The ASPIRE application period for 2026 will open on January 1, 2026. Please stay tuned for application process updates this December.
How do mentors choose students?
Mentors choose students based on a wide variety of criteria specific to their individual projects. A list of possible mentors and/or projects is not available to students or parents. Mentors do not have access to your GPAs, and we explicitly do not collect transcripts or test scores.
Many mentors report choosing students based on their enthusiasm, curiosity, love of learning, strong critical thinking and communication skills, and interests (among other criteria). As a program, we are more interested in your ability to think, learn, improvise, and create than in traditional academic evaluation. Mentors often look for students with some programming knowledge. Up to 200 students will be placed each summer.
Mentors care deeply about your engagement. The best way to stand out is to be honest about your interests, demonstrate innovative and critical thinking, and to be available during the internship.
Selection Logistics
ASPIRE is extremely competitive. Only about 7% of students are accepted each year.
The STEM Program Management Office approves or denies applications based on eligibility. If your application is eligible and complete, you will receive a notification that you’ve been moved to the selection pool. Making it to the selection pool means you’ve passed our minimum eligibility threshold, not that you’ve been selected. More than 80% of ASPIRE applicants make it to the selection pool.
Once you are in the selection pool, mentors may contact you for an interview at any time during the selection window. Students who participate in other APL STEM programs have increased visibility to our mentors. Only about ~30% of students in the selection pool receive interview requests. An interview indicates serious consideration from a mentor.
If your interview is successful, you will be sent an internship offer. You have three days to accept or reject your offer. If you receive one offer, you should not expect to receive another. In rare cases, multiple mentors may interview you and extend internship offers. If that occurs, you may choose between them.
If your interview does not result in an internship offer, other mentors will still have the opportunity to interview you and review your application.