Caltech Aerospace Mentorship Program

2026/2027 Academic Year-Round Internship
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Internship overview
Sample the extensive resources available at one of the world’s most prestigious research institutions, Caltech, while being mentored by graduate students in aerospace. Interns attend brief lectures on fundamental scientific theories and then work in teams on projects that demonstrate basic yet beautiful physics concepts essential to continued study in aerospace research. Deadline to apply is September 1st!
Requirements
  • Level: Community College only
  • Minimum GPA: 3.0
  • Setting: In-person
  • Location: Pasadena, CA
  • Relevant majors: Aerospace, Physics, Engineering
  • Must be able to attend in-person sessions once a month at the Caltech campus in Pasadena, CA
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Program Goals

  • Inspire students to participate in aerospace-related academic fields
  • Cultivate teamwork
  • Improve presentation skills in a fun-filled, low-pressure arena
  • Sharpen critical thinking skills
  • Solve problems using solid basic research skills

Planned Activities

  • Lab tours – with explanations on the use and function of equipment
  • Guest speakers – industry & Caltech professors
  • Attending Caltech research lectures
  • Exposure to the many disciplines within the field of aerospace
  • Participation in graduate school culture
  • Practicing hands-on basic research

Internship Details

  • Cohort: Academic Year-Round 2026/2027
  • Meeting days: First (or second) Monday of the month, 9am-5pm PST – subject to confirmation prior to program start
  • Application Deadline: September 1st, 2026
  • Department: GALCIT (Graduate Aerospace Laboratories of the California Institute of Technology)
  • Program duration: October 2026 to June 2027
About the Institution
Caltech is a world-renowned science and engineering institute that marshals some of the world's brightest minds and most innovative tools to address fundamental scientific questions and pressing societal challenges. The Institute manages JPL for NASA, sending probes to explore the planets of our solar system and quantify changes on our home planet. Caltech also owns and operates large-scale research facilities such as the Seismological Laboratory and a global network of astronomical observatories, including the Palomar and W. M. Keck Observatories; and cofounded and comanages LIGO. Caltech is an independent, privately supported institution with a 124-acre campus located in Pasadena, California.
Patrick Jones - Course author