The International Space University is provided funding from space agencies, government agencies, and industry to help support its educational programs such as the new Master’s degree program: Space Studies and the Northern summer Space Studies Program (SSP).
This aid is available to selected applicants on the basis of their academic and professional merit and covers a portion of their tuition fees. It is paid directly to ISU by the sponsoring organization.
This financial aid is available for applicants from all countries.
ISU is approved for US Federal Student loans from the US Department of Education (only for US citizens attending the Master of Space Studies). For more information please click here.
Students and unemployed young graduates who are members of the following organizations are entitled to at least 50% scholarships for the Master’s degree program and the Space Studies Program: Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC), Women in Aerospace, Euroavia, NASA Academy, Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (SEDS), Brooke Owens Fellowship, and Matthew Izakowitz Fellows. Please indicate the date when your membership with the applicable organization began.
ISU also grants tuition support. Upon request and justification of a participant, part of the fee may be waived at the start of the program, subject to a promesse to pay back later when financial conditions allow this, and in accordance with a flexible payback scheme.
Financial aid is granted on the basis of:
Financial aid will be awarded within the limits of funds available, so early applications are highly recommended.
Please note that the relevant box on the Confidential Financial Information form of the application must be checked. It is recommended that candidates make a personal effort to raise funds to enable them to attend the program. Such initiatives are taken into consideration when ISU allocates funding.
ISU will not give its sponsors contact information, but will try its best to match applicants’ profiles to sponsor requirements.
The ISU Funding Committee, which includes both faculty and sponsors, awards funding to excellent applicants on the basis of their academic and professional merit and career goals.
Master’s degree program scholarships are granted to help towards tuition fees only. ISU does not assist with living expenses, travel or insurance costs for the Master’s degree program.
Space Studies Program scholarships are granted to support tuition fees and living expenses only. ISU does not assist with travel expenses or health insurance for the SSP.
You will find below the list of partners who have supported ISU students for many years.
Please note that unless specified otherwise, you should go through ISU when applying for scholarships and not directly to the sponsors.
Scholarship available for SSP or MSS: $10,000 (limited to US citizens, with preference given to AAS and SEDS-USA members). Apply directly to AAS
The requirement to qualify is to pursue education in a satellite-related discipline. The amount available goes from 2,500 to 3,500 USD. The applications need to be made here.
We recommend that applicants undertake their own fundraising efforts to increase their chances for enrollment at ISU. Here are some tips:
The following are links to potential sponsors and various institutions with whom you may be eligible for scholarships or loans if you fit their criteria (but please note that there is no guarantee, and that some grants that were given in the past may not exist any more). We encourage you to visit their websites for further details.
The Austrian space industry association (AUSTROSPACE) For Austrian citizens only
Styria Government For Austrian citizens only
The Schmiedl Foundation- Graz For Austrian citizens only
Fondation Belge de la vocation For Belgian applicants only
Canadian Students Loans
Ontario Student Support Branch Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities
Manitoba Student Financial Assistance Department of Education and Training
Alberta Students Finance Alberta Learning Information Service
Newfoundland Student Aid Division Department of Education Thompson Student Centre
British Columbia Student Aid Branch Advanced Education, Training and Technology
Quebec Student Financial Assistance Programs Ministère de l’éducation
Foundations/Universities
Baxter & Alma Ricard Foundation for Canadians French speaking citizens only
University of Alberta – Education Abroad For Alberta University students only
CRESTech, a division of the Ontario Centers of Excellence Inc Various scholarships may be available for Canadian citizens only
Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal Various scholarships may be available for Canadian citizens only
Ingenioerforeningen i Danmark For Danish applicants only
Otto Moensteds Fond For Danish applicants only
General information about Danish scholarships For Danish applicants only
Augustinus Fonden For Danish applicants only
Knud Højgaards Fonden For Danish applicants only
Oticon Fonden For Danish applicants only
The Social Insurance Institution of Finland Financial assistance to study abroad for Finnish applicants
Bourses ESPACE (CNES / Fondation des Ailes de France) Scholarship for French citizens
IEDU Various scholarships available for French citizens
Fondation Marcel Bleustein-Blanchet For French citizens only
Regione Autonoma Della Sardaigna For Candidates from Sardegna only
Dr. Kalpana Chawla scholarships for female Indian candidates (apply directly to ISU)
Charpak Master’s Program for Indian nationals residing in India only
Ilan Ramon scholarships (apply directly to ISU)
Cedies For citizens from Luxembourg only
The Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund For Norwegian citizens only
Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian Only for applicants from Portugal
“La Caixa” GRANTS Grants available for post-graduate programs. These grants are handled by the King of Spain himself. For Spanish students only
DURSI Information Society, Research and University Department of the ‘Generalitat de Catalunya ‘ (GENCAT) Grants for short research periods abroad Catalonia For Spanish students looking for a future PhD diploma (as the SSP academic program can be in relationship with a doctoral thesis)
CSN (Swedish Financial Aid for students) Form 5501M- Student Loan- Sweden For Swedish citizens only
Grants- Sweden For Swedish citizens only
The Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm For Swedish citizens only
The Wallenberg Association “Tekn. Dr. Markus Wallenbergs fond for utbildning i internationellt industriellt foretagande”Stiftelseforvaltningen 106 40 Stockholm- Sweden Particular link: “OVRIGA STIFTELSER” For Swedish citizens only
Kempe-foundation For Swedish citizens only
Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences For Swiss applicants only
SSPF For Dutch citizens or residents in The Netherlands and for Dutch citizens working or studying abroad
Department for Education For UK citizens only
Federal Student Loans For American citizens only (for more information click here)
ISSF Grants are restricted to applicants studying at a university located in a member country participating in the International Space Station: USA, Canada, Japan, Russia and member European countries (Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom).
Matthew Isakowitz Fellowship Program For US citizens or US permanent residents only
US GI Bill For US veterans only
Institute of International Education Fulbright Program For American citizens only
Space Grant For American citizens only
Studysoup For American citizens only
Each year many applicants wish to attend ISU programs but lack the financial means to do so. Using funding from various Agencies and the space industry, as well as donations, ISU has managed to provide part of the tuition from its own funding to allow applicants to bridge the gap between the full tuition and the participants’ personal contribution.
As the funding from these different sources is decreasing, ISU has been forced to introduce a system of pledges whereby such an advance is made on a reimbursable basis. Although based upon a moral obligation and not a contractual one, and in the interest of helping future applicants to finance their studies at ISU, applicants are therefore asked to make a best effort to reimburse a portion of the scholarship they have received when this becomes financially possible for them.
It is important to note that in most countries, it will be possible to deduct a large portion of the repaid sums from income taxes (see: ISU joins the Transnational Giving Network).
Applicants should not hesitate to contact ISU for more information in this regard.
Procedure:
1. The first year after graduation those who remain unemployed or pursue further studies will not be asked for repayment.
2. One year after graduation an installment plan is suggested. Note that installment plans suggest a 50% repayment only of the scholarship received, in order to minimize applicants’ financial burden.
3. If salary at that point in time does not allow to sustain the payment plan, a justification for either a delay or reduced payments can be requested from the ISU Director of Administration and Finance to find an acceptable compromise.
4. Finally, to reduce the commitment duration, those who are employed immediately after graduation will be asked to begin the reimbursement process after closure of the program as reflected in their installment plans.
