MIT Grant for Graduate Students with Children

Please visit the Graduate Families Financial Resources Page for grant amounts and application deadlines.

All full-time MIT PhD students and MIT Master’s students who are eligible for summer tuition subsidy are also eligible for the grant. In order to qualify for the grant, the student’s child must reside with them at least half-time throughout the year and be under 18 or still enrolled in K-12 education.

Students on childbirth accommodation, parental leave, nonresident doctoral thesis research status, and approved reduced course load are eligible to receive the grant.

Students in the following programs identified by the Office of the Provost as “professional programs” are not eligible for the grant:

• Masters in Engineering Management
  • Management System Design
  • Integrated Design and Management
• Masters in Supply Chain Management
• Masters in Data Economics & Development Policy
• Masters in Real Estate Development
• Masters in Business Administration (including EMBA and SFMBA)
• Master of Finance
• Master of Science in Management Studies
• Master of Business Analytics
• Leaders for Global Operations
• Advanced Studies Program

If you are not eligible for the Grant for Graduate Students with Children but are experiencing financial challenges with family-focused expenses for your children’s child care, health care, or housing please contact your degree program office so that an individualized assessment of your needs can be performed.

Eligible graduate students must submit the following documentation as part of their application to the Office of Graduate Education. If you are unable to provide a required document you must provide a written explanation.

Domestic students need to submit ONE of the following with their application:

• For Children
  • A copy of the child(ren)’s birth certificate(s) or U.S. passport(s);
  • Health insurance documents
  • Court documents showing proof of legal guardianship
  • Your federal or state tax returns if you’ve claimed the child(ren) as dependents

International students need to submit copies of ALL of the following documents:

• For Students
  • MIT Form I-20 or DS-2019
  • I-94 confirming F-1 student status or J-1 student status
• For Children
  • MIT Dependent Forms I-20 or DS-2019 for children or U.S. passport or birth certificate for children born in the United States
  • I-94 for child(ren) confirming F-2 or J-2 status of children not born in the U.S.

• Yearly Application: Students are eligible for one grant per year, per household, and must reapply each fall.
• Grant processing: Grants will be processed through the student payroll system. Students must submit direct deposit information in Atlas to receive the grant via direct deposit. Otherwise they will be issued a check.
• Grant taxation: Grant funds are taxable income. You are responsible for reporting the grant income and paying applicable taxes. Depending on your tax status, taxes may be withheld prior to the grant disbursement.
• Falsification of Information: If you have falsified information or supporting documentation on the grant application form, the grant funds will be rescinded, and you may be referred to the Office of Student Conduct.
• Information Sharing: By submitting an application, you acknowledge and agree that MIT may use the personal information contained within the application, including any private financial information or any information the student provides about others (e.g., family members, significant others), and any subsequent related correspondence with you, for the purposes of evaluating eligibility for benefits of the MIT Grant for Graduate Students with Children including by sharing it with other MIT officials involved in administering the program.

Students currently borrowing funds should contact Student Financial Services.

• If you are currently borrowing student loans (particularly Direct Loans) this grant could reduce your loan eligibility for this academic year. Please contact Student Financial Services to determine if receiving the grant will impact loan eligibility.

International students should consider the following

• Students in F-1 or J-1 student status must request a new Form I-20 or DS-2019 through the MIT International Students Office with updated funding information after they have received the grant. To do so, they should log on to imit.mit.edu and submit a request for a new I-20 form. Students will need an official letter confirming the amount of the grant received and the semester when the grant is distributed.
• Students must maintain their F-1 or J-1 student status in the United States, and their children F-2 or J-2 status in order remain elegibe for the grant.
• Students in F-1 or J-1 student status may not use the MIT Grant for Graduate students with Children as part of thier proof of funding for brining dependants (spouce and or children) with F-2 or J-2 status to the U.S. Information regarding funding for International students is available from the International Students Office website. 
• Students in F-1 student status on post-completion Optional Practical Training or STEM Optional Practical Training Extension, as well as students in J-1 student status on post-completion Academic Training are not eligible to apply for and receive the Grant.

My costs are higher than the grant I received. What other resources are available to me?

• We do not expect the grant to meet the full costs of supporting dependents. There are other programs that can help. Please review our Families Financial Resources Page or our Wellness and Food Resources Page  
• If you need additional resources while you are a student, federal student loan programs are available for US citizens and permanent residents, and private loans are a possibility for international students. You can find more information from Student Financial Services.

Where can I get more information about taxes related to this grant?

• U.S. Citizen and Permanent Resident students who receive a scholarship, fellowship or grant from MIT will not receive a tax document reporting this income. However, students may need to self-report a portion of this income on their tax returns.  
• International students who are classified as non-resident for tax purposes may receive a 1042-S reporting this income for use in filing their federal tax returns, if the student has claimed the tax treaty benefit with MIT or had a fellowship payment without a treaty.
• See information on tax withholding and reporting provided by the MIT Office of the Vice President for Finance.

If I receive this grant, will any of my current funding be impacted?

• When federal student aid (student loans or Federal Work-Study) or private student loans are involved, the total of the funds you receive may not exceed your individual cost of attendance. Loan eligibility, in particular, may be reduced in favor of the grant. Please discuss the situation with your financial aid counselor. Eligibility for MIT fellowships or assistantships will not be impacted.

I’m a postdoc. Can I apply?

• No. Postdocs are not eligible for this program. The Office of the Vice President for Research can recommend resources for you.

I still have questions. Who can I talk to?

• The Office of Graduate Education manages this program. You may email gradfamilies@mit.edu with additional questions.