StudyDesk Scholarships
About the fellowship
The GEM Fellowship, run by the National GEM Consortium, is a graduate fellowship for Master’s and PhD study in engineering, computer science and applied science in the United States. It is designed to increase the number of under-represented minority students — American Indian / Native, African American / Black, and Hispanic / Latino students — who earn advanced STEM degrees, and it does that by combining graduate funding with paid industry experience: full tuition and fees, a stipend, and paid summer internships with a GEM Employer Member.
The money is real, but the structure is what makes GEM different from an ordinary scholarship. You are not just funded; you are contractually committed to intern with a GEM employer — two summers for Master’s fellows, the summer immediately after sponsorship for PhD fellows — and refusing an internship offer can cancel the fellowship. You also apply twice: once to GEM through its eGEM portal, and separately to at least three GEM Member Universities for admission. And the eligibility line is absolute: US citizens and US permanent residents only. If you do not hold that status, GEM is not available to you, however strong your record is.
Eligibility
- Be a US citizen or US permanent resident at the time of application.
- Be a member of an under-represented group in science and engineering: American Indian / Native, African American / Black, or Hispanic / Latino.
- For a Master’s: be a senior, or a graduate of an accredited engineering or computer science programme, with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.8/4.0.
- For a PhD: be a senior, Master’s student, or graduate of an accredited engineering or applied science programme, with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0/4.0.
- Contractually agree to intern with a sponsoring GEM Employer — two summers for Master’s fellows, the summer immediately after sponsorship for PhD fellows.
- Apply to at least 3 GEM Member Universities for admission to a STEM graduate programme.
- The GRE is strongly encouraged (GEM does not require it, but individual graduate programmes may).
- GEM does not fund online programmes.
Benefits
- Full tuition and fees provided by a GEM Member University.
- Master’s fellows: a $4,000 living stipend per full-time semester for up to 4 semesters ($16,000 in total), plus up to two paid summer internships.
- PhD fellows: a $16,000 stipend in the first academic year, a living stipend from the member university up to the 5th year of the PhD, and at least one paid summer internship.
- Associate Fellows: full tuition and fees plus at least $8,000 a year from the member university.
- Paid summer internships with GEM Employer Members, plus access to the GEM alumni and industry network and weekly GEM Fellowship meetings.
- Note that the minimum GEM stipend is $8,000 a year, and the exact stipend depends on the fellowship type.
Documents to prepare
- A current resume.
- Unofficial college transcripts.
- A statement of purpose of at least one page.
- Contact information for three recommenders — at least two recommendations must be submitted through the application system by the deadline.
- GRE test dates and/or scores if taken (self-reported; the official score report is not required by the deadline).
- Personal, educational, employment and research information for the eGEM questionnaire.
How to apply
- Register on the eGEM portal at gemfellowship.org and begin the application.
- Complete the application: resume, unofficial transcripts, statement of purpose, three recommenders, GRE information.
- Submit the GEM application by 13 November 2026, 11:59 pm Eastern Time.
- Apply directly to at least 3 GEM Member Universities for admission to a STEM graduate programme, by 15 January 2027 or the department’s own deadline, whichever is earlier.
- Take part in employer interviews and sponsorship selections (December 2026 – June 2027) and confirm your university admission and fellowship agreement by March–June 2027.
FAQs
13 November 2026, 11:59 pm Eastern Time — the second Friday in November each year. The cycle opened 1 July 2026 and the early-consideration period ended 1 October 2026.
No. Only US citizens and US permanent residents are eligible. International students who do not hold either status cannot apply.
Full tuition and fees plus a stipend and paid internships. Master’s fellows get $4,000 a semester (up to $16,000 in total); PhD fellows get $16,000 in the first academic year plus a university living stipend through the 5th year; Associate Fellows get at least $8,000 a year. The minimum GEM stipend is $8,000 a year.
Yes, contractually. Master’s fellows agree to intern for two summers with a sponsoring GEM Employer; PhD fellows agree to intern the summer immediately after sponsorship. Failure to accept a GEM summer internship offer can result in cancellation of the fellowship.
At least three GEM Member Universities, directly to the relevant STEM department, by 15 January 2027 or the department’s own deadline, whichever is earlier. The requirement is waived only if you are already matriculating at a GEM Member University that confirms in writing it will support you as a GEM Fellow.
Not by GEM — but GEM strongly encourages taking it, and individual graduate programmes may require or consider it. Check the policies of every university and department on your list.
Verified 26 Oct 2026: gemfellowship.org/gem-fellowship-program/ and gemfellowship.org/application-process/ (official National GEM Consortium pages, opened and read) — eGEM portal, at least 3 GEM Member Universities required, 15 January 2027 university deadline, GEM does not fund online programmes, GRE questions required in the application; onsa.asu.edu (Arizona State University, official GEM page) — MS fellows $4,000/semester up to 4 semesters, PhD fellows $16,000 first academic year plus university living stipend to 5th year, at least one paid summer internship, full tuition and fees, US citizens / permanent residents only; engr.psu.edu (Penn State Engineering, official) — Associate Fellows full tuition and fees plus at least $8,000 stipend per year; Bright Scholarship, ScholarPositions, ScholarshipsAds, Scholarshub — corroboration, including the 13 November 2026, 11:59 pm ET deadline and the 1 July 2026 opening. CORRECTION: Bright's "$16,000 per year" for Associate Fellows is not corroborated — Penn State says at least $8,000 a year, which is used here. The internship is contractual and refusing an offer can cancel the fellowship. This is not the Erasmus Mundus GEM scholarship (a different, European programme).
