We intend to provide easy access to the information you need to be an informed consumer of an MIT education.
The U.S. Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, requires all institutions of higher education, who receive federal student financial assistance, to make student consumer information available to all enrolled and prospective students. Please note: Because of the nature of federal, state, and institutional guidelines affecting financial aid programs, the information contained on this website is subject to change.
MIT is committed to providing an inclusive and accessible environment. To that end, we have a central accessibility website where you can find all of MIT’s accessibility resources in one convenient location.
- Accreditation and state approval
- Academic programs
- Admissions
- Faculty
- Student body diversity
- Instructional facilities and labs
- Transfer of credit
- Textbooks
- Withdrawals
- Nondiscrimination statement
- Privacy and disclosure of student education records
- Protecting sensitive information
- Copyright infringement
- Vaccination
- Professional licensure disclosure
- Graduation retention rates
- Employment for graduates
- Graduate and professional education for graduates
- Athletic program participation and financial support
- Campus safety and security
- Drug and alcohol abuse prevention
- Emergency management
- Fire safety
- Hazing
- Health and wellness
- Voter registration
- Price of attendance
- Net Price Calculator
- Refund policy
- Repayment policy
- Policy for return of tuition assistance funds
- Overpayment policy
- Overview of financial aid
- Charges on your account
- How to apply for aid
- Aid eligibility
- How aid is determined
- How aid is disbursed
- Terms of student loans
- Code of conduct for student loans
- Terms of student employment
- Financial aid for study abroad
- Scholarship fraud
- Cohort default rate
7. Rights and responsibilities of aid recipients
- Satisfactory academic progress
- Entrance and exit loan counseling
- Loan repayment
- Books and supplies for Pell eligible students
2. General MIT information
Accreditation and state approval
MIT is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE). Inquiries regarding MIT’s accreditation status should be directed to the Office of the Vice President and Secretary of the Corporation. Individuals may also contact:
New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE)
301 Edgewater Place, Suite 210
Wakefield, MA 01880
781.425.7785
View details on MIT’s accreditation by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc.
Many degree programs at MIT are accredited by specialized professional accrediting bodies, including:
- Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
- Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology
- American Chemical Society
- American Institute of Chemical Engineers
- Computer Science Accreditation Board
- National Architectural Accrediting Board
- Planning Accreditation Board.
Academic departments can provide information on the accreditation of the specific degree programs they offer.
The Charter of MIT is comprised of the Acts and Resolves of the General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts pertaining to the Institute from its act of incorporation in 1861. The Charter was last updated in January 2000. The Institute is subject to Massachusetts’ statutory provisions governing corporations organized for charitable purposes.
Academic programs
MIT has five schools—architecture and planning; engineering; humanities, arts and social sciences; management; and science—and the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing. View a full list of MIT schools and departments.
The Institute offers a wide variety of courses to study, both at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The Online MIT Course Catalog details the undergraduate programs and requirements and the graduate programs and requirements.
Admissions
Applicants for an undergraduate admission are selected based on outstanding academic achievement as well as on a strong match between the applicant and the Institute. The admissions website provides information for prospective students, including transfer and international students.
Applicants for graduate degree programs are evaluated for previous performance and professional promise by the department in which they wish to register. MIT graduate admissions collaborates with the MIT departments in support of this process.
Faculty
The MIT faculty instructs undergraduate and graduate students and engages in research. Each academic department, lab, and center at MIT has its own website with listings of faculty members and other instructional personnel. View academic departments here.
The Office of Institutional Research provides information on the number and type of faculty at MIT. MIT also engages lecturers, instructors, and adjunct faculty as part of the teaching staff.
Student body diversity
The Office of Institutional Research maintains information on student body diversity.
Instructional facilities and labs
Information on MIT’s instructional facilities and laboratories is available from the various schools and departments who manage those facilities. You can also view images and information about the inventory of classrooms managed by the Registrar’s Scheduling Office.
The Department of Facilities maintains detailed maps and floor plans of MIT buildings and rooms that are used for academic, residential, or support activities. To quickly locate a building, street, or other element on the MIT campus, use the online campus map.
Transfer of credit
MIT departments may grant some credit for study at other colleges and universities both before and after an enrolled student begins study at MIT. In general, credit and/or appropriate placement may be offered if the subjects are substantially equivalent to those in the MIT curriculum, and if the grade earned meets MIT standards. However, each department sets its own policies about awarding transfer credit and delegates this decision to its transfer credit examiner who reviews each request individually. View a list of current transfer credit examiners.
