Frequently Asked Questions

We send your credit balance to you through direct deposit. After you set up direct deposit, you may either stop in to meet with your student services counselor, or contact us by phone or email to initiate your direct deposit transfer.

You can learn more about how to request a refund here.

After you have completed the necessary loan requirements, your federal loans will disburse to your student account once your term registration becomes official, usually within the first two weeks of the term. Federal loans will be split evenly between all registered terms for the academic year. The amount of your federal loan will always be slightly more than the amount disbursed to your student account due to federal loan origination fees.

Private loan funds are received from your third-party lender and therefore the date the funds are sent to MIT is determined by your lender. Most private lenders will notify you that your funds have been sent to MIT.

Unfortunately, we do not have the permission to reset usernames or passwords for authorized users.

If you have forgotten your username, you will need to have your student reset your access to their account.

If you have forgotten your password, you can change it by clicking the "forgot password" link, which will send an email with instructions on how to reset your password. If no email has been received, we advise you to check your spam folder.

If this is the first time you are borrowing from a specific loan program you may need to complete the requirements by signing a promissory note and completing entrance loan counseling. Check with a member of the financial aid delivery team for more information on these requirements.

Most families opt to pay online, but you may also pay by check or Flywire. You can learn more about how to pay internationally here.

If your financial aid exceeds your charges, or your account is overpaid, you may be eligible for a refund, available after registration, which can be used for your out-of-pocket expenses, such as books and supplies. You must sign up for direct deposit in MITPay before requesting these funds. To be paid for employment at MIT you must also sign up for Payroll Direct Deposit in Atlas.

MITPay and Atlas are two unique systems; you must fill out both direct deposit forms to receive their corresponding services.

MIT does not accept cash, credit card, or debit card payments for student accounts. Learn more about your payment options here.

A negative balance indicates that your bill was overpaid and that you may be eligible for a refund. You may only receive your refund after the semester starts and your anticipated credits are disbursed to your student account.

The charges on your student account originate from different MIT departments. SFS is responsible for billing you for those charges. For a question about a specific charge please contact the MIT department where the charge originated. The department contact information is listed on your MITPay statement on the same line as the charge.

Online payments made through MITPay are reflected in your student account immediately. Payments made via check or Flywire, are updated upon receipt. Bills are updated monthly around the 10th of each month.

As long as you have submitted the health insurance waiver by the deadline, you do not need to pay for health insurance. More information on the Student Health Insurance Plan is available from MIT Health.

For undergrads living on campus for the summer, you will see the total cost of your summer housing charges spread over three months: June, July, and August. You can view your current account balance on MITPay.

You may also start to see fall charges on your bill in mid-July. Don’t worry! The fall charges are not due until August 1 along with the second summer installment. However, we recommend that you make your summer payment by July 31 if you intend to set up a payment plan for the fall. Summer charges cannot be included in fall payment plans.

We also want to remind you that all three summer installments must be paid prior to registering for the fall term, and financial aid for the fall cannot be used to pay summer charges. If your account has a balance due prior to registration day, you may be placed on registration hold.

If you have questions about any of the summer charges, you should contact Housing. If you have any questions about paying the bill, you should reach out to us at sfs@mit.edu.

For graduate students living on campus for the summer, you will be billed monthly for housing. You can view your monthly bill on MITPay. Payment is always due on the first of the following month.

We want to remind you that if your account has a balance due prior to registration day, you may be placed on registration hold.

If you have questions about any of the summer charges, you should contact Housing. If you have any questions about paying the bill, you should reach out to us at sfs@mit.edu.

We know this is an important issue for many students, and we are actively working with the MIT Information Systems &Technology team, as well as our outside vendors, to make this change possible. Once implemented, a student’s preferred name will replace their legal name on items like the bill, financial aid notices, and email communications. It can not replace the legal name on items like the FAFSA, loan promissory notes, or tax documents.

We will email you in mid-July for the fall term bill that is due on August 1, and mid-December for the spring term bill that is due January 2. Most term charges such as tuition, student life fee, MIT Student Health Insurance Plan, and on-campus housing appear on the first bill of each term. Other charges such as lab fees, parking, or MBTA passes are billed monthly as they are incurred. Updated statements are posted to your account on or around the 10th of each month.

We offer a number of different options, including a monthly payment plan for those seeking an alternative to paying in one lump sum. Visit the payment options page for details.

Registering for less than a full-time course load is called a light load. With the approval of your faculty advisor, undergraduates may carry a light load and are charged per unit of registration, including those taken as a listener. Financial aid eligibility is automatically updated based on your registration status. Visit our light load webpage to learn how tuition and/or financial aid are impacted if you register for 18–35 units, or 17 units or fewer.

The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is a U.S. government program run by the Federal Communications Commission that helps many low-income households pay for internet service.

There are many groups that may qualify for ACP, including current undergraduate Pell Grant recipients and people receiving SNAP benefits. Learn more about the program and if you qualify you can apply online here.

Generally, students enrolled more than half-time are eligible for SNAP if they meet an exemption. Students who meet an exemption must also meet all other SNAP eligibility requirements. Students who work at least 20 hours a week or participate in a state or Federal Work-Study program may qualify for an exemption. You must still meet the other SNAP eligibility requirements to be eligible for benefits. You may apply for SNAP benefits here.

Qualified tuition and related expenses includes tuition and student life fees. Expenses such as housing, meals, books, supplies, and health insurance are not included.