The GET track is open to Master of Science students at Columbia Engineering, domestic and international.

Applications for GET 2026 will open in late Fall 2025.

If you have questions about applying to a later cohort, please email [email protected].

GET students must complete both the required 3-credit ENGI E4200 Global Engineering Concepts course and a mandatory ENGI E4201 Global Engineering Fieldwork course. GET students must enroll in the ENGI E4200 course in the spring term before completing the ENGI E4201 fieldwork course in the summer.

Students who are enrolled in the GET specialization can choose to do a summer internship in industry (in the U.S. or globally), a research/academic internship, or an industry project supervised by faculty in partnership with organizations/corporations. 

GET Fieldwork is completed in the summer term following the GET course and must end before the start of the following fall semester.

CPT for GET Fieldwork only covers experiences during the summer term. Students interested in fall internships must qualify separately for elective CPT. Although students may be eligible for elective CPT with the same employer following GET Fieldwork, the scope of work for a fall internship must be different than the work performed during the summer. For questions about elective CPT eligibility and extension into the fall term, please consult your academic department.

Participation in GET does not guarantee summer internship placement. It is the responsibility of each student to seek out these opportunities. It is important to start your search early utilizing the many resources available to you, including: your career placement officer, your academic department, the Columbia Engineering Graduate Career Placement team, and the Professional Development & Leadership team.

Students enrolled in the GET specialization must complete 12 credits towards their M.S. program prior to the start of GET Fieldwork.

All students must also complete the GET Fieldwork Certification form to be sure their fieldwork is approved, prior to their intended start date. The GET Team will begin reviewing fieldwork requests in late March though we recommend students submit their requests as soon as possible. The GET Team requires 7-10 business days to review and process your fieldwork request. For F-1 visa holders, ISSO will require an additional 7-10 business days for processing CPT requests.

Yes. International students enrolled in the GET specialization may be eligible to use CPT for an internship during summer 2026, so long as they complete 12 credits towards their M.S. program prior to the start of the internship.

Students will be required to pay tuition for the ENGI E4200 Global Engineering course (3 credits, tuition-bearing). ENGI E4201 GET Fieldwork is 1 credit, non-tuition-bearing. These 4 credits are in addition to a student's program requirements.

If you are unable to finish the GET requirements (i.e. GET Fieldwork and GET Course), you may drop the specialization prior to March 26, 2026. However, once the deadline to drop has passed, you must complete the GET specialization requirements in order to obtain your MS degree.

The last day to drop the GET specialization is March 26, 2026, for the GET 2026 cohort.

Students admitted into GET 2026 can withdraw from the GET specialization anytime before March 26, 2026, by emailing [email protected]. You may not drop the GET 2026 specialization after this date; late requests to drop will not be accepted.

Assistantships

Teaching and research assistantships, available to doctoral students in all departments, provide tuition exemption and a living stipend. Duties may include teaching, laboratory supervision, participation in faculty research, and other related activities. Teaching and research assistantships require up to twenty hours of work per week. If you are participating in faculty research that fulfills degree requirements, you may apply for a research assistantship. Assistantships are awarded on the basis of academic merit.

Fellowships

Fellowships are financial and intellectual awards for academic merit that provide stipends to be used by fellows to further their research. If you are awarded a fellowship, you are expected to devote time to your own work, and you are not required to render any service to the University or donor. You may publish research produced by your fellowship work. As a fellow, you may not engage in remunerative employment without the consent of the Dean. Applicants should contact the department directly for information.

Institutional Grants

Institutional grants are awarded to graduate students on the basis of academic merit. Recipients must maintain satisfactory academic standing.

The National GEM Consortium

Columbia Engineering is proud to offer fellowships that support our mission to bring an engineering impact on humanity.

CMA CGM Excellence Fund for Education

The CMA CGM Excellence Fund for Education is a merit-based fellowship made possible through the generous support of CMA CGM, a global leader in shipping, logistics, and supply chain solutions. This award supports outstanding master’s students at Columbia Engineering who demonstrate academic excellence, financial need, and a strong interest in applying technology and analytical thinking to complex global challenges. Particular consideration is given to students whose work aligns with areas such as logistics, infrastructure, data-driven decision-making, sustainability, finance, and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, as well as those with connections to or interest in contributing to Lebanon’s economic development. Selected fellows receive a $50,000 award to support their graduate studies. Students may apply for this award after submission of a Columbia Engineering application.

