how to get a phd from mit

Doctoral Degrees

A doctoral degree requires the satisfactory completion of an approved program of advanced study and original research of high quality..

Please note that the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and Doctor of Science (ScD) degrees are awarded interchangeably by all departments in the School of Engineering and the School of Science, except in the fields of biology, cognitive science, neuroscience, medical engineering, and medical physics. This means that, excepting the departments outlined above, the coursework and expectations to earn a Doctor of Philosophy and for a Doctor of Science degree from these schools are generally the same. Doctoral students may choose which degree they wish to complete.

Applicants interested in graduate education should apply to the department or graduate program conducting research in the area of interest. Some departments require a doctoral candidate to take a “minor” program outside of the student’s principal field of study; if you wish to apply to one of these departments, please consider additional fields you may like to pursue.

Below is a list of programs and departments that offer doctoral-level degrees.

This site uses cookies to give you the best possible experience. By browsing our website, you agree to our use of cookies.

If you require further information, please visit the Privacy Policy page.

Smart. Open. Grounded. Inventive. Read our Ideas Made to Matter.

Which program is right for you?

Through intellectual rigor and experiential learning, this full-time, two-year MBA program develops leaders who make a difference in the world.

A rigorous, hands-on program that prepares adaptive problem solvers for premier finance careers.

A 12-month program focused on applying the tools of modern data science, optimization and machine learning to solve real-world business problems.

Earn your MBA and SM in engineering with this transformative two-year program.

Combine an international MBA with a deep dive into management science. A special opportunity for partner and affiliate schools only.

A doctoral program that produces outstanding scholars who are leading in their fields of research.

Bring a business perspective to your technical and quantitative expertise with a bachelor’s degree in management, business analytics, or finance.

A joint program for mid-career professionals that integrates engineering and systems thinking. Earn your master’s degree in engineering and management.

An interdisciplinary program that combines engineering, management, and design, leading to a master’s degree in engineering and management.

Executive Programs

A full-time MBA program for mid-career leaders eager to dedicate one year of discovery for a lifetime of impact.

This 20-month MBA program equips experienced executives to enhance their impact on their organizations and the world.

Non-degree programs for senior executives and high-potential managers.

A non-degree, customizable program for mid-career professionals.

PhD Program

Program overview.

Now Reading 1 of 4

Rigorous, discipline-based research is the hallmark of the MIT Sloan PhD Program. The program is committed to educating scholars who will lead in their fields of research—those with outstanding intellectual skills who will carry forward productive research on the complex organizational, financial, and technological issues that characterize an increasingly competitive and challenging business world.

Start here.

Learn more about the program, how to apply, and find answers to common questions.

Admissions Events

Check out our event schedule, and learn when you can chat with us in person or online.

Start Your Application

Visit this section to find important admissions deadlines, along with a link to our application.

Click here for answers to many of the most frequently asked questions.

PhD studies at MIT Sloan are intense and individual in nature, demanding a great deal of time, initiative, and discipline from every candidate. But the rewards of such rigor are tremendous:  MIT Sloan PhD graduates go on to teach and conduct research at the world's most prestigious universities.

PhD Program curriculum at MIT Sloan is organized under the following three academic areas: Behavior & Policy Sciences; Economics, Finance & Accounting; and Management Science. Our nine research groups correspond with one of the academic areas, as noted below.

MIT Sloan PhD Research Groups

Behavioral & policy sciences.

Economic Sociology

Institute for Work & Employment Research

Organization Studies

Technological Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Strategic Management

Economics, Finance & Accounting

Accounting  

Management Science

Information Technology

System Dynamics  

Those interested in a PhD in Operations Research should visit the Operations Research Center .  

PhD Program Structure

Additional information including coursework and thesis requirements.

MIT Sloan Predoctoral Opportunities

MIT Sloan is eager to provide a diverse group of talented students with early-career exposure to research techniques as well as support in considering research career paths.

Rising Scholars Conference

The fourth annual Rising Scholars Conference on October 25 and 26 gathers diverse PhD students from across the country to present their research.

Now Reading 2 of 4

The goal of the MIT Sloan PhD Program's admissions process is to select a small number of people who are most likely to successfully complete our rigorous and demanding program and then thrive in academic research careers. The admission selection process is highly competitive; we aim for a class size of nineteen students, admitted from a pool of hundreds of applicants.

What We Seek

• Outstanding intellectual ability
• Excellent academic records
• Previous work in disciplines related to the intended area of concentration
• Strong commitment to a career in research

MIT Sloan PhD Program Admissions Requirements Common Questions

Dates and Deadlines

Admissions for 2024 is closed. The next opportunity to apply will be for 2025 admission. The 2025 application will open in September 2024. 

More information on program requirements and application components

Students in good academic standing in our program receive a funding package that includes tuition, medical insurance, and a fellowship stipend and/or TA/RA salary. We also provide a new laptop computer and a conference travel/research budget.

Funding Information

Throughout the year, we organize events that give you a chance to learn more about the program and determine if a PhD in Management is right for you.

PhD Program Events

May phd program overview.

During this webinar, you will hear from the PhD Program team and have the chance to ask questions about the application and admissions process.

June PhD Program Overview

July phd program overview, august phd program overview.

Complete PhD Admissions Event Calendar

Unlike formulaic approaches to training scholars, the PhD Program at MIT Sloan allows students to choose their own adventure and develop a unique scholarly identity. This can be daunting, but students are given a wide range of support along the way - most notably having access to world class faculty and coursework both at MIT and in the broader academic community around Boston.

Now Reading 3 of 4

Profiles of our current students

MIT Sloan produces top-notch PhDs in management. Immersed in MIT Sloan's distinctive culture, upcoming graduates are poised to innovate in management research and education. Here are the academic placements for our PhDs graduating in May and September 2024. Our 2024-2025 job market candidates will be posted in early June 2024.

Academic Job Market

Doctoral candidates on the current academic market

Academic Placements

Graduates of the MIT Sloan PhD Program are researching and teaching at top schools around the world.

view recent placements 

MIT Sloan Experience

Now Reading 4 of 4

The PhD Program is integral to the research of MIT Sloan's world-class faculty. With a reputation as risk-takers who are unafraid to embrace the unconventional, they are engaged in exciting disciplinary and interdisciplinary research that often includes PhD students as key team members.

Research centers across MIT Sloan and MIT provide a rich setting for collaboration and exploration. In addition to exposure to the faculty, PhD students also learn from one another in a creative, supportive research community.

Throughout MIT Sloan's history, our professors have devised theories and fields of study that have had a profound impact on management theory and practice.

From Douglas McGregor's Theory X/Theory Y distinction to Nobel-recognized breakthroughs in finance by Franco Modigliani and in option pricing by Robert Merton and Myron Scholes, MIT Sloan's faculty have been unmatched innovators.

This legacy of innovative thinking and dedication to research impacts every faculty member and filters down to the students who work beside them.

Faculty Links

• Accounting Faculty
• Economic Sociology Faculty
• Finance Faculty
• Information Technology Faculty
• Institute for Work and Employment Research (IWER) Faculty
• Marketing Faculty
• Organization Studies Faculty
• System Dynamics Faculty
• Technological Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Strategic Management (TIES) Faculty

Student Research

“MIT Sloan PhD training is a transformative experience. The heart of the process is the student’s transition from being a consumer of knowledge to being a producer of knowledge. This involves learning to ask precise, tractable questions and addressing them with creativity and rigor. Hard work is required, but the reward is the incomparable exhilaration one feels from having solved a puzzle that had bedeviled the sharpest minds in the world!” -Ezra Zuckerman Sivan Alvin J. Siteman (1948) Professor of Entrepreneurship

Sample Dissertation Abstracts - These sample Dissertation Abstracts provide examples of the work that our students have chosen to study while in the MIT Sloan PhD Program.

We believe that our doctoral program is the heart of MIT Sloan's research community and that it develops some of the best management researchers in the world. At our annual Doctoral Research Forum, we celebrate the great research that our doctoral students do, and the research community that supports that development process.

The videos of their presentations below showcase the work of our students and will give you insight into the topics they choose to research in the program.

Attention To Retention: The Informativeness of Insiders’ Decision to Retain Shares

2024 PhD Doctoral Research Forum Winner - Gabriel Voelcker

Watch more MIT Sloan PhD Program  Doctoral Forum Videos

• [email protected]

Keep Exploring

Ask a question or register your interest

Faculty Directory

Meet our faculty.

• Current MIT Graduate Students

Doctoral Programs in Computational Science and Engineering

Application & admission information.

The Center for Computational Science and Engineering (CCSE) offers two doctoral programs in computational science and engineering (CSE) – one leading to a standalone PhD degree in CSE offered entirely by CCSE (CSE PhD) and the other leading to an interdisciplinary PhD degree offered jointly with participating departments in the School of Engineering and the School of Science (Dept-CSE PhD).

While both programs enable students to specialize at the doctoral level in a computation-related field via focused coursework and a thesis, they differ in essential ways. The standalone CSE PhD program is intended for students who plan to pursue research in cross-cutting methodological aspects of computational science. The resulting doctoral degree in Computational Science and Engineering is awarded by CCSE via the the Schwarzman College of Computing. In contrast, the interdisciplinary Dept-CSE PhD program is intended for students who are interested in computation in the context of a specific engineering or science discipline. For this reason, this degree is offered jointly with participating departments across the Institute; the interdisciplinary degree is awarded in a specially crafted thesis field that recognizes the student’s specialization in computation within the chosen engineering or science discipline.

Applicants to the standalone CSE PhD program are expected to have an undergraduate degree in CSE, applied mathematics, or another field that prepares them for an advanced degree in CSE. Applicants to the Dept-CSE PhD program should have an undergraduate degree in a related core disciplinary area as well as a strong foundation in applied mathematics, physics, or related fields. When completing the MIT CSE graduate application , students are expected to declare which of the two programs they are interested in. Admissions decisions will take into account these declared interests, along with each applicant’s academic background, preparation, and fit to the program they have selected.  All applicants are asked to specify MIT CCSE-affiliated faculty that best match their research interests; applicants to the Dept-CSE PhD program also select the home department(s) that best match. At the discretion of the admissions committee, Dept-CSE PhD applications might also be shared with a home department beyond those designated in the application. CSE PhD admissions decisions are at the sole discretion of CCSE; Dept-CSE PhD admission decisions are conducted jointly between CCSE and the home departments.

Please note: These are both doctoral programs in Computational Science and Engineering; applicants interested in Computer Science must apply to the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science .

Important Dates

September 15: Application Opens December 1: Deadline to apply for admission* December – March: Application review period January – March: Decisions released on rolling basis

*All supplemental materials (e.g., transcripts, test scores, letters of recommendation) must also be received by December 1. Application review begins on that date, and incomplete applications may not be reviewed. Please be sure that your recommenders are aware of this hard deadline, as we do not make exceptions. We also do not allow students to upload/submit material beyond what is required, such as degree certificates, extra recommendations, publications, etc.

A complete electronic CSE application includes the following:

• Three letters of recommendation ;
• Students admitted to the program will be required to supply official transcripts. Discrepancies between unofficial and official transcripts may result in the revocation of the admission offer.
• Statement of objectives (limited to approximately one page) and responses to department-specific prompts for Dept-CSE PhD applicants;
• Official GRE General Test score report , sent to MIT by ETS via institute code 3514 GRE REQUIREMENT WAIVED FOR FALL 2024 ;
• Official IELTS score report sent to MIT by IELTS†  (international applicants from non-English speaking countries only; see below for more information)
• Resume or CV , uploaded in PDF format;
• MIT graduate application fee of $75‡.

‡Application Fee

The MIT graduate application fee of $75.00 is a mandatory requirement set by the Institute payable by credit card. Please visit the MIT Graduate Admission Application Fee Waiver page for information about fee waiver eligibility and instructions.

Please note: CCSE cannot issue fee waivers; email requests for fee waivers sent to [email protected] will not be considered.

Admissions Contact Information

Email: [email protected]

► Current MIT CSE SM Students: Please see the page for Current MIT Graduate Students .

GRE Requirement

GRE REQUIREMENT WAIVED FOR FALL 2024 All applicants are required to take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Aptitude Test. The MIT code for submitting GRE score reports is 3514 (you do not need to list a department code). GRE scores must current; ETS considers scores valid for five years after the testing year in which you tested.

†English Language Proficiency Requirement

The CSE PhD program requires international applicants from non-English speaking countries to take the academic  version of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).  The IELTS exam measures one’s ability to communicate in English in four major skill areas: listening, reading, writing, and speaking.  A minimum IELTS score of 7 is required for admission.  For more information about the IELTS, and to find out where and how to take the exam, please visit the IELTS web site .

While we will also accept the TOEFL iBT (Test of English as a Foreign Language), we strongly prefer the IELTS. The minimum TOEFL iBT score is 100.

This requirement is waived for those who can demonstrate that one or more of the following are true:

• English is/was the language of instruction in your four-year undergraduate program,
• English is the language of your employer/workplace for at least the last four years,
• English was your language of instruction in both primary and secondary schools.

Degree Requirements for Admission

To be admitted as a regular graduate student, an applicant must have earned a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from a college, university, or technical school of acceptable standing. Students in their final year of undergraduate study may be admitted on the condition that their bachelor’s degree is awarded before they enroll at MIT.

