Space Vandenberg Internship Program
Program Dates: June 22 - August 14, 2026
Application Deadline: Friday, February 27, 2026, 11:59pm Pacific Time
Required Application Materials:
  1. Application Form: All fields on this application form need to be completed. After successful submission you will receive links to complete the remainder of the application materials.
  2. Short Responses: This consists of 3 mandatory and 1 optional writing prompts. Please view these ahead of time on 'How to Apply'.
  3. Your CV or Resume (up to 5MB in PDF format).
  4. Unofficial college transcripts: From all colleges you have attended (up to 5MB in PDF format).
  5. One recommendation (you may have up to two submitted, but only one is required): You enter the name(s) and email(s) of your 1 or 2 recommenders in the application form. When you submit your application, emails will be automatically sent to your recommender(s), so please be sure to provide accurate contact information on the application form.
Eligibility Requirements:
  1. Currently enrolled as a full-time student at UCSB.
  2. Must be at least 18 years of age by June 22, 2026 and not enrolled in high school at the time of application.
  3. Must have U.S. citizenship.
  4. Majoring or intends to major in science, engineering or mathematics.
  5. Has satisfied the following course/unit requirements:
    • Completed a minimum of 18 quarter units in science, mathematics, and/or engineering courses.
    • Completed one year of calculus.
  6. Have NOT completed a bachelor's degree in a science, engineering, mathematics or technical field.
  7. Ability to obtain and maintain security clearance.
Program Details: The Space Vandenberg Internship Program sponsors teams of undergraduate science and engineering students to work on aerospace-relevant design projects at the Vandenberg Space Force Base over 8 weeks during the summer. Interns will work in-person from Monday through Friday at the base, with professional development training on Friday afternoons. The dates of the 2026 program are June 22 - August 14, 2026. Interns will receive a stipend of $8,000 total for the 8-week program. Interns are responsible for their housing as well as transportation to and from the Vandenberg Space Force Base.

Security Clearance: The nature of work performed at Vandenberg SFB (VSFB) requires employees to be eligible to obtain and maintain a security clearance at the level determined to be suitable for their employment. The VSFB hiring manager will initiate and coordinate the process required for interns to obtain the appropriate clearance. This includes conducting pre-screening procedures for all new interns prior to the start of their internship. All interns are required to obtain and maintain the clearance level required by VSFB. Investigations take into consideration: An intern’s failure to obtain or maintain the needed security clearance will result in dismissal from the program.

This first page is your Application Form. It must be filled out completely. You will not be able to save a partial application form and return to it later. After submitting, you will be directed to a new page where you can submit and edit the rest of your required application materials up until the deadline. Your application will not be considered unless all of the required application materials are submitted by the deadline.

Please note that you may contact the program coordinator Shelby Le (csep-ug@ucsb.edu) at any time if you need assistance with the application procedure.

Please avoid using autofill, as it can erroneously fill in fields.

Applicant Information - Please include it exactly as it appears on your CA driver's license or US passport, whichever you will use for your background check for your security clearance if you are selected as an intern.
Legal First Name Legal Last Name Birthdate
School Email
Personal Email - One that you will always have regardless of where you study or work Cell Phone - Make sure it is one where we can always reach you
- -
Current Local Contact Information
Address City State Zip
Permanent Contact Information
Address City State Zip
UCSB Information
Perm Major - Please be sure you select the major that corresponds to the college you are in and the degree you are pursuing. College of Creative Studies majors are listed first, followed by College of Engineering majors, followed by College of Letters and Science majors. You may add up to three declared majors. DO NOT include minors. If you have not declared a major, please select "Undeclared" under the College of Letters and Science, regardless of the college you might be considering.
Class Level Year first enrolled at UCSB Number of total UCSB units completed Unweighted Cumulative GPA - Must be reported to 2 decimal places
Expected Graduation Year Expected Graduation Term
Transfer Status
Did you transfer from a community college?
Yes
No
Security Clearance
Have you participated in a background check for security clearance for a job or internship in the past?
Yes
No

