Program Overview

IPAC Visiting Graduate Student Research Fellowship

Program Description

The IPAC Visiting Graduate Student Research Fellowship (VGSRF) offers six-month positions to graduate students who want to conduct PhD-level astronomical research in close association with IPAC scientists. Students gain applicable research experience with leaders in the scientific areas of exoplanets, galactic and extra-galactic studies, stellar formation, cosmology, and more. Visiting Graduate Student Research Fellows work at IPAC on the California Institute of Technology campus in Pasadena, California. The program duration is February to August, during which a monthly stipend is provided. The exact number of fellowships awarded each year is decided based on available funding.

Application Instructions

Eligible applicants must fulfill all of the following requirements:

• Hold United States citizenship, national, or permanent resident status by the application deadline. Applicants may currently be enrolled at US or non-US institutions.
• Currently enrolled in a PhD program in Astronomy or Physics.
• Should have completed all classwork for a graduate program degree by December of the year the application is submitted.
• Be available to spend 6 months at IPAC, nominally February to August, with some flexibility in the starting date.

Each applicant must submit:

• A brief (~2 page) letter of introduction that includes:
  • Your current status as a graduate student and expected completion date
  • Description of your past research experience and current research interests
  • Please rank your top three IPAC research project choices and include your reasons for how they match your research interests
  • The approximate start date of your visit (nominally in February)
• A one-page CV that includes experience you may have with astronomical and image processing software packages (e.g., Python, IDL, HIPE, AIPS, etc.)

In addition, a current professor or academic advisor familiar with the applicant’s work must provide a letter of reference. This letter should also indicate that the applicant is available to visit IPAC during the proposed period, and address how well the visit would mesh with the applicant’s graduate education.

Research Projects

The list of research projects can be found in the program's research project archives, which include:

• Research Projects 2025
• Research Projects 2024
• Research Projects 2023
• Research Projects 2022
• Research Projects 2021
• Research Projects 2020
• Research Projects 2019
• Research Projects 2018
• Research Projects 2017
• Research Projects 2016
• Research Projects 2015
• Research Projects 2014
• Research Projects 2013

Program Details

• Program duration: six months (February to August)
• Location: IPAC, California Institute of Technology campus, Pasadena, California
• Stipend: monthly stipend provided during the program duration
• Research areas: exoplanets, galactic and extra-galactic studies, stellar formation, cosmology, and more
• Eligibility: US citizens, nationals, or permanent residents; currently enrolled in a PhD program in Astronomy or Physics
• Application requirements: letter of introduction, CV, and letter of reference from a current professor or academic advisor
• Application deadline: varies (check program website for details)