A master’s search starts with your program type: engineering, research, professional practice, or another field. Check whether each award admits your intended degree and how much graduate study you will have completed by its eligibility date.
Verified options to compare
Checked October 13, 2026.
| Program | Targeted fit | Benefit | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| GEM master’s fellowship | Eligible STEM master’s route at a participating university; employer/university confirmation and internship obligations | Employer Fellow package includes full tuition/fees and at least $16,000 total stipend over the master’s program | Provider’s annual rule is second Friday in November, 11:59 p.m. ET—November 13 in 2026; verify in eGEM |
| Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships | Eligible New Americans in U.S. advanced-degree programs, including master’s study | Up to two years; up to $25,000 annual stipend plus up to $20,000 annual tuition support | October 29, 2026, 2 p.m. ET for 2027 cycle |
| Phi Kappa Phi Fellowship | Qualifying members entering first graduate/professional year; chapter nomination required | Award tiers of $8,500, $15,000, and $35,000 | Portal opens December 15, 2026; local chapter deadline precedes April 15, 2027 national deadline |
These programs are not exclusive to all master’s students. Full individual eligibility remains essential.
GEM: do not confuse a total stipend with an annual stipend
The employer-sponsored master’s package describes a minimum $16,000 across the entire master’s program, not $16,000 each year. Other fellow categories have different benefits and are nominated by universities. Check the actual support agreement before comparing living budgets. General rules require U.S. citizenship or permanent residence, participating universities, and at least one year remaining when awarded; online programs are excluded. GEM program rules
The MS application guidance requires an engineering/computer-science background and at least a 2.8 GPA. It also describes separate university applications and recommendation tasks. A fellowship application does not admit you to graduate school. Application process
Soros: status, age, and program progress matter
Read the provider’s exact New American definition and graduate-progress rules. Combined master’s/PhD pathways have specific treatment; moving into a PhD does not necessarily erase the preceding master’s years. Eligibility
The tuition support is limited by actual tuition and applicable program rules. Do not automatically budget the full two-year maximum for a one-year master’s or assume the same amount pays every fee. Financial support explanation and current application deadline
Phi Kappa Phi: contact the chapter before the national deadline
The current cycle requires qualifying membership, intended full-time enrollment starting between May 1, 2027 and February 1, 2028, and no more than nine completed graduate semester credits at the application deadline. Each chapter selects one nominee. The chapter’s earlier deadline is the operational deadline for applicants, not April 15 alone. Official fellowship page
Suggested message: “Am I eligible for this cycle, when is our chapter deadline, and what submission method should I use for the work sample, transcripts, and recommendations?”
Compare the full degree cost
Illustrative budget: a two-year master’s has $24,000 annual tuition and $18,000 annual living costs. Full tuition support still leaves living costs to plan for. A $16,000 total stipend does not cover two years of $18,000 living expenses. These are fictional figures demonstrating a comparison, not GEM or university cost quotes.
Ask the department about required fees, insurance, summer months, enrollment format, external-award adjustments, and any work duties. Put confirmed support and pending applications in separate columns.
