For NASA’s 2026 astronaut-candidate opening, master’s-level nursing degrees meet the minimum education requirement, according to NASA spokesperson Anna Schneider, as reported by NPR. That means a nursing master’s can satisfy the education minimum, but applicants must also meet the vacancy’s citizenship and discipline-specific requirements. The official USAJOBS vacancy is open to U.S. citizens.
What the nursing-degree clarification covers
The NASA statement concerns the education requirement: master’s-level nursing degrees now count within the agency’s STEM definition. It does not remove the other requirements for astronaut candidates. Applicants must choose a discipline and provide all STEM-related transcripts.
The vacancy also lists a separate Medical Degree pathway that names MD, DO, PA, DNP and FNP degrees, among related medical degrees. For applicants choosing the Medical discipline, at least three years of professional experience in a medical field after completing the degree is required. Residency time may count if the residency is completed by July 2027.
A nursing degree earned outside the United States can be considered with the required education-equivalency documentation and translated STEM transcripts. The U.S.-citizenship requirement still applies.
Check the experience rules for the discipline you plan to select: meeting the education minimum is only one part of the application.
Pilot applicants follow flight-hour thresholds
The vacancy’s general rule calls for three years of progressively responsible professional experience after the qualifying degree, but Pilot-discipline applicants are exempt from that rule. Instead, they must meet flight-hour thresholds that vary by aircraft. PIC means pilot in command, the pilot responsible for the flight.
| Aircraft category | Required flight experience |
| High-performance jet | 750 PIC hours |
| Other fixed-wing aircraft | 1,500 total hours, including 750 PIC hours |
| Rotary-wing aircraft | 1,000 total hours, including 300 PIC hours |
Flight experience is not required for the position overall. Someone who does not meet the Pilot thresholds may still qualify through another discipline if they meet that route’s education and experience requirements.
Training makes candidates eligible for assignment
Astronaut-candidate training lasts approximately two years. Candidates who complete it join the active astronaut corps and become eligible for a spaceflight assignment; NASA does not guarantee an assignment or a particular mission.
The application period runs from November 7 through December 3, 2026. Our earlier coverage of NASA’s 2026 astronaut application provides the broader overview of the opening and its deadline.
