International Space Weather Camp (ISWC)

The International Space Weather Camp (ISWC) is an opportunity to learn about space physics in the context of meeting a very practical need — to understand the influence of the Sun on the space and upper atmosphere of the Earth and its related impact on the technological systems and needs of modern society. This is a new, exciting, and emerging discipline called Space Weather, which has attracted the attention of the White House and senior leaders in government because of the importance of ensuring that our technology investments are properly protected against severe Space Weather. Sixteen students from Alabama and Germany participate in a multiple-week series of lectures, hands-on projects, experiments, and excursions as they learn both the theoretical underpinnings and practical applications of Space Weather and solar and space physics.

The International Space Weather Camp is now a partnership between FTPP (UAH), and the DLR (University of Rostock). Because of the considerable historical ties between Huntsville and the state of Mecklenburg Vorpommern (Germany) in the development of rockets, missiles, and eventually manned space flight, the International Space Weather Camp was created to forge ties and develop communication between these two regions that have had such an impact on the 20th century.

The two primary initiators of the International Space Weather Camp were the Director of CSPAR, Gary Zank, and the former Vice President of Research, John Horack, together with their colleagues at the DLR in Neustrelitz, Wolfgang Mett, Holger Wandsleb, and Wolfgang Schareck (Rektor of the University of Rostock).

Since its launch in 2011, the ISWC has reoccurred annually.

The International Space Weather Camp (selected topics course SPA489 and SPA689) covers various aspects related to Space Weather, comprising cosmic ray particle transport theory, plasma physics, solar physics, heliospheric physics, computer simulations for modeling and understanding local Space Weather, and the impact on Earth’s atmosphere, satellites, and space vehicles.

ISWC 2026 UAH Camp Lead

Dr. Masaru Nakanotani

mn0052@uah.edu

This camp consists of three parts:

Late June (TBD), 2026 ─ Virtual mandatory pre-camp session
July 6^th to July 17^th, 2026 ─ Camp dates at the University of Alabama in Huntsville campus, United States
July 20^th to July 31^st, 2026 ─ Camp dates at the German Aerospace Center (DLR), Neustrelitz, Germany

If your application is successful, eligible expenses, including airfare, mileage, lodging (in Northern Germany at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and at The University of Alabama in Huntsville, USA), and tuition for the ISWC course will be covered.

A mandatory online meeting will be scheduled (~1-2 weeks before the camp) to discuss departing protocol and address any questions.

NOTE: You cannot take another summer class or work during camp dates. Weekend activities are also planned and are mandatory to attend. Please refer to the Key Dates below for detailed information, including travel.

Applicant Eligibility

Applicants must be a rising junior or senior undergraduate student or a graduate student enrolled full-time in a higher education institution in the southeastern U.S (in a state that is part of NSF EPSCoR), which includes Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, West Virginia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.
Applicants must be pursuing a degree in a science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) field.
Applicants graduating before the internship are not eligible to apply unless they have accepted an offer to become graduate students at an FTPP institution. Freshmen applicants are ineligible.
Applicants must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.
Applicants must be 19 years of age by the start date of the appointment.
Interns must have personal health insurance coverage during the internship.
Applicants must hold a valid passport and may need to obtain a German visa by the start of the camp in order to travel to Germany. U.S. citizens do not require a VISA to travel to Germany for 90 days or less.

Participant Benefits

Successful applicants will be fully funded to participate in the ISWC 2026. Funding will include flights, accommodation (on-campus housing at the University of Alabama in Huntsville and in Neustrelitz, Germany), ground transportation, and most meals.
The camp includes funded weekend excursions in both the U.S. and Germany.
Class course credit for participating and completing the camp (SPA489 or SPA689) through the University of Alabama in Huntsville.
A stipend of $845 for meals and uncovered expenses in the U.S. and Germany.

Intern Responsibilities

Students must apply online and be accepted into the ISWC program. Upon acceptance, additional instructions for applying to The University of Alabama in Huntsville and course (SPA489 or SPA689) will be sent to you via email prior to registering for this course.
- If participants fail to complete the required steps for the application process by the communicated deadline (such as obtaining the necessary VISA, registering for UAH and the course, registering for stipend payment, and applying for study abroad), their selection will be considered invalid.
Students are responsible for arriving in Huntsville, AL, on July 5, 2026. Accommodations will be provided on the night of July 5, 2026. All travel expenses incurred before the official start and after the end of the camp are the student’s financial responsibility.
Interns must participate full-time during the course of the camp.
- Interns must present the results of the summer project to the host institution.
- Interns must complete a feedback form to help assess the effectiveness of the program.
- Interns must attend all activities and meetings.
- Interns must complete a short essay, to be completed at the end of the camp (prompt and directions are provided).

Key Dates

November, 2025
- ISWC starts accepting applications.
February 23, 2026
- Application deadline: Last day for students to submit applications, supporting materials, and reference letters.
Mid/End March 2026
- ISWC makes offers to selected students.
Late June TBD, 2026
- Mandatory Pre-Meeting Virtual Session.
July 5, 2026
- Students arrival to Huntsville, Alabama (Hotel Check-In)
July 6 – July 17, 2026
- Camp in the U.S. / at The University of Alabama in Huntsville, Alabama.
July 18, 2026
- Flight to Berlin, Germany.
July 20 – July 31, 2026
- Camp in the GER / at DLR in Neustrelitz, Germany.
August 2, 2026
- Return to Huntsville, Alabama, U.S. / End of the Camp.

Application

To start the application process:
Please click on Register/Login if you’ve never made an account on FTPP. You will be redirected to the registration/login page. You will need to create an account in order to complete the application. To do so, follow the on-screen instructions and register for an account.
If you’re a returning user and you have already logged in, you may click on Apply to be redirected to your student dashboard.
Once you’re redirected to the student dashboard, this will display all the projects and your submission status. By selecting a project, you can commence or revise your submission.
You have the option to save a draft of your application’s progress and submit it at a later time. To do this, simply click on “save draft”.
If you already have an FTPP account, you can access your student dashboard by visiting the “PORTAL” section in the navigation menu.

International Space Weather Camp (ISWC)

Applications closed

FAQ

Yes. If you are not logged in, you will need to click on “Register / Login”. On the next page, click on “Register”. Please create an account by filling out the needed information and clicking on “Sign Up”. Once you are logged in, you can fill out an application for any of the internships. You can also check your status of completed applications by visiting the student portal from the navigation bar.

Graduating undergraduates are not eligible unless they are fully enrolled in a Master’s program the following semester.

Yes, foreign students attending schools in southeastern NSF EPSCoR states (see above) can attend. However, students are required to ensure their passports and VISA will allow them for international travel to Germany and back to the United States. It is the student’s responsibility to obtain a VISA to Germany if necessary. Please check this website for more information.

The course credit is fully recognized at The University of Alabama in Huntsville. However, it is your responsibility to check if your institution will accept the course for credit.

Yes. Students must obtain their own passport and VISA prior to travel. American Citizens do not require a VISA to travel to Germany for less than 90 days, however, please monitor this website closely for any changes.

Please visit the CDC website for required and recommended vaccines.

Yes, you may bring your car. A parking pass for our building, Cramer Hall at The University of Alabama in Huntsville, will be provided to students who indicate that they plan to bring one.

Students submit an online application that includes unofficial transcripts in PDF format from their current college, two reference letters, a short essay, and a resume. Accepted students will be notified by March of 2026.

Students will be notified of their selection by email from the following address: nsfepscor@uah.edu. If you are selected, please keep checking your email regularly as additional required forms will be emailed to you from this address.