MSRP Mission
The MIT Summer Research Program (MSRP) is a competitive summer initiative designed to promote the value of graduate education, broaden participation in the research enterprise, and prepare and recruit exceptional undergraduate students for graduate study at MIT and beyond.
Launched in 1986, the MIT Summer Research Program (MSRP) was created to expand access to research opportunities for students whose educational journeys and experiences have not always aligned with traditional pathways into graduate education. The program continues to foster a more inclusive academic environment by supporting students with diverse life experiences, academic interests, and educational backgrounds.
MSRP seeks to identify talented undergraduates who might benefit from spending a summer on MIT’s campus, conducting research under the guidance of MIT faculty members, postdoctoral fellows, and advanced graduate students.
Students who participate in this program will be better prepared and motivated to pursue advanced degrees, thereby helping to sustain a rich talent pool in critical areas of research and innovation.
Program Goals
- Promote graduate education as a meaningful and attainable goal.
- Broaden perspectives and participation in research and innovation.
- Support and prepare talented undergraduates for graduate study at MIT and other top institutions, equipping them for research career paths.
Participant Benefits
- Mentored Research Experience: Work under the guidance of an MIT faculty member, with additional support from a postdoctoral fellow or advanced graduate student.
- Graduate School Preparation: Receive individualized advising on academic and research career pathways, including feedback on coursework and lab skill development.
- Scholarly Engagement: Gain the opportunity to contribute to publishable research and potentially co-author a scientific paper with your faculty mentor.
- Cutting-Edge Facilities: Conduct research in state-of-the-art laboratories across MIT departments and interdisciplinary centers.
- Financial Support: Weekly stipend, round-trip travel to MIT, meal subsidy, and housing are provided.
- Campus Access: Enjoy access to MIT’s libraries, athletic facilities, and health services.
Program Features
- Faculty Research Talks: Weekly presentations by MIT faculty highlighting cutting-edge research across disciplines.
- Professional Development Seminars: Interactive sessions focused on academic, personal, and professional growth.
- Community Engagement: Participate in a dedicated service day to give back and connect with the local community.
- Social Events: Enjoy group outings such as barbecues, a Boston Harbor boat cruise, and visits to local attractions.
- Scholarly Writing & Preparation: Develop an abstract, research paper, and graduate school statement of purpose with guidance from mentors.
- Research Forum and Luncheon: Present your summer research at a culminating poster symposium attended by peers, faculty, and staff.
Participating Departments
- Aeronautics and Astronautics
- Architecture
- Biological Engineering
- Center for Real Estate
- Chemical Engineering
- Chemistry
- Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Comparative Media Studies
- Computational and Systems Biology
- Computational Science and Engineering
- Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences
- Economics
- Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
- Health Sciences and Technology (Joint Harvard-MIT Program)
- History, Anthropology, and Science, Technology, and Society
- Institute for Data, Systems, and Society
- Linguistics
- Materials Science and Engineering
- Mathematics
- Mechanical Engineering
- Media Arts and Sciences
- MIT Sloan PhD Program
- Nuclear Science and Engineering
- Operations Research Center
- Philosophy
- Physics
- Political Science
- Transportation
- Urban Studies and Planning
If your interested department is not listed above, we encourage you to explore these other summer opportunities.