Applicants without an SM degree may apply to the CSE PhD program, however, the Departments of Aeronautics and Astronautics and Mechanical Engineering nominally require the completion of an SM degree before a student is considered a doctoral candidate. As a result, applicants to those departments holding only a bachelor’s degree are asked in the application to indicate whether they prefer to complete the CSE SM program or an SM through the home department.

Nondiscrimination Policy

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is committed to the principle of equal opportunity in education and employment.  To read MIT’s most up-to-date nondiscrimination policy, please visit the Reference Publication Office’s nondiscrimination statement page .

Additional Information

For more details, as well as answers to most commonly asked questions regarding the admissions process to individual participating Dept-CSE PhD departments including details on financial support, applicants are referred to the website of the participating department of interest.

• Who’s Teaching What
• Subject Updates
• MEng program
• Opportunities
• Minor in Computer Science
• Resources for Current Students
• Program objectives and accreditation
• Graduate program requirements

Admission process

• Degree programs
• Graduate research
• EECS Graduate Funding
• Resources for current students
• Student profiles
• Instructors
• DEI data and documents
• Recruitment and outreach
• Community and resources
• Get involved / self-education
• Rising Stars in EECS
• Graduate Application Assistance Program (GAAP)
• MIT Summer Research Program (MSRP)
• Sloan-MIT University Center for Exemplary Mentoring (UCEM)
• Electrical Engineering
• Computer Science
• Artificial Intelligence + Decision-making
• AI and Society
• AI for Healthcare and Life Sciences
• Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
• Biological and Medical Devices and Systems
• Communications Systems
• Computational Biology
• Computational Fabrication and Manufacturing
• Computer Architecture
• Educational Technology
• Electronic, Magnetic, Optical and Quantum Materials and Devices
• Graphics and Vision
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Information Science and Systems
• Integrated Circuits and Systems
• Nanoscale Materials, Devices, and Systems
• Natural Language and Speech Processing
• Optics + Photonics
• Optimization and Game Theory
• Programming Languages and Software Engineering
• Quantum Computing, Communication, and Sensing
• Security and Cryptography
• Signal Processing
• Systems and Networking
• Systems Theory, Control, and Autonomy
• Theory of Computation
• Departmental History
• Departmental Organization
• Visiting Committee
• Graduate programs
• Past Terms' Subject Updates and WTW
• Subject numbering
• FAQ about Fall 2024 Changes
• 2022 Curriculum Transition
• 6-1: Electrical Science and Engineering
• 6-2: Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
• 6-3: Computer Science and Engineering
• 6-4: Artificial Intelligence and Decision Making
• 6-5: Electrical Engineering with Computing
• 6-7: Computer Science and Molecular Biology
• 6-9: Computation and Cognition
• 11-6: Urban Science and Planning with Computer Science
• 6-14: Computer Science, Economics, and Data Science
• Requirements
• Application, Acceptance, and Deferral
• Thesis Proposal
• MEng Thesis
• UROP and SuperUROP
• Study Abroad
• USAGE Members, 2023-24
• 6-A Industrial Program
• Degree Audits and Departmental Petitions
• Space on Campus
• Resources for International Students
• Resources for Incoming Double Majors
• Resources for Advisors
• Graduate Admissions FAQs
• Graduate Admissions Information Letter
• What faculty members are looking for in a grad school application essay.
• Conditions of Appointment as a Teaching Assistant or Fellow
• RA Appointments
• Fellowship Appointments
• Materials and Forms for Graduate Students
• Subject Updates Fall 2024
• Subject Updates Spring 2024
• Subject Updates Fall 2023
• Subject Updates Spring 2023
• Subject Updates Fall 2022
• Subject Updates Spring 2022
• Subject Updates Fall 2021

Thriving Stars helps answer the question, “What is a PhD degree and why do you want one?” Check out this story for a number of perspectives from EECS faculty leaders, EECS alumni and current graduate students working on their PhD degree: Thriving Stars tackles the question—what’s a PhD degree all about anyway??

The EECS Department is the largest in the School of Engineering with about 700 graduate students in the doctoral program. [Application is for the doctoral program only — there is no terminal masters degree, but all PhD students earn a masters degree as they work towards PhD.  A Masters of Engineering is only available for qualified MIT EECS undergraduates.] 

The application website (see link below) is available on September 15, 2024, for students who wish to apply for graduate admission in September 2025. The deadline for submitting completed applications is December 15, 2024.

Applicants to the MIT EECS graduate program should apply using the   EECS online admissions site . 

Questions not answered by the  FAQs ? Send inquiries to  [email protected] .

Need more information? Read  this graduate admissions information letter .

For information on our faculty and what they’re currently working on, take a look at our Faculty Interests Guide.

For more information about writing a statement of objectives, see this article from the MIT EECS Communication Lab .

• Diversity & Inclusion
• Community Values
• Visiting MIT Physics
• People Directory
• Faculty Awards
• History of MIT Physics
• Policies and Procedures
• Departmental Committees
• Academic Programs Team
• Finance Team
• Meet the Academic Programs Team
• Prospective Students
• Requirements
• Employment Opportunities
• Research Opportunities

Graduate Admissions

• Doctoral Guidelines
• Financial Support
• Graduate Student Resources
• PhD in Physics, Statistics, and Data Science
• MIT LEAPS Program
• for Undergraduate Students
• for Graduate Students
• Mentoring Programs Info for Faculty
• Non-degree Programs
• Student Awards & Honors
• Astrophysics Observation, Instrumentation, and Experiment
• Astrophysics Theory
• Atomic Physics
• Condensed Matter Experiment
• Condensed Matter Theory
• High Energy and Particle Theory
• Nuclear Physics Experiment
• Particle Physics Experiment
• Quantum Gravity and Field Theory
• Quantum Information Science
• Strong Interactions and Nuclear Theory
• Center for Theoretical Physics
• Affiliated Labs & Centers
• Program Founder
• Competition
• Donor Profiles
• Patrons of Physics Fellows Society
• Giving Opportunties
• physics@mit Journal: Fall 2023 Edition
• Events Calendar
• Physics Colloquia
• Search for: Search

Admissions Information for Prospective Graduate Students

Thank you for considering the PhD program in Physics at MIT. Information regarding our graduate program and our application process can be found below and through the following webpages and other links on this page. If your questions are not answered after reviewing this information, please contact us at [email protected] .

Here are some links to pages relevant to prospective students:

• Material Required for a Complete Application , and information about When/How to Apply can be found below on this page.
• We have an FAQ which should help to answer many questions, and we provide Application Assistance from staff and students if you don’t find what you need in the FAQ.
• Additional Guidance about the application itself, along with examples, can be found on a separate page. The graduate application is available at https://apply.mit.edu/apply/ .
• General information about the graduate program and research areas in the physics department may also be of use.
• MSRP (MIT Summer Research Program) is designed to give underrepresented and underserved students access to an MIT research experience, pairing each student with a faculty member who will oversee the student conducting a research project at MIT.

Statement regarding admissions process during COVID Pandemic (Updated Summer 2023)

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 unprecedented 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 Physics Department ( [email protected] ).

Also, to stay up-to-date on the latest information on MIT and the COVID-19 pandemic at now.mit.edu .

Applying to the MIT Department of Physics

We know that the application process can be time-consuming, stressful, and costly. We are committed to reducing these barriers and to helping all applicants receive a full and fair assessment by our faculty reviewers. Help is available from the Physics Graduate Admissions Office at [email protected] and additional assistance from current students is offered during the admissions season. Further details are described at the end of this page in our Assistance for Prospective Applicants section.

The list below describes the important elements of a complete application. Please reach out to us at [email protected] if you have a concern or logistical difficulty that could prevent you from providing your strongest application.

Required for a Complete Application

1. online application and application fee.

• MIT Graduate Admissions Online Graduate Application
• Application Fee: $75 NOTE: Applicants who feel that this fee may prevent them from applying should send a short email to [email protected] to describe their general reasons for requesting a waiver. We will follow up with information about how to apply for a formal ‘application fee waiver’. Additional documents may be required, so additional time will be necessary to process requests. Either the fee or a formal fee waiver is required with a submitted application.

2. University Transcript(s)

Unofficial transcripts are sufficient for our initial review, with final transcripts required as a condition of matriculation for successful applicants. Applicants should include a scan of their transcript(s) and, if a degree is in progress, should include a list of the class subjects being taken in the current semester. The GradApply portal will allow applicants to log back into the application after the deadline to add their Fall term grades when they are available.

Note: We will respect decisions regarding the adoption of Pass/No Record (or Credit/No Credit or Pass/Fail) and other grading options during the unprecedented period of COVID-19 disruptions, whether those decisions were made by institutions or by individual students.

3. Standardized Test Results

• GRE Tests are not required for graduate applications submitted in 2023. The Physics subject GRE (PGRE) will be optional in 2023 and our department does not require results from the General GRE test.
• TOEFL or IELTS Test or a waiver is required for non-native English speakers. MIT’s TOEFL school code is 3514; the code for the Department of Physics is 76. IELTS does not require a code. Eligibility for TOEFL/IELTS waivers is in our FAQ section .
• Self-reported scores are sufficient for our initial application screening, with official scores required for admitted students as a condition of their offer. Applicants should attach a scanned copy of their test score report.

4. Letters of Recommendation

Letters should include any individual work applicants have done and/or areas where they have special strengths. It is possible to submit up to 6 total letters, but 3 are sufficient for a complete application and committee members may evaluate applications based on the first three letters that they read.

5. Statement of Objectives

Research is central to graduate study in physics. The Statement of Objectives/Purpose should include descriptions of research projects, aptitude and achievements as completely as possible. This important part of the application provides an opportunity to describe any interests, skills, and background relative to the research areas selected on the application form. Applicants should share anything that prepares them for graduate studies and describe their proudest achievements.

Additional Application Materials

• Research, Teaching, and Community Engagement – Any special background or achievement that prepares the applicant for Physics graduate studies at MIT. This may include research at their undergraduate school as part of their Bachelor or Master degree, or summer research at another program or school.  We also value our student’s contributions to their community on a variety of scales (from institutional to societal) and we encourage applicants to tell us about their teaching and community engagement activities.  The “experience” questions are intended to provide a CV-like listing of achievements, some of which may be elaborated on in the “Statement of Objectives” and/or the optional “Personal Statement”.
• Publications, Talks, and Merit Based Recognition – Recognition of success in research, academics, and outreach can take many forms, including publications, talks, honors, prizes, awards, fellowships, etc.  This may include current nominations for scholarships or papers submitted for publication.
• Optional Personal Statement – Members of our community come from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences. We welcome any personal information that will help us to evaluate applications holistically and will provide context for the applicant’s academic achievements. This statement may include extenuating circumstances, significant challenges that were overcome, a non-traditional educational background, description of any advocacy or values work, or other information that may be relevant.
• Detailed instructions for each application section, and many examples , can be found on the “ Additional Guidance ” page.  The detailed instructions are lengthy, and are intended to be read only “as needed” while you work on your application (i.e., you don’t need to go read the whole thing before you start).

When/How to Apply

When : Applications can be submitted between September 15 and December 15 by 11:59pm EST for the following year.

How : The application is online at https://apply.mit.edu/apply/

Application Assistance

Faculty, students, and staff have collaborated to provide extensive guidance to prospective applicants to our graduate degree program. Resources include several department webpages to inform prospective applicants about our PhD degree requirements and to help applicants as they assemble and submit their materials. In addition to staff responses to emails, current graduate students will answer specific individual questions, give one admissions-related webinar, and provide a mentorship program for selected prospective applicants.

During the application season, prospective students may request additional information from current students about the admissions process, graduate student life, or department culture, either as a response to a specific individual email question or for more in-depth assistance. Applicants will benefit most from contacting us early in the process, when current students and staff will be available to respond to questions and mentor selected applicants. After mid-November, department staff will continue to field questions through the admission process.

Here are some resources for prospective applicants:

• Our website provides answers to many frequently-asked admissions questions .
• Admissions staff are available for questions at [email protected] .
• Current students collaborate with staff to answer specific questions emailed to [email protected] .
• PhysGAAP Webinars are designed to provide student perspectives on the application and admissions processes in an interactive format. This year’s webinar will take place on Wednesday, Nov 1st, 2023 from 10am to 12pm EDT. Sign up here: https://mit.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_ah13eCcEh0cKW7I
• PhysGAAP Mentoring provides in-depth guidance through the application process.

Student-led Q&A Service

A team of our current graduate students is available to share their experience and perspectives in response to individual questions which may fall under any of the following categories:

• Coursework/research (e.g., How do I choose between two research areas and how do I find a potential research advisor?)
• Culture (e.g., What is it like to be a student of a particular identity at MIT?)
• Student life (e.g., What clubs or extracurriculars do graduate students at MIT take part in?)

To request a response from the current students, please send an email to [email protected] and indicate clearly in the subject line or first sentence that you would like your email forwarded to the PhysGAAP student team. Depending on the scope of your question, department staff will send your email to current students.

We encourage you to reach out as early as you can to maximize the benefit that this help can provide to you. While the admissions office staff will continue to field your questions throughout the admissions season, current students may not be available to respond to questions sent after November 15.

This student email resource is designed for individual basic questions. More in-depth guidance, especially about the application itself, will be available through the PhysGAAP Webinars and/or PhysGAAP Mentorship Program described below.

