Frequently Asked Questions
- What will this cost?
NCAS is funded by the Minority University Research Education Program (MUREP). NASA covers approved and relatable NASA experience expenses during the NASA experience workshop. There is a $35 non-refundable/transferable registration fee for each participant invited to participate in the NASA experience.
Payment options will be made available at the time of invitation.
Payments are collected by:
NASA Education Projects
ATTN: NCAS Registration
224 Scott Hall
Oklahoma State University
Stillwater, OK 74078-2052
- How can I become a member of an NCAS online session?
Students who meet the following requirements can apply:
- U.S. citizenship
- High school graduate or equivalent and at least 18 years of age
- Currently attend a U.S. community college
- Concurrent enrollment or completion of 9+ hours of STEM coursework
- Able to commit to a 5 week online session
- Internet access
- Have not previously attended an NCAS onsite workshop
- What is the timeline?
The timeline is as follows:
A five week online course is offered twice a year.
The NASA experience is offered throughout the year.
See important dates for details. Important Dates
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Is NCAS only for engineering students?
Any community college student interested in the STEM, who has taken or is concurrently enrolled in 9+ hours of STEM coursework is eligible to apply.
- How do I apply?
Enrollment for NCAS occurs twice a year between February and May and again between September and November.
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Must a student be enrolled in 9 credit hours to participate in NCAS?
No, a student may have a combination of completed or concurrent STEM classes totaling 9+ STEM hours.
- What is counted as a STEM course?
STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and mathematics and refers to any subjects that fall under these four disciplines.
STEM courses come in many different forms depending on the community college. Unsure if a course counts as STEM? Contact the registrar’s office.
- Is there a GPA requirement to participate in NCAS?There is no GPA requirement to participate in NCAS. However, unofficial transcripts are required to be eligible for the program.
- Do I need a letter of recommendation?
Applicants must provide contact information for at least one but up to three recommenders to complete a recommendation form. In the application, students enter the name, title, institution, telephone number and email address of an instructor or professor to complete the recommendation. The recommender will receive instructions via email from nasp@okstate.edu.
Students are encouraged reach out to potential recommenders a few weeks in advance of the deadline. After entering their contact information into the application, students can follow up with recommenders to ensure they received the email and they are aware of the deadline.
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What will you do as an Aerospace Scholar?
During the online experience, an Aerospace scholar will:
- Receive guidance and support from trained professional educators.
- Interact with fellow aerospace scholars
- Attend subject matter expert lectures
- Engage with NASA’s interactive online multimedia content
- Complete quizzes and a final project.
Students who successfully complete the online course may receive an invitation to a NASA experience.
During the NASA experience, an Aerospace scholar will:
- Compete in a STEM engineering design challenge
- Network with NASA’s diverse STEM workforce
- Collaborate with like-minded students in a team environment
- Receive resume feedback from a STEM professional
- Learn how to navigate NASA internships
- Does NCAS require an official transcript for the application?
No, we will accept unofficial transcripts or screenshots of your online transcripts as long as it includes your name, your school’s name, your current registration/enrollment (in progress is okay), and 9 hours of STEM courses.
If your unofficial transcript does not provide all of the required information, please send an email to
jsc-ncas@mail.nasa.gov. You will need to provide an alternate proof of enrollment.
- How do I ask a question not listed on the website?
For questions not answered on the website, please contact us at jsc-ncas@mail.nasa.gov
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Can international students participate?
International students are not eligible to participate in NCAS. However, they are eligible to apply for some International NASA internships. International NASA internships
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After I complete the online course, am I automatically approved to attend an onsite?
No. Only top-performing students who successfully complete the online course may receive an invitation to participate in the NASA experience.
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What if I graduate/transfer before I’m officially chosen for an onsite experience,
can I still participate?
At the time of the application enrollment period, a student must have taken or be concurrently enrolled in 9+ hours of STEM coursework at a community college. If a student graduates/transfers before the onsite, they are still eligible to complete the program and participate in NCAS.
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When will I be notified if I am accepted? And will I be notified if I’m not accepted?
About 2 weeks after the application closes all participants will be notified of acceptance status via email.
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Will I miss classes during the onsite?
Yes, students can expect to miss some classes during the NASA experience.
All participants are provided an excuse letter to request excused absence or accommodations from their instructors; however instructors have the final say. It is advisable to communicate with instructors early to provide details on the opportunity and make arrangements.
The material contained on this website is based upon work supported by NASA under cooperative agreement award Number 80NSSC17M0021. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.