A registered student who wishes to receive credit for work done at another higher education institution must follow the procedures detailed by the Registrar’s Office.
Textbooks
Federal regulations require higher education institutions to disclose specific information about required and recommended reading on internet-based course schedules. The goal is to reduce costs by making required textbook information, including ISBN number, available as early as possible, so students have time to shop for the lowest price. Specific information about required and recommended reading is available on the MIT Online Subject Listing and Schedule.
Withdrawals
Undergraduates withdrawing from MIT should make arrangements through Student Support Services (S3).
Graduate students should consult their departments and the Office of Graduate Education. View Graduate Policies and Procedures on changes in registration.
3. MIT policies
Nondiscrimination statement
The Institute’s nondiscrimination policy applies to faculty, staff, students and all other members of the MIT community. It is included in the MIT Bulletin (course catalog) and in other publications describing MIT’s academic programs.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is committed to the principle of equal opportunity in education and employment. The Institute prohibits discrimination against individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, or national or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, employment policies, scholarship and loan programs, and other Institute administered programs and activities; the Institute may, however, favor US citizens or residents in admissions and financial aid.
The Vice President for Human Resources is designated as the Institute’s Equal Opportunity Officer. Inquiries concerning the Institute’s policies, compliance with applicable laws, statutes, and regulations, and complaints may be directed to Ramona Allen, Vice President for Human Resources, Building NE49-5000, 617-324-5675. In addition, inquiries about Title IX (which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex) may be directed to the Institute’s Title IX Coordinator, Sarah Rankin, Room W31-223, 617-324-7526, titleIX@mit.edu. Information about the grievance procedures and process for discrimination and discriminatory harassment, including how to report or file a complaint of sex discrimination, how to report or file a formal complaint of sexual harassment, and how MIT will respond is available at idhr.mit.edu. Inquiries about the laws and about compliance may also be directed to the United States Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, Region I, 5 Post Office Square, 8th Floor, Boston, MA 02109-3921, 617-289-0111, OCR.Boston@ed.gov.
This policy was last updated July 3, 2024. See the update history page for more information.
Privacy and disclosure of student education records
In order to carry out their assigned responsibilities, many offices at MIT collect and maintain information about students. Although these records belong to MIT, both MIT policy and federal law accord students a number of rights concerning their records. The Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, commonly known as FERPA, governs student access to, and disclosure of, student records.
Under FERPA students have:
- The right to inspect and review their own education records within 45 days of request.
- The right to request amendment of their education records to the extent that they are inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s rights under FERPA.
- The right to provide written consent before MIT discloses personally identifiable information from the student’s education records to third-parties, unless a FERPA exception allows disclosure without prior consent.
- The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by MIT to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the office that administers FERPA is:
Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Ave SW
Washington, DC 20202-5901
In its privacy policies, MIT uses the term student information to refer to education records. MIT’s Privacy of Student Records policy builds upon FERPA. View the full text of MIT’s Privacy of Student Records policy.
Protecting sensitive information
In response to Massachusetts regulations for the protection of Personal Information Requiring Notification (PIRN), MIT implemented a Written Information Security Program, which includes administrative, technical, and physical safeguards for this type of data. There are other MIT information protection initiatives in place that aim to protect student, health, and personal financial information.
Copyright infringement
MIT provides its students with electronic resources to support and advance the Institute’s mission of teaching, research, and public service and to conduct the Institute’s business operations. The Office of Student Citizenship and Information Services & Technology share a goal of promoting responsible management and use of these resources. Issues surrounding unauthorized distribution of copyrighted materials on college and university campuses, particularly music, movies, and textbooks are of a concern both within and beyond MIT’s community. These activities, including unauthorized peer-to-peer file sharing, have the potential to subject students to civil and criminal liabilities. View MIT policies and sanctions related to copyright infringement.
Vaccination
Massachusetts State Law requires all new students, regardless of age or gender, to submit documentation of immunity to certain infectious diseases. View MIT’s policy on immunization requirements on the MIT Health web site.
Professional licensure disclosure
Federal laws require all institutions of higher education receiving federal financial aid to inform students if they will be qualified to practice in the state where they are situated upon graduation. This rule is applicable to every profession that requires a license to practice in the state. View MIT’s professional licensure information.
4. Student outcomes
Graduation and retention rates
The Student Right-to-Know Act requires disclosure of information on graduation and retention rates for all students and for student-athletes. Since MIT does not offer financial aid based on athletic achievement, it is not required to report graduation or retention rates for student athletes. The Office of Institutional Research provides the student graduation and retention disclosures.
