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IUCAA Student Projects

IUCAA offers the opportunity for local students in the Pune area to work on projects of varying durations. Interested students are invited to contact faculty directly. Students outside Pune are encouraged to apply for the summer school programme or the vacation students' programme.

Limited number of students studying in B.Sc. / B.E. / B.Tech. / M.Sc. / M.E. / M.Tech. are admitted in IUCAA to do their projects in Astronomy and Astrophysics or related topics. These students should have thorough basics in Physics and Mathematics. Once they are admitted, they will be supervised and guided by one of the IUCAA faculty members. They may be asked to attend lectures and complete a few assignments. These projects may be for a short period of less than three months or long period of more than three months, but less than one year. The students have to be recommended by their supervisor/head of the department. They have to apply in plain papers, giving their complete curriculum vitae, and a short write up regarding their interest in the project.

For outstation and local candidates, the support (like travel, local hospitality, honorarium, etc.) to be given by IUCAA is to be decided.

At the end of the project, the students have to prepare a report and submit it to the IUCAA supervisor, which will be evaluated, and the outcome will be informed to their respective supervisor / head of the department.

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Introductory Summer School in Astronomy and Astrophysics

 

Please click here to view the list of participants for ISSAA 2025
(Click here to view the summer school schedule)
Click here to apply ISSAA 2025.

 

IUCAA conducts an Introductory Summer School in Astronomy and Astrophysics for students at Indian universities and colleges for five weeks from the middle of May to the middle of June. The school is held in person at IUCAA every alternate year. It is designed to introduce students to the fundamentals of Astronomy and Astrophysics as well as recent developments in the field. No previous knowledge of Astronomy and Astrophysics is necessary, though familiarity with the basic principles of mathematics and physics is required.

The eligibility criteria is as follows:

  • Students in the final year B. Sc. (Physics/Applied Mathematics/Astronomy/Electronics)
  • Students in third year and onwards of B.Tech./B.E. (any branch) / Integrated M.Sc. (Physics/Applied Mathematics/Astronomy/ Electronics)
  • Students pursuing M.Sc. (Physics/Applied Mathematics/Astronomy/Electronics)

Message from the ISSAA 2025 coordinators:

This year the Summer School will be held in-person from the 12th of May to the 13th of June 2025.

Those interested are requested to apply via the online form: click here
  • The last date for applying is March 20, 2025.
  • The last date for referees to submit their recommendations is March 24, 2025.
We have now stopped accepting applications for ISSAA - 2025

The shortlisted applicants will be informed a few weeks before the start of the school by email.

 In case of any administrative query, please send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

In case of any technical query, please send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Vacation Students' Programme

We have now stopped accepting applications for VSP-2026.
The selection list will for VSP-2023 will be published by May 08, 2023.
Please click here to view the list of candidates selected for VSP (2026-27)
>> Candidates whose names appear in the Selection list will receive an email shortly regarding further details.
 
Please click here to view the list of candidates waitlisted for VSP (2026-27)
Please click here to apply for VSP (2026 - 2027)
  • The last date for applying is April 06, 2026.
  • The last date for receipt of referees recommendations is April 08, 2026.
  • Click here for details about the available projects.

The Vacation Students Programme (VSP) is an ongoing programme for which applications are accepted from eligible students in March every year. The selected candidates are informed by email .

Students selected under the VSP spend seven weeks at IUCAA working on specific research projects supervised by IUCAA Academic Members. The programme concludes with seminar presentations based on the projects done by the participants.

Students who are currently pursuing one of the following degree courses are eligible to apply:

  • M.Sc. - First Year (Physics / Applied Mathematics / Astronomy / Electronics / Optics / Scientific Computing)
  • Integrated M.Sc. - 3rd and 4th Year (Physics / Applied Mathematics / Astronomy / Electronics / Optics / Scientific Computing)
  • B.Tech. / B.E. - 3rd and final year (Any branch)
  • Students who have completed the third year and are moving to the fourth year of the Four-year Undergraduate programmes in Basic Sciences

(In other words, you are eligible if you are completing M.Sc. 1st year, Integrated M.Sc. 3rd or 4th year and B.Tech. / B.E. 3rd or 4th year, in the year in which you are applying.)

The participants are paid a stipend of Rs.10,000/- and provided with free lodging on the IUCAA campus during the programme. They are also paid second-class (non-A/C) return railway fare between the place of their residence or education and Pune.

Queries, if any, may be addressed to the Coordinator, Core Academic Programmes at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..