MIT Sloan PhD Application Q&A
2:00PM – 3:00PM EST During this chat, you will hear from the PhD Program team and have the chance to ask questions about the application and admissions process. Register here.
Grad Student Experience Grants: April Deadline
Do you have an idea to improve the graduate student experience or build community? Develop a proposal and request funding from the Graduate Student Experience Grants!
Finding your why
I was about 19 years old when my friend and I made plans to bike 70 miles to a state park in our area, camp for the night, and take the train home. My parents were afraid that we would get hurt or lost, so they suggested that I shouldn’t go. I appreciated their caution, […]
You have got to have a plan, and a planner!
Growing up in India Growing up in a busy middle class household in India, my parents did not once ask about my grades. They would just pick my report card and glance over it annually at the parent-teacher meetings. That was it. This was in stark contrast to some parents who spent what seemed like […]
How I realized graduate school was the right choice for me
The best realizations really do come in the bathroom. I was washing my hands in the sink when I heard the bathroom door shut as another girl entered. If you ever lived in a college dorm in the US, you can imagine what a dorm bathroom looks like. It has multiple stalls and sinks so […]
Nurturing yourself by nurturing some greens
Grad student life is filled with significant transitions like qualification exams, new roommates, selecting PIs and committee members, and more. But the uncertainties of grad school life suddenly became much more prominent with COVID-19. As an experimentalist who does my research in a lab, I was incredibly lost, especially in the first few months of […]
Escape MIT for a weekend
What will you do if you have a weekend free? Netflix? Video games? How about getting out of your (dorm) room and travelling to another state? During my undergraduate study, I spent one seminar in a small town north of Boston doing a co-op (i.e., a 6-month internship). Away from campus, I was free of […]
A graduate school simulator
Stardew Valley, the hit indie farm simulator, consumed much of my senior spring. While writing my thesis and finishing my coursework, I needed an opportunity to relax and focus on ANYTHING other than my mounting deadlines. The game, playable across multiple consoles, is a staple recommendation of the “cozy game” genre, occupying a similar niche […]
Tax Information Workshops
The tax team advises students to attend these workshops in advance of filing their 2020 tax returns.
Making kofta in an air fryer
“Dinner is ready!” The smells of tahini and allspice waft through my house, while plates and utensils clatter around the kitchen. My family meanders around the kitchen in hungry anticipation, like so many wolves circling their prey… Growing up as a second-generation American, I primarily connected to my Egyptian heritage through food. From kofta and […]
MIT PE to the rescue! Yee-hah!
Standing in awe, I gazed at the most beautiful theme park I have ever seen in my life. My friend and I had just entered the Volcano Bay at Universal Studios in Orlando after a morning flight on December 21, 2019. Skipping straight to the thrill rides (more exciting and even scarier than the other […]
I hear you
ME: “…I don’t want to talk about plans. Working inside the lab building feels depressing.” MOM: “Maybe you can talk to the department chair about finding a new advisor? That shouldn’t be difficult.” ME: “Mom, could you stop telling me what to do? I feel really overwhelmed right now” MOM: “I’m not telling you what […]
To visit or not to visit?
The public health orders are clear: Stay. At. Home. Your mom’s voicemail is also clear: Visit. Me. Now. My family managed two fun and relaxing visits during the height of the pandemic. We weighed the risks, took precautions, and enjoyed some quality time. Let’s be 100% clear: it was risky every time we gathered with […]
Christmas in September?
There’s an old saying, “you can’t take it with you.” It’s mainly used to caution people against overvaluing money or material possessions because you can’t take them with you when you die. In Boston, the saying could be “you can’t take it with you when you move.” People around here are very familiar with packing […]
The lady and the grad
It all started in the warm month of May, with a raging pandemic and a lonely heart. My roommate Sandy had gone home and wouldn’t come back until the fall, and I was losing my mind going in circles in the apartment. I had been wanting a dog. I had always loved dogs. The things […]
Graduate Application Assistance Programs (GAAP)
MIT is committed to fostering a diverse student body and research workforce. At the forefront of this commitment is cultivating a diverse and competitive applicant pool for our graduate programs at MIT. Each Graduate Application Assistance Program (GAAP) is a student-led initiative designed to help prospective applicants, particularly those from identities historically underrepresented in graduate […]
Register for gwaMIT’s 2021 Empowerment Conference
October 18-22, 2021 Register for this year’s Empowerment Conference! See the list below for event descriptions and registration links: Monday, October 18, 5:30PM: Sleep Better, Stress Less: Grad Student Wellbeing Workshop with Zan Barry Location: W20-307 Sleep and stress are deeply interconnected. Learn strategies to help you improve your sleep and decrease stress, reboot your sleep […]
On grieving from a distance
“Can you make a short video for 爷爷? Just a few lines to cheer him up.” I received this text from my mother on the evening of October 12, 2020. My paternal grandpa (爷爷, pronounced “yeh yeh”) had been transferred to a hospital several months ago, and his prognosis wasn’t looking good. Thankfully, 爷爷 hadn’t […]
If you want, add a jump
How do you build yourself back up when life gets hard? Some of my friends find comfort in creating art, some in hiking, while some in building relationships. Since I came to MIT, I have found my charging station and creativite outlet in kickboxing. At the beginning of my PhD, I picked up the habit […]