Employment for graduates
The Student Right-to-Know Act requires disclosure of information on the placement of, and types of employment obtained by, graduates of a higher education’s degree programs. The Office of Institutional Research provides the required placement and employment disclosures.
Graduate and professional education for graduates
The Student Right-to-Know Act requires disclosure of the types of graduate and professional education in which its graduates of 4-year programs enroll. The Office of Institutional Research provides the graduate and professional education disclosures.
5. Campus life
Athletic program participation and financial support
The Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act (EADA) requires disclosure of athletic program participation rates and financial support data, demonstrating the school’s commitment to providing equitable athletic opportunities for male and female students. MIT’s Department of Athletics, Physical Education, and Recreation is responsible for this report. MIT’s most recent report may be found at the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Postsecondary Education website.
Campus safety and security
MIT Police officers provide law enforcement, crime prevention, and emergency medical services. The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report is published by the MIT Police. This report includes information on campus safety, security and resources as well as crime and fire statistics. The report also includes emergency response and evacuation procedures and the missing student notification protocol.
Drug and alcohol abuse prevention
Under the Drug Free Workplace Act of 1988 and the Drug Free Schools and Communities Act Amendments of 1991, higher education institutions are required to have an alcohol and other drug policy outlining prevention, education and intervention efforts, and consequences for policy violations. MIT’s Alcohol and Other Drug Services (AODS) is committed to preventing high-risk behaviors and promoting a healthy, safe environment at MIT. AODS offers a number of services including community forums, events, and programs, including education and training for students, staff, and parents.
AODS is part of the Division of Student Life, which publishes a guide to all aspects of student life at MIT. The guide includes policies and resources surrounding a drug-free campus.
Emergency management
MIT is committed to the safety and security of every member of the MIT community. In the event of a campus emergency, news and information will be posted on MIT’s emergency information page and on the MIT homepage. MIT also uses an alert system to inform the community of an emergency on campus.
Fire safety
The MIT Office of Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) maintains the fire safety and prevention policy at MIT. EHS provides information regarding campus and workplace safety.
Hazing
MIT policy and Massachusetts law prohibit hazing. MIT policy defines hazing as any action or activity that causes or intends to cause physical or mental discomfort or distress, that may demean, degrade, or disgrace any person, regardless of location, intent, or consent of participants, for the purpose of initiation, admission into, affiliation with, or as a condition for continued membership in a group, organization, or living community. Hazing includes, without limitation, behaviors that do or could emphasize a power imbalance between members of a group and behaviors that violate Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 269, Sections 17-19.
Information about MIT’s hazing policy, Massachusetts law on hazing, efforts to prevent hazing, and things you can do to intervene in potential hazing situations are all online at hazefree.mit.edu.
Health and wellness
At MIT Health, students, affiliates, staff, faculty, and post-doctoral fellows all have convenient, on-campus access to more than 25 clinical services and medical specialties, each delivered by highly qualified physicians, nurse practitioners, psychologists, physician assistants, social workers, and other health care professionals.
Voter registration
MIT prides itself on maintaining a culture of civic engagement and responsibility and strongly encourages its students to vote either in their home state or in their new resident state of Massachusetts.
Students are eligible to vote in Cambridge, if they are U.S. citizens, reside in Cambridge, and will be at least 18 years old on or before Election Day. View more information on voter registration for MIT students. For information concerning voter laws and registration requirements in Massachusetts, see the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts website. For information concerning voter laws and registration requirements in other states, see the U.S. Election Assistance Commission’s website.
6. Costs and financial aid
Price of attendance
Tuition for the forthcoming academic year is set each March by the MIT Corporation. The Registrar’s Office lists tuition and fees. The Office of Institutional Research provides information on prior academic year tuition and fees.
View expense information for undergraduates and expense information for graduate students. Graduate students generally incur greater expenses than undergraduates as most attend MIT for a calendar year, rather than an academic year.
Net Price Calculator
The Net Price Calculator is designed to provide a family with a range of what they would pay for an MIT education as a full-time, first-year student. The calculator results include approximate amounts and types of financial aid. Families receive an actual financial aid offer in mid-January for EA and mid-March for RA (assuming all the required application materials, including copies of federal income tax returns and wage statements by the financial aid deadline).
Refund policy
MIT has a tuition refund policy that stipulates the amount of tuition that is refunded to a student who withdraws—view details on the costs, including refunds.
Repayment policy (return of Title IV funds)
The federal government mandates that students who withdraw from all classes may only keep the Title IV (federal) grant and loan assistance they have earned up to the time of withdrawal. Funds disbursed in excess of the earned amount must be returned by MIT and/or the student to the federal government. Learn more about our repayment policy.
