International students

“International” eligibility

For the purposes of your financial aid application, you are classified as “international” if you are not eligible for federal student financial aid as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