Registration types

Regular student

A regular graduate student is an individual who has received a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent and who has been admitted to and is registered for a program of advanced study and research leading to any of the post-baccalaureate degrees offered by MIT. Students may also be registered in MIT programs of study leading to simultaneous award of both the bachelor’s degree and the master’s degree.

Admission to MIT graduate programs is a decentralized process; see the Graduate Admissions website for instructions regarding your department of interest. An application fee must be paid at the time of submission. The fee is not required of a student who applies for a higher graduate degree in the same department within one academic year.

Nonresident student

There are two special conditions under which thesis research may be carried out while not in formal residence at the Institute: Thesis Research in Absentia and Nonresident Doctoral Thesis Research Status.

Thesis research in absentia is applicable to both Master and Doctoral candidates and intended primarily for students who are on location away from MIT but who in every other respect maintain full access to and contact with the academic life of the Institute. Nonresident doctoral thesis research status is available only to doctoral students who have completed all requirements other than the thesis.

International students will also need to report any change of address or departure from the U.S.

Visiting student

Students who are pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree at an institution of higher education other than MIT and have been invited by faculty in an MIT department or laboratory/center to do research in their fields of study may apply for visiting student status. Current MIT regular or special students, or MIT students who have withdrawn or are on a leave of absence, cannot apply for visiting student status.

Visiting Students are required to submit a completed Student Medical Report Form. Faculty sponsors who initiate this process should consult the International Students Office for more information (MIT certificates required).

Special student

A special student may or may not be pursuing a degree elsewhere at the undergraduate or graduate level and is admitted to take approved classes at MIT.  Special students are considered non-degree students. Admission as a special student does not imply any commitment on the part of MIT toward an individual’s admissibility to regular student status; it also does not allow the individual to cross-register at partner institutions.

Graduate special students are individuals that have already obtained a bachelor’s degree, and apply through the Advanced Study Program (ASP).

Exchange student

Exchange students include undergraduate and graduate level students who enroll for classes at MIT via an approved exchange program.

Exchange study abroad programs are coordinated by the host department and MIT MISTI.

The Exchange Scholar Program enables a graduate student enrolled in a doctoral program in one of the participating institutions to study at one of the other graduate schools for a limited period, so as to take advantage of particular educational opportunities not available on the home campus. Graduate students must be enrolled at MIT while participating in the program.