How I came to Cambridge before I came to Cambridge
I could finally see the finish line. If you were to ask me five months ago where I would be by Aug 10, 2020, I’d have said “in Boston” without blinking an eye. But guess what: COVID-19 spoiled my plans, and here I am, still in Mexico. To be honest, it was a bummer, mostly […]
Finding a Cambridge coffee home
* Writer’s Note (September 2020): Wow, how things have changed. Re-reading this piece, which as written pre-COVID, makes me feel as if I’m now in my late seventies, looking back fondly upon the simpler times of my youth. Ironically, I write this note while drinking jasmine tea, alone in my garden, which evinces of just […]
Bench, bath and beyond
One of the very first lessons you learn in microbiology is that while countless things can – and will – go wrong, you can almost always count on your microbes to grow. There is some strange comfort in knowing that what looks like clear liquid today will reveal countless gleaming colonies smiling up at you […]
Playing Avalon on Zoom
Many of us feel lonely during quarantine times, especially international students who are now outside the US, such as myself. To stay mentally healthy through this pandemic, it’s important to stay connected with friends back at MIT. So recently, we reconstructed a favorite Friday-night ritual of ours — playing the board game Avalon — on […]
From rockets to rocking chairs
Lots of things have changed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Classes have moved online, schedules have shifted for fall breaks and holidays, and in general, everyone’s life has been altered. Personally, I had planned on moving to Cambridge in August to start pursuing my Ph.D. in MIT and Harvard’s Health Sciences and Technology (HST) […]
Shaking hands with death
When I entered the room, I took a few moments to look around. The room was lit by a warm, orange glimmer sneaking through the window blinds, announcing the end of another beautiful summer afternoon. I took one step forward as the nurse pulled the bed curtain closed behind us. The patient was an old […]
Ode to crosswords
(If you are interested in listening along to me reading the poem aloud, click here) Eighteen across, “Ponzi scheme”: fraud. Twenty-four down, “Heap kudos on”: laud. “Opening word”, “Deli stock seed”, Two clues, one key, The word: sesame. “Catcher’s spot?” “With pastrami it’s bought?” As the hints would imply, The answer is […]
Managing your finances when your spouse can’t work
“Are you ready for the change in lifestyle?” That is the question that most of our friends asked when they heard about my plan to go back to school. We had a good life back in Jakarta, and we were about to leave all that and live on a budget in one of the most […]
Any tips on tipping?
Picture having dinner at a restaurant with some friends. There’s a fun conversation going on right up to the point where the bill arrives. Perhaps it’s only me, but I feel that in the moments that follow, the conversation dies down a little as everyone enters their tipping ‘headspaces’. A few take their own initiative […]
L’Autre, c’est moi
As a child, I vividly remember staring for hours out the window in the back seat of my parents’ car, scrutinizing nearby people stopped at the red light or passing us on the highway. I’d see a driver singing her favorite tune, a couple absorbed in some deep conversation, or an entire family sitting quietly […]
How I passed my 1st-year classes
That’s right, I confess: I am a serial class skipper. It all started in high school, when I discovered it was possible to learn a lot more about a subject if I studied the material during class instead of paying attention to the teacher. Of course, I couldn’t physically skip classes back then without getting […]
My response to COVID-19
Being aware of the COVID-19 crisis in China and Italy, I found myself researching it and getting involved in conversations about it here in the US. Even before MIT sent out its first official announcement to shut down the campus, I was already working from home. A few days later, the official announcement followed and […]
Navigating MIT
MIT exemplifies a uniquely analytical and quantitative intellectual approach. It’s a good thing, usually; after all, scientific revolutions like Newtonian physics began when we started putting stuff into quantitative perspective. MIT, however, took it a bit too far. Humans are, in general, pretty bad at memorizing numbers (with a few exceptions like Akira Haraguch, who […]
The infinite rotation
Switching labs is, optimally, disruptive. On September 3, 2019, the very beginning of my second year at MIT, my PhD program director called me into his office to explain that I needed to switch labs because one of my co-advisors was a research fellow, not a tenure-track professor, and the other presently lacked resources to […]
Am I too busy for radio?
The way I see it, a major part of being an “entitled millennial” is our personal conviction that we all have a message to share and a voice to be heard; its primary symptoms are the oversaturated podcast market and the unlimited supply of Instagram influencers. As a new graduate student at MIT with new […]
International Students
International students contribute to the rich diversity of the MIT community. Of the approximately 11,000 students at MIT, roughly 3,600 are international students, hailing from over 110 different countries. International Students Office (ISO) The ISO assists international students in maintaining their legal status in the United States, provides support for their dependents, and promotes interaction with and […]
Community & Diversity
While you’ve come to MIT to gain important knowledge and conduct research, we know that you are more than your academic profile. The interpersonal connections you make and the environment in which you study are essential parts of your successful graduate education. Explore these pages to learn about the broad array of resources and programming […]
Procedures
At MIT, a regular graduate student is one who is registered for a program of advanced study and research leading to a post-baccalaureate degree. A regular graduate student may concurrently hold an appointment as a research assistant, a teaching assistant, or an instructor. All graduate-level applicants must apply through the online application portal. Each department […]
Applications
MIT Graduate Admissions is a decentralized network of departments that extends across all five academic schools and includes 46 departmental programs. Each of these programs has an online application with a specific set of requirements and deadlines. Answers to most common questions can be found online in the Frequently Asked Questions section. Specific questions related to department requirements, […]
Graduate Admissions
Welcome Newly admitted students are welcomed to the MIT community. Starting graduate school may feel like an overwhelming life change, but MIT’s extensive resources and support are always available to help guide incoming students. Discover & explore Why choose MIT? Our own graduate students have asked this very same question, and have shared their insights […]
Taxes
The Institute is obliged to withhold federal and Massachusetts income taxes from the salaries of teaching and research assistants. For tax purposes, research assistant and teaching assistant salaries are considered as “earned income” as a result of the services rendered. Therefore, assistants must go to the Atlas About Me page to update their Tax Withholding […]
Support for activities and community
Looking for funding for your student group or activities? The OGE offers funding for selected proposals through the Graduate Student Experience Grants. There are also numerous other funding sources on campus that may be a match for you.