Both federal and institutional financial aid may be reduced for a student registered less than full time and/or charged less than full tuition. These financial aid adjustments continue until the census date (typically the end of the add period), at which point a student’s registration status is locked for the purposes of Federal Pell Grant eligibility. If tuition is adjusted after the add date, adjustments will still be made to MIT Scholarship aid. Adjustments to all aid may still occur after census date in the case of a withdrawal.
Policy for return of tuition assistance funds
If a student receiving Title IV funds completely withdraws from classes before completing 60% of the term, MIT is required to determine how much of the financial aid was earned up to the time of withdrawal. Unearned Title IV funds must be returned by MIT and/or the student to the federal government. This situation could result in the student owing aid funds to MIT, the government, or both.
The federal formula requires a return of Title IV aid if the student received any federal financial assistance (except Federal Work-Study) and withdrew on or before completing 60% of the term. The Department of Defense requires the return of any unearned Tuition Assistance (TA) funds on a proportional basis through at least 60% of the term.
To determine the amount of aid the student has earned up to the time of withdrawal, divide the number of calendar days the student attended classes by the total number of calendar days in the term. Scheduled breaks of more than five days or more are excluded. The percentage derived is then multiplied by the total federal funds that were disbursed (either to the student’s account and/or to the student in the form of a refund) for the term. This calculation determines the amount of aid earned by the student which he/she may keep (for example, if the student attended 25% of the term, the student would have earned 25% of the aid disbursed). The unearned amount (total aid disbursed less the earned amount) must be returned to the federal government by MIT or the student.
Overpayment policy
Student Financial Services can only accept funds to cover a student’s educational expenses while enrolled at MIT. Payments made in excess of the cost of attendance for a term can not be accepted. Students are expected to pay as they are billed. Payments received in excess of the billed amount will be returned in their entirety to the payer. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology does not meet the definition of a “Financial Institution” as described in 31. U.S. Code § 5312; therefore, MIT is not allowed to accept payments for purposes other than educational expenses determined by the Institute.
This policy pertains to overpayments made by a student, their family, and/or sponsors. Overpayments made by certain third parties, such as the Department of Veterans Affairs, are not subject to this policy. Overpayments/refunds as a result of federal loans and/or scholarships are also exempt.
Overview of financial aid
MIT is the largest source of financial aid to its students. Students also receive financial aid from federal, state, and private sources.
All financial aid from by MIT to undergraduates is based on need and meets the full need. Learn more about what types of scholarships, grants, loans, and jobs are available in the Types of Aid section.
Financial aid for graduate students is, in large part, provided by individual departments. The amount of aid graduate students receive varies significantly. Financial support includes fellowships, traineeships, teaching and research assistantships. Most forms of support are granted for merit, while others are granted for some combination of merit and need. Graduate students are also eligible for need and non-need based loans. The Office of Graduate Education has information on graduate fellowships, traineeships, and teaching and research assistantships and SFS has information on loans.
Charges on your account
The charges on your student account originate from different MIT departments. We are responsible for billing you for those charges. So if you need more information about a specific charge, you should contact that department directly.
Only the department who made the original charge can adjust charges. Department contacts are included on your bill in MITPay.
If you want to formally dispute a charge, you must contact customer service in writing within 60 days of the date of the statement on which the charge first appeared.
How to apply for financial aid
Undergraduate students can find information on how to apply for need-based financial aid from MIT by following the instructions on the Apply for aid page. Students should follow the instructions based on whether they are a prospective or a current student. There are also specific instructions for undergraduate students who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Graduate students can find information on how to apply for federal and private loans on the Graduate loans page.
Aid eligibility
We administer all need-based aid for undergraduate and graduate students. Eligibility for undergraduate aid is based on the guiding principle that families have the primary responsibility to pay for an undergraduate education to the degree that they are able. SFS uses information provided by the family on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the College Scholarship Service (CSS) Profile, and federal income tax returns and wage statements to determine eligibility for need-based aid.
Need-based aid to graduate students is primarily in the form of federal loans and aid eligibility is determined using information provided on the FAFSA.
Continued eligibility for need-based aid is based on achieving academic progress, availability of funding, and ability to demonstrate financial need in subsequent years.
How aid is determined
Undergraduate financial aid meets demonstrated full need. Need is the difference between the student expense budget, or approximate costs of attending MIT, and your family’s expected parent and student contributions. The financial aid offer includes a student contribution, which is the amount students are expected to contribute to the cost of their own education. Any remaining need above the student contribution is met with an MIT scholarship.
