NASA Hubble Fellowship Program 2027: Up to Three Years of Salary and Research Support for Astrophysics Postdocs
The NASA Hubble Fellowship Program supports recent astrophysics postdocs with salary, host-institution benefits, and travel and research-cost support for up to three years at a U.S. host institution.
NASA Hubble Fellowship Program 2027: Up to Three Years of Salary and Research Support for Astrophysics Postdocs
The NASA Hubble Fellowship Program (NHFP) is accepting applications for its 2027 class. It is a competitive postdoctoral fellowship for researchers whose independent work contributes to NASA Astrophysics. A successful fellow receives salary support and benefits for up to three years, plus an allowance for travel and other direct research costs. The fellowship is carried out at a qualified host institution in the United States or its territories chosen by the fellow.
The program brings together the scientific areas historically associated with the NASA Einstein, Hubble, and Sagan fellowships. The name assigned to a selected fellow depends on the NASA astrophysics question that best fits the proposed research: how the universe works (Einstein), how we got here (Hubble), or whether we are alone (Sagan). These labels are not separate competitions and do not create separate quotas. The overall 2027 call anticipates up to 24 new fellowships, contingent on NASA funding.
Applications are due Wednesday, October 28, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (23:00 UTC). Reference letters have a later deadline, Wednesday, November 4, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. The time difference in the published notice reflects the United States daylight-saving transition, so applicants should use the exact time shown in the STScI announcement and allow for upload delays.
Key details
| Detail | 2027 NHFP information |
|---|---|
| Opportunity | NASA Hubble Fellowship Program, Class of 2027 |
| Award type | Postdoctoral fellowship administered through a grant to the host institution |
| Number of awards | Up to 24, subject to NASA funding |
| Financial support | Salary or stipend, host-dependent benefits, and support for health insurance, relocation, travel, computing, publications, and other direct research costs |
| Duration | Up to three years; years two and three depend on satisfactory annual reviews and available NASA funding |
| Research setting | An eligible U.S. host institution or institution in a U.S. territory |
| Applicant deadline | October 28, 2026, 7:00 p.m. EDT (23:00 UTC) |
| Reference-letter deadline | November 4, 2026, 7:00 p.m. EST (24:00 UTC) |
| Expected offers | Early February 2027; acceptance is due by February 15, 2027 |
| Fellowship start window | No earlier than August 1, 2027 and no later than January 1, 2028 |
| Official source | STScI 2027 Announcement of Opportunity |
The official notice does not publish a fixed dollar amount for the annual salary. It says the initial salary or stipend is comparable to other prize fellowships and is subject to annual review and adjustment. That is why applicants should not treat an advertised estimate from an old cycle as the 2027 award amount.
What the fellowship supports
NHFP funding is designed to give a recent postdoctoral scientist time and institutional support to pursue a defined independent research program. The proposal must contribute to NASA Astrophysics, but it does not have to be tied to a named NASA mission. The announcement explicitly allows work on the Solar System, the Sun, or Earth when the connection to NASA Astrophysics is made clearly. The program can therefore fit theoretical, observational, or instrumental work across a broad range of astronomy and physics.
The host institution receives the fellowship grant and supplies the administrative home for the appointment. A faculty member or other eligible scientific staff member serves as the scientific contact and principal investigator for the grant. The fellow normally works full time on the approved research and is in residence at the designated host for the fellowship period. Remote work or a later transfer can be considered when there is a compelling justification, but neither should be assumed when planning an application.
The award includes more than salary. STScI lists support for health insurance, relocation costs, travel, computing services, publications, and other direct research expenses. Retirement, family leave, and the precise employment treatment of the fellow depend on the host institution’s rules and on whether the host treats the appointment as employment or as a stipend. Investigating those policies before selecting hosts is a practical part of the application, not an administrative detail to leave until an offer arrives.