Columbia University CUNY Pathways Fellowship

The Columbia University–CUNY Pathways Fellowship is a partial tuition fellowship awarded to high-achieving recent graduates of the City University of New York (CUNY) admitted to Columbia Engineering’s Master of Science programs. The fellowship provides access to Columbia’s academic, professional, and alumni networks and supports fellows through industry engagement and professional development as they prepare to make impactful contributions to their fields and to New York City and beyond. No separate application is required to be considered for this award.

Dean’s MS Academic Excellence Fellowship

The Dean’s MS Academic Excellence Fellowship is a partial tuition fellowship and is awarded by the academic departments based on merit, to recognize students who will go on to become leading figures in the next generation of engineers and applied scientists. No separate application is required to be considered for this award. 

Graduate Fellowship in Engineering for Change

This Graduate Fellowship in Engineering for Change is a partial tuition fellowship designed to support Master of Science students who have experienced extraordinary challenges during their endeavors in the field of engineering, and who demonstrate financial need. Students may apply for this award after submission of a Columbia Engineering application.

Shardashish Interschool Fellowship

The Shardashish Interschool Fellowship (SIF) is made possible by the generous support of the UNM (Uttambhai Nathalal Mehta) Foundation.  The UNM Foundation is committed to expanding educational opportunities at all levels. Believing that education and health are cornerstones of societal development, particularly in a developing country like India, the UNM Foundation expends significant resources in both these areas. The intention of the Shardashish fellowship at Columbia University is to make available the best of global educational opportunities to bright and committed students who are economically challenged.  Beneficiaries of “Shardashish” (blessings of Mother of Knowledge) must push their existing boundaries to achieve and excel.  The expectation of Shardashish fellows is that they will maximize their learning opportunities and once successful will pay it forward, through enabling others. The SIF provides financial assistance to master’s students with a strong established commitment to India and its future. Applicants must have demonstrated financial need and preference shall be given to students who demonstrate a commitment to India. Funding is for one year, varying in amount depending on the particular program, financial need, and application submissions. The maximum amount is $50,000 for that one year. The award will be applied to tuition and fees. Students may apply for this award after submission of a Columbia Engineering application.

The Behring Foundation Fellowship

The Behring Foundation and Columbia Engineering established the Behring Foundation Brazil Financial Aid Fund with the intent of enabling the education of more students and helping to build a critical mass of committed high-potential individuals to advance the technology and entrepreneurship ecosystem in Brazil. The Behring Foundation Fellowship awards Masters students enrolled at Columbia Engineering up to $40,000 USD towards tuition and fees. No separate application is necessary. 

The National GEM Consortium

The National GEM Consortium is a network of leading corporations, government laboratories, top universities, and top research institutions that enables qualified students to pursue graduate education in applied science and engineering.

Columbia's academic departments have a number of part-time positions that are open to students each semester. Students should contact the academic departments directly to inquire about these positions and apply accordingly. Columbia Engineering's Office of Graduate Career Placement offers students many resources in their search for an on-campus job. Casual on-campus jobs are open to any Columbia student, regardless of financial aid package or citizenship. Examples of on-campus jobs include:

Teaching Assistant (TA)

A Teaching Assistant is an individual who assists a teacher with instructional responsibilities. A TA role is roughly 20 hrs./week with significant responsibilities, including extensive interaction with students. 

Course Assistant (CA)

Course Assistantships are roughly 10-15 hrs./week, including interaction with students. These are generally filled by MS students who have a specific type of experience. 

Lab Assistant (LA)

Lab Assistants help students during undergraduate teaching lab sessions and grading. An RA role is roughly 10 hrs./week and is generally filled by students who have taken the course. 

Grader (GR)

A Grader primarily deals with homework assignments, solutions, and potentially some assistance with assignments. A Grader role is roughly 10 hrs./week.

The Yellow Ribbon Program supplements the base benefits of The Post-9/11 GI Bill® by allowing educational institutions to enter into dollar-for-dollar matching agreements with the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. Participation in this supplementary program is determined by Columbia’s participating schools on a first-come, first-serve basis and is available only to students who meet the 100% eligibility level for the Post-9/11 GI Bill®. For more information, please visit the Columbia University Veteran Affairs.

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.

Columbia Engineering is full of research labs undertaking fascinating and important projects pushing the frontiers of our understanding forward. Many of them employ students to help with the work. Opportunities are available to graduate students at every level and can be found both during the summer and the academic year.

Explore Opportunities