University students may now apply for the fifth edition of the Space Weather Training Course, to be held from 8 to 12 March 2027 at ESA Academy’s Training and Learning Facility at ESA ESEC-Galaxia, Belgium. This training course has been developed by ESA’s Education and Space Weather offices.
The experience
Did you know that weather isn’t just an Earthly phenomenon?
The near-Earth space environment is influenced by solar and interplanetary activity, which can trigger phenomena such as geomagnetic storms that significantly affect spacecraft trajectories, satellite electronics, communications, GNSS signals, and astronaut safety. Space weather can disrupt the technology we have become so dependent upon on Earth.
That is where space weather research and services come in. They play a vital role in protecting our technology and astronauts by forecasting how space conditions affect both technological and biological systems.
The field of space weather encompasses both the dynamic state of the space environment and its interaction with technologies as diverse as spacecraft hardware in orbit to power distribution networks on the ground
Space weather services aim to translate knowledge of space weather phenomena and their potential impacts into actionable information for system operators in the affected sectors.
ESA’s Space Safety Programme Office aims to detect, predict and assess threats from space and their potential risk to life, property, and infrastructure
ESA’s Space Weather Office is addressing those risks associated with our Sun’s activity, developing the capability to provide owners and operators of critical spaceborne and ground-based infrastructure with timely and accurate information that will enable mitigation of the adverse impacts of space weather.
Objectives
ESA seeks to offer students a comprehensive introduction to the space weather domain, addressing it from scientific, technical, and operational perspectives.
The programme will encompass core principles, monitoring and forecasting techniques, modelling approaches, assessments of technological impacts, and prospects for future developments in the field.
The course will include lectures, hands-on practical work and tours of key facilities providing an essential part of the current European space weather landscape: ESA’s Space Weather Coordination Centre and the Solar-Terrestrial Centre of Excellence at the Space Pole in Brussels, along with ESA’s Proba-2 and Proba-3 Operations Centre at ESEC-Redu.
Target audience
This training course is open to Master’s (i.e., MSc or equivalent), and PhD students studying engineering, science or business administration/communication with a science or engineering background.
Evaluation
At the end of the training session, students will be assessed based on their team project and will receive a certificate of participation along with a course transcript. These documents may be used to request ECTS credit(s) from their respective universities.
Week schedule
| Day 1 | Welcome and introduction Space weather introduction: from physics to impacts Space weather physics fundamentals I: the Sun and heliosphere Space weather physics fundamentals II: the geospace environment From physics to forecasting |
| Day 2 | Space weather modelling Space weather modelling tutorial Space weather impact on space surveillance and tracking Data resources for space weather monitoring and forecasting Space weather impact on spacecraft operations Space environment impacts on space-based systems |
| Day 3 | Space weather impact on navigation and communication systems Space weather impact on ground-based systems Visit the solar-terrestrial centre of excellence and ESA’s Space Weather Coordination Centre |
| Day 4 | Space weather impact on aviation Space weather and society: the road to operational service provision in Europe Group project session |
| Day 5 | Visit of ESA ESEC-Redu Group project presentations Wrap-up and conclusion |
Who can apply?
Eligibility criteria
To participate, students must fulfil the following eligibility criteria:
- be at least 18 years old. ESA Academy and relevant partners will only appraise applications from students who have no or limited professional experience in relevant engineering or space-related topics;
- be a national of an ESA Member State, Canada* or an Associate Member; and
- be enrolled as a Master’s (MSc or equivalent), or PhD student at a university for the 2026/27 academic year, with a background in engineering or science, or in business administration/communication combined with a science or engineering background.
Sponsorship and attendance
Sponsorship
Selected students will be expected to attend the entire five-day workshop at ESEC. They will be sponsored by ESA to cover accommodation and meals, as well as up to €350 for travelling to Belgium.
Canadian students
* 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 must be submitted at least seven weeks before the event start date – create an account as soon as possible!). This additional support is to cover costs that are not already covered by ESA for selected Canadian post-secondary students.
Diversity and inclusion statement
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 training location. In case of any questions or specific needs, please reach out to academy.training@esa.int for 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 images);
- Upload a CV (Europass format, PDF, maximum 2 pages);
- Upload a formal recommendation letter (PDF, maximum 1 page, including signature, no images) from a university professor or academic supervisor of the current university (if it is not possible to receive the recommendation letter from your referee, please ask them to send a recommendation email to academy.training@esa.int before the application deadline);
- Upload a Transcript of Grades from the two previous semesters, or from the previous graded academic year if not available (PDF). May be submitted in the university’s language if an English version is unavailable.
All answers and documents must be in English, except the Transcript of Grades.
Important dates
| Application deadline | 27 December 2026, 23:55 CET |
| Selection announcement | 11 January 2027 |
| Course dates | 8–12 March 2027 |
Before you apply
Accommodation
- Participants will stay at Mercure hotel in Han-sur-Lesse.
- The hotel will be provided and paid for by ESA.
- Students will be assigned shared rooms with participants of the same gender.
Arrival and departure
- Arrival: Students are expected to arrive at Rochefort-Jemelle train station on Sunday, 7 March 2027.
- Departure: Either Friday, 12 March 2027 after 19:30 CET (from Rochefort-Jemelle train station), or Saturday, 13 March 2027 before 11:00 CET
- Important: Selected students are required to attend the entire workshop from start to finish.
Transportation during the workshop
- A bus service will be provided and paid for participants by ESA:
- Morning: Hotel → ESA ESEC-Galaxia
- Evening: ESA ESEC-Galaxia → Hotel
Contact and further information
For more information, please contact academy.training@esa.int.
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