Student-led Webinar

A panel of our graduate students hosted a 2-hour long Zoom webinar in late October of 2022 to present information about the application and admissions processes, and to respond to questions on these topics. The webinar addressed general questions about preparing, completing, and submitting the application; what the Admissions Committee is looking for; and the general timeline for the admissions process.

Below is video from our latest webinar that took place on Wednesday, Nov 1st, 2023. Check back here in Fall 2024 for information on our next webinar.

Note: We have  compiled a document  containing supplementary material for previous PhysGAAP webinars.

Webinar Recordings

Past PhysGAAP Webinars

Please note that the two webinars below are from prior years and may contain outdated information about some topics, such as GRE requirements.

• October 2022
• December 2021
• September 2021

Mentorship for Prospective Applicants

In addition to the materials available through this website, answers to emails sent to the department, or from our graduate student webinars, we also offer one-on-one mentoring for students who desire more in-depth individual assistance. Prospective applicants may apply to the PhysGAAP Mentoring program,, which pairs prospective graduate school applicants with current graduate students who can assist them through the application process, provide feedback on their application materials and insight into graduate school and the MIT Physics Department.

We welcome interest in the PhysGAAP Mentorship program and mentorship applications are open to any prospective applicant. However, our capacity is limited, so we will give preferential consideration to PhysGAAP Mentorship applicants who would most benefit from the program and can demonstrate that they are a good fit.

PhysGAAP Mentoring may a good fit for you if you

• feel like you lack other resources to help you navigate the graduate school application process,
• find the other forms of assistance (online webinars, email at [email protected] ) insufficient to address your needs, and
• think you could benefit from one-on-one application mentorship.

PhysGAAP Mentoring may not be a good fit for you if you

• only have one or two questions that could be answered elsewhere (online webinars, email at [email protected] , or online FAQs), or
• feel like you already have sufficient resources to complete your application (e.g., the PhysGAAP webinars, access to other mentoring services or workshops)

Please note that:

• PhysGAAP Mentoring is only open to students who are planning to apply to graduate schools in Fall 2024 .
• Participation in PhysGAAP is not considered during admissions review. It helps applicants put forward their strongest materials, but does not guarantee admission into our graduate program.
• Any information you submit in the PhysGAAP Mentoring application will only be seen by the PhysGAAP team and your matched mentor.

Admissions/Application FAQs

Our Frequently Asked Questions provide further information about degree requirements, funding, educational background, application deadlines, English language proficiency, program duration, start dates and deferrals, and fee waiver requests.

The MOST Frequently Asked Question…

What is included in a strong graduate application for physics at mit.

Applications are assessed holistically and many variables are considered in the application review process. The following four main factors are required for a complete application.

• the applicant’s statement of objectives or purpose,
• transcripts of past grades,
• score reports of any required standardized tests,
• three letters of reference.

In addition, any past research experience, publications, awards, and honors are extremely helpful, particularly if they are in the area(s) of the applicant’s interest(s). Applicants may also include a personal statement in their application to provide context as the materials are assessed.

Applications are routed to admission committee members and other faculty readers using the “areas of interest” and any faculty names selected from the menu as well as based on the research interests included in the statement of objectives. Please select the areas of interest that best reflect your goals.

Instructions are available in the application itself , with further guidance on our Additional Guidance page. The Physics Admissions Office will respond to questions sent to [email protected] .

General Questions Regarding the PhD Program in Physics

Must i have a degree in physics in order to apply to this graduate program.

Our successful applicants generally hold a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics, or have taken many Physics classes if they have majored in another discipline. The most common other majors are astronomy, engineering, mathematics, and chemistry. Bachelor of Science degrees may be 3-year or 4-year degrees, depending on the education structure of the country in which they are earned.

What are the requirements to complete a PhD?

The requirements for a PhD in Physics at MIT are the doctoral examination, a few required subject classes, and a research-based thesis. The doctoral examination consists of a written and an oral examination. The written component may be satisfied either by passing the 4 subject exams or by passing designated classes related to each topic with a qualifying grade; the oral exam will be given in a student’s chosen research area. The Physics Department also requires that each student take two classes in the field of specialization and two physics-related courses in fields outside the specialty. Research for the thesis is conducted throughout the student’s time in the program, culminating in a thesis defense and submission of the final thesis.

Can I take courses at other schools nearby?

Yes. Cross-registration is available at Harvard University and Wellesley College.

How many years does it take to complete the PhD requirements?

From 3 to 7 years, averaging 5.6 years.

How will I pay for my studies?

Our students are fully supported financially throughout the duration of their program, provided that they make satisfactory progress. Funding is provided from Fellowships (internal and external) and/or Assistantships (research and teaching) and covers tuition, health insurance, and a living stipend. Read more about funding .

Note: For more detailed information regarding the cost of attendance, including specific costs for tuition and fees, books and supplies, housing and food as well as transportation, please visit the Student Financial Services (SFS) website .

How many applications are submitted each year? How many students are accepted?

Although the number varies each year, the Department of Physics usually welcomes approximately 45 incoming graduate students each year. Last year we received more than 1,700 applications and extended fewer than 90 offers of admission.

What are the minimum grades and exam scores for admitted applicants?

There are no minimum standards for overall grade point averages/GPAs. Grades from physics and other related classes will be carefully assessed. Under a special COVID-19 policy, MIT will accept transcripts with a variety of grading conventions, including any special grading given during the COVID-19 pandemic. GRE Tests are not required for graduate applications submitted in 2023. The Physics subject GRE (PGRE) will be optional in 2023 and our department does not require results from the General GRE test.

Our program is conducted in English and all applicants must demonstrate their English language proficiency. Non-native English speakers should review our policy carefully before waiving the TOEFL/IELTS requirements. We do not set a minimum requirement on TOEFL/IELTS scores; however, students who are admitted to our program typically score above the following values:

• IELTS – 7
• TOEFL (computer based) – 200
• TOEFL (iBT) – 100
• TOEFL (standard) – 600

The Application Process

When is the deadline for applying to the phd program in physics.

Applications for enrollment in the fall are due each year by 11:59pm EST on December 15 of the preceding year. There is no admission cycle for spring-term enrollment.

The COVID-19 pandemic has made it difficult for me to take tests in person. Can I still apply?

GRE Tests are not required for graduate applications submitted in 2023. The Physics subject GRE (PGRE) will be optional in 2023 and our department does not require results from the General GRE test.Non-native English speakers who are not eligible for a test waiver should include their results from either an in-person or online version of the TOEFL or IELTS test.

Does the Department of Physics provide waivers for the English language exam (TOEFL/IELTS)?

An English language exam (IELTS, TOEFL, TOEFL iBT, or the C2 Cambridge English Proficiency exam) is required of all applicants who are from a country in which English is not the primary language. Exceptions to this policy will be considered for candidates who, at the start of their graduate studies in 2022, will have been in the US or in a country whose official language is English for three years or longer and who will have received a degree from a college or university in a country where the language of education instruction is English. An interview via telephone, Zoom, or Skype may be arranged at the discretion of the Admissions Committee. More information on a possible English Language Waiver Decision (PDF).

Does the Department of Physics provide application fee waivers?

Although we do not want the MIT application fee to be a barrier to admission, we cannot provide application fee waivers to all who request one.  Under-resourced applicants, and applicants who have participated in the MIT Summer Research Program (MSRP), Converge, or another MIT program or an official MIT recruiting visit are eligible for a fee waiver from the MIT Office of Graduate Education (OGE). Please check MIT Graduate Diversity Programs for further details.  Departmentally, we have allotted a small number of waivers for applicants who have completed an application (including transcript uploads, and requests for letters of recommendation), but do not qualify for a waiver from the OGE. Fee waiver requests will be considered on a first-come-first-served basis, and not after December 1. Furthermore, applications lacking the paid fee or a fee waiver by 11:59pm EST on December 15 will not be reviewed or considered for admission. Please complete the  MIT Physics Departmental Fee Waiver Application Form  when you are ready to apply for a departmental waiver. Waivers are not awarded until the application is complete.

Can I arrange a visit to the Physics Department or a specific research area?

Update as of September 23, 2021: In an effort to keep our community safe and healthy, we are not currently hosting or meeting with outside visitors in person, nor are we facilitating visits to our classrooms. Current graduate students and prospective applicants should direct any questions by email to [email protected] .

Applicants are invited to send specific questions to the Physics Admissions Office and some questions may be forwarded to current students for further information.

Can I receive an update on the status of my application?

Candidates will receive email acknowledgments from the Physics Academic Programs Office informing them whether their application is complete, is missing materials, or if further information is needed. Due to the high volume of applications that are received, no additional emails or telephone inquiries can be answered. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that all items are sent.

When will I be notified of a final decision?

Applicants will be notified via email of decisions by the end of February. If you have not heard from us by March 1, please send email to [email protected] .

We do not provide results by phone.

Can admitted students start in a term other than the next Fall semester?

Applications submitted between September 15 and December 15 by 11:59pm EST are assessed for the following Fall semester. We do not provide a separate admission review cycle for the Spring semester. Individual research supervisors may invite incoming students to start their research during the summer term a few months earlier than their studies would normally begin. All other incoming students start their studies in late August for the Fall term.

Once admitted, applicants may request a one-year deferral to attend a specific academic program or for another approved reason, with single semester deferrals for the following Spring term granted only rarely.

• Career Paths
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
• DMSE Job Opportunities
• Our Faculty
• Computing and Data Science
• Energy and the Environment
• Health and Medicine
• Manufacturing
• Transportation and Infrastructure
• Archaeological Materials
• Semiconductors
• Soft Matter
• Characterization
• Computation and Design
• Device Fabrication
• Synthesis and Processing
• Impact Stories
• Research Facilities
• Majors, Minors, and Concentration
• Opportunities For First-Year Students
• Opportunities for DMSE Undergraduates
• DMSE Breakerspace
• Wulff Lecture
• Application Assistance and Resources

Doctoral Degree and Requirements

• Master’s Degree and Requirements
• Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs
• Funding Opportunities
• Postdoctoral Program
• MITx Online
• Newsletter Archive
• FORGE Initiative

The doctoral program in DMSE provides an advanced educational experience that is versatile, intellectually challenging, and of enduring value for high-level careers in materials science and engineering. It develops students’ ability, confidence, and originality to grasp and solve challenging problems involving materials.

Required Subjects

The core courses define the basis of materials science and engineering as a discipline—what every PhD materials scientist or materials engineer from MIT ought to know. The first-year student seminars and core subjects provide a rigorous, unified foundation for subsequent advanced-level subjects and thesis research. Here are the required subjects:

• 3.20 (Materials at Equilibrium) (15 units, Year 1, fall)
• 3.22 (Structure and Mechanics of Materials) (12 units, Year 1, fall)
• 3.201 (Introduction to DMSE) (3 units, Year 1, fall)
• 3.21 (Kinetic Processes in Materials) (15 units, Year 1, spring)
• 3.23 (Electrical, Optical, and Magnetic Properties of Materials) (12 units, Year 1, spring)
• 3.202 (Essential Research Skills) (3 units, Year 1, spring)
• 3.995 (First-Year Thesis Research) (18 units, Year 1, spring)

English Evaluation Test

International graduate students may be required to take the MIT English Evaluation Test upon arrival in the fall semester. Results from the test will indicate whether the student will be required to take an English class at MIT. Some students may qualify for a waiver of the English Evaluation Test:

• Students who studied at a US university or an international university whose primary language of instruction is English for at least three years and received a degree from that US/international university.
• Students whose language of instruction was English during primary and secondary school years.

The DMSE Graduate Academic Office informs incoming students by early summer if they qualify for this waiver.

Electives and Concentrations

Doctoral students must take three post-core graduate electives approved by the thesis committee. Refer to the MIT Subjects Listings and Schedule for the subjects offered and their schedules.

Graduate students can use the three electives to create a specialization or concentration in a particular research area of materials science and engineering, or they can choose a broader educational experience by picking subjects in three different areas.

Sample Concentration Areas

Students who choose a concentration area have several options. Below is a list of sample concentrations available.

• Electronic, magnetic, and photonic materials
• High-performance structural materials
• Computational materials science
• Biomaterials
• Polymeric materials
• Materials for energy and the environment
• Nanoscale materials
• Materials processing materials economics and manufacturing, entrepreneurship
• Laboratory/characterization/instrumentation
• Materials design
• Experimental/characterization computational materials application/design

Electives Outside the Department

Students may enroll in one non-DMSE graduate elective that is 9-12 units with the approval of their thesis committee. Students may propose to enroll in two or more non-DMSE graduate electives by submitting a petition to the Departmental Committee on Graduate Studies (DCGS). Submit the petition form in advance of enrolling in the subjects to the DMSE Graduate Academic Office for committee review, including a statement on why you would like to enroll in these subjects, your signature, and your thesis advisor’s signature.

• Download the Graduate Student Petition (pdf) and complete it.
• Send the completed petition to [email protected] .

The minor requirement is designed to encourage the development of intellectual breadth at an advanced level. A program of study must be discussed with and approved by a student’s research supervisor, so it should be proposed early in a student’s doctoral program.

DMSE Doctoral Track Students

There are two minor requirement options for DMSE graduate students on the doctoral track.

Academic Minor

Here are some general guidelines regarding an academic minor.