Who is eligible
The 2027 call is open to English-speaking applicants of any nationality. Applicants must have earned a PhD or equivalent doctoral-level research degree in astronomy, physics, or a related discipline on or after January 1, 2023. Someone still completing the degree can apply if all requirements will be completed before September 2027 and evidence of completion can be provided before the fellowship begins. A degree date alone is not enough; the proposed work must also be a credible independent program in the scope of NASA Astrophysics.
Former and current NHFP Fellows cannot apply again. The fellowship is intended for a new postdoctoral appointment rather than a permanent staff role. The program uses a broad equal-consideration statement covering nationality and other protected characteristics, but the practical requirements remain important: the fellow must be able to work in English, obtain any required visa, and work at an eligible U.S. host institution.
The host choice is constrained by an annual cap. No more than two new fellows can be approved for one institution in a given year, and an institution that receives two new fellows in one year can accept only one the following year. The 2027 announcement identifies several institutions that can accept only one new fellow because they hosted two new fellows starting in 2026. A thoughtful host list should therefore include realistic alternatives rather than relying on one oversubscribed department.
How to choose and approach a host institution
Applicants may list up to three host institutions in order of preference. The first and second choices require short justifications of no more than 250 words each in the online form. Those justifications are not part of the research overview. The program wants the proposal to be scientifically compatible with the host, and the host must be able to provide the facilities and faculty contact required for the work.
Start by matching the actual methods, data, instruments, or theory in the proposal to named groups at each institution. A generic statement that a university is prestigious will not explain why the work belongs there. Instead, identify the faculty contact, relevant facilities or archives, and the scientific conversation the fellow would join. Ask the proposed contact whether the institution is on the compliant host list and whether the department can support an NHFP appointment under its current employment policies.
Host availability is not a guarantee of selection. The selection committee ranks candidates first, and host matching then tries to place successful applicants at their preferred institutions within the caps. A clear, honest host rationale protects the application if a preferred site becomes full and gives reviewers evidence that the project is feasible in the setting described.
Application materials and format
The application is submitted through the NHFP online application form. The applicant uploads a completed form, a curriculum vitae, a publication list, and one research overview. The overview is limited to eight pages including tables and figures; references at the end do not count toward that limit. Files must be PDFs, use at least 12-point type and single spacing, fit an 8.5-by-11-inch page with one-inch margins, and remain below 2 MB each.
The research overview has two required parts: a summary of previous and current research, and a research proposal. The first section should show what questions the applicant has worked on, which technical skills they have built, and how the record supports the next step. The second should set out a specific program, its motivation, technical approach, expected results, and relevance to NASA Astrophysics. The application form also asks applicants to select science categories and techniques so that the proposal can be matched to appropriate reviewers.
Three referees must submit letters describing the applicant’s scientific abilities. Each letter should be no more than three pages, including the salutation and signature. Referees upload their letters as PDFs through a separate form by November 4; they do not receive an automated link, so the applicant must give them the correct submission route and confirm receipt. Reprints, preprints, a cover letter, and extra cover sheets should not be attached because the notice specifically excludes them.
The form asks applicants to describe any use of artificial intelligence in preparing application materials. STScI says that this response is collected for NASA awareness and is not used in review or ranking. Answering it accurately is part of completing the 2027 form.
Timeline from submission to appointment
The applicant materials are due on October 28, 2026, at 23:00 UTC. Reference letters follow one week later. The selection committee reviews applications between November 2026 and January 2027, using both subject-matter experts and astrophysicists from other areas. The committee recommends a ranked list to the STScI director. Offers are expected by early February 2027, and an offered applicant must accept or decline by February 15.
The fellowship can start between August 1, 2027, and January 1, 2028. That window gives a candidate time to finish a current appointment, complete the doctorate, arrange immigration documents if needed, and finalize the host institution’s endorsement. A non-U.S. national who accepts an award must have a valid Exchange Visitor or Immigrant Visa for the fellowship period; Exchange Visitor sponsorship is handled through the host institution.
Renewal is not automatic. The first year is funded initially, while the second and third years depend on satisfactory annual performance reviews and NASA funding availability. A candidate should plan a project that can show meaningful progress each year and discuss realistic milestones with the proposed host.
