September Opportunity Guide: How to Begin the School Year Strong

Hey everyone! Hope you're enjoying these last days of summer and preparing mentally to head back to school. If you're wondering about cool opportunities to dive into or if you're having trouble finding extracurricular activities for the upcoming school year, I've got your back. Today, I'm gonna tell you about different programs, fellowships, and other stuff you can apply for in September to stay active outside of school hours.

Now, you might be wondering why you should even listen to me. Well, let's just say I've done my homework – a ton of research – and I think my info could be a game-changer for loads of students like you who are on the hunt for such chances. Oh, and by the way, I'm totally into science and tech, so many of these opportunities revolve around those areas. 😉

#1 Non-trivial Fellowship

Application Deadline: Sunday, October 8, 2023, 10pm GMT

Eligibility: Aged 14–20, haven't started university, located anywhere in the world

Well, I might be biased because I am currently part of this program, but if you are a very busy student who still wants to apply for a program where you can work on an impactful project in virtually any area of your interest, learn more about how to make an impact on the world, or simply meet a bunch of cool people, then Non-trivial is the program for you.

The program itself is fully remote, allowing you to work on it from anywhere in the world. Interestingly enough, I worked on my Non-trivial project while I was camping in the woods. The main aim of the program is to help you build a project that tackles some of the world's most pressing issues, but honestly, there are hardly any limits to what you can explore: from building a community, shaping policies, diving into academic research, to trying your hand at entrepreneurship—you name it!

The fellowship is absolutely free, and all fellows will receive $500 in funding. The entire program lasts for 8 weeks, and at the end of each cohort, the most impactful projects receive up to $30,000 in additional funding.

So, if that sounds interesting to you, you definitely should apply.

#2 Roote Fellowship

Application Deadline: The website says that that RF7 will begin fall 2023, so I recommend you apply as soon as possible

Now, I have not participated in Roote myself yet, but a friend of mine highly recommended the program. The description of the program says:

“We believe there can be a better Earth by 2030, a good Earth by 2050, and a great Earth by 2100—an Earth we can be proud of.

Roote’s mission is to bring this future into the present.

We hope to provide:

1. Frameworks for a better future

2. Agency to build it.”

This is a 10-week program where you'll get support to work on a project that aims to make the Earth a better place for 5–10 hrs/wk. Also, they offer scholarships, so students pay only $0–3000 for the full program, with an average of $1000. If you ever wanted to start a project like that but never knew where to start, you should definitely consider applying to this program.

#3 School internships at EAC

Application Deadline:

• For internships taking place in the period January–July 2024, applications must be submitted before 23:59 on September 30, 2023.

• For internships taking place in the period August–December 2024, applications must be submitted before 23:59 on March 31, 2024.

Eligibility: High-school students who are citizens of one of the ESA member or cooperating states

The last program for today is an internship at the ESA European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany. This is an opportunity for students to find out more about the main areas of responsibility of the teams at EAC and, in addition, work on an individual project under the supervision of an EAC staff member.

School internships at EAC last between one and three weeks and can take place during the schools’ official internship periods or sometimes on a voluntary basis during school holidays.

To apply, just email them with a short motivation letter and your CV, both in English, to [email protected], indicating your desired internship dates. Also include a copy of your latest school report.

The internship is free; however, Non-local students are responsible for making their own accommodation arrangements in Cologne.

I personally am most excited about this program, and I personally encourage everyone who’s interested in space and wants to work in this area in the future to apply!

Here it is for now, but be sure to subscribe to the newsletter so you don't miss my upcoming post. I'll be sharing more opportunities like this. Take care and bye! 😊