• The selected subjects may or may not be related to the thesis research area.
• The subjects taken must be at an advanced level. It is recommended that two graduate-level courses be taken (24 units).
• Minor programs composed of one graduate level and one advanced undergraduate-level course (24 units), or three advanced undergraduate courses (33 units) that were not used to obtain a bachelors or master’s degree may also be acceptable. An exception is a minor in a beginning Global Languages sequence in which two 9-unit G subjects would most likely be approved.

Teaching Minor

Only DMSE doctoral track students who have passed their doctoral examinations may submit a teaching minor program proposal. Students generally begin a teaching minor in Year 3 of graduate study. Here are some general guidelines:

• Students must serve as a teaching intern for two semesters. They are designated teaching interns during the semesters in which they are earning academic credit toward the teaching minor requirement.
• Students must earn 24 units of academic credit for 3.691-3.699 (Teaching Materials Science and Engineering).
• Students must take 3.69 (Teaching Fellows Seminar) while serving as a teaching intern. The subject is offered each fall semester and provides instruction on how to teach lectures and recitations; how to prepare a syllabus, writing assignments and examinations; grading; and how to resolve complaints.

Students must submit a form outlining the proposed minor program to the DCGS Chair for approval.

• Attach copies of the catalog descriptions of all subjects included in the program proposal form.
• List the subjects to be taken to fulfill the minor requirement.
• Preview the Minor Program Proposal (pdf) and prepare your responses. Then click the button below, add the responses, and submit the proposal via DocuSign.

DMSE Program in Polymers and Soft Matter (PPSM) Doctoral Track Students

To complete the minor requirement, PPSM students must do the following:

• Take 3.20 (Materials at Equilibrium) and 3.21 (Kinetic Processes in Materials).
• Take one other graduate subject of at least 9 units that is not related to polymeric materials for academic credit.
• List the subjects to be taken to fulfill the minor requirement and submit the proposal. The written request will need to have the catalogue description of the third subject.
• Preview the Minor Program Proposal (pdf) and prepare your responses. Then click the button below, add your responses, and send the proposal via DocuSign.

Qualifying Exams

MIT requires that all doctoral students successfully complete written and oral evaluations to qualify as a candidate for the doctoral degree. The DMSE qualifying exams consist of two-step procedure.

Core Curriculum Assessment and First-Year Research Progress

In the first two semesters of the graduate program, doctoral track students enroll in the four core subjects:

• 3.20 (Materials at Equilibrium)
• 3.21 (Kinetic Processes in Materials)
• 3.22 (Structure and Mechanical Properties of Materials)
• 3.23 (Electrical, Optical, and Magnetic Properties of Materials)
• 3.201 (Introduction to DMSE)
• 3.202 (Essential Research Skills)

Students must also demonstrate satisfactory performance in research, including the selection of a research group in the fall term and receive a “J” grade in 3.995 (First-Year Thesis Research) in spring term.

First-Year Performance Evaluation

DCGS evaluates first-year performance on a Pass/No Pass basis:

The student has successfully completed the first-year requirements and is eligible to register for step two of the qualifying procedure, the Thesis Area Examination.

The student has not fully completed the first-year requirements and is not eligible to register for the Thesis Area Examination without DCGS approval. In situations in which students complete only some of the requirements, DCGS will consult with the student’s advisor and the instructors of the core classes to develop a remediation plan (for example, retaking a course). If a student’s overall GPA is below 3.5 or the student earns more than one grade of C or lower in the core classes, the student will receive an official academic progress warning letter from the Vice Chancellor for Undergraduate and Graduate Education, in addition to a DCGS remediation plan.

Thesis Area Examination

After completing the core curriculum and review of first-year research progress, students select a research project for their PhD thesis. Selection of this topic is a decision made in agreement with their advisor. The TAE tests the student’s preparedness to conduct PhD research and provides feedback on the chosen PhD thesis project.

• The TAE consists of a written proposal and an oral presentation of the proposed research to the student’s TAE Committee. The written proposal is due in mid-January before the oral examination.
• TAE oral examinations are administered during the first two weeks in the spring term of Year 2. The DMSE Graduate Academic Office schedules the TAE oral examination after confirmation of the TAE Committee with DCGS.

Preparation for the TAE requires that a student work through aspects of a successful research proposal, including motivation, context, hypothesis, work plans, methods, expected results, and impact. A working understanding of relevant concepts from materials science and engineering core knowledge should be demonstrated throughout.

TAE Committee

The Thesis Area Examination is administered by a TAE Chair and two committee members.

• The chair of the committee is appointed by DCGS: a DMSE faculty member whose principal area of research and intellectual pursuits differ from that of the student’s thesis advisor(s).
• The identities of the other committee members should be discussed between the student and thesis advisor. The student is responsible for contacting these potential committee members and requesting their participating as part of the student’s TAE committee. At least one of the other two faculty examiners must also be DMSE faculty. The third member of the committee may be an MIT DMSE senior research associate, lecturer, or senior lecturer. If the student wants a Thesis Committee member from outside of the department, that member can be on the thesis committee but will not be part of the TAE Committee.
• The thesis advisor is not formally a member of the TAE Committee but is a non-voting attendee at the TAE who may make comments to the committee and provide information regarding the student and their research and progress following the examination after the student is excused from the examination room.

TAE Committee assignments are finalized by the end of October in the semester after the completion of the first-year requirements.

TAE Performance Evaluation

The TAE Committee evaluates performance on a Pass/Conditional Pass/No Pass basis:

The student has met all requirements to register in the program as a doctoral candidate starting the following term.

Conditional Pass

The student needs to address areas that require further mastery in the written proposal or oral presentation. The TAE Committee will outline an individualized remedial plan. After completing this requirement, the student will be eligible to register as a doctoral candidate.

The student is required to retake the TAE by scheduling another oral presentation and preparing another written proposal, if recommended, by the TAE Committee.

Doctoral Thesis

Doctoral candidates (who have passed the qualifying examinations) must complete a doctoral thesis that satisfies MIT and departmental requirements to receive the doctoral degree. General Institute Requirements are described in the MIT Bulletin and  MIT Graduate Policies and Procedures .

PhD Thesis Committee

The doctoral thesis committee advises the student on all aspects of the thesis experience, all the way up through the preparation and defense of the final thesis document. The student and thesis advisor will hold progress reviews with the thesis committee at least once a year. Written feedback to the student is required and also must be submitted to DCGS. The thesis advisor holds responsibility for assembling this written feedback and sharing it with the DMSE Graduate Academic Office and the student. After the TAE is completed, the final doctoral thesis committee is constituted of the members of the two (non-chair) Thesis Area Examination (TAE) committee members and the student’s advisor.

• The chair of the oral thesis area examination committee steps down.
• The final PhD Thesis Committee will have at least two members who are not advisors or co-advisors.
• At least half the members of the thesis committee must be DMSE faculty.

Petitions for thesis committee changes, including the addition of new committee members or committee members from outside of DMSE must be submitted the DCGS Chair.

• Download the  Graduate Student Petition (pdf) and complete it.
• Send the completed petition to  [email protected] .

Year 3 Update Meeting

After successful completion of the TAE, this meeting is held in the fall term or spring term of the student’s third year. The purpose of this meeting is to update the thesis committee of the student’s plans and progress and to seek guidance from the thesis committee on advancing toward the doctoral degree. Students must register for 3.998 (Doctoral Thesis Update Meeting). Starting with the thesis proposal as a point of departure, the student presents the revised vision of the path forward including challenges and obstacles. All members of the thesis committee are expected to be physically present at this meeting. This meeting is exclusive to the student and the thesis committee. The 3.998 Doctoral Thesis Update Meeting DocuSign Form must be sent to the DMSE Graduate Academic Office.

• Preview the  3.998 Doctoral Thesis Update Meeting Form (pdf) and prepare your responses. Then click the button below, add the responses, and send the form via DocuSign.

Plan-to-Finish Meeting

Approximately one year before the expected graduation, but no later than six months before the planned PhD defense, the student will schedule a Plan-to-Finish meeting with the thesis committee. The purpose of the meeting is for the committee to determine whether the student will likely be ready for graduation within a year. The student will present the projected outline of the thesis, important data that will become part of the thesis, and what still needs to be done.   The student will prepare a written document for the committee that will include the following:

• Research results
• Graduation timeline
• List of papers published or in preparation
• List of classes the student has taken to satisfy the PhD course requirements

The document must delivered to the committee one week before the presentation. This presentation is exclusive to the student and the thesis committee. At the end of the meeting the committee decides whether the student is likely to proceed toward the PhD defense, or whether another Plan-to-Finish meeting is necessary. The committee will then prepare brief written feedback to the student.

Doctoral Thesis and Oral Defense

DMSE’s long-standing emphasis on original research is a key element in the candidate’s educational development.

• Scheduling of the final PhD defense can take place no earlier than six months after a successful Plan-to-Finish meeting.
• The PhD thesis will be delivered to the committee members one month before the defense. 
• The committee members will respond in two weeks with comments on the written document, giving the student two weeks to modify the thesis.
• At least one week before the defense the candidate will provide copies of the final thesis document to Thesis Committee members and to the DMSE Graduate Academic Office along with the confirmed date, time, and room for the defense.

Defense Process

The DMSE Graduate Academic Office will publicize the defense.

• The defense begins with a formal presentation of the thesis of approximately 45 minutes.
• The floor is then opened to questions from the general audience, which is then excused.
• The Thesis Committee continues the examination of the candidate in private.
• The candidate is finally excused from the room and the committee votes.
• A majority yes vote is required to approve the thesis.

Doctoral Thesis Examination Report Form

Before the thesis defense, the student must prepare the Doctoral Thesis Examination Report Form, filling out the top portion of the form—term, name and email address, dates of Plan-to-Finish Meeting, Thesis Defense, and Thesis Examination Committee Member names. Preview the  Doctoral Thesis Examination Report Form (pdf) and prepare your responses. Then click the button below, add the responses, and send the form via DocuSign.

Scheduling a presentation in May and August may be difficult because of faculty unavailability and availability of presentation rooms. Faculty are not on academic appointments in the summer and are often on travel. This may lead to the need to reschedule your defense, in some cases into the next term. 

Thesis Format

The usual thesis format, a cohesive document, is traditional. Occasionally, the thesis may separate naturally into two or more sections, which are more directly publishable individually.

• The thesis should include a general introduction, abstract, and conclusions.
• The sections should be arranged so that the document reads as a whole.
• Put detailed descriptions of procedures and tables of data in appendices so that the thesis sections may be comparable in length and scope to journal articles

Use of this alternate format does not imply a change in the requirement for original research, in the student/thesis advisor relationship, or in their respective roles in producing the thesis document, all of which still apply.

Communications Resources

Specifications for Thesis Presentation

Get information on thesis preparation, formatting, and submission.

MIT Writing and Communications Center

Sign up for writing consultations and workshops.

Have questions about applying? Please check our FAQ page  before emailing us at [email protected] . We partner with Harvard Economics to connect prospective students from underrepresented groups with graduate student mentors. Details of this Application Assistance and Mentoring Program are available below.

Application requirements

The application to our doctoral program is open annually from September 15-December 15 for admission the following September. The application for September 2024 admission is now closed.

Your application is considered complete when you have successfully submitted the following requirements by the December 15 application deadline:

• Online application
• $75 application fee
• Scanned copy of college transcripts
• Three letters of recommendation
• TOEFL, IELTS, or Cambridge English Qualification (C1 & C2) test score (any one) for international students whose native language is not English
• The GRE is required as part of applications for the 2025-2026 cycle (for September 2025 admission)

To request a fee waiver, please complete MIT's application fee waiver form . You should carefully review the eligibility criteria prior to applying. A representative from MIT’s Office of Graduate Education will be in touch about the outcome of your request.

Transcripts

Please upload one copy of each transcript from all universities you have attended. If you're admitted to the program, we'll require you to have an official copy of your transcript(s) sent to us from the university's registrar. Your transcript will be verified upon receipt and any discrepancy between the transcript you uploaded and the official transcript will result in a withdrawal of our offer of admission.

Letters of recommendation

Letters must be submitted/uploaded by the letter writers by December 15. Please send the email request to your letter writers via the 'Letter Status' section in your application.

TOEFL, IELTS, or Cambridge English Qualification scores

International students whose first language is not English are required to submit   English language proficiency test scores unless they are a US citizen or permanent resident. The department will also waive the requirement for international non-native speakers of English who have spent three or more years studying in an accredited school or university where English is the language of instruction.  (Please note: verification of the institution’s language of instruction may be requested.)

We accept the following test scores:

• Cambridge English C1 Advanced
• Cambridge English C2 Proficiency

If you meet the criteria for a waiver, you can make a request to waive the English proficiency exam requirement on the online application, under the "test scores" section.

TOEFL, IELTS, and Cambridge English Qualification scores are valid or accepted for two years. Scores that expire while an application is under review will be considered valid.

Submitting your scores

Your online application will prompt you to attach a scanned copy of your test scores. Your scores must also be sent directly to MIT from ETS, IELTS, or Cambridge. MIT's school code for the TOEFL is 3514. The TOEFL code for the Department of Economics is 84. IELTS and Cambridge do not require a code. Please enter "Massachusetts Institute of Technology- Graduate Admissions."

Official scores must be received from ETS, IELTS, or Cambridge by December 15. Please take your proficiency exam of choice by November 30 to allow for proper reporting time. If your score report arrives shortly after the deadline, it will be accepted, but your application may not be reviewed until your scores are received.

