Stanford
Engineering

Funding Your Master’s Degree

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Although most departments do not guarantee funding for master’s students, there are a number of programs available to help you fund your degree, from fellowships to teaching assistantships.

In these cases, the guarantee of funding to the student will include the fellowship award and additional support from the department/advisor to reach the department-standard level.

The Equity and Inclusion team has compiled a list of resources below. Please refer to department websites for more information. 

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Fellowships & Other Programs

Stanford Engineering belongs to several national consortia that recruit and finance graduate students underrepresented in the field.

Knight-Hennessy Scholars Program

Each year this program awards up to 100 high-achieving students with full funding to pursue a graduate education at Stanford. Learn More

GEM Fellowship Program

GEM is an award that may bring industry connections, mentorship, and sometimes provides internships. The GEM funding can range from $0 to the maximum one-time $20,000 award for graduate students.

Step 1: Review the information below.
Step 2: Complete this Qualtrics form. The form contains 3 pages and will ask you to upload a copy of your offer of admission and funding letter. 
Step 3: The form information will be sent to your department for verification and consideration. 
Step 4: Once verified by the admitting department, the certifying officer will update the GEM portal.

Master’s Admits (MS)
GEM requires departments to provide more than $60,000 of funding to a student in order for Stanford to be able to verify them as GEM Fellows. Most School of Engineering departments usually are not able to fund MS students at this level. In these instances, we regret that we will not be able to certify as a GEM Fellow. If you happen to receive a funding opportunity at a later time, please contact Samantha Schwartz at skschwartz@stanford.edu

Graduate Fellowships for STEM Diversity (GFSD)

With the most diverse applicant pool of any national STEM fellowship program, GFSD is a partnership between government agencies and laboratories, industry, and higher education. Learn More 

Wade Scholarship Program

The Wade Scholarship Program seeks to mitigate the underrepresentation of people of African descent in STEM. They seek scholars who have been accepted to the School of Engineering and wish to become diverse, multidisciplinary emerging leaders, and guide them to collaborate, innovate, and communicate to address complex challenges facing society. Wade Scholars receive full scholarships to Stanford School of Engineering. Learn More

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Teaching & Course Assistantships

Master's students not offered funding as part of their admission package may seek teaching and research assistantships. 

School of Engineering Teaching and Course Assistantships

This program has the dual goal of providing funding and teaching opportunities to graduate students, while enriching the undergraduate curriculum. Learn More

Additional Calculus for Engineers (ACE)

Earn additional funding by teaching weekly small group sessions for undergraduates needing additional support in introductory courses in math, computational and mathematical engineering, and computer science. Learn More 

STEM K-12 Education Initiatives 

Help young students underrepresented in STEM build confidence in math, science, and engineering, as you earn funding as a teacher, tutor, graduate lecturer, or workshop leader. Learn More

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Other Resources

For fee waivers and further financial aid information, visit the following pages and programs:

Fee Waivers

If you are considering Stanford graduate programs and need assistance with the application fees, consider applying for a fee waiver. Learn More

SEED Funding

The Stanford SEED Funding website aims to simplify the search for seed and other forms of internal university funding that support the critical early stage work of Stanford faculty and students. Learn More 

Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education (VPGE)

The Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education (VPGE) supports graduate students, student groups, and department-based projects through funding and professional development opportunities. Learn More 

Graduate Life Office (GLO)

Stanford’s Graduate Life Office is committed to supporting students’ well-being and offers a broad variety of resources on campus, including financial aid. Learn More