SETI Institute Opens Applications for the 2025 SETI Forward Award

The SETI Institute invites outstanding undergraduate interns to apply for the 2025 SETI Forward Award, open from August 4 through September 7, 2025.

This competitive award supports students conducting cutting-edge research related to astrobiology, the origin of life, or technosignature detection—the scientific search for evidence of advanced extraterrestrial civilizations.

Undergraduate student interns who participated in SETI or astrobiology-related research between September 1, 2024, and August 31, 2025, are eligible to apply.

Undergraduate research eligible for the SETI Forward Award may involve a variety of fields connected to the scientific search for life beyond Earth. This includes work in astrobiology—such as identifying biosignatures, studying planetary environments that could support life, or exploring the chemical processes that may lead to life's emergence.

• Technosignature research, such as radio and optical signal searches, or the development of data analysis methods for SETI investigations
• Origins of life research and other interdisciplinary studies that contribute to our understanding of how life may arise or be detected beyond Earth

Since its launch in 2019, the SETI Forward Award has highlighted outstanding undergraduate contributions to research in astrobiology and technosignature science. The award aims to support promising early-career researchers and strengthen pathways from academic internships to future work in SETI and related fields.

• Supports the next generation of scientists
• The SETI Forward Award supports undergraduate interns considering their future career goals.
• By their exceptional work in astrobiology and SETI, the award encourages ongoing involvement in the field and helps foster connections between students and active researchers.

Recipients receive a $1,500 award, which can be used:

• to offset expenses such as travel to scientific conferences or research institutions for collaboration and presentation of their work.
• Scholarship support for students at institutions actively engaged in SETI-related research.

The SETI Institute presents the award in partnership with the UC Berkeley SETI Research Center and other organizations committed to advancing the search for life beyond Earth. We encourage research institutions, faculty mentors, and SETI program coordinators to share this opportunity with eligible undergraduate interns.

If your institution supports student research in astrobiology or the search for technosignatures, we encourage your students to apply.

Key Dates and Application Info

• Application period: August 4 – September 7, 2025
• Eligible research period: September 1, 2024 – August 31, 2025
• Award amount: $1,500 per recipient

Learn more and apply here  Explore past SETI Forward recipients

SETI Forward reflects the SETI Institute's goal of nurturing future generations of scientists and advancing humanity's quest to understand life in the universe.