?
Answer 3: Candidates that are pursuing an undergraduate degree must have successfully completed a minimum of four (4) semesters of full-time study (or full-time equivalent) in their program at the time of applying.
Question 4: The applicant's academic record is required. Should this document be an official transcript issued by the university, or would a print-out of the applicant's academic record from the university's student web services suffice?
Answer 4: A print-out of the applicant's academic record will suffice. The applicant's academic record should include his or her name, the name of his or her institution, the program in which the applicant is enrolled, the applicant's complete list of courses, including his or her marks in each course, and a legend explaining acronyms.
Question 5: Is a foreign student enrolled in a Canadian university eligible for the NASA I² Project?
Answer 5: No. As stipulated in Section 3 of this AO, an eligible applicant must be a Canadian citizen.
Question 6: Should the reference letter be mailed directly to the CSA by the professor or be in a sealed envelope?
Answer 6: No. The reference letter from a professor is part of the documents that the candidate must mail with his or her complete application. The reference letter does not have to be in a sealed envelope.
Question 7: Is a permanent resident eligible to apply for the NASA I² Project?
Answer 7: No. As stipulated in Section 3 of this AO, an eligible applicant must be a Canadian citizen.
Question 8: When will the CSA publish the AO for future NASA I² Project internship sessions?
Answer 8: Any information on future internship opportunities offered through the NASA I² Project will be released on the CSA's website when they become available. Students are encouraged to regularly visit the CSA's website!
Question 9: Can the reference letter be provided by an adjunct professor at the candidate's university?
Answer 9: Yes. The reference letter can be provided by an adjunct professor at the applicant's university.
Question 10: What if, by the application deadline, the most recent grades an undergraduate candidate has access to are his or her first year grades?
Answer 10: As stipulated in Section 3 of the AO, candidates who are pursuing an undergraduate degree should have successfully completed a minimum of four (4) semesters of full-time study (or full-time equivalent) in their program at the time of application. Therefore, eligible candidates should have access to their previous results at the time of their application.
Question 11: Are undergraduate candidates who have switched programs between their first and second years of study eligible and, if yes, how should they denote this change of program in their application?
Answer 11: As stipulated in Section 3 of the AO, undergraduate students should have successfully completed a minimum of four (4) semesters of full-time study (or full-time equivalent) in their program at the time of application. Previous years of study in other programs do not count.
Question 12: Which document should undergraduate students provide with their application to prove the successful completion of a minimum of four (4) semesters of full-time study (or full-time equivalent)?
Answer 12: As stipulated in Section 4 of the AO, candidates that are pursuing an undergraduate degree must include with their application an attestation of their successful completion of a minimum of four (4) semesters of full-time study (or full-time equivalent) in their current program. This attestation, which should be provided by the university, can be the same document that confirms the student's full-time enrolment status.
Question 13: Is the professor who writes the reference letter permitted to send the letter separately from the application, so that it remains confidential?
Answer 13: No. The reference letter from a professor is included in the documents that the candidate must mail with his or her complete application. As mentioned in Section 4 of the AO, the reference letter must also be included in the single PDF-formatted file that must be submitted with the application, and that contains copies of all the requested documents.
Question 14: Are the offered internships remunerated?
Answer 14: No, these internships are not remunerated.
Question 15: Are the applicants required to provide their list of awards, scholarships, and distinctions as a separate document, or can it be included in a section of the curriculum vitae?
Answer 15: In order to facilitate the evaluation process, it is recommended that the list of awards, scholarships and distinctions be provided as a stand-alone document.
Question 16: Can the reference letter be provided by a part-time professor at the candidate's university?
Answer 16: Yes. The reference letter can be provided by a part-time professor at the applicant's university.
Question 17: What is the maximum length of the motivation letter and the reference letter?
Answer 17: As stipulated in sections E and F of the application form, the motivation letter should not exceed 1,500 words and the reference letter should not exceed 1,000 words.
Question 18: If a candidate recently started a graduate degree at a different university than where the undergraduate degree was completed, can the reference letter be obtained from a professor from the university where the undergraduate degree was completed?
Answer 18: No. As stipulated in Section 4 of the AO, the reference letter must be provided by a professor that holds a faculty position at the applicant's current university.
Question 19: Is a candidate enrolled in an undergraduate program eligible if he or she has not yet completed four (4) semesters of full-time study in his or her current program but has previously obtained another undergraduate degree in STEM?
Answer 19: No. As stipulated in Section 4 of the AO, candidates who are pursuing an undergraduate degree must have successfully completed a minimum of four (4) semesters of full-time study (or full-time equivalent) in their current program.
Question 20: Can candidates who have completed more than two years of university study submit their academic records for their last two completed years only?
Answer 20: Yes. Given that candidates' eligibility is assessed based on, among other elements, their GPA (or equivalent standard) for their last two completed years of study (full-time equivalent), academic records for this period of time only will suffice.