Minimum score requirements

The minimum requirement for the TOEFL is PBT: 600, iBT: 100. The minimum requirement for the IELTS is 7.  The minimum requirement for the Cambridge English Qualifications is a CEFR score of 185.

Your online application will give you the option to attach a scanned copy of your test scores or a screenshot of the scores from the ETS website. You can also send a score report directly to MIT from ETS. MIT's school code for the GRE is 3514. The code for the Department of Economics is 1801.

To allow for your scores to arrive by the application deadline, you should take the GRE by November 30 to allow for reporting time.

Personal statement (optional)

We encourage applicants to include a statement of objectives/personal statement with their application, though it is not required. The statement is an opportunity to explain what makes you a good candidate for the program. You should describe why you wish to attend graduate school, what you would like to study, and any research experience. Describe one or more accomplishments you are particularly proud of that suggest that you will succeed in your chosen area of research. You can also share any unique perspective or life experience that would contribute to the program.   Statements are typically two single-spaced pages.

Application Assistance and Mentoring Program

Many students interested in an economics PhD experience disparate degrees of support in the application process. The Application Assistance and Mentoring Program (AAMP) aims to mitigate these gaps by helping students from underrepresented groups connect with a graduate student mentor in MIT or Harvard’s PhD economics programs.

Mentors can provide:

• Advice on graduate school and fellowship applications, including questions about the application process and feedback on application materials.
• Information about economics research, life as a PhD student or in an academic career, for students who are deciding whether a PhD in economics is the right choice for them.

The AAMP aims to increase the pipeline of diverse talent in economics PhD programs and welcomes participation from all groups underrepresented in economics, including but not limited to: Black, Hispanic-Latinx, Native American, low-income, and LGBTQ+ students, women, students with disabilities, and students who are the first in their families to go to college. The AAMP welcomes participation among students at various stages of their economics studies, including undergraduates and college graduates. The AAMP is open to students who are curious about the academic economics experience and interested in figuring out if it’s right for them. 

Interested participants should fill out the application linked below. We will accept applications until July 17, 2023. Mentorship will begin over the summer and continue through Fall 2023. Mentees who prefer to meet for a single “coffee chat” may indicate their preference on the form. We will do our best to match all interested applicants with a mentor; however, demand may exceed the availability of mentors.

Please note that the MIT / Harvard Economics AAMP is a volunteer-based, student-run program. This program is not considered part of the admissions process for the Economics PhD at MIT or Harvard, nor will any student's participation in the AAMP be considered by the Graduate Admissions Committee at either school.

Please direct any questions to [email protected] . To join the program, please click the link below to fill out the form.

Click here for the application form If you are a faculty, program advisor/coordinator, or student interested in being notified when 2024-2025 AAMP applications open, please fill out this form .

Applying to Grad School by Elizabeth Choe '13

How MIT Did and Didn't Help Me

August 22, 2018

• in Advice ,
• Best of the Blogs ,
• Life after MIT

One of this year’s admits asked me how MIT sets you up for grad school admissions. Now, you do NOT need to be worrying about grad school as a teenager. But since it’s been a while since anyone’s blogged about it , here’s my probably-more-comprehensive-than-you-were-looking-for-but-here-it-is-anyway take.

Table o’ Contents


• The most important thing is to figure out why you want to Do The Thing
• MIT did not convince me to Do The Thing—here are the things that did
• Do research and/or work to discover why you want to Do The Thing and to convince others you can Do The Thing (MIT helped, but is not necessary)
• MIT was the most helpful in figuring out where to apply
• Tips on the application components
• Why I chose MIT again
• Is it better to go to MIT for undergrad or grad school?

Important caveats:

• There’s more to life than grad school. And college. And school, in general.
• Where you end up for grad school has less to do with the name of your undergrad institution and more with how you make the most of your opportunities, wherever you are.
• I’m not a grad admissions expert. This is purely from my POV as a recent grad school applicant. (I left Admissions and am starting school again, more on that later.)
• This is just purely about applying. I don’t know what grad school is actually like yet. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
• Grad schools come in a lot of different flavors—med school, law school, business school, science/engineering PhDs, humanities PhDs, masters, EdD, etc.—and their respective application processes are very different from each other. For instance, med school places a greater emphasis on GPA and extracurriculars than research experience (but it’s the other way around for life sciences PhD programs). I applied to mostly bio/bioengineering grad programs.

1. The most important thing is to figure out why you want to Do The Thing

IMHO, the single most important thing for grad school admissions is figuring out WHY you want to put yourself through grad school in the first place. And not because this will make writing your personal statement a hell of a lot easier (though it will), or because this will make your application stand out (it won’t), but because grad school is a *voluntary* thing that is totally unnecessary to living a happy, fulfilling life. Some people go to grad school just because they can, or because it’s the next rung to climb, or because they tie their sense of self-worth to the prestige of having a few extra letters behind their name. These are all common pressures, ones I’ve certainly felt. The issue is that a lot of the burnt-out grad students I knew didn’t seem to have too strong of a foothold on why they wanted to Do The Thing beyond these reasons.*

Everyone has their own reasons for Doing The Thing, and these reasons often evolve over time, but they’ve just got to constitute tangible-enough fuel to keep the fire burning when it’s 3 am and you’re pipetting instead of contributing to your 401K; a fire that’ll help you answer the existential “what the hell am I doing” moments you’ll inevitably face. (Or, if the answer to that question is “something that is no longer worth my time,” a fuel that’ll let you walk away without too much crisis.)

You don’t have to go to grad school. If you go, go because you want to, not just because you think you’re supposed to. A PhD, in particular, does not always lead to a career in academia, a higher salary, an ability to better help people, a promotion, or a more fulfilling life for everyone who pursues one.

Once more, for the people in the back:

This applies to undergrad admissions, too. Figure out why you want to go to XYZ school. But realize that your happiness doesn’t actually depend on going to that school. Make sure you have a sense of identity and purpose that is independent of XYZ school.

*There are some structural causes of burnout in grad school that I am all for fighting. It’s on institutions, not individuals, to ensure that PIs don’t unfairly take advantage of their grad students, to provide liveable wages and health insurance for students, and to be welcoming and inclusive to women and people of color. Not every program prioritizes these things for their students, and the resulting burnout is incredibly problematic.

2. MIT did not convince me to Do The Thing—here are the things that did

From an Institutional sense, MIT didn’t convince me to Do The Thing. In some ways, it did the opposite. MIT is a place where things move very quickly—it’s what enables a lot of innovation to happen, but as a result, ~*introspection*~ isn’t really built into the Institutional culture. There are intentional, thoughtful, and self-aware people here, but I sometimes felt like they were able to be that way in spite of MIT, not because of it. So, for a while, I was a bit turned off by academia, despite having enjoyed my time here as a student.

Things changed when:

• I figured out what I wanted out of a career, based on working in the science media field for 4 years. A PhD was relevant and helpful to those specific career goals.
• The 2016 election and subsequent increased visibility of our polarized culture happened, which got me thinking about what my role in society as an ethically-minded (at least I hope) science advocate should and could be.
• The field of biotechnology changed pretty dramatically (CRISPR had just become A Thing right around the time I graduated). With these changes came ethical questions and considerations of how we talk to the public about these technologies, how the technologies impact people, and how we go about implementing these technologies. I personally found these questions really, really interesting and important and wanted to spend time trying to answer them. Most importantly, I was willing to spend 5ish years of my life trying to answer them.
• Kevin Esvelt joined MIT’s faculty, and he was the first bioengineering professor who I saw pursuing both gene editing and bioethics with funding for both. I had always assumed that my science communication work would have to take a back seat to technical, wet lab research if I went back to school, but I realized I could actually merge the two in a thesis if I wanted to.
• My grandpa passed away a year ago. His illness and death and all the family stuff around it was one of the most difficult things I’ve experienced, and at least giving myself a chance at grad school was bizarrely a part of my grieving process. By itself, this would NOT have been a good reason to apply. But in the context of everything else, this tipped the scales.

Your reasons do NOT have to be:

• Unique or memorable
• Remotely similar to mine. In fact, mine might’ve disadvantaged me a bit in some bioengineering programs.

Your reasons simply have to exist and provide you the conviction to Do The Thing. Don’t try to be memorable or unique. Most people aren’t (I haven’t even read that many college essays compared to everyone else in the office, but dang, I saw it all). The good news is that your admissibility, and more importantly, your worth, really have nothing to do with how unique or crazy your story is. What matters for your overall success and happiness is to be self-aware enough to know who you are and to be able to honestly articulate it.

3. Do research and/or work to discover why you want to Do The Thing and to convince others you can Do The Thing. (MIT helped, but is not necessary.)

Inspiration to go to grad school will not magically fall out of the sky into your lap. But the magical thing about life is that you can ~*try new things*~ and these experiences can help form reasons for or against applying. Admittedly, being at MIT helped me to:

• Try research at the Koch Institute in two different labs as an undergrad, which made me realize I did NOT want a career in wet lab research. I DID see a big need for good science communication, though.
• Try an internship at a Boston-area science TV production company (that I got through my blogger gig in Admissions)
• Take science documentary classes (that I took as a total fluke but ended up loving)
• Run a science media educational outreach program
• Study how people informally learn with online platforms
• Consult scientists on communication strategies

I do, however, think that you can have meaningful work and research experiences at pretty much any university.

The funny thing is, individually, each of these things actually pushed me away from pursuing a PhD. But collectively, they helped me discover what I wanted out of a career (which then led to wanting to Do The Thing) and also helped me build a credible track record that told programs I could contribute something to them and they had reason to invest in me. This track record also corroborated my personal statement, showing that there was some substance to my dreams and aspirations.

I am very happy I worked after undergrad, as it gave me time to grow up and develop a sense of personal and professional values and some real-world skills that I didn’t get from college. I also just really loved my jobs. There are, of course, tradeoffs to the way I did things. It’s been 5 years since I graduated from undergrad, putting me on the older side of an incoming bioengineering PhD student. (I’m not the only one who took this much time off. I did, however, notice that most of the other “older” students are men. Ages vary wildly depending on the discipline, though.) Plenty of people dive straight into grad school out of undergrad and do just fine. It just depends on when the inspiration happens to strike you through your experiences.

Side note: One practical bit of advice is that if you KNOW you want to go back for a technical PhD, spend some time doing technical work either in industry or in the lab. I think my non-technical work experience would’ve disadvantaged me had I not been able to prove my technical chops (i.e. a few publications under my belt from working in my hometown lab for several years helped). It’s not impossible, but I think it makes it a little harder to step back in, especially if you’re gone 3+ years.

4. MIT was the most helpful in figuring out where to apply

There’s this line in the Pixar movie, Ratatouille:

I strongly believe that this is true for scientists and engineers and future PhDs, too—you don’t need an MIT undergrad to end up at a place like MIT for grad school, or to become an amazing scientist. I know many people who didn’t get into MIT or went somewhere else for their undergrad, had formative and meaningful experiences elsewhere, and are now happily pursuing their graduate degrees here. Plenty of amazing thinkers never set foot at MIT.

However, I cannot deny that an undergrad here helped open certain doors with a significantly higher degree of ease. And part of that has to do with the fact that your chances of running into someone with incredible connections who could literally change your life is just objectively higher here compared to most places.

For instance, my undergrad advisor happened to be the chair of MIT’s Biological Engineering department and is someone who has mentored hundreds of students, many of whom have gone on to become quite successful professors themselves. He is a well-known and respected researcher in the bioengineering community. He is also unusually dedicated to mentorship, a philosophy that is widespread in the department. And it was sheer luck that I got paired with him as my advisor. Even after I graduated, he and a handful of my BE professors were willing to keep in touch with me, offer informal life advice, etc. When I got the slightest inkling that I might want to go back to school, not only did these people give me the encouragement to do so, they also had faculty contacts at every single school I was remotely interested in and had suggestions for the programs whose cultures seemed most fitting to what I wanted.

We talk about “fit” a lot in undergrad admissions—that admissions is not only about being qualified enough, but also about being a good cultural match to an institution. And I think fit is even more important in grad admissions, since the programs are so much smaller than an undergrad cohort. I was a bit of an unusual candidate, having taken so much time away from wet lab research to do science media, and as someone who wants to go into science policy or communication (as opposed to academia or traditional industry). I also had a clear idea of what I was and wasn’t willing to sacrifice for my professional life. There are several amazing bioengineering programs in the country. But not all of them were a good fit for me. Me knowing why I wanted to Do The Thing plus Doug et al.’s knowledge of programs’ cultures is what helped me figure out where to apply.

I directly emailed faculty at schools I was interested in with my CV and a reader’s digest of why I was interested in their program, asking them if they thought I’d be a good fit and if I should apply. For every single email that said, “Professor so-and-so [at MIT] suggested I reach out to you,” I got an immediate and enthusiastic response encouraging me to apply. For every single email that said, “I’m reaching out because I’m interested in your work on XYZ,” I didn’t get immediate responses (and after pinging them again, I got a generic “apply if you want”). I wouldn’t have had the slightest idea of which professors in the country would be supportive of my career interests and my background, or which programs would be a good cultural fit for me, without Doug’s knowledge of the field.