Employment/Volunteer Experience
Do you have current or prior work experience? It may be paid or volunteer. Please include ONLY non-scientific work.
Yes
No
Programming Experience
Do you know any computer programming languages, such as Python, R, SAS, Java, C++, or Matlab?
Yes
No

Technical Experience
Do you have experience working with technical equipment or tools, such as shop tools, electrical, mechanical, construction, or medical equipment?
Yes
No
Recommenders
Please provide the first and last name (without titles such as "Dr." or "Professor") and e-mail of one or two people from whom you are requesting a recommendation. Only one recommendation is required, but you may list up to 2 recommenders by clicking "Add another recommender".

Please check the spelling and capitalization of the name(s) you provide and make sure the email(s) are accurate. These will be used exactly as you provide them to send an automated email requesting that they submit a recommendation for you.
  1. Recommender First Name Recommender Last Name Recommender e-mail
Additional Information
How did you hear about the Space Vandenberg Internship Program?
Email announcement from:
From a recruitment presentation
From my professor
Poster on campus
Recruited by a staff member, such as a counselor, veteran's affairs advisors, etc.
Other:
Demographic Information
The information below will not be viewed or considered for selection purposes, unless the program specifically requires the information to assess eligibility, such as US citizenship status. Please go to the Space Vandenberg Internship Program website to review eligibility requirements. Aggregate data (i.e., "78% of applicants were Pell Grant eligible") may be shared for reporting or dissemination purposes.

Which of the following represents your status in the US?
I am a US citizen
I am a US permanent resident
I am an international student
None of the above

What is your gender identity?
Woman
Man
Decline to state

Are you of Hispanic/Latinx origin?
Yes
No
Unknown
Decline to state

Which of the following best describes your race? You may hover over each term for a definition. Select all that apply. For example, if you are of Hispanic/Latinx origin, you may be a mix of American Indian/Alaska Native as well as Caucasian. If you are not of Hispanic/Latinx origin, you may still be a mix of American Indian/Alaska Native as well as Caucasian. You may select "Unknown" if your race is unknown to you.
American Indian/Alaska Native Includes all indigenous people of North, Central, and South America

Asian Includes all indigenous people of East Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Indian subcontinent

Black Includes all indigenous people of Africa

Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Includes all indigenous people of Pacific Islands, including Hawaii, Guam, Fiji, Philippines, Tonga, and Samoa

Caucasian Includes all indigenous people of Europe and Middle Eastern countries, including Spain, Italy, and Portugal

Unknown Your ancestry is unknown to you

Decline to state

What language(s) did you grow up speaking in your home?





Do you have any disabilities, defined as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities?
Yes
No
Decline to state

Are you a veteran of the US Armed Forces?
Yes
No
Decline to state

Do you qualify for a free or reduced lunch?
Yes
No
Unknown
Decline to state

Are you eligible for the Pell Grant?




Are you from a single parent home?
Yes
No
Decline to state

Have you ever been in the foster care system?
Yes
No
Decline to state

Please provide the education level of the parents/guardians who you have lived with. You can enter up to 4 by clicking "Add another parent/guardian".
  1. Education Level of Parent/Guardian #1

Will you be the first generation in your family to earn a bachelor's degree? (If your parents/guardians did not earn a bachelor's degree, then you are first-generation.)
Yes
No
Unknown
Decline to state


Please go through your form and be sure it is completely and correctly filled out. Incomplete application forms cannot be submitted. You will know your form was successfully submitted if once you click "Continue", you are taken to your profile page where you can submit the rest of your application materials. All application materials must be submitted by the deadline for your application to be considered. You will also receive a confirmation e-mail with a copy of your application form. If you are not taken to your profile page, your application was not properly submitted. Please contact portals@csep.ucsb.edu if you experience any technical issues with this application system. Please contact Shelby Le (csep-ug@ucsb.edu) for questions about the program.


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