However, as stipulated in Section 5.2 of the AO, past academic results will be used to evaluate the "Academic excellence" criterion of all eligible applications. Candidates are therefore encouraged to provide past university academic results that could support their application.
Question 21: If the university provides the candidate with his or her official transcript in a sealed envelope, can the candidate open the envelop to scan the transcript an include it in the single PDF-formatted file that must be submitted with the application on a USB memory key?
Answer 21: Yes. Academic records (transcripts) are part of the documents that must be included in the single PDF-formatted file that must be submitted with the application on a USB memory key. Academic records do not have to be in a sealed envelope.
Question 22: Is there a possibility of extending the summer internship to a period longer than 10 weeks?
Answer 22: No. Summer internships are 10 weeks long. However, as indicated in Section 1 of the AO, NASA offers internship in three sessions during the calendar year: spring (16 weeks), summer (10 weeks) and fall (16 weeks). Any information on future internship opportunities offered through the NASA I² Project will be released on the CSA's website when they become available. Students are encouraged to regularly visit the CSA's website!
Question 23: Is this a one-time opportunity for Canadian students to apply to the NASA I² Project or will there be other opportunities?
Answer 23: The CSA intends on offering other opportunities. Any information on future opportunities will be released on the CSA's website. Students are encouraged to regularly visit the CSA's website!
Question 24: Is a candidate who is enrolled in a university program at the time of applying still eligible if he or she is no longer enrolled at the time that the internship will begin?
Answer 24: Yes. As stipulated in Section 3 of this AO, a candidate must be enrolled in a Canadian university as a full-time student at the time of application to be eligible.
Note that as part of the evaluation process, the CSA will assess the candidate's motivation in pursuing studies or a career in Canada, upon his or her return from the internship, in a space-related discipline or a discipline from which the space sector could benefit (Section 5.2 of the AO, "Motivation to contribute to the Canadian space sector" evaluation criterion).
Question 25: Is a candidate permitted to apply for additional grants awarded by other organizations to assist with the expenses associated with this internship?
Answer 25: Yes. Although the CSA, Mitacs and Fulbright Canada intend to award grants to the candidates who successfully complete the selection process and participate in the NASA I² Project, it is the candidate's responsibility to apply for other sources of funding if desired.
Question 26: Should a particular type of USB memory key be used?
Answer 26: No. Any type of USB memory key can be used.
Question 27: Is a candidate who has completed three years of undergraduate study and who is now studying in another program considered an undergraduate or graduate student?
Answer 27: The candidate's level of education is defined according to the program in which he or she is currently enrolled. It is the candidate's responsibility to validate this aspect with their university and to select one or more internship projects for which they meet the NASA requirements, as described in the NASA I² Project List.
Question 28: Must a graduate student's reference letter come from his or her supervisor?
Answer 28: No. The professor who provides the reference letter does not have to be the applicant's supervisor. However, the professor must hold a faculty position at the applicant's university.
Question 29: What is the meaning of "full-time equivalent"?
Answer 29: The "full-time equivalent" requirement aims at standardising applicants' completed course load. As part of this AO process, a candidate would successfully meet this eligibility criterion if he or she has successfully completed the equivalent of four semesters worth of courses in his or her program within a period of time that exceeds four semesters.
Question 30: Is a candidate who is enrolled as a full-time student in a university program at the time of applying still eligible if he or she will be enrolled as a part-time student next semester or at the time that the internship will begin?
Answer 30: Yes. As stipulated in Section 3 of this AO, a candidate must be enrolled in a Canadian university as a full-time student at the time of application to be eligible.
Question 31: Is it sufficient for an undergraduate candidate to provide an academic transcript that indicates that he or she has successfully completed four (4) or more semesters of study in their program, or should the university provide a confirmation through a separate document?
Answer 31: A copy of the applicant's academic record will suffice. The applicant's academic record should include his or her name, the name of his or her institution, the program in which the applicant is enrolled, the applicant's complete list of courses, including his or her marks in each course, and a legend explaining acronyms.
Question 32: Should a candidate apply to a specific internship project, or can he or she provide a general application and be matched to one of the internship projects offered?
Answer 32: As stipulated in Section 1 of this AO, the candidate should refer to the NASA I² Project List and submit their application for one or more internship project(s).
The candidate must demonstrate how he or she meets the NASA requirements for the selected project(s) and his or her potential contribution to the advancement of the project(s).
Question 33: Can a current or previous employer provide the reference letter instead of a professor from the university in which the candidate is enrolled?
Answer 33: No. As stipulated in Section 4 of the AO, the reference letter must be provided by a professor that holds a faculty position at the applicant's current university.