We can certainly debate what this phenomenon means and what it says about the inequities in higher education. I’m also not going to discredit my own hard work in getting me to this place. But the reality is that I could not have done it without the mentorship and encouragement of Doug and my other professors, full stop. Not every undergrad here will find life-changing mentors, but I also can’t help but feel that the probability of doing so is just relatively higher at a place like this.

5. Tips on the application components

Applications to grad school usually consist of:

A personal statement: a 1-2 page essay about why you want to go to XYZ program. It’s unclear to me how much the personal statement matters, but I got the sense that it matters more than an undergrad application essay. It is your one place to explain, essentially, why you want to Do The Thing, why that exact program will help you, and why the program should invest in you.

Your research and work experience, honors, publications, etc.

GPA/coursework/extracurriculars: I honestly don’t really know how much these mattered, but I think it’s not quite as important as the other components? Just don’t bomb it?

3 letters of recommendation
:

• Ask for letters at least 3 months in advance of the deadline.
• Ask letters from people who know you very well. At least one of them should be a research supervisor.
• A blurb on why you want to go to grad school (and/or your personal statement. They probably won’t read it, but if it’s helpful context, it doesn’t hurt)
• A list of places you’re applying to, with specific deadlines
• Any specific instructions that individual schools might have for letters
• Send a handwritten thank you card ASAP after they submit your letters. It always surprises me how surprised people are when I write them a thank you note. Is this not a thing youths do anymore?? Seriously, y’all. A handwritten note takes, like, 5 minutes to write. And have you ever received a handwritten letter? Feels nice, yo!

I have ~*vErY*~ nuanced thoughts on standardized testing (I hate it), but tl;dr:

• Most PhD programs will make you take the GRE, which consists of a math section (about the same difficulty as the SAT), a verbal (aka reading) section (harder than the SAT), and an essay-writing section
• No one gives a rat’s ass about what you score as long as you score “high enough” (which varies depending on the program. Most programs publish the average scores of admitted students.)
• You do have to score high enough for your application to make it through an initial round of review at some places
• Aim for “good enough.” I had a good GPA from a tough undergrad, so I knew that as long as I scored in the 90th (maybe even 85th) percentile for math I was definitely in the clear for the programs I was looking at, 80th for verbal and writing was probably in the clear as well. I knew I was also capable of getting to these scores with an amount of studying that wasn’t detrimental to my life.
• The GRE is a game—one that’s not very fun, but one that has a set of rules. Learn the rules. For example, there are some math shortcuts. There’s basically a formula to the essay .
• Create a realistic schedule that will allow you to work through a bunch of practice problems under timed conditions instead of reading about concepts: I used Manhattan Prep’s 5 lb. Book of GRE Practice Problems and Magoosh for math problems.
• The GRE is pretty formulaic, so it’s all about getting used to the kinds of questions they ask. You will NOT have time to derive formulas and logic your way through problems (the mistake I made my first few practice tests), so just learn how to solve them the quick way.
• Do a few practice tests under timed conditions. The GRE is a marathon and measures your mental endurance.
• Study what you don’t know. Seriously. Take a practice test and don’t waste time doing problems on sections where you’re scoring high enough. I knew my verbal and essay were definitely in the clear for engineering programs, so aside from occasionally using the free Magoosh app while I rode the bus to pick up a few extra vocab words, I didn’t study the verbal or essay at all.
• Take care of any health issues that might be unnecessarily hindering your ability to take the test. I’ve struggled with panic and anxiety disorder for many years, which, thanks to wonderful therapists, I have learned to manage and live a productive life. However, one of the side effects of anxiety attacks is that my blood pressure increases and I have to frequently pee. Unfortunately, there’s only one allotted break during the GRE, and the bathroom at the test center happened to be broken the first time I took the test (so we had to use one on the other side of the building)—long story short, I lost a lot of time because I kept running back and forth from the bathroom, so my math score was a biiiiiit uncomfortably low. I gave myself basically 3 weeks to retake the test. During that time, I worked with my therapist on mindfulness strategies and getting to the root of my anxieties about the test (turns out, it wasn’t really the GRE I was anxious about). One thing that helped was thinking about my grandfather. He was the most genuinely curious person I knew and probably would’ve thought the GRE was fun. I’d imagine him there getting all excited every time I’d get to a new practice problem, and then I’d laugh at the absurdity of it all. It’s amazing how much that mentality helped. My long-time therapist and long-time primary care provider both suggested I use a blood pressure medication the day of the test as well.* Three weeks later, I used a different test center (whose bathroom worked! Yay!). I felt anxious, but what I’d imagine a “normal” amount of test anxiety to be. I only had to pee twice! And my math score shot up by 20 percentile points (which is… an unusual jump, to say the least).

Now, I don’t mean to scare anyone with this story. It’s just to emphasize that you don’t need to make some things harder on yourself than they need to be. Asking for help and being open about your struggles doesn’t have to be a big deal. I mean, now y’all know how tiny my bladder is. And also that attitude is everything—the first go around, I hated studying. I kept thinking, “Why am I wasting my time studying this absolutely useless knowledge?” The GRE measures one thing—how well you can take the GRE. But it’s a measure that is necessary in grad school admissions right now. Once I made a conscious effort to tell myself, “Hey, I want to do this. I want to Do The Thing, and this is a hoop I have to jump through along the way,” and once I made a conscious effort to approach it the way my grandfather would have, with sheer curiosity, it wasn’t as bad. It’s a method that may not work for everyone, but it helped me a ton. At the very least, it made it way less miserable.

*Medication can be useful, but it’s definitely not a quick fix. My doctors have known and worked with me for a long time. If you have a health condition (an anxiety disorder, a learning disability, etc.) that might be getting in the way of you doing your best, start working with someone sooner rather than later! Things probably wouldn’t have gone so smoothly had I been starting from scratch with my healthcare providers 3 weeks before the test.

Interviews:

…are very different from undergrad interviews. Most bioengineering PhD programs only offer interviews to finalists for admissions, meaning if you get one, the program basically wants to admit you (Stanford’s an exception, but they still accepted half of their interviewees). For many schools, interview weekend doubles as a recruitment weekend. They fly you out, put you up in a nice hotel, take you out to nice dinners, etc. You tour the campus, learn more about the school, meet one-on-one for interviews with 3-4 professors, and have social mixers with current students.

The interview is something to take seriously but not to sweat. You can totally screw up an interview weekend by getting wasted the night before at one of the parties thrown by current students and sleeping through your faculty interviews (yes… an interviewee actually did that. Don’t do that.). And you do want to prepare for it by brushing up on your research (faculty may ask you about it) and reading up on your interviewer’s research (if you want to ask them questions about it). I wasn’t quizzed during my interviews, but had friends who were. But honestly, the thing that helped me the most was having a clear sense of why I wanted to go to grad school. A lot of faculty tried to go into deep conversations about this with people and it really threw off some of my fellow interviewees. It also helped me not stress as much about the interviews because I knew if a program ended up rejecting me, it’s because I wouldn’t be happy there anyway.

Overall, the interviews are really, surprisingly fun. I loved running into the same handful of interviewees at different schools—we spent a lot of time at those interview weekends just hanging out with each other. We all chose different schools (which speaks to the fact that a program can be great for one person but not another) and I honestly can’t wait until we start presenting at conferences so can meet up again. :D

6. Why I chose MIT again

Surprise! I’m staying at MIT. :)

I’m grateful that I got to see different institutions and how they train their students, and I’m glad to know that there are so many amazing programs across this country who are all doing incredible work. There really isn’t one, irrefutably “best” school.

MIT Biological Engineering was my last interview and I pretty much immediately had a gut feeling that it was “the one”. Talking to current students, I knew that this was where I’d be best supported. One of the coolest experiences was seeing that everyone I met—grad students and faculty and staff—shared Doug’s values of collaboration and mentorship and being decent humans. They all pointed to him as the one who’d established this kind of culture in the whole department. I could identify multiple people in the department to whom I could reach out for help if I ever started to struggle. It was also the only program where I could see myself being happy in at least 3 different labs.

During lunch, one fellow interviewee very jokingly insinuated that Doug basically got me into all my programs through academic nepotism. A new faculty member overheard him and despite it being very obvious that the guy was just kidding, immediately shutting it down with a stern “She’s here because she earned this, 100 percent.” It made me feel like this was a place where people had each other’s backs, where integrity is valued, and most of all, was a place that believed in me.

7. Is it better to go to MIT for undergrad or grad school?

*Breathes heavy sigh*

This is a very complicated question and people will disagree with me here… so I’m gonna give the extremely unsatisfying response of “IMHO IT DEPENDS.”

It depends on what you want to get out of MIT: If you want the prestige and career opportunities, go to grad school here. If you want an experience that will fundamentally change you as a person, go to undergrad here.

I cannot overstate how profound it was to come into adulthood in a radically accepting environment where people just care about learning. I would not be the person I am today without the classmates I met during my undergrad at MIT. The qualities MIT instilled in me weren’t all great—I’m chronically late, I don’t like to sugarcoat anything, so I can seem abrasive, and I’m impatient with incompetency. But I’m also really comfortable with who I am, can work really hard, and am not afraid to fail. Granted, I have ~5 potentially-transformative years ahead of me, so in 2023 (oof that sounds so far off) I may have a different answer. But in general, I get the sense that the undergrad experience has more of a deep life-impact on people, whereas the grad experience has a deep career-impact. Both are important, just in different ways.

It also depends on the department: I knew multiple friends who had um—no exaggeration here—literally soul-crushing grad experiences at MIT. And I knew people for whom undergrad was not pleasant. Each department here has different cultures and expectations of their students.

Some departments at MIT have a policy of generally not accepting their own undergrads for their corresponding grad program. Biological Engineering is one of these departments, as is Physics. I actually think this is a really smart philosophy. By encouraging the undergrads to go off and get experiences elsewhere, it generally sets you up better for a career in academia. Before you start getting up in arms about not getting to stay at MIT, keep in mind that most of these undergrads are going to places like Stanford, Harvard, and Berkeley for their PhDs. They’re doing just fine for themselves. And by bringing in people from many different schools, you get people who’ve been trained in different ways. That variety of perspectives allows people here to tackle more problems in more interesting ways.

I often go back to the Blogfather ’s advice to Petey back in the day, when he told him, “You can’t plan your life out ahead of time. But if you just try to always make the best decision, your life will later read back as making sense, even if you didn’t know it going in.” There is absolutely no way I could’ve planned this path out. I definitely didn’t feel like I knew what I was doing. Who knows where this path will go. But the stuff I can look back on really does kind of make sense now. If there’s only one thing you take away from this absurdly long post, it’s Ben’s advice. Just try your best, and don’t worry too much. It’ll make sense, eventually.

Share this post

• Share on Twitter
• Share on Reddit
• Share on Facebook
• Share by Email
• Subscribe to the RSS Feed

• DACA/Undocumented
• First Generation, Low Income
• International Students
• Students of Color
• Students with disabilities
• Undergraduate Students
• Master’s Students
• PhD Students
• Faculty/Staff
• Family/Supporters
• Career Fairs
• Post Jobs, Internships, Fellowships
• Build your Brand at MIT
• Recruiting Guidelines and Resources
• Connect with Us
• Career Advising
• Distinguished Fellowships
• Employer Relations
• Graduate Student Professional Development
• Prehealth Advising
• Student Leadership Opportunities
• Academia & Education
• Architecture, Planning, & Design
• Arts, Communications, & Media
• Business, Finance, & Fintech
• Computing & Computer Technology
• Data Science
• Energy, Environment, & Sustainability
• Life Sciences, Biotech, & Pharma
• Manufacturing & Transportation
• Health & Medical Professions
• Social Impact, Policy, & Law
• Getting Started & Handshake 101
• Exploring careers
• Networking & Informational Interviews
• Connecting with employers
• Resumes, cover letters, portfolios, & CVs
• Finding a Job or Internship
• Post-Graduate and Summer Outcomes
• Professional Development Competencies
• Preparing for Graduate & Professional Schools
• Preparing for Medical / Health Profession Schools
• Interviewing
• New jobs & career transitions
• Career Prep and Development Programs
• Employer Events
• Outside Events for Career and Professional Development
• Events Calendar
• Career Services Workshop Requests
• Early Career Advisory Board
• Peer Career Advisors
• Student Staff
• Mission, Vision, Values and Diversity Commitments
• News and Reports

Application materials for PhDs and Postdocs: Examples and how-to guides

• Share This: Share Application materials for PhDs and Postdocs: Examples and how-to guides on Facebook Share Application materials for PhDs and Postdocs: Examples and how-to guides on LinkedIn Share Application materials for PhDs and Postdocs: Examples and how-to guides on X

These resources are designed for MIT PhDs and postdocs to serve as guides through the process of career document preparation. Whether you’re converting your CV into a resume for an industry role, refining your CV for an academic job search, or creating other documents, you’ll find examples, how-to guides, and strategies here.

Operations Research Center

Search form

Phd in operations research.

MIT’s doctoral degree (PhD) program in operations research (OR) provides you with thorough understanding of the theory of OR while teaching you to how to develop and apply OR methods in practice.

We offer a general degree track as well as three optional degree tracks in operations management , networked systems , and analytics . All doctoral students must complete the general degree track requirements; those who choose an optional degree track will have additional, specialized requirements to fulfill. 

General Degree Track

In addition to the writing competency requirements, our rigorous curriculum includes challenging coursework, action learning, and innovative research.

