bapichulo

So you declined the GEM school and went with the non-GEM school?

I asked the institution's department about GEM funding and they said they're waiting response from another scholarship I applied to. If I don't get it they'll make me a University Fellow!
 

From my expereince that "Willing to Accept as GEM Fellow" means something different to each university GEM rep. For example, my first choice university put that for me but they were only going to accept me as a GEM Fellow if and only if I was selected by a GEM employer to be a Full Fellow and not an Associate or University Fellow. Another university I appied to put "Willing to Accept as GEM Fellow" for me and they genuinely meant that they are willing to accept me as a Associate Fellow even if I have not been selected by a university. 
My advice to you is to continue being in contact with the GEM reps for the universities and get all the information you need from them. 

On the GEM portal there's a contract that you, the GEM rep of the university, and a GEM excutive director will electronically sign and I think that is the final step. I have already signed and my university GEM rep has already signed but it's the GEM executive director that is behind and taking a long time to sign their part.

I would agree with this. I signed a contract with a university that now shows "Willing to Accept as GEM Fellow" to become a GEM University fellow.
 
Does anyone know if we have to take further steps in the GEM portal to show we have accepted the offer or does signing the document suffice?

Long time lurker. I saw this and I decided to check my statuses. To my surprise, I my top choice status also said "Willing to accept as GEM Fellow". This definitely means we are not full fellows, but I am not sure if it is an Associate Fellow, or GEM Fellow. I guess now we wait.
But to answer your question, yes, you are being considered for Associate or University Fellow.

So my top choice university status changed to 'Willing to accept as GEM Fellow' but I was never really picked by any employer does this mean I could be considered for an Associate or University Fellow?