Scholarship Overview
What Is the NASA Hubble Fellowship Program?
The NASA Hubble Fellowship Program (NHFP) is a prestigious postdoctoral fellowship that fosters excellence and leadership in astrophysics. It supports exceptionally promising and innovative early-career scientists to pursue independent research contributing to NASA Astrophysics through theory, observation, experimentation, or instrument development.
The program preserves the legacy of NASA’s previous separate fellowship programs—the Einstein, Hubble, and Sagan Fellowships—now unified under a single administrative structure while maintaining their distinct scientific identities.
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Three Fellowship Tracks: NASA’s Big Questions
Once selected, fellows are assigned to one of three sub-categories corresponding to NASA’s fundamental “big questions”:
- Einstein Fellows: Focus on “How Does the Universe Work?” — encompassing fundamental physics, cosmology, and high-energy astrophysics
- Hubble Fellows: Address “How Did We Get Here?” — covering galaxy formation, stellar evolution, and the cosmic history of matter
- Sagan Fellows: Explore “Are We Alone?” — dedicated to exoplanet science, astrobiology, and the search for habitable worlds
Program Administration and Host Institutions
The NHFP is administered for NASA by the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in collaboration with:
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- Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
- NASA Exoplanet Science Institute (NExScI) at the California Institute of Technology
- Chandra X-ray Center (CXC) at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory
Fellowships are tenable at U.S. host institutions of the fellow’s choice, subject to institutional caps: a maximum of two new fellows per host institution per year, and only one new fellow if the host accepted two new fellows the previous year.
Important Dates and Deadlines
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Announcement of Opportunity issued | September 8, 2026 |
| Application website opens | September 8, 2026 |
| Applications due | October 28, 2026, 7:00 PM EDT |
| Letters of reference due | November 4, 2026, 7:00 PM EST |
| Award offers made | February 2027 |
| Public announcement of offers | March 2027 |
Fellowship Duration and Terms
The fellowship duration is up to three years: an initial one-year appointment with two annual renewals contingent on satisfactory performance and availability of NASA funds.
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Host institutions must offer NHFP Fellows the opportunity to be employees under the Host Employment Policy. STScI maintains a list of institutions that have confirmed their ability to host fellows under this policy.
Application Requirements
Science Categories and Techniques
Applicants must align their proposed research with NASA Astrophysics priorities. The program welcomes diverse methodological approaches including:
- Theoretical and computational astrophysics
- Obsational astronomy
- Experimental physics
- Instrument development
Required Application Components
While specific document requirements are detailed in the official Announcement of Opportunity, typical components include:
- Research proposal
- Curriculum vitae
- Publication list
- Three letters of reference
- Host institution identification
Resources for Applicants
NHFP provides comprehensive support materials:
- Science Categories and Techniques guidance
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Advice for Applicants
- Visa and Benefits Information
For African and SADC Region Researchers
While the NHFP requires placement at U.S. host institutions, African researchers with strong astrophysics backgrounds can compete successfully. Key considerations include:
- Establishing connections with potential U.S. host institutions early
- Demonstrating alignment between your research and NASA’s strategic priorities
- Understanding visa requirements (J-1 or other research scholar visas)
- Reviewing the visa and benefits information provided by NHFP
The fellowship’s employee status requirement may benefit international scholars by providing institutional sponsorship and benefits typically associated with U.S. employment.
NHFP Symposia and Community
Fellows join an active research community with access to NHFP Symposia featuring recorded talks, programs, and networking opportunities. Past symposium materials are publicly available, offering insight into the fellowship’s intellectual community.
Contact Information
For questions not addressed in program documentation: nhfp@stsci.edu