You’ll take eight graduate-level classes that have been approved by the ORC co-directors, including at least two courses in optimization, at least three in applied probability and statistics, and at least one in OR modeling.

You’ll put OR theory into practice through valuable, hands-on learning experiences, completing one of the following:

• Option 1: Participate in a summer internship, during which you’ll create OR models that address a real-world problem.
• Option 2: Undertake a project with an ORC faculty member, either as part of a supervised research activity or as an extra part of a regular course offering.
• Option 3: Take part in a class, for which you’ll build and implement OR models that have practical applications.

And, you’ll conduct in-depth research on a topic that complements your academic interests and career goals. You’ll write a thesis based on the independent research you conduct under the guidance of our expert faculty.

Qualifying Process and General Examination

All students enrolled in an ORC doctoral program must complete the Qualifying Process and receive a passing score on the General Examination.

• Students must choose one approved course from the three different categories (Optimization, Probability, and Machine Learning/Statistics). 
• Students must satisfactorily complete these three courses with a minimum of 2 As and 1 B or a combined GPA of 4.6 or higher by the end of their third semester at MIT.
• Students are required to register and take for credit the software tools course 15.S60 offered during IAP (January) led by current ORC students.
• During the student’s first summer at MIT (month of August), doctoral students will engage in a Common Experience project where students will work in teams to address an important problem for an organization.   
• General Examination : Students are required to take the General Examination once they have passed the Qualifying Process.  The General Exam is comprised of a research-oriented (RO) paper and an oral presentation of the RO paper and a discussion on a research paper selected by the General Exam Committee.

Upon completion of our doctoral program, you’ll have the specialized knowledge and technical skills to have a positive impact in a variety of fields, including business, education, and research. Many of our graduates have gone on to careers in academia, in the U.S. and abroad, while others have found success in business and industry as researchers and consultants.

  Analytics Track

In addition to the general PhD degree requirements, you will also:

• complete a summer internship with an organization related to analytics for your hands-on learning experience.
• take two specialized courses in analytics; these classes may count toward your eight required graduate-level classes.
• serve as a teaching assistant in courses related to analytics, or an approved equivalent.
• write a thesis on a topic related to analytics; one member of your thesis committee should be among the ORC faculty who specialize in analytics.

Networked Systems Track

• complete a summer internship with an organization related to networked systems for your hands-on learning experience.
• take two specialized courses in networked systems; these classes may count toward your eight required graduate-level classes.
• serve as a teaching assistant in courses related to networked systems, or an approved equivalent.
• write a thesis on a topic related to networked systems; one member of your thesis committee should be among the ORC faculty who specialize in networked systems.

Operations Management Track

• complete a summer internship with an organization related to operations management for your hands-on learning experience.
• take two specialized courses in operations management; these classes may count toward your eight required graduate-level classes. 
• serve as a teaching assistant in two MBA courses related to operations management or assist in one and take another one for credit. At least one of the classes for which you’re a teaching assistant must include recitation.
• write a thesis on a topic related to operations management; one member of your thesis committee should be among the ORC faculty who specialize in operations management.

For more information about our PhD program, please see our General Exam Syllabus .

For more information about ORC course offerings, please go here .

What is Operations Research?

Operations research (OR) is the discipline of applying advanced analytical methods—such as optimization, statistics, machine learning, and probability — to  make better decisions that impact society and the world positively.

The mission of the PhD program is intimately linked to the mission of the ORC.

Phone:  617-253-3601 Email:   [email protected]

Our Community

• Alumni Impact Stories
• Community Recognition
• Faculty Awards & Honors
• Researchers & Postdocs Association (RPA^3)
• Student Groups
• DEI Dashboard (Internal)
• Environment, Health, and Safety
• Wright Brothers Wind Tunnel
• Professors Emeriti
• Autonomous Systems & Decision-Making
• Computational Science & Engineering
• Earth & Space Sciences
• Human-System Collaboration
• Systems Design & Engineering
• Transportation & Exploration
• Vehicle Design & Engineering

Undergraduate Program

• Undergraduate Degrees & Requirements
• Apply (via MIT Admissions)
• Objectives & Outcomes
• Research Opportunities
• Work, Internships, & Extracurricular Activities

Graduate Program

Graduate degrees & requirements.

• Graduate Fields
• For Prospective Students
• For Current Students
• View Thesis Archive (via DSpace)

Certificate in Aerospace Innovation

Academics & resources.

• Academic Calendar (via MIT Registrar)
• AeroAstro Communication Lab
• Resources & Support
• Special Course Listings
• Subject Listing (via MIT Course Catalog Bulletin)
• Subject Evaluation (via MIT Registrar)
• News & Impact
• Public Events
• Department Events (Log-in Required)
• Department Resources

Graduate study in the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics includes graduate-level subjects in Course 16 and others at MIT, and research work culminating in a thesis. Degrees are awarded at the master’s and doctoral levels. The range of subject matter is described under  Graduate Fields of Study . Departmental research centers’ websites offer information on research interests. Detailed information may be obtained from the Department Academic Programs Office or from individual faculty members. For more information about MIT AeroAstro graduate degree programs, email [email protected] .

Master of Science (SM)

The Master of Science (SM) degree is a two-year graduate program with beginning research or design experience represented by the SM thesis. This degree prepares the graduate for an advanced position in the aerospace field, and provides a solid foundation for future doctoral study. The  general requirements for the Master of Science degree  are cited in the section on General Degree Requirements for graduate students. The specific departmental requirements include at least 66 graduate subject units, typically in subjects relevant to the candidate’s area of technical interest. Of the 66 units, at least 21 units must be in departmental subjects. To be credited toward the degree, graduate subjects must carry a grade of B or better. In addition, a 24-unit thesis is required beyond the 66 units of coursework. Full-time students normally must be in residence one full academic year. Special students admitted to the SM program in this department must enroll in and satisfactorily complete at least two graduate subjects while in residence (i.e., after being admitted as a degree candidate) regardless of the number of subjects completed before admission to the program. Students holding research assistantships typically require a longer period of residence. In addition, the department’s SM program requires one graduate-level mathematics subject. The requirement is satisfied only by graduate-level subjects on the list approved by the department graduate committee. The specific choice of math subjects is arranged individually by each student in consultation with their faculty advisor.

SM Requirements

• English evaluation Test (for non-native English-speakers if not previously satisfied at MIT)
• Technical writing requirement if not previously satisfied at MIT
• Math requirem ent
• 66 subject units, not including thesis units, in graduate subjects in the candidate’s area of technical interest
• Within the 66 subject units, a minimum of 21 units from AeroAstro subjects
• Classes taken on a pass/fail basis do not count towards degree requirements
• Minimum cumulative grade point average of 4.0
• Term-by-term thesis (16THG) registration and progress evaluation
• Acceptable thesis. View SM Thesis Archive (via DSpace).

Doctoral Degree (Ph.D. or Sc.D.)

AeroAstro offers Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) and Doctor of Science (Sc.D.) doctoral degrees that emphasize in-depth study, with a significant research project in a focused area. The admission process for the department’s doctoral program is described previously in this section under Admission Requirements. The doctoral degree is awarded after completion of an individual course of study, submission, and defense of a thesis proposal, and submission and defense of a thesis embodying an original research contribution. The general requirements for this degree are given in the section on  General Degree Requirements . Program requirements are outlined in a booklet titled  The Doctoral Program [PDF] . After successful admission to the doctoral program, the doctoral candidate selects a field of study and research in consultation with the thesis supervisor and forms a doctoral thesis committee, which assists in the formulation of the candidate’s research and study programs and monitors his or her progress. Demonstrated competence for original research at the forefront of aerospace engineering is the final and main criterion for granting the doctoral degree. The candidate’s thesis serves in part to demonstrate such competence and, upon completion, is defended orally in a presentation to the faculty of the department, who may then recommend that the degree be awarded.

Doctoral Program Objectives & Outcomes

AeroAstro’s doctoral program objectives are:

• to produce original research and technologies critical to the engineering of aerospace vehicles, information, and systems.
• to educate future leaders in aerospace research and technology.

Upon graduation, our doctoral students will have:

• a strong foundation in analytical skills and reasoning
• the ability to solve challenging, engineering problems
• an understanding of the importance and strategic value of their research
• the ability to communicate their research with context and clarity

These degrees, for which the requirements are identical, are for students who wish to carry out original research in a focused field, and already hold a master’s degree. AeroAstro offers doctoral degrees in 13 fields. A description of general MIT doctoral requirements appears in the MIT Course Catalogue .

Ph.D./Sc.D. Requirements

• Qualifying Field Evaluation, completed within three terms of entering the department. (See below for more information.)
• Completion of Research Process and Communication (RPC) Course
• Formation of a thesis committee and first meeting confirmed by filing a virtual Doctoral Record Card within 2 regular terms of admission to the doctoral program.
• Completion of the major concentration with a minimum of 60 units and completion of the minor concentration with a minimum of 30 units, as approved by the student’s thesis committee
• Math requireme nt
• Minimum cumulative 4.4 grade point average
• Thesis proposal and defense within 3 regular terms of admission into the doctoral program.
• Successful thesis submission and defense within 4 regular terms of passing the thesis proposal defense. View the doctoral thesis archive (via DSpace.)

See the AeroAstro Doctoral Program Guide for additional guidelines and the PhD Quick Guide for a complete overview.

Doctoral Qualifying Field Evaluation

A student seeking entrance to the department’s doctoral program must complete a course-based evaluation in their chosen field of study . Information about the doctoral program and the doctoral qualifying process can be found in the department’s Doctoral Program Guide .

Field Evaluation Process Timeline

Thesis proposal and defense examples.

The following are a few examples of successfully written and defended thesis proposals by doctoral candidates within AeroAstro. These may be downloaded and examined as part of your preparation for the Thesis Proposal Defense, a required part of our doctoral program.

• Xun Huan – A Bayesian Approach to Optimal Sequential Experimental Design Using Approximate Dynamic Programming – 2013 – Proposal – Defense
• Ashley Carlton – Scientific Imagers as High-Energy Radiation Sensors – 2017 – Proposal – Defense
• Maria de Soria Santacruz Pich – Electromagnetic Ion Cyclotron Waves for RBR Applications – 2013 – Proposal – Defense

Interdisciplinary Programs

The department participates in several interdisciplinary fields at the graduate level, which are of special importance for aeronautics and astronautics in both research and the curriculum.

Aeronautics, Astronautics, and Statistics

The Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program in Statistics provides training in statistics, including classical statistics and probability as well as computation and data analysis, to students who wish to integrate these valuable skills into their primary academic program. The program is administered jointly by the departments of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Economics, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, and Political Science, and the Statistics and Data Science Center within the Institute for Data, Systems, and Society. It is open to current doctoral students in participating departments. For more information, including department-specific requirements, see the  full program description  under Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs.

Air Transportation

For students interested in a career in flight transportation, a program is available that incorporates a broader graduate education in disciplines such as economics, management, and operations research than is normally pursued by candidates for degrees in engineering. Graduate research emphasizes one of the four areas of flight transportation: airport planning and design, air traffic control, air transportation systems analysis, and airline economics and management, with subjects selected appropriately from those available in the departments of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Economics, and the interdepartmental Master of Science in Transportation (MST) program. Doctoral students may pursue a Ph.D. with specialization in air transportation in the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics or in the interdepartmental Ph.D. program in transportation or in the Ph.D. program of the Operations Research Center (see the section on Graduate Programs in Operations Research under Research and Study).

Biomedical Engineering

The department offers opportunities for students interested in biomedical instrumentation and physiological control systems where the disciplines involved in aeronautics and astronautics are applied to biology and medicine. Graduate study combining aerospace engineering with biomedical engineering may be pursued through the Bioastronautics program offered as part of the Medical Engineering and Medical Physics Ph.D. program in the Institute for Medical Engineering and Science (IMES) via the Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology (HST). Students wishing to pursue a degree through HST must apply to that graduate program. At the master’s degree level, students in the department may specialize in biomedical engineering research, emphasizing space life sciences and life support, instrumentation and control, or in human factors engineering and in instrumentation and statistics. Most biomedical engineering research in the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics is conducted in the Human Systems Laboratory.

Today, the aerospace sector has returned to its original roots of innovation and entrepreneurship, driven not exclusively by large government or corporate entities, but by small and mid-size firms. These are experimenting with, and launching electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing and electric Short Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL and eSTOL) vehicles, cutting-edge CubeSat missions, and new drone-enabled services that offer data analytics in agriculture, renewable energy and in other sectors. Students in Aerospace Engineering and related fields have expressed a strong desire to hear from and learn about how to launch their own ventures and initiatives in aerospace. Responding to this need, AeroAstro is proud to launch a new Certificate in Aerospace Innovation in collaboration with the Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship. To learn more, please visit the website for Certificate in Aerospace Innovation .

Computational Science and Engineering (SM or Ph.D.)

The  Master of Science in Computational Science and Engineering (CSE SM)  is an interdisciplinary program for students interested in the development, analysis, and application of computational approaches to science and engineering. The curriculum is designed with a common core serving all science and engineering disciplines and an elective component focusing on specific disciplinary topics. Current MIT graduate students may pursue the CSE SM as a standalone degree or as leading to the CSE Ph.D. program described below. The  Doctoral Program in Computational Science and Engineering (CSE Ph.D.)  allows students to specialize at the doctoral level in a computation-related field of their choice through focused coursework and a thesis through a number of participating host departments. The CSE Ph.D. program is administered jointly by the Center for Computational Science and Engineering (CCSE) and the host departments; the emphasis of thesis research activities is the development of new computational methods and/or the innovative application of computational techniques to important problems in engineering and science. For more information,  see the program descriptions  under Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs.

