Standardized tests requirements and policies
Standardized tests play an important role in the application process.
Although applications are reviewed as a whole, the most competitive applicants often attain high test scores on required examinations. Each graduate program has their own policies and requirements regarding standardized tests, however. Please review the specific requirements for the program that interests you in our Degree Program Directory.
General standardized exams
Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
Depending on the program that interests you, official GRE scores may or may not be required for admission. Each academic department determines its own policy regarding the GRE General Test and GRE Subject Test. Please check the Degree Programs directory for more information about the program’s specific requirements for the GRE exam.
If the program that interests you requires the GRE General Test or GRE Subject Test, waivers for that requirement are unlikely to be approved. In programs related to management, however, the GMAT may be accepted in place of the GRE.
The entrance fee for the GRE General Test costs $220 in most countries. Further information about GRE fees can be found online. To register for the GRE, please visit www.ets.org/gre. When submitting your test scores to MIT, please use Institution Code 3514; codes for the Sloan School of Management may vary.
Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT)
Graduate programs offered by the MIT-Sloan School of Management, as well as the Center for Real Estate, accept the GMAT exam in place of the GRE General Test. Please check the department program pages for information about specific test score requirements.
The GMAT registration fee can vary by country. Further information about GMAT fees can be found online. To register for the GMAT, please visit www.mba.com. When submitting your scores, please note that the Program Code varies by department.
English Language Proficiency (ELP) tests
Applicants whose primary language is not English or who did not receive an undergraduate degree from an English-speaking institution in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, or the United States within the last 5 years must submit official test scores from an an accepted English language proficiency (ELP) test provider. We do not accept other English proficiency exams for admissions purposes; only the exams below will meet this application requirement. Read more about this requirement here.
Graduate programs reserve the right to request supplemental ELP test scores during the course of application evaluations regardless of English proficiency level. It is the discretion of the graduate program what score(s) they will accept and how the supplemental score(s) should be sent to MIT. If supplemental scores are requested from you, you will be contacted directly with further instructions.
International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
Each department has its own minimum score requirement for IELTS. Please check the Degree Programs directory for the specific requirements of the graduate program that interests you.
The IELTS examination fee is charged in local currency and varies by country. To register for the IELTS, please visit www.ielts.org. Choose “MIT Graduate Admissions” as your score reporting option when submitting your scores; no institutional/departmental code is required to send MIT your electronic score report.
MIT GradAdmissions does not accept IELTS One Skill Retake (OSR) scores. Official OSR scores cannot be sent to MIT via IELTS system. Graduate programs reserve the right to request an OSR score for one or more components of a language exam during the course of application evaluations. If you are requested to provide OSR scores, you will be contacted directly with instructions.
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iBT)
Only the TOEFL iBT is accepted for admission. Each department has its own minimum score requirement for TOEFL. Please check the Degree Programs directory for the specific requirements of the graduate program that interests you.
The TOEFL iBT exam fee is charged in local currency and varies by country. To register for the TOEFL, please visit www.ets.org. Please use institutional code 3514 when submitting your scores to MIT; codes for the MIT Sloan School of Management may vary.
MIT GradAdmissions does not accept TOEFL MyBest, TOEFL Essentials, or TOEFL ITP scores. Official scores for these tests cannot be sent to MIT via ETS. Graduate programs reserve the right to request supplemental TOEFL test scores for one or more components of a language exam during the course of application evaluations. If you are requested to provide TOEFL MyBest, Essentials, or ITP scores, you will be contacted directly with instructions.
Duolingo English Test (DET) (if applicable)
Some graduate programs accept DET scores. Each department has its own minimum score requirement for the DET. Please check the Degree Programs directory for the specific requirements of the graduate program that interests you.
The DET exam fee is charged in local currency that varies by country. To register for the DET, please visit www.englishtest.duolingo.com. Please send your scores to Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Graduate Admissions.
The DET offers reviewers the opportunity to view standard score categories and integrated sub-scoring categories. Additionally, some sections of the DET language exam can be made visible to reviewers. The scores and sections visible to review committees vary by department.
C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency Cambridge English Qualifications (if applicable)
A small group of graduate programs will consider Cambridge English Qualification scores in lieu of IELTS, TOEFL iBT, or DET scores.
MIT GradAdmissions accepts official scores from only the C1 Advanced exam or C2 Proficiency exam. These tests measure a student’s mastery of English required for rigorous higher education and professional environments. A score of 185 or higher is recommended for either test, but departments may have specific requirements. Please check the Degree Programs directory for the graduate program that interests you.
The entrance fee for Cambridge English Qualifications varies by country. To register for the C1 or C2 exam, please visit cambridgeenglish.org. Search for “MIT Graduate Admissions” as your institution when submitting your scores; no institutional or departmental code is required to send MIT your electronic score report.
Standardized Tests Policies
The types of tests accepted, test requirements, and test score minimums are set and implemented by each department. MIT Graduate programs reserve the right to set their own test score policies. The Office of Graduate Education reaffirms departmental policies and procedures regarding standardized tests.
ELP Requirement Policy
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology requires all international applicants to demonstrate a minimum English language proficiency needed to succeed in graduate school. Nearly all international applicants will be required to submit English Proficiency Test scores in order to complete their MIT graduate application(s).
ELP Exemption Policy
Some applicants may be eligible to receive an automatic exemption from this requirement. For more information about automatic ELP exemptions, visit our English language proficiency test exemptions page. Eligible applicants will be notified directly in their application(s).
If you are ineligible for an automatic ELP exemption, you will be notified of your test requirement in your application(s). Applicants should not contact the main GradAdmissions office to request an exemption to the ELP requirement.
Department ELP Waivers Policy
Some departments will consider requests for waivers for the English language proficiency test requirement if an applicant can demonstrate fluency in the English language. Each department has their own set of eligibility criteria and required documentation applicants will need to provide to be considered for a waiver.
Applicants can only request an English language proficiency test waiver after starting an application. ELP requests forms are only made available once an application has been opened.
To learn more about our general policies, visit the department ELP waiver policies page. Eligibility requirements vary, please review department-specific requirements and follow the individual program’s instructions for requesting a waiver.
Applicants should not contact the main GradAdmissions office to request a waiver of the ELP requirement.