Need-based graduate financial aid is determined based on the difference between the student expense budget and the expected student contribution. Any need not met through a fellowship, traineeship, or teaching or research assistantship, is met with a loan offer.
How aid is disbursed
SFS provides information on how aid is disbursed.
Terms of student loans
We provide information on the terms and conditions of the federal and institutional programs for both undergraduate students and their families, as well as graduate students.
Code of conduct for student loans
Student Financial Services lists MIT’s code of conduct regarding private lending and student choice.
Terms of student employment
MIT does not award student employment. Undergraduates demonstrating financial need receive a financial aid offer that includes an expectation that the student will finance a portion of their education through work and/or student loans. This is the part of the student contribution. Students choosing to meet all or part of their student contribution through student employment can get a job on, or off campus. All on-campus jobs are subject to the MIT minimum hourly student wage. Student Financial Service provides information on student jobs.
Graduate students with research assistantship appointments are members of a research group in a laboratory or on a project, whose principal duty is to contribute, under supervision, to a program of interdepartmental research. For more information on these opportunities contact the graduate administrator for the respective department.
Financial aid for study abroad
MIT meets the full financial need of undergraduates approved to study out of residence. Student Financial Services provides details on how financial aid is applied to study abroad. MISTI (MIT Global Experiences) provides information on opportunities for students to study abroad.
Scholarship fraud
According to the Federal Trade Commission, perpetrators of financial aid fraud often use the following lines to sell their scholarship services; students should avoid any scholarship service or web site that says the following:
- “This scholarship is guaranteed or your money back.”
- “You can’t get this information anywhere else.”
- “I just need your credit card or bank account number to hold this scholarship.”
- “We’ll do all the work.”
- “This scholarship will cost some money.”
- “You’ve been selected by a ‘national foundation’ to receive a scholarship” or “You’re a finalist” in a contest you never entered.
If you think you’ve been the victim of scholarship fraud, wish to file a complaint or want more information, call 877.FTC.HELP or visit the Federal Trade Commission scholarship scams page. The College Scholarship Fraud Prevention Act passed by Congress in 2000 enhances protection against fraud in student financial assistance by establishing stricter sentencing guidelines for criminal financial aid fraud.
Cohort Default Rate
| OPE ID | School | Type | Control | PRGMS |
| 002178 | MIT 77 Mass. Ave. Cambridge, MA 02139-4307 |
Master’s degree or Doctor’s degree | Private | Both (FFEL/FDL) |
| FY2020 | FY2019 | FY2018 | ||
| Default rate (%) | 0 | 0 | 0.3 | |
| No. in default | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| No. in repay | 432 | 480 | 555 | |
| Enrollment figures | 12,195 | 12,321 | 12,168 | |
| Percentage calculation | 3.54% | 3.90% | 4.56% |
Enrollment: To provide context for the Cohort Default Rate (CDR) data we include enrollment data (students enrolled at any time during the year) and a corresponding percentage (borrowers entering repayment divided by that enrollment figure). While there is no direct relationship between the timing of when a borrower entered repayment (October 1 through September 30) and any particular enrollment year, for the purpose of this data, we have chosen to use the academic year ending on the June 30 prior to the beginning of the cohort year (e.g., FY 2020 CDR year will use 2018-2019 enrollment).
7. Rights and responsibilities of aid recipients
Satisfactory academic progress
In order to receive financial aid MIT students need to meet the Institute’s academic standards. This site provides detailed information on the satisfactory academic progress rules for students receiving federal student financial assistance.
Entrance and exit loan counseling
Entrance loan counseling is required for all first-time borrowers of the following loans: MIT Technology Loans, Federal Direct Loans, Federal Direct Grad PLUS Loans, and some borrowers of Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loans.
Students who borrowed from any of these programs are also required to have an exit loan prior to graduating or leaving MIT.
Student Financial Services provides entrance and exit loan counseling.
Loan repayment
Under certain circumstances, students who take out student loans and are unable to meet their repayment obligations, may be eligible for a deferment or forbearance. This will give you more time to repay the loan and/or lower monthly payments. Borrowers should consult their loan servicer. Student Financial Services provides further information on loan repayment. View sample student loan repayments here.
Books and supplies for federal Pell Grant recipients
Enrolled students who receive federal student financial assistance that exceeds their billed charges (tuition, fees, and room and board) are eligible to receive an early release of their aid. Students should email SFS to request a refund advance.