Childbirth Accommodation and Parental Accommodation overview
Childbirth Accommodation (CA) and Parental Accommodation (PA) provide new parents with time away from academic and research responsibilities, enabling students to recover from childbirth and or adjust to parenthood. For students with an RA, TA, IG or MIT-funded fellowship, CA and PA ensure that your salary or stipend remains unchanged while you are on leave.
Students on Childbirth and Parental Accommodation maintain full-time enrolled student status which ensures that loan repayment schedules, eligibility for university housing, and international student visa status remain unchanged.
Ready to submit your Childbirth and/or Parental Accommodation request?
Please see the CA/PA policy page for additional information on eligibility, accommodation, and process.
Application process
Prepare your CA/PA request five months before your planned due/placement date.
Preparation: Connect with your Grad Administrator and academic advisor to discuss
- Alternative coverage for RA, TA, or IG assignment during the accommodation period
- Deadlines for time-sensitive research presentations or reports or publications
- Required coursework and deadlines for course completion
- Time frames for qualifying exams, fieldwork, and other milestones
- Reasonable allowances for work flexibility leading up to the accommodation date
- Master’s students, Sloan doctoral students, and international students should consult their department or the ISO office to determine how their accommodation might impact their program completion or visa status.
Submission: Submit your CA/PA request four months before the due/placement date with your Grad Administrator’s approval.
Notification: Wait for the Office of Graduate Education (OGE) approval letter — granted to graduate students who satisfy the eligibility and application requirements. The OGE will confirm the Accommodation with the student’s department and will notify the International Students Office (if the student is international) of the leave period.
Accommodation: The planned start date of your CA will be the anticipated date of birth, adoption, or placement.
Accommodation types & accommodation offerings
Childbirth Accommodation (CA)
Full-time students giving birth to a child are eligible for two months of Childbirth Accommodation and one month of Parental Accommodation.
Parental Accommodation (PA)
Students who will become parents, but are not giving birth, are eligible for one month of Parental Accommodation following the birth of a child or an adoption/placement event (including adoption, foster care placement, court order, or surrogacy).
Parental Accommodation must be taken within six months of a new childbirth or placement. If each parent is an MIT graduate student, then each student is eligible for Parental Accommodation. Students expecting multiple children may take one month of PA for each child but will only receive salary/stipend coverage for one of the months per student.
Accommodations
Academic
An approved accommodation for CA & PA will stop the academic research clocks for assignments related to class and/or research requirements. Departments and faculty will work with you to reconfigure deadlines to accommodate your time away.
Financial
During the approved CA or PA, students supported by an RA or TA appointment or MIT-funded fellowship award will continue to receive the benefits of their academic appointment or award (tuition, salary/stipend, and health insurance, if applicable) at the same rate as their RA, TA, or MIT-funded fellowship would have provided.
For students with external fellowships
Students with external fellowships must follow the rules and regulations of their granting agency. For assistance navigating your fellowship’s CA and PA policies, please reach out to the OGE fellowships team.
For self-funded students
Students not supported by an RA, TA, IG, or MIT-funded fellowship will receive the academic accommodations of Childbirth and/or Parental Accommodation, but will not receive financial support. Tuition and fees will still apply.
Housing, health and safety, & other family considerations
On-campus housing considerations
Students residing on campus with approved Childbirth Accommodation and/or Parental Accommodation may remain in campus housing. Expecting couples living in non-family housing should contact the Housing Office 6 months before their due/placement date to make arrangements to transition to family housing.
Health and safety considerations while pregnant
Each department has an Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Coordinator who can help you think through the implications of your work environment on your and your baby’s physical health and safety.
Discussing your parental accommodation plan with your department/advisor
CA and PA is an entitlement benefit granted to all graduate students. A simple rule of thumb is to focus your conversation on the work: how to wrap up or hand off critical work elements before your accommodation begins, and how you will reintegrate to work upon your return. If you would like support around how to approach this conversation, reach out to the Graduate Families Program Administrator at gradfamilies@mit.edu or your Grad Administrator.
Financial considerations
To see all the financial resources available to families, visit the family financial resources page. Here you will find information on the Grant for Graduate Students with Children and workshops on financial literacy budgeting and planning, as well as resources like the iGrad Portal and the MIT Federal Credit Union.
Additional support
If you need help understanding the full policy, you can contact the Graduate Families Program Administrator.
Childbirth and new baby classes at MIT
Community Wellness at MIT Medical provides a number of offerings for expectant and new parents. These resources can provide you with knowledge, skills, and things to consider in your new role as a parent.
Learn more about these offerings:
- Childbirth Preparation classes
- Breastfeeding classes
- Getting Ready for Baby classes
- MIT Parent Support Group
- Happiest Baby on the Block – Infant Soothing Techniques classes
Lactation rooms
MIT offers over 20 private lactation rooms across campus. Some spaces are available to all breastfeeding persons and others are school- or department-specific. Click here to see the full listing of lactation rooms and who to contact to gain key, card, or code access to the room closest to where you work or study.
