The New Mexico Space Grant Pre-Service Teaching (PST) Undergraduate Studies Scholarship is intended for undergraduate students who have declared an education teaching major. Students must be enrolled full-time at an accredited university in New Mexico. The funding period is to start during the student teaching semester. The PST scholarship aims at supporting aspiring teachers in designing and developing a NASA science or match resource unit plan. The unit plan will be taught during the student teaching semester. The PST Undergraduate Studies Scholarship award is for $2,500 per semester for only one semester.

PST scholarship applicants will be considered for any K-12 grade level and any subject matter*. The resource unit plan must relate to NASA’s unique mission of research and discovery as a framework for inspiration and student learning. The resource unit plan must also relate to Common Core State Standards (NM STEM Ready! Science Standards and NM Instructional Scope for Language Arts, Math and Science) applicable to the grade level. For specific requirements, please see application.

As it is true with all NMSGC programs, the participation of minorities, women, and persons with disabilities is strongly encouraged.

*The integration level of NASA-related materials and students’ level of engagement opportunities connected to NASA missions, themes or STEM Engagement programs is more important that the subject matter taught.

Applications for the Fall 2024 – Spring 2025 cycle closed on April 12, 2024. The next cycle applications will open in January 2025. 

If you applied for this cycle, you can expect to receive an email notification by May 24, 2024. All awards are expected to start the first day of the Fall 2024 semester at your academic institution.

Note: An application that does not have a letter of recommendation will be considered incomplete and will not be reviewed.

Click here to view application

Eligibility requirements:

• U.S. Citizenship
• Full-time enrollment during award period (minimum of 12 credit hours/semester)
• Major in Education
• Minimum 3.0 Cumulative GPA

Scholarship requirements:

• Must complete student teaching semester during award period
• Must have STEM-integrated resource unit plan
• Must submit a 1-page summary of student-teaching semester and evaluation of unit plan
• Must present STEM-integrated unit plan at the Annual Virtual Student Research Colloquium
• Must complete 10 hours of volunteering and/or community outreach
• Must notify NMSGC if ineligible
• Provide short-video testimonial if requested by NMSGC office