Question 34: If a candidate is currently involved in a NASA project that is not listed in the NASA I² Project List, may the candidate apply for an internship for that specific project instead of the ones listed as part of this AO?
Answer 34: No. A candidate can only select one or several internship project(s) among those listed in the NASA I² Project List.
However, as indicated in Section D of the application form, NASA's internship projects are subject to change and NASA may suggest other projects aligned with selected candidates' profiles.
Question 35: How should an applicant incorporate a hard copy of a document into the single PDF-formatted file that must be submitted on a USB memory key with the application?
Answer 35: The applicant must scan all documents included in his or her complete application and save them as a single PDF-formatted file. This file must be saved on a USB memory key and submitted by mail with the application.
Question 36: Can a single document issued by a university be submitted to confirm both the candidate's current full-time enrolment at a Canadian university and the number of credits successfully completed in the current program?
Answer 36: Yes. As stipulated in Section 4 of this AO, the same document can serve as proof that both eligibility criteria are met.
Question 37: Can the candidate submit more than one reference letter with his or her application?
Answer 37: No. To enable an effective assessment of all the applications, candidates must submit a single reference letter with their application.
Question 38: How should a candidate whose academic results have not been consistent in recent years present his or her application in order to increase their chances of being selected?
Answer 38: This is a competitive process. All applicants must submit the required documentation with their application, as described in this AO. All applications will be treated equally using the eligibility and evaluation criteria outlined in Sections 3 and 5 of this AO.
Question 39: One of the eligibility criteria specifies that the candidate must have obtained a minimum GPA of 3.0 in each of the last two completed years of study (full-time equivalent). Will classes that were taken outside of the candidate's current program but within this timeframe be considered in the calculation of the GPA?
Answer 39: Yes. Having high academic standing and meeting a minimum GPA of 3.0 or higher on a scale of 4.0 (or an equivalent standard if the student's university does not use GPA) is one of NASA's requirements. If the courses that were taken outside of the candidate's current program were included by the university in the student's academic record, then this information must be included in the application package and will be considered in assessing the applicant's eligibility.
Question 40: Is a candidate who is enrolled as a part-time student at the time of application, because he or she is currently doing an internship, eligible to apply?
Answer 40: No. As stipulated in Section 3 of this AO, a candidate must be enrolled in a Canadian university as a full-time student at the time of application to be eligible.
Question 41: Could an applicant still be eligible if the GPA requirement is not met, although by a very small gap?
Answer 41: No. This is a competitive process and the eligibility criteria are firm.
Question 42: Are there other opportunities for interested students that do not meet the eligibility criteria for this AO?
Answer 42: The CSA encourages interested students to visit its website for information on careers, jobs and internships in the space sector.
Question 43: Section F of the application form indicates that the professor is encouraged to accept to provide the candidate with guidance throughout the course of their internship should it be necessary. What does this entail for the professor?
Answer 43: It is recommended that the professor accepts to provide guidance to the candidate throughout the course of their internship, if he or she is selected and if this is authorized by NASA. This commitment from the professor is not a requirement. The scope and frequency of the guidance provided is dependent on the needs of the student and is left to the discretion of the professor.
Question 44: How many internships are available for the summer session?
Answer 44: The CSA will submit the applications of up to ten (10) candidates to NASA for its final selection. However, the CSA, Mitacs and Fulbright Canada will support a maximum of two (2) candidates per internship session.
The number of candidates who will participate depends on the quality of the applications received, NASA's final selection and available funding.
Question 45: Should the motivation and reference letters be divided into subsections corresponding to the evaluation criteria? If so, is a general introduction paragraph summarizing the applicant's overall qualification for the intended internship allowed?
Answer 45: As stipulated in Sections E and F of the application form, the motivation and reference letters should include factual examples presented in clearly identified separate sections that correspond to the evaluation criteria. It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that these documents clearly demonstrate how each evaluation criterion is met.
Question 46: Are candidates allowed to include their academic achievements and the list of their awards, scholarships and other distinctions within an additional reference letter?
Answer 46: As part of the mandatory documents, candidates must include in their application one reference letter and a separate list of awards, scholarships and distinctions that they have received, if applicable. Section 4 of this AO provides a complete list of the elements that must be included with the application.
Question 47: Can a candidate apply now but postpone his or her participation, if selected, to a future session?
Answer 47: No. This AO is only for the summer session. Candidates interested in participating in another session are encouraged to regularly visit the CSA's website for information on future internship opportunities offered through the NASA I² Project.
Question 48: Candidates that are preselected through this AO and who will have submitted their application in French are required to translate their application file into English for the purpose of NASA's final evaluation. Will a candidate who has submitted his or her application in English also be notified if his or her application is submitted to NASA?
Answer 48: Yes. All candidates whose files will have been preselected through this AO will be advised if their application is submitted to NASA. Applicants who are not preselected will also be advised of the CSA's decision.