ESA astronaut Gerhard Thiele spends the day with AI

advanced degree
n.
A university degree, such as a master's or doctorate, that is higher than a bachelor's.

Indeed - I am also confused by exactly what's meant by advanced.

To me a BSc qualifies as advanced (it certainly felt advanced at the time!) but to others it could suggest MSc or even PhD.

Phoenix, a geology degree may not be of use in Earth orbit, but who says that's where you might be going. They're gonna need geologists on the Moon and Mars.

Indeed a geology degree will be useful somewhere at some time. I should have gone to college and obtained one of those..............but at the time...i didnt know what i wanted to do.

Back in 1991 (I think) all you needed was a science or engineering degree as a minimum. An advanced degree suggests a masters or doctorate qualification but I guess suitable experience would be considered (such as climbing Mount Everest) . It is very hard to know exactly what they are looking for. Someone who might be considered a natural leader and technical expert destined for an executive position somewhere may or may not be the the sort of person they are looking for to spend several months in a tin can in orbit with several other people from different nations. It is a very rare selection process. I guess that the psychological selection process is fairly critical.

Maybe the qualifications are a bit loose since after all they also ask for a pilots licence but I can't see them letting a newbie behind the controls

I'm sure when they ask for an advanced degree OR a pilots licence................they mean a person who has a full pilots licence and also a few years experience of flying.

If you have a licence to fly (small or big aircraft) that's a start. I'm sure full training in flying an orbital craft is provided.

People from the Irish air corps will be fine candidates.