IIA Interns, February 2025
Why be an IIA intern?
Are you curious about the cosmos and passionate about Astronomy and Astrophysics?
The Visiting Students Program (VSP) at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bengaluru, offers an excellent opportunity to gain first-hand research experience in a leading national institute. You can work with IIA scientists on research projects, attend seminars and colloquiums in different fields, and interact with national and international experts visiting the institute.
Who can Apply?
The Visiting Students Program (VSP) is open to students and early-career researchers from Indian universities, colleges, and research institutes interested in astronomy, astrophysics, space science, or related fields. To ensure that research opportunities are well aligned with applicants’ academic backgrounds and goals, candidates are grouped into the following categories:
Category A: Undergraduate / Integrated Master's Students
- Eligibility (academic): Completed at least 1 year of B.Sc / B.S., B.E., B.Tech., Integrated M.Sc. / M.S./ M.Tech, or equivalent
- Purpose: Short-term internship typically during summer/winter breaks.
Category B: Final-Year UG and PG Students for Thesis
- Eligibility (academic): Final year of B.Sc., B.E., B.Tech., M.Sc., M.Tech., or Integrated M.Sc. or equivalent
- Purpose: Final-year project.
Category C: PG Degree Holders
- Eligibility (academic): Completed M.Sc. or M.E., M.Tech, or equivalent.
- Purpose: Short-term research for experience or preparation for higher studies.
Category D: Ph.D. Scholars
- Eligibility: Enrolled in a Ph.D. program at another institution.
- Purpose: Collaborative research with IIA faculty.
Category E: Post-Ph.D. Submission (Awaiting Defense)
- Eligibility: Submitted Ph.D. thesis and awaiting defense at another institution.
- Purpose: Short-term research at IIA before a postdoc or academic roles.
Note: For all categories, the initial offer will be for up to 3 months only. Requests under the VSP for visits shorter than one month will not be considered. The duration may be extended beyond 3 months, depending on the work progress as per the Institute’s norms.
How to Apply:
Step 1: Identify a Mentor
Explore the list of IIA faculty members and identify a researcher whose interests align with yours. Visit their profile pages and read recent publications to understand their work.
Step 2: Contact the Faculty Member
Write a brief, well-composed email to the faculty member expressing your interest in working with them. Attach the following documents in a single PDF file:
- Your updated CV
- A brief write-up of usually one page describing: (i) Why do you wish to intern at IIA and under which categories (Category A-E as described on the webpage) you fit in, (ii) how your research interests align with the faculty member’s work, (iii) whether you require a stipend, (iv) Your preferred internship period.
The faculty member will review the candidate’s application materials, may request additional information if needed, explore available VSP opportunities at IIA, and obtain approval for the candidate from IIA. The candidate will receive an offer letter from the Board of Graduate Studies (BGS) office if selected. The selected candidate will work closely with the faculty member during the internship. Unfortunately, we cannot provide any accommodation for VSP students in the institute's Koramangala campus. However, if the student’s internship is at any one of our field stations, then accommodation will be provided on the respective campus. For all queries related to the VSP, the student should first contact the faculty member.