We have answered many of the most common questions in the sections below.
Because of the decentralized nature of graduate admissions, most of these questions are answered in general terms and may not apply to all departments.
For specific department requirements, please visit the degree programs pages. If you have additional questions, please email gradadmissions@mit.edu.
General Questions
In most cases, no. Students must enroll full time to complete the required course of study. Programs geared toward working professionals, such as the Executive MBA program, may have greater flexibility.
No. While MIT does offer some online learning opportunities, such as the MicroMasters credential programs offered by MITx, degree-granting programs must be completed on campus.
MIT Graduate Admissions does not offer a dedicated tour or information sessions. Graduate applicants interested in visiting should contact the department or program of interest directly to see if arrangements can be made for a campus visit.
If you are interested in visiting MIT, the Institute Events office has created useful information to help you plan your visit. The MIT Welcome Center also offers campus tours, which you may sign up for online.
Yes. Please visit our Costs & Funding section for further details.
No. Only applicants who have met all the necessary requirements are admitted. However, all offers of admissions do come with certain conditions, such as immigration requirements, satisfactory undergraduate degree completion, or the provision of official documents, such as transcripts, for verification.
Yes. Applicants may apply to more than one department as long as they meet all of the application requirements, pay the required application fees, and submit separate applications by the required deadlines for each program.
Yes. Applicants to MIT graduate programs who have undocumented status are eligible to apply as international students, based on the same policy explained under the Undocumented Student section of the main Admissions Office website.
No. Applicants must apply through the regular admissions process.
In most cases, no. Instead, applicants are encouraged to seek other postdoctoral opportunities.
In most cases, yes. Departments may have additional requirements beyond a bachelor degree, however.
Application Process
More information on the process of applying may be found at the Applications section of this website. Please keep in mind that each graduate program has its own unique set of requirements and deadlines; applicants can find more details on the application process for each program at the Degree Programs directory.
The standard application fee is $75 per program. The MIT Sloan School of Management may have fees that range between $95 and $250 per program.
Yes. We offer application fee waivers to applicants who meet our requirements. For further information, please visit the Application Fee Waiver page.
No. We do not offer refunds for any reason, except if a technical error occurs during the transaction process. A fee waiver will not be retroactively applied to an application that has been paid for and submitted. If you believe you were charged more than once, please contact our office.
Deposit guidelines differ by program. The MIT Sloan School of Management charges a deposit to secure your spot, but the amount may vary. Most other departments do not charge a deposit.
Applicants should log into their online application to view the most up to date information available. Some programs may provide status update via email during the review process. Applicants should not email to request an application status update.
Admissions timelines differ across departments. Many programs notify applicants between January and March, though notification timeframes from the MIT Sloan School of Management may vary.
The online application used by the majority of graduate programs, GradApply, does not support direct integration with Interfolio; please follow the instructions provided within the application. Application features for the MIT Sloan School of Management or Mechanical Engineering department may vary.
Applicants are responsible for notifying recommenders by utilizing the notification emails and links provided in the GradApply application. Application features for the MIT Sloan School of Management or Mechanical Engineering department may vary.
Yes. Recommender links will remain active even after the GradApply application deadline. Application features for the MIT Sloan School of Management may vary.
No. If the application window says “GradApply” in the top left corner, then you must create a new user name and login each year. Materials from your previous application will not be transferred.
Standardized Tests
More information regarding the Institute’s exam requirements for graduate admission may be found on the Standardized Tests webpage.
MIT Graduate Admissions does not accept Duolingo English Test scores to meet the language proficiency requirement. Applicants must submit official scores from the IELTS Academic exam, TOEFL iBT exam, or the C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency exams from Cambridge English. (Please note that the Cambridge English Qualification exams are only accepted by select departments, not all.)
Most departments prefer IELTS exam scores. Please contact the program to which you wish to apply to confirm their requirements for English language proficiency exams.
It varies. Some departments may begin the review process using unofficial self-reported scores, while other departments may wait until all materials have been received. Please contact the program to which you wish to apply to confirm their application requirements.
Some departments no longer require official GRE scores for admission. However, if the GRE is required by the department, applicants cannot receive a waiver. Please confirm the GRE policy with the department or program that interests you.
It varies. Some departments may offer a language proficiency waiver if you meet certain requirements. Please visit the Degree Programs page for further details on standardized test policies for each of our graduate programs.
No. Test scores are matched to your application electronically based on your name; department codes do not impact this matching process.
If you submit multiple applications, each program to which you applied will have access to your official test scores, with the exception of applications to the MIT Sloan School of Management. Test scores must be submitted to MIT Sloan separately.
Additional Questions
No; research invitations are reserved for visiting students only. Please visit our section on Visiting Students to learn about potential opportunities.
In response to the challenges of teaching, learning, and assessing academic performance during the global Covid-19 pandemic, MIT has adopted the following principle:
MIT's admissions committees and offices for graduate and professional schools will take the significant disruptions of the Covid-19 outbreak in 2020 into account when reviewing students' transcripts and other admissions materials as part of their regular practice of performing individualized, holistic reviews of each applicant.
In particular, as we review applications now and in the future, we will respect decisions regarding the adoption of Pass/No Record (or Credit/No Credit or Pass/Fail) and other grading options during the period of Covid-19 disruptions, whether those decisions were made by institutions or by individual students. We also expect that the individual experiences of applicants will richly inform applications and, as such, they will be considered with the entirety of a student's record.
Ultimately, even in these challenging times, our goal remains to form graduate student cohorts that are collectively excellent and composed of outstanding individuals who will challenge and support one another.
Questions or concerns about this statement should be directed to the academic department or program to which you have applied.
On April 4-5, 2022, MIT’s RAs, TAs, and Instructor Gs voted to be represented by the United Electrical, Radio & Machine Workers of America (UE) for the purposes of negotiating wages, benefits, and other terms and conditions of employment. MIT leadership is committed to negotiating in good faith and to supporting all students, regardless of whether they are in the union. You can read more at the Graduate Student Unionization website.
