FAQ

Frequently asked questions?

What does ASPIRE stand for?

Astrophysics Summer Program for International Research Experience.

When is the next round of ASPIRE?

The 2026 round of ASPIRE will begin accepting applications on about 17 November 2025 and the program will start Monday 15 June 2026.

When is the deadline for applications?

The deadline for applications for the current round has been extended to 19 December 2025, 23:59 CET.

How do I apply?

Visit the application page here.

When is it, and for how long?

The summer school will run for 8 weeks in June/July/August. For exact dates, see the home page.

What is it?

This summer school is designed to introduce students from diverse backgrounds to state-of-the-art, advanced research practices in modern astrophysics. You will follow lectures and complete a training research project at our world leading research institute.

Where does ASPIRE take place?

The summer school takes place in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, at the Anton Pannekoek Institute (API) for Astronomy at the University of Amsterdam.

Do I need to attend the entire 8 weeks?

Yes. Students should plan to be available for the full period of the summer school.

What topics are available for the training projects?

See the full list here.

What is the goal of the training project?

Each of the training projects has their own learning goals, depending on the topic and the type of question (observational, theoretical, computational). These are listed op the Projects page.

Do you accept more than one student for a given topic?

No. Each topics is for one student only, with the exception of the project in the ASTROFLASH group (2 students).

What do I get from this?

You’ll be learning about the state-of-the art of advanced astrophysical practices, lectured and mentored by top academics in astronomy at a world-leading institute. You’ll learn how research works at the very edge of our understanding of the Universe and will get a greater understanding of what it is like to do research youself. During the summer school, you’ll learn valuable research and astrophysics skills, as well as gain a mentor in the way.

Do I need to live in a specific country / have a specific nationality to apply?

Everyone, regardless of country or nationality, can apply for ASPIRE, provided you are eligible for the appropriate visa to travel to and stay in Amsterdam. We invite people from across the entire world; of course we need to leave enough time after selection to go through the (sometimes extensive) visa application process that is needed for many countries from which we admit participants. Usually these visa applications are successful, but in cases where they are not we invite the participant to take part remotely in the school. Our experience from COVID days is that the effect of the school on the life and career of the participant is the same with remote participation, even though it is more exciting to attend in person.

Am I eligible to apply given my study background / degree stage?

Any student who is not currently enrolled in a PhD program and has already started an MSc in a physics or astronomy degree (or related fields) and who has a passion for doing scientific research can apply. We do, however, give strong priority to students who through their regular place of education have less access to frontline research in astronomy. Students in an integrated MSc/BSc programme may apply, provided the programme has a total length of at least 5 years, and the student has completed the first 3 of those years.

I have just finished my MSc, can I apply?

Yes, as long as you have not started a PhD by the time the program starts.

Does it cost anything?

No. The program is completely free.

Do I need to book accommodation?

No. We will arrange accommodation for all accepted participants.

What do I need to do to apply?

You can check the required documentation in the application section.

Should I attach my reference letter to my application?

No, please ask your referee to send the letter directly to aspire4api@gmail.com, with your name as subject. Please provide your referee with the letter writing guide pdf which you can download in the application section.

When does my referee need to send the reference in by?

We would like to have all reference letters by the application deadline.

I do not have an academic background in astronomy, can I still apply?

Yes, however a background in physics or very closely related field is mandatory. Please be clear in describing how your skills and knowledge match the topics you have selected for the training project.

How should I send the documentation?

Here you can find all the information. The application will be run through a google form.

How big can the uploaded files be?

The file sizes for your documentation are specified in the google form.

Are late applications accepted?

No, late applications will not be accepted.

What does the selection process look like and when will you make offers?

We expect to announce the outcome of the entire selection process in late January. We expect to contact shortlisted candidates in mid January for short online chats with potential mentors.

What should I do if the application process fails?

If you receive error messages during the application process or your PDFs fail to upload, try to restart the process. If everything else fails, please get in contact with us at aspire4api@gmail.com as soon as possible.

How can I promote the ASPIRE summer program?

You can freely download and distribute our poster which contains the essential information about our summer school. Click here or use the top menu to navigate to the page.

I didn't find my question in this FAQ. Who can I contact for further information?

You can send any inquiries regarding the programme to aspire4api@gmail.com.