RA, TA, & IG Appointments
Research Assistant (RA), Teaching Assistant (TA), and Instructor-G (IG) appointments are often part of a graduate student’s financial support. Current RA, TA, and IG salary rates are listed in Appendix 1 (page 58) of the collective bargaining agreement between the MIT GSU and MIT. Research Assistant A research assistant is a member of a research group in […]
Loans
Graduate students who have pursued available grants, fellowships, and assistantships may also apply for student loans. Learn more about loans in the OGE’s graduate policies and procedures resources. Information on applying for federal and MIT loans for graduate students is available from Student Financial Services, Room 11-120. Visit the loans section of MIT’s iGrad portal for tips, tutorials, and tools to make […]
Workshops
Spring 2024 workshops The Office of Graduate Education will host a series of financial literacy workshops during the Fall 2023 semester. This semester’s workshops are laid out below and additions will be made throughout the semester so continue to check back for updates. Understanding Investment Vehicles – Financial Literacy Webinar 1Feb. 21, 12 PM – […]
Financial Literacy Initiative
Finances are a key aspect of navigating graduate school, and graduate student financial literacy is a topic of consistent discussion across MIT’s campus and nationally. The Office of Graduate Education (OGE) established its Financial Literacy Initiative in 2015 to provide graduate students with resources to help ensure sound financial health during their graduate education and […]
Graduate Policies and Procedures
Graduate Policies & Procedures (GPP) sets forth policies and procedures that apply to MIT graduate students. This manual addresses registration and degrees; financial assistance; and roles and responsibilities of graduate students, faculty members, and structures at the departmental and institutional levels. We urge graduate officers and graduate administrators to become familiar with these policies and […]
Writing
MIT offers multiple support systems to help graduate students develop their writing. Writing & Communication Center The Writing and Communication Center (E18, Room 233) offers several services to MIT graduate and undergraduate students during the academic year. Students can get free individual consultation about any writing difficulty, from questions about grammar to matters of style, […]
The Goodwin Medal
The Goodwin Medal Each year, MIT awards the Goodwin Medal to a graduate TA or Instructor (G) who has performed above and beyond the norm, and whose teaching efforts can truly be characterized as “conspicuously effective.” Conspicuously effective TAs demonstrate some commitment to supporting student learning above and beyond excellence in typical TA tasks. Descriptions […]
Teaching at MIT
Teaching is central to MIT’s educational mission. Serving as a teaching assistant (TA) provides graduate students a wealth of opportunities to develop their skills. Each year, MIT awards the Goodwin Medal to a graduate TA or Instructor (G) who has performed above and beyond the norm, and whose teaching efforts can truly be characterized as “conspicuously effective.” […]
Entrepreneurship
Balancing academics, research, and entrepreneurship MIT’s top two priorities – providing a quality education for students and driving innovation through cutting-edge research – often lead to entrepreneurship activities. MIT’s emphasis on “learning by doing” suffuses not only the academic curriculum, but also the way that we bring ideas to fruition. However, it is important to […]
Career & Professional Development
Whether you’re interested in academia or industry, here’s how to advance your career and professional development. In this section, learn about resources for career planning and professional development for Master’s and PhD students at MIT, including leadership, teaching, and writing. You will find robust resources at the Career Advising and Professional Development (CAPD) office, including […]
Resources
These individual resources are available to support you: OGE GradSupport Advice and counsel on a variety of issues including: Contact gradsupport@mit.edu (617) 253-4860 Departmental graduate administrators Key representative responsible for a broad array of services and resources that generally include: ContactFind your department’s administrator for contact info Departmental graduate officers The graduate officer is the faculty member or senior […]
GradSupport
GradSupport is here to help. Staff in the Office of Graduate Education provide advice and counsel on a variety of issues including faculty/student relationships, changing your advisor, conflict negotiation, funding, academic progress, interpersonal concerns, and a student’s rights and responsibilities. We can also help with excused absences and provide clarification about Graduate Policies and Procedures, […]
Student Support & Development
Welcome! We’re glad you’re here. Graduate education is a journey of constant growth, as students stretch to meet each new experience. We’re here to help you challenge yourself, to energize your self-care practice, and to support you in times of difficulty. We also point to many resources around diversity and community. So, how can we […]
