The NASA astronaut candidate programme vacancy lists an annual salary of US$164,395 and approximately two years of foundational astronaut training.
Salary and appointment
The advertised figure reflects approximate 2026 pay rates and may change for 2027/28. Selected candidates initially receive 30-month appointments. Successful completion of training leads to permanent appointments under the vacancy terms. This is a full-time, on-site opportunity, not remote work.
NASA astronaut candidate programme eligibility
The vacancy is restricted to US citizens. Applicants need qualifying advanced STEM or medical education, or an accepted alternative, alongside the specified professional or flight experience. The notice distinguishes several disciplines and their requirements. Medical suitability, background checks and other employment conditions also apply.
Training is not a guaranteed flight
Training develops capabilities including robotics, spacewalking and teamwork. Completing training makes candidates eligible for future spaceflight assignment; it does not guarantee a flight.
How to apply
Review vacancy 891970300 on USAJOBS and follow its application process. Supply required education records and any discipline-specific supporting documents. Applications close on 3 December 2026 at 23:59 Eastern. Carefully compare your qualifications with the full notice rather than assuming any STEM degree is sufficient.
Start with the eligibility gate
This is a specialist recruitment process, not a general space-interest programme. Before preparing essays or references, compare your qualifications with the precise education and experience route you intend to use. A related-sounding qualification should not be assumed acceptable when the vacancy specifies excluded fields or evidence requirements.
Organise evidence by requirement
Create a private checklist connecting each requirement to a document or example from your own record. Keep dates, degree details and employment history consistent across the application. If a qualification was earned in another education system, follow the announcement’s equivalency instructions rather than supplying an informal conversion. Do not exaggerate responsibilities or count experience that the advertised route excludes.
Understand the commitment beyond selection
Training is an evaluation period, not an automatic promise of a mission. Consider the operational, travel and personal demands described in the vacancy before applying. The financial decision also needs care: the listed salary uses a particular pay schedule, so it should not be presented as a guaranteed future amount for every year of service.
Use official instructions only
Submit through the vacancy’s official application route and keep confirmation of submission. Recruitment intermediaries cannot guarantee selection. Do not send identity documents or payment to an unofficial contact claiming to reserve a place. Read the closing instructions early enough to correct missing documents before the deadline.
Compare the right opportunity
Students looking for an earlier research-development opportunity can consider the separate Max Planck internship. It is not astronaut training, and its student-status and other eligibility requirements differ completely. Read our Max Planck research internship guide for the separate eligibility and application process.
Official application information
Read the official opportunity and application instructions.
Prepare your application against the organiser’s requirements, rather than relying on the headline alone. Check that documents are complete and that the application reaches the specified destination before the deadline. An application does not guarantee selection.
Independent publisher: Opportunities Feed shares information and is not affiliated with the organisation or recruiting on its behalf. Apply directly through the official channel.
