Application Process FAQs
Please check out the main Apply page for other questions you may have. If you have any additional questions about the process please reach out to polysat@calpoly.edu.
Why is there an application process?
We have an application process to ensure all members are up-to-date with the status of each mission and are contributing to its progression. This speeds up the flight mission development process to improve the turnaround time of missions. Also, as the work we do is proprietary (and sometimes ITAR controlled), we must have an accurate list of who has access to this information.
Do I need experience to apply to the Cal Poly CubeSat Lab?
If you are early on in your education, we do not expect you to have any experience. We are looking for passion, enthusiasm, curiosity, and a willingness to learn. If you are excited about space and want to gain experience working on spacecraft, we highly encourage you to apply. If you are later in your education, the expectation for technical knowledge is higher.
After applications close, you will receive an email when we start reviewing applications. Within 2-3 weeks you will receive an email indicating whether you got an interview. If you are interviewed, you will hear back 2-3 weeks later about whether you have been offered a position in our lab.
How does the application process work?
What if I do not get accepted?
We encourage you to gain more experience and apply again! There is no disadvantage to applying multiple times, but we hope that you can gain technical skills and experience in the meantime.
Do I need to change my answers if I reapply?
If you gain new experience and skills since the last time you applied, we encourage you to tell us about these experiences. However, you do not need to change all of your answers.
No, but your experience and passion/classwork should. No matter what discipline team you are on, there are opportunities for all kinds of work on many different interdisciplinary projects. *For our software team, we require that you are a computing major, computer science minor, or are taking computing classes to actively pursue a CSC minor.
Does my major need to match the team I apply to?
Here, more than 80 interdisciplinary students design, build, and operate satellites. We encourage you to come by and visit our lab space in 192-101! Currently, we are working on two active flight missions (satellites).
What kind of work happens at CPCL?
The only requirement to apply to the lab is that you must be a current or admitted student to Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.
What are the eligibility requirements in order to apply?
Our Apply page and our Instagram, @cppolysat, will indicate when each team is accepting applications.