Call for applications for ‘Catalonia Space’ grants to attend the International Space University SSP 2026 summer programme
The Government of Catalonia and the Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC) have opened a call for 3 ‘Catalonia Space’ grants to attend the Space Studies Program (SSP) of the International Space University (ISU). This call is framed within the Catalonia Space Strategy 2030 and aims to promote activities focused on attracting, developing, and retaining talent able to develop solutions in the space sector.
The SSP is an intensive programme offering an 8-week professional development experience during the summer months for students in the final stages of higher education. Its main goal is to prepare students to enter the professional world in the space economy and space industry fields.
The programme offers courses across a wide range of space-related disciplines, as well as practical training through workshops and professional visits. During the programme, participants work in teams on projects addressing current and future topics in the space sector.
The 38th edition will take place in Strasbourg (France) from 22 June to 14 August 2026.
The ‘Catalonia Space’ grants complement those awarded by ISU itself, with the aim of partially covering the costs associated with participation in the SSP. Each grant amounts to €8,000. These are awarded as a lump sum to partially offset the costs of participating in the programme. Chosen candidates will be required to cover the proportion of tuition fees not covered by the grants, as well as the travel expenses to the SSP venue and the medical insurance. Accommodation and meals throughout the entire duration of the programme are included in the tuition fee.
To apply for a ‘Catalonia Space’ grant, applicants must complete, sign, and submit the form provided as Annex I of the call guidelines to info-apec@ieec.cat. The application deadline is 11 March 2026.
The full call guidelines — including participation requirements, evaluation criteria, and additional information — can be found at the link below.
NOTE: To be eligible for this call, candidates must apply for and successfully complete the ISU admission process. Eligibility requirements for the ISU scholarship and the selection procedure can be consulted at the following link: https://www.isunet.edu/ssp/.
About the IEEC
The Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC — Institut d’Estudis Espacials de Catalunya) promotes and coordinates space research and technology development in Catalonia for the benefit of society. IEEC fosters collaborations both locally and worldwide and is an efficient agent of knowledge, innovation and technology transfer. As a result of more than 25 years of high-quality research, done in collaboration with major international organisations, IEEC ranks among the best international research centres, focusing on areas such as: astrophysics, cosmology, planetary science, and Earth Observation. IEEC’s engineering division develops instrumentation for ground- and space-based projects, and has extensive experience in working with private or public organisations from the aerospace and other innovation sectors.
The IEEC is a non-profit public sector foundation that was established in February 1996. It has a Board of Trustees composed of the Generalitat de Catalunya, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya · BarcelonaTech (UPC), and the Spanish Research Council (CSIC). The IEEC is also a CERCA centre.