NASA Space Technology Graduate Research Opportunities (NSTGRO)
Helps NASA Space Technology Graduate Research Opportunities for universities with NASA center residencies.
NASA's Space Technology Graduate Research Opportunities program sits under the Space Technology Mission Directorate and funds graduate research at accredited U.S. universities. It is a university-based fellowship grant line, not a company program, and it supports work in NASA's high-priority technical areas. The 2026 cycle offered a minimum award of $84,000, with 35 awards expected. Eligible fellows must be U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents enrolled in master's or doctoral study, and faculty advisors serve as principal investigators on the university award. Fellows also complete Visiting Technologist Experiences at NASA Centers and work with NASA researcher mentors, with awards beginning in fall 2026 pending appropriations. NSTGRO is built for graduate researchers who can pair strong technical work with direct NASA exposure. The best fit is an accredited U.S. university team that can host a student in a space-technology discipline and support the center-based experience that comes with the award. The 2026 round closed on January 29, 2026, so the program is now between cycles until the next annual competition opens.