Trying and failing to buy a house
We did everything right. My husband and I had excellent credit, did not have debt, and we always paid off our credit cards. We had plenty of money in our savings account. We attended financial seminars and learned all the steps involved in buying a house. And yet, when we tried to buy a small, […]
Touring colleges on foot
Coming from an undergraduate university located in a smaller city, I was used to living in an area with few nearby schools to compare to my own. In contrast, the Boston area is littered with colleges! In fact, Wikipedia cites that there are 45 higher educational institutions in the metropolitan Boston area. When I moved […]
Crafting is engineering, music is math
I am a serial maker: as a child, I dove deep into a new creative obsession each year. With each medium I explored, my passion for making grew, and projects flooded my house: a giant model of the Parthenon made from recyclables graced our front hallway, a crochet stuffed dragon perched in our kitchen, and […]
University Center for Exemplary Mentoring (UCEM)
In 2015, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation awarded a major grant to create a “University Center of Exemplary Mentoring” (UCEM) at MIT. This Sloan grant enables the center to focus on the recruitment, retention, and academic success of underrepresented minority doctoral students in four departments in the School of Engineering: Biological Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and Mechanical Engineering. The […]
Graduate Student Appreciation Week
It’s time to vote for your favorite photo! See the awesome photos submitted for the GSAW contest, and pick the one that speaks to you most. The People’s Choice winner will earn $50 Tech Cash. Vote until noon on Thursday, April 18! Hear all about Graduate Student Appreciation Week and other positive, wellness-related content: follow […]
Ignite community series
The Ignite community series is designed to promote the academic, professional, and personal development of graduate students who self-identify as underrepresented minorities (African American, Hispanic American, Native American, and Native Hawaiian) and underserved (low socio-economic background, first-generation college student, and other identities) groups at MIT. The series intends to enhance the co-curricular activities offered by MIT departments, labs, and […]
Programs for current students
As you develop yourself and build community on campus, MIT offers several key programs to support you. The Ignite community series provides seminars specifically designed for graduate students who self-identify as underrepresented minorities or underserved groups. The Office of Graduate Education’s annual Graduate Student Appreciation Week celebrates MIT’s graduate students through community-building, fulfilling events, and […]
Donate to graduate community
The Ike Colbert Fund for Graduate Community underscores the commitment of the Office of Graduate Education to enhancing the quality of graduate student life. This permanent fund is used to support student life and learning initiatives in many ways. The Ike Colbert Fund contributes to the Graduate Student Experience Grants (GSEG, formerly the Graduate Student Life Grants), an […]
All Current Fellow Positions
Graduate Community Fellows are a cadre of graduate students who work under the auspices of the Office of Graduate Education on projects and assignments that enhance the life of graduate students in unique ways. Each Fellow works on specific assignments and reports to a staff person in the OGE or in a partner office. General […]
Graduate Community Fellows
The Graduate Community Fellows program offers a sustained and systematic method of building graduate community at MIT, especially in the directions of interest for the OGE. In addition, the Fellows have the opportunity to interact intimately with administrators, advocate for student interests, and gain valuable leadership experience. — former Fellow Graduate Community Fellows are a […]
Funded in 2002-03
In 2002-2003 the Dean for Graduate Students funded a total of 23 proposals: 9 proposals in Round 1, and 14 proposals in Round 2. Funding per proposal ranged from $500 to $12,000. If you have any questions about the current status of these proposals, please contact gslg [at] mit.edu. Round 1: Proposals for enhancing the graduate experience […]
Funded in 2003-04
In the third round of Graduate Student Life Grants, Dean Ike Colbert funded 23 proposals out of the total 34 submitted to the Graduate Students Office. Totalling $96,300, these grants address building the graduate community at MIT in a variety of ways. Dean Colbert and the selection panel eagerly look forward to working with the […]
Funded in 2004-05
In the fourth round of Graduate Student Life Grants, Dean Ike Colbert funded 18 proposals out of the total 28 submitted to the Graduate Students Office. They have been organized below by theme. The Dean continues to view this process as an effective mechanism for gathering fresh, creative ideas and instrumental in shaping the graduate […]
Funded in 2005-06
In the fifth round of Graduate Student Life Grants, Dean Ike Colbert funded 18 proposals out of the total 28 submitted to the Graduate Students Office. To date, since this program was introduced in 2002, the Dean’s selection panel has reviewed 150 proposals and funded 82 of those. The Dean continues to view this process […]
Funded in 2005-06
In the fifth round of Graduate Student Life Grants, Dean Ike Colbert funded 18 proposals out of the total 28 submitted to the Graduate Students Office. To date, since this program was introduced in 2002, the Dean’s selection panel has reviewed 150 proposals and funded 82 of those. The Dean continues to view this process […]
Funded in 2006-07
In the sixth round of Graduate Student Life Grants, Dean Ike Colbert funded 18 proposals out of the total 24 submitted to the Graduate Students Office. To date, since this program was introduced in 2002, the Dean’s selection panel has reviewed 174 proposals and funded 100 of those. RFP3-26 THE POLICE AT MIT(RENEWAL) Submitted by […]
