Young
Australian
Space
Leaders
The Young Australian Space Leader (YASL) Award is a scholarship for the Youth of Australia to attend the International Astronautical Congress, wherever it might be in the world; from South Africa to Mexico to Adelaide.
The 2026 IAC will be in Antalya, Turkey in October 2026. We are working hard to ensure we have the opportunity to send multiple Young Australian Space Leaders on an adventure again. The selected YASL recipients would represent young Australia to the greater global Space Industry through an expenses paid scholarship, including travel, accommodation, and attendance fees.
Young Australian Space Leaders are selected based on their impact on the Australian Space industry – from community outreach to interdisciplinary initiatives and industry engagement, each recipient has demonstrated that they are the future leaders of our Space Industry.
Each category will be assessed by an independent panel, with representatives from relevant industry and/or experience in their private ventures, ranging from space executives to former YASL recipients.
This scholarship will not be possible without the generous donations of individuals and the ongoing support of our industry partners. The AYAA and its scholarship recipients alike are endlessly grateful for the opportunities created.
YASL 2029
??, ??
YASL 2025
Sydney, Australia
Shaghaf Abumustafa
Alexander Unmack
Tekkiya Larkins
Luc Fichera
Amy Pang
Rita (Ritambhara)
Gigi (Eugénie) O’Rourke
YASL 2018
Bremen, Germany
Luke Heffernan
Bao-Thien Nguyen
Rhiannon Hames
Ying Luo
YASL 2014
Toronto, Canada
Tasman Powis
Nikita Sardesai
Jessica Todd
Jessica Orr
YASL 2028
Samarkand, Uzbekistan
YASL 2024
Milan, Italy
Nathanael Vazouras
Alana Liebelt
Alana Liebelt
Thomas Molesworth
James Gray
Pat Underwood
YASL 2017
Adelaide, Australia
Brittany Chambers
Oliver Paxton
Philip Dahm
Steven Apirana
Evelina Onopriyenko (Laird)
Caitlyn Georgeson
Filip Drazovic
Meika Liveris
YASL 2013
Beijing, China
Imogen Rea
John Furness
Jacob Hacker
Eren Gorur
Mandeep Singh
Alexander Bowen-Rotsaert
YASL 2027
Poznań, Poland
YASL 2022
Paris, France
Myrthe Snoeks
Daniel Wikner
James Orman
Alison Lockley
Gavin Choong
Laura Breckon
YASL 2016
Guadalajara, Mexico
Brock Little
Kate Dent
Katherine Cox
Simon Clifford
YASL 2012
Naples, Italy
Abhijeet Kumar
Somalwar Utpreksha
Jack Yeh
YASL 2026
Antalya, Turkey
YASL 2019
Washington DC, USA
Meaghan Munro
Bal Dhital
Daniel Williams
YASL 2015
Jerusalem, Israel
Conor MacDonald
Blake Edwards
YASL 2011
Cape Town, South Africa
Cynthia Chen
Kristian Grayson
Michael Kretzenbacher
Past Young Australian Space Leaders
The AYAA first introduced the YASL program in 2011 (then called the Australian Futures Award).
Past recipients have gone on to do great things across our space ecosystem; have a look at their names below.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
We aspire to open applications between May and July each year.
-
Eligibility for a YASL Award varies per category. Regardless, for all categories, all recipients must be:
a (current) full-time Bachelor’s or (integrated) Master’s student at an accredited University in Australia during IAC, and
be between the age of 18 and 35 (inclusive) during IAC in October
PhD and MPhil candidates are not eligible, nor are students graduating mid this year.
ForAURC eligibility for the award specifically nominated team members must have been in an AURC team during the competition timeline, ie. they must have joined in September of the year prior the very latest. All other eligibility criteria still apply.
-
This scholarship will include flights to and from IAC, accommodation in the host city, and entry to the IAC.
-
Unfortunately we are unable to accept students under the age of 18.
This is not just due to the complexities of international travel, this is also an activity requirement.
There are other scholarships you might be eligible for! Keep up to date with our scholarships by clicking the button higher up the page.
-
The YASL Scholarship will pay for an approved flight from any Australian Capital city to the host city (and back).
Should you be successful in your application, you will be contacted and a meeting will be scheduled to arrange this with you.
-
Applications close in stages, details can be found in the descriptions above or in the “YASL Information Booklet”.
We know the closing date is close (in previous years, YASL applications were only open for 48 hours!). If you think you’re going to have a difficult time getting your application done on time, contact us at scholarships@ayaa.com.au and we can evaluate your situation.
-
Collaborative, honest, and straightforward.
As a national organisation managed by student volunteers and young professionals, there are bound to be potential or perceived conflicts of interest. The AYAA prides itself on its integrity and professionalism, as such we have worked to ensure these scholarships provide an equal opportunity to eligible groups, including current and former volunteers.
More specifically the following mitigations are in place:
All Scholarships are awarded by a panel of diverse industry representatives.
Any interaction with the assessing panel renders an individual applicant ineligible, this applies to AYAA volunteers at all levels, as well as non-AYAA applicants.
AURC nominees must be endorsed by a faculty staff member (not a team executive).
By staying outside of the selection and awarding process our volunteers don’t have to worry about perceived conflicts, and can continue to create opportunities for those around them whilst building their own career.
Should you still have questions that remain unanswered, we strongly encourage you to contact scholarships@ayaa.com.au so that we can adress your concerns accordingly. We have gone to great lengths to ensure that we can ensure as fair and equal access as reasonably possible to the opportunities we provide.
-
Please contact us at scholarships@ayaa.com.au and we will endeavour to get back to you as soon as we can!