Prospective Students

The GEL Year One program consists of 18 units. Students complete two short courses in which they learn leadership frameworks and models and practice these skills through simulations and other assignments. There are no P-Sets. See list of GEL1 requirements here.

See the GEL1 requirements here.

All applicants are required to complete a short online application and a 30-minute interview with a GEL staff member.

Those who apply by the early deadline will have access to a shorter version of the application.

No. All students must first apply to and complete GEL1 before deciding whether to apply again to be a GEL2 in the following year. GEL1 serves as both an introduction to the program and a two-way interview, allowing both the students and the instructional staff to evaluate if GEL2 would be a good fit. While students are encouraged to apply for GEL2 after completing GEL1, it is not mandatory.

The GEL1 Program is open to all engineering majors and those in related fields. While most of the participants are from engineering disciplines, the program also welcomes students from other courses (like courses 8, 12, and 18) and from Wellesley College, especially if they have not ruled out engineering.

Yes, we encourage sophomores and juniors at Wellesley College to apply so long as they have not ruled out pursuing a career in industry.

We love your enthusiasm! While technically GEL is intended for juniors and seniors you can start your GEL coursework as a first year. We encourage you to take 6.9101J Thinking & Innovation Leadership for Engineers during either semester of your first year. The course counts as a first year discovery course and can be used to help fulfill part of the GEL1 requirements should you apply in the future.
Our sister program, UPOP, also offers sophomores an excellent foundation in communication and teamwork skills, which are further developed and refined in GEL.

Applying as a sophomore gives students a unique advantage, as it positions them for the possibility of advancing to the more selective GEL2 Program in the future. Unlike GEL1, GEL2 offers a more hands-on, leadership-focused experience. Students in GEL2 have the opportunity to be part of a student-led organization, where they can take on more responsibility by leading and shaping the program and guiding the GEL1 cohort. This adds a leadership development component, allowing participants to further refine their leadership and teamwork skills in a real-world setting.

Absolutely! Seniors are among our strongest performing students. GEL1 plays a pivotal role in helping students, especially seniors, feel fully prepared to transition from the academic world into their professional careers.

The GEL undergraduate program is open to all engineering students at MIT and to students from other departments who are drawn toward engineering as a career. We understand that many students are still thinking through career plans as they begin their junior year. We encourage all students who are considering engineering careers to consider GEL, even if they’re not yet sure where they will be after graduation. But, in keeping with the program’s mission to develop individuals as effective engineers and engineering leaders, GEL is designed for those who have engineering career intent. Students aspiring to work in engineering (or to explore the prospects of working in engineering) will get the most out of GEL, as the program’s curriculum is tailored toward personal and professional development in this field.
Engineering work presents a remarkable opportunity to develop the world’s products and systems, and can thus form the basis of highly fulfilling careers. GEL encourages students to deeply explore career possibilities across engineering as they form their career intentions. GEL helps facilitate this exploration through the program’s mentorship opportunities, engineering industry guest visits, and internship and full-time job postings.
The breadth of engineering work has grown in recent years. Traditionally categorized engineering roles – those on teams that hold responsibility for product or system design and performance – remain prevalent. Such jobs often constitute gateways into technical leadership and management: career trajectories directly supported by GEL’s educational program. Further, career opportunities not explicitly labeled as “engineering,” but that are engineering-related – such as careers in product or project management – have expanded substantially in the 21stcentury. Students pursuing such tracks can also benefit from GEL, as this type of work resides in close proximity to engineering decision-making and involves collaboration with engineers. Students already committed to careers in other areas that are more distant from engineering decision-making and design responsibility will not get as much out of the GEL program. While GEL is an Engineering Leadership Development Program, those with interests in other career areas should consider MIT’s various other offerings in leadership, management, and entrepreneurship (see, for example, LeaderShape, Undergraduate courses and programs in the Sloan School of management, and courses associated with the MIT Entreprenurship and Innovation Minor, among others).

Our 1300+ alums represent a wide array of engineering positions and companies such as Apple, Adobe, Boeing, Bose, Google, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft, Procter & Gamble, Shell, SpaceX, and many other companies. They also serve in the U.S. Armed Forces and civilian government agencies such as NASA.

We will accept credit for any of the approved courses so long as you are able to prove that you have received a passing grade.

*Students who have completed the first-year version of Thinking & Innovation Leadership for Engineers MUST still take 6.910B to receive full credit for the Design & Innovation Leadership Requirement.