Apply for ESA/ELGRA Gravity-Related Research Summer School 2026

Explore gravity with ESA and ELGRA

The 2026 edition marks the 11^th ESA/ELGRA Gravity-Related Research Summer School. For more than a decade, the Summer School has provided a comprehensive overview of the research conducted in microgravity and hypergravity conditions, spanning both life and physical sciences. Continuing with this approach, in the 2026 edition, participants will be immersed in the fascinating world of altered gravity and explore the benefits of conducting research in these unique settings. 

The Summer School is designed in a blended format. In the first week, students will take part in a series of lectures and workshops held at the ESA Academy’s Training and Learning Facility located at ESEC-Galaxia in Transinne, Belgium. Participants will collaborate with fellow university students in dynamic team settings. Together, they will brainstorm and develop innovative ideas for gravity-related experiments. In the second week, students will attend online sessions and work in teams to devise and present their gravity-related experiment proposal on the last day of the Summer School.

During the Summer School, participants will attend stimulating lectures led by renowned international experts from ESA and ELGRA. Students will benefit from their experience and expertise in gravity-related research across different disciplines and gain insights into the practical aspects of their day-to-day work.

Upon successful completion of the Summer School, students will receive a certificate of participation and a transcript, which they can use to request ECTS credit(s) from their respective universities.

Participants will have the opportunity to improve their skills through a team project, which will culminate in a demonstration of your learning and creativity. During the first week, the students will work in groups to design their own gravity-related experiments. During the second week, students will continue collaborating online, guided by ELGRA tutors, and present their work on the final day.

Finally, the team project serves as a first step towards applying for ESA Academy’s Experiments Programme, furthering your involvement in ground-breaking research initiatives within the European space sector. Seize this unparalleled opportunity to expand your knowledge, network with like-minded peers, and embark on an inspiring journey of discovery.

Preliminary schedule

Week 1 (15 – 19 June 2026 onsite)
Day 1	Welcome and introduction Introduction to ELGRA and SELGRA Gravity and gravity-related research platforms Develop a gravity-related experiment Project management Team project introduction Visit Euro Space Centre
Day 2	Life science gravity-related research lecture 1 Physical science gravity-related research lecture 1 Human physiology gravity-related research lecture 1 ESA Academy Experiments Physical science gravity-related research lecture 2 Physical science gravity-related research lecture 3 Team work
Day 3	Human physiology gravity-related research lecture 2 Life science gravity-related research lecture 2 Life science gravity-related research lecture 3 Life science gravity-related research lecture 4 Team work
Day 4	Team work Check-in with experts Team work
Day 5	Experience of an ESA Astronaut Team work Team project topic pitch Conclusion
Week 2 (22 - 26 June 2025 online)
Day 6	Systems engineering and requirements definition workshop Team meetings with tutors
Day 7	Team work Team meetings with tutors
Day 8-9	Team work Team meetings with tutors
Day 10	Team project presentations Conclusion

Who can apply?

To participate, you must fulfil the following eligibility criteria:

• Enrolled as a university student for the year 2025-2026 in a Bachelor (i.e., BSc or equivalent (starting from 2^nd year) or Master (i.e., MSc or equivalent) degree programme with a background in science or engineering or science (not graduating before Summer School).
• Have never taken part in any gravity-related research activity and not previously been sponsored by ESA's Education Office or ELGRA.
• Aged minimum 18 years old. ESA Academy and relevant partners will only appraise applications from students who have no or limited professional experience in relevant scientific or other space-related topics.
• Citizen of an ESA Member States, Canada*, or Associate Members.

*Canadian students enrolled in a Canadian post-secondary institution may apply for additional support from the Canadian Space Agency through this Announcement of Opportunity (grant applications should be submitted at least 7 weeks before the course delivery and account creation 3 weeks before the submission deadline – create an account soon!). This additional support is to cover costs that are not already covered by ESA for selected Canadian post-secondary students.

Selected students will be required to attend the entire 10-days Summer School: five days onsite at ESEC, plus five days online. They will be sponsored by ESA to cover accommodation and meals, as well as up to 350 Euros for travelling to Belgium.

ESA is committed to achieving diversity and creating an inclusive professional environment. To this end, we welcome proposals and applications from all eligible candidates irrespective of gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, beliefs, age, disability, or other characteristics. The ESA Academy strongly encourages inclusiveness within its programmes and within participating teams, which contributes to the enrichment of our programme. Whenever possible, we seek to accommodate individuals with disabilities by providing the necessary support, either digitally or at the location of the training. In case of any questions or specific needs, please reach out to academy.training@esa.int to get assistance or advice during the application process.

How to apply?

• Apply through ESA Learn the ESA Education and Community Platform.
• Upload a motivation letter (PDF, maximum 1 page, no image).
• Upload a CV (Europass format, PDF, maximum 2 pages, no image).
• Upload a formal recommendation letter (PDF, maximum 1 page, including signature, no image) from a university professor or an academic supervisor from your current university (if not possible to receive the recommendation letter from your reference, please ask them to send a recommendation email to academy.training@esa.int before the application deadline).
• Upload a copy of your Transcript of Grades from the two previous semesters, or, if not available, the previous academic year (PDF).

All answers and documents should be in English (except Transcript of Grades if not available).

The deadline for the application is 22 February 2026, 23:55 CET. The selection announcement will be on 13 March 2026.

For more information, please contact: academy.training@esa.int