Funding Your PhD

All School of Engineering students who are in good standing relative to their PhD program requirements should be funded to the department’s standard. Often, our PhD students apply for and may receive individual fellowships that can reduce the department’s or advisor’s cost of funding.

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.

Doctoral (Ph.D) Admits
Stanford Engineering commits to full funding for all PhDs. Departments will decide how to utilize GEM’s maximum contribution (up to $20,000 total) in funding allocations.

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

DARE Fellowship

The Diversifying Academia, Recruiting Excellence (DARE) Fellowship objectives are to prepare the student for a successful faculty career and to support their commitment to using diversity as a resource to enrich the education of others. Learn More

Stanford Interdisciplinary Graduate Fellowship (SIGF)

SIGF supports incoming and current doctoral students, nominated by their departments. Learn More

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Teaching & Course Assistantships

Fund your PhD and help students – from grade school to undergraduate – expand their knowledge in STEM.

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