How reviewers assess an application
The proposed scientific research is the most important element. Reviewers look for a persuasive program that advances astrophysics, has lasting potential, and can be carried out with the available methods and facilities. A long list of aims is less useful than a small number of linked questions with a clear reason they matter and a credible way to answer them.
Preparation and past research are assessed through education, experience, technical ability, productivity, and scientific impact. The rubric tells reviewers to separate preparation from institutional pedigree and to account for career length and available opportunities. Applicants should make the connection explicit: point to the result, dataset, instrument, code, or collaboration that demonstrates readiness for the proposed work.
Leadership potential is also part of the review. It may appear through scientific leadership, mentoring, conference organization, outreach, community service, or resilience in the face of adversity. These activities should be described only when they are real and relevant, but they can help a reviewer see the applicant as a future contributor to the wider astronomical community rather than only as a collection of papers.
Because applications are read outside the exact subfield, define specialist terms and state the central question early. Explain why the result would matter to NASA Astrophysics broadly, not only to a small group working on the same object or technique. The strongest proposals make the science understandable without flattening its technical substance.
Preparation strategy and common mistakes
Work backward from the deadline. Draft the research overview first, then test its page count after figures and references are placed. Ask a specialist to challenge the technical plan and a researcher from another subfield to read for clarity. At the same time, contact potential hosts and verify the institution’s eligibility, faculty contact, facilities, and capacity under the 2027 cap.
Give referees several weeks to write and upload their letters. Send each person a short packet with the proposal summary, CV, publication list, deadline in both local time and UTC, and the separate letter-upload instructions. Do not assume that a letter is complete until the applicant receives the submission confirmation.
Frequent avoidable errors include exceeding eight pages, shrinking the font to fit another aim, attaching prohibited reprints, leaving the NASA relevance implicit, and choosing hosts without checking their compliance or quota. Another mistake is treating the fellowship as a general salary award. NHFP funds a particular independent research program, so the proposal and host rationale must agree about what the fellow will do and where.
Do not promise a fixed salary, guaranteed three-year funding, or a particular health plan in your own materials. The official notice leaves the salary subject to NHFP review and the later years subject to funding and performance. Describe the support accurately and ask the host about the benefits that depend on local policy.
Frequently asked questions
Is this only for researchers working directly with the Hubble Space Telescope?
No. The program covers the breadth of NASA Astrophysics and includes theoretical, observational, and instrumental research. The Einstein, Hubble, and Sagan names identify the scientific question associated with the selected work; they do not require use of the Hubble telescope.
Can a doctoral candidate apply before the degree is awarded?
Yes, if all doctoral requirements will be completed before September 2027. The candidate must provide evidence of completion before starting the fellowship.
Does the applicant submit a budget?
No. STScI says a budget is not submitted with the fellowship application. Detailed budget instructions go to successful applicants and their host institutions after an offer is accepted.
May a fellow hold another paid appointment?
The NHFP notice says no additional stipend, salary, or similar remuneration may be accepted from another appointment, fellowship, or grant during the fellowship. Other research grants may be possible when they do not include salary support and the host’s rules allow them.
When should the fellowship begin?
The permitted start window is August 1, 2027 through January 1, 2028. Offers are expected in early February 2027, with decisions due by February 15.
Who should answer application questions?
Questions about procedures and supporting documents can be sent to [email protected]. The STScI announcement, its FAQ, and the online form are the controlling sources for the 2027 cycle.
Official links and next steps
Read the STScI Announcement of Opportunity before drafting. Then open the NHFP application form, review the NASA Astrophysics context, and use the announcement’s links for host-institution policies, the selection rubric, and advice for applicants. Confirm the current status and exact deadline on the official pages immediately before submitting.
The practical next step is to write a one-page project outline, identify three plausible U.S. hosts, and email potential faculty contacts. Once the science question, host fit, and referee list are settled, build the eight-page overview and leave time to test every PDF upload. The opportunity is genuinely open now, but the application is competitive and the program’s caps make early host planning valuable.