Joint Program with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

The  Joint Program with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI)  is intended for students whose primary career objective is oceanography or oceanographic engineering. Students divide their academic and research efforts between the campuses of MIT and WHOI. Joint Program students are assigned an MIT faculty member as an academic advisor; thesis research may be supervised by MIT or WHOI faculty. While in residence at MIT, students follow a program similar to that of other students in their home department. The  program is described in more detail  under Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs.

Leaders for Global Operations

The 24-month  Leaders for Global Operations (LGO)  program combines graduate degrees in engineering and management for those with previous postgraduate work experience and strong undergraduate degrees in a technical field. During the two-year program, students complete a six-month internship at one of LGO’s partner companies, where they conduct research that forms the basis of a dual-degree thesis. Students finish the program with two MIT degrees: an MBA (or SM in management) and an SM from one of eight engineering programs, some of which have optional or required LGO tracks. After graduation, alumni lead strategic initiatives in high-tech, operations, and manufacturing companies.

System Design and Management

The  System Design and Management (SDM)  program is a partnership among industry, government, and the university for educating technically grounded leaders of 21st-century enterprises. Jointly sponsored by the School of Engineering and the Sloan School of Management, it is MIT’s first degree program to be offered with a distance learning option in addition to a full-time in-residence option.

Technology and Policy

The Master of Science in Technology and Policy is an engineering research degree with a strong focus on the role of technology in policy analysis and formulation. The  Technology and Policy Program (TPP)  curriculum provides a solid grounding in technology and policy by combining advanced subjects in the student’s chosen technical field with courses in economics, politics, quantitative methods, and social science. Many students combine TPP’s curriculum with complementary subjects to obtain dual degrees in TPP and either a specialized branch of engineering or an applied social science such as political science or urban studies and planning. See the  program description  under the Institute for Data, Systems, and Society.

Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, how to get into mit: 5 expert admissions tips.

College Admissions , College Info

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is one of the best schools in the world. If you want to be one of the few students accepted into MIT every year, you'll need to make sure your application is up to snuff.

In this article, we'll break down exactly how to get into MIT, from the test scores you need to the tips and tricks that'll help your application stand out.

How Hard Is It to Get Into MIT?

MIT is one of the most selective schools in the world. Currently, MIT's acceptance rate is 4.1%, which means it only accepts around 4 applicants for every 100 people that apply.

A 4.1% acceptance rate means that MIT is extremely competitive to get into. You'll need excellent grades, test scores, essays, and letters of recommendation to even be considered.

What Is MIT Looking for in Its Students?

You can learn a lot about what MIT is looking for in its students from the university's website :

"The MIT community is driven by a shared purpose: to make a better world through education, research, and innovation. We are fun and quirky, elite but not elitist, inventive and artistic, obsessed with numbers, and welcoming to talented people regardless of where they come from."

This statement, while not MIT's formal mission statement ( which is worth reading, too ), tells a lot about what MIT is looking for in its applicants.

MIT want students who break molds —they're incredibly intelligent, but they also think outside of the box. Don't follow everyone else's path if you want to get into MIT—create your own.

MIT students are genuinely excited to learn and innovate. They're not interested in accolades (though they certainly earn them)— they're motivated by discovery and intellectual stimulation more than recognition.

MIT students don't fit into any particular profile, except that they're all highly, highly talented.

Can You Apply to MIT Early?

MIT allows students to apply early action. That means that you can apply to MIT and receive notification of your acceptance months before other students, but you don't have to commit to MIT if you're accepted.

MIT's early application deadline is November 1 and students are notified in mid-December.

According to the MIT admissions statistics for the Class of 2026, applicants who applied early action had a fairly significant advantage over students who applied at the regular deadline (a 4.7% acceptance rate for early action applicants vs a 2.2% acceptance rate for regular action applicants + those whose early action applications were deferred). 

MIT Application Deadlines and Requirements

MIT has its own application. It doesn't accept the Common Application, Coalition Application or Universal Application. To complete the MIT application you'll need to submit:

• SAT or ACT scores
• Four short essays
• Two letters of recommendation, one from a math or science teacher and one from a humanities, social science, or language teacher
• Your high school transcript, though are no specific coursework requirements for MIT applicants

The MIT Early Action deadline is November 1 . Applicants are notified of their status in mid-December.

The MIT regular admission deadline is January 5 . Applicants are notified of their status in mid-March.

What GPA Do I Need to Get Into MIT?

MIT has a very low acceptance rate, so it's important that your application is as strong as possible to be considered. One of the most important parts of your MIT application is your high school coursework.

MIT doesn't specify a minimum GPA requirement and doesn't release the average GPA of admitted applicants. (The school does provide other admissions statistics like average test scores .) That being said, due to the caliber of students accepted at MIT, we can assume that the average GPA is quite high . You should look to get mainly As, with a high few Bs on your transcript.

MIT will also be paying attention to your course load—are you challenging yourself, or are you coasting on easy classes? You should take the most rigorous classes your school offers —whether that's honors, AP, or IB courses—or even look into taking courses at the local community college to show that you're not afraid of an academic challenge… and that you can succeed at one, too!

What Test Scores Do I Need to Get Into MIT?

You don't just need great grades to get into MIT—you need great test scores, too. Let's take a closer look at what scores you need to get into MIT.

What SAT Test Scores Do I Need to Get Into MIT?

The middle 50% of MIT applicants earn between a 1510 and a 1580 on a 1600 SAT scale. In other words, 75% of admitted students score above a 1510 on the SAT. Put another way, you'll need get as close to a perfect score as possible to make sure you're putting yourself in a good position to get in (if you choose to submit test scores).

If you do submit test scores, you'll need to have extremely high SAT scores to be able to get into MIT. Fortunately, MIT uses "Highest Section" scoring (also known as " superscoring "). Basically, superscoring means that MIT will consider your highest section scores across all the SAT test dates you submit.

MIT's superscoring policy is good news for applicants—it means that you can prep and retake the score without worrying about hurting your previous scores. If you're wondering how many times you can (or should!) take the SAT, be sure to check out this article .

What ACT Test Scores Do I Need to Get Into MIT?

It's no surprise that admitted students have high ACT scores, too. The top 75% of admitted students score a 34 or above on the ACT. With so many applicants scoring 34 and above, a lower score won't be very impressive.

Fortunately, MIT also superscores ACT scores for applicants. That means that, if you take the ACT multiple times, MIT will consider the highest score achieved in each section. You can learn more about taking the ACT multiple times here.

Do I Need TOEFL Scores to Get Into MIT?

Non-native English speakers are encouraged (but not required) to submit scores from an English proficiency exam . MIT accepts the following tests, with the given minimum and recommended scores.

MIT Application Essays

MIT requires that you answer a few short questions , rather than write one long essay. You'll need to answer four short prompts (each answer should be roughly 200 words ) on various aspects of your life: a description of your background, what department you're interested in at MIT, what you do for fun, a way that you contribute to your community, and a challenge that you have faced in your life.

The MIT essay prompts are designed specifically to get to the heart of what makes you...well, you . Remember, MIT wants applicants that are interesting as people. MIT places a high value on having students with quirks and unique passions, not just high test scores.

You'll submit your MIT application essays along with an activities list and a self-reported coursework form as Part 2 of your MIT application, regardless of whether you're applying for the early action deadline or the regular admission deadline.

Here are the 2022-2023 MIT essay prompts:

• We know you lead a busy life, full of activities, many of which are required of you. Tell us about something you do simply for the pleasure of it.
• Describe the world you come from (for example, your family, school, community, city, or town). How has that world shaped your dreams and aspirations?
• MIT brings people with diverse backgrounds and experiences together to better the lives of others. Our students work to improve their communities in different ways, from tackling the world’s biggest challenges to being a good friend. Describe one way you have collaborated with people who are different from you to contribute to your community.
• Tell us about a significant challenge you’ve faced (that you feel comfortable sharing) or something that didn’t go according to plan. How did you manage the situation?

You can learn more about how to ace your MIT essays in our in-depth article on the topic .

5 Tips for Getting Into MIT

It's very difficult to get into MIT, but it's not impossible. MIT admits around 1,400 students a year, and you can definitely be one of them! Follow these tips for how to get into MIT by making sure your application stands out from the crowd.

#1: Highlight the Unique Aspects of Your Identity

We've said it already and we'll say it again: MIT likes unique applicants. They say so on their website! Your essays are an opportunity to highlight the special facets of your personality. If you built a video game about pickles for fun, this is the time to share it!

The more unique you are, the better! Your application will stand out even more if you take those interests and apply them to academic pursuits. Show that your academic curiosity intersects with your passions.

#2: Put a Lot of Effort Into Your Academics

MIT students are high-achievers. To be accepted, you need to be one, too. You should have a strong plan for studying for the SAT or ACT so that you achieve the best score possible.

If you're still in your freshman, sophomore, or junior year of high school, plan to take some advanced classes to up your GPA. You'll need to be disciplined and work hard to compete with the other applicants.

MIT wants students who will succeed on their campus—you need to demonstrate that you're up to MIT's academic challenge.

#3: Ace Your Essays

Your essays are the best opportunity to show off your skills and your unique interests. You should put a lot of effort into every one of the five MIT essays. Don't wait until the last minute to write your MIT essays—start them with plenty of time so that you can revise and receive feedback.

Keep in mind that while there are no right ways to write an admissions essay, there are definitely some wrong ones! Be sure to check out this article before you get started so you can avoid any pitfalls.

#4: Convince MIT That You'll Do Something Great With Your Education

MIT doesn't want to admit students who will be content to take their expensive diploma and sit at home doing nothing with it. MIT wants to accept students who are going to accomplish world-changing things, who contribute positively to their communities while in college, and who help other students accomplish great things as well.

The best way to convince MIT that you'll do this while there? Contribute positively to your community while you're in high school. Past behavior is a predictor of future behavior. If you show that positive contributions are a part of your modus operandi as a student, MIT will feel confident that you'll bring that attitude to its campus, too.

#5: Hyper-Focus

You don't need to be captain of the football team, the co-chair of the debate team, and the first chair violinist in the school orchestra to get into MIT. Don't try to be great at every—pick one (or two) activities and pursue it relentlessly.

This is called having a spike and helps you stand out more. Don't aim to be generically good at a lot of things—be hugely, amazingly good at one thing.

Instead of trying to lead twenty different committees, pick the one that's the most special to you and give it everything you have. Put down the football and the debate notecards and focus on violin if that's what you love. Audition for world-class ensembles, enter competitions, basically just stand out.

Don't strive for above average at a lot of things—be excellent at one.

What's Next?

Starting your MIT application? Check out our in-depth guide on how to apply to MIT .

Your MIT essays will help your application stand out. Read our in-depth guide on these five short answer questions to know exactly what to do .

Wondering what your chances of getting into an Ivy Leave or Ivy League caliber school is? Check out our complete guide to Ivy League acceptance rates.

Hayley Milliman is a former teacher turned writer who blogs about education, history, and technology. When she was a teacher, Hayley's students regularly scored in the 99th percentile thanks to her passion for making topics digestible and accessible. In addition to her work for PrepScholar, Hayley is the author of Museum Hack's Guide to History's Fiercest Females.

Ask a Question Below

Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!

Improve With Our Famous Guides

• For All Students

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 160+ SAT Points

How to Get a Perfect 1600, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 800 on Each SAT Section:

Score 800 on SAT Math

Score 800 on SAT Reading

Score 800 on SAT Writing

Series: How to Get to 600 on Each SAT Section:

Score 600 on SAT Math

Score 600 on SAT Reading

Score 600 on SAT Writing

Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests

What SAT Target Score Should You Be Aiming For?

15 Strategies to Improve Your SAT Essay

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 4+ ACT Points

How to Get a Perfect 36 ACT, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 36 on Each ACT Section:

36 on ACT English

36 on ACT Math

36 on ACT Reading

36 on ACT Science

Series: How to Get to 24 on Each ACT Section:

24 on ACT English

24 on ACT Math

24 on ACT Reading

24 on ACT Science

What ACT target score should you be aiming for?

ACT Vocabulary You Must Know

ACT Writing: 15 Tips to Raise Your Essay Score

How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League

How to Get a Perfect 4.0 GPA

How to Write an Amazing College Essay

What Exactly Are Colleges Looking For?

Is the ACT easier than the SAT? A Comprehensive Guide

Should you retake your SAT or ACT?

When should you take the SAT or ACT?

Stay Informed

Get the latest articles and test prep tips!

Looking for Graduate School Test Prep?

Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here:

GRE Online Prep Blog

GMAT Online Prep Blog

TOEFL Online Prep Blog

Holly R. "I am absolutely overjoyed and cannot thank you enough for helping me!”

Rethinking How AI And Humans Interact To Get The Best Of Both

This conversation between an MIT PHD and a professor covers what human design is, why it's important in deploying effective AI models, and how we have to think deeply about how to establish trust in AI. This conversation took place at Imagination In Action's 'Forging the Future of Business with AI' Summit in April 2024.