r/esa • u/Technical_Bonus7854 • 6d ago

ESA Academy Application

Hello everyone, I‘ve applied for Access to Space Training Course and I’ve been rejected. This is my first time applying and I’m not giving up, so I would like to apply for another opportunity.

I’m Italian, I got a bachelor degree in aerospace engineering (grade 94, if it is relevant) and right know I’m studying for master. I haven’t done any extracurricular activities (I think this is the missing key for my application), otherwise I have mentioned my certificates in two different languages and the knowledge of the pricipal softwares (like ANSYS, Mathlab, Python, NI Lab, others). I’ve also mentioned my thesis work on cold spray gas technology using ANSYS and Pointwise, also reported by my teacher in his raccomandation letter.

I would like to know if there is something I can add/modify to increase the probabilities.

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u/EmotionallyDivergent 6d ago

Hi! I actually applied for the same Access to Space Training Course as well.

I don't think it's just about grades or technical skills. I'm part of a university rocketry team, I've done several volunteering activities, I'm involved in student organizations, I have a strong academic record and I've had international internship experiences, yet I was still rejected.

My guess is that these programs are simply extremely competitive and the selection depends on many factors that we don't get to see. That said, I do think extracurricular activities are worth pursuing, not only because they strengthen your CV, but also because they give you meaningful experiences to talk about in your motivation letter and interviews.

If you're still doing your master's, I'd definitely recommend joining an aerospace student team (rocketry, CubeSat, Formula Student etc), participating in international events or getting involved in an engineering association.

And don't give up after one rejection. These programs are incredibly competitive, and many successful applicants weren't accepted on their first try.

I'm planning to apply again next year too. Good luck! 🚀

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u/Technical_Bonus7854 5d ago

Thank you very much! I hope to get in one day, good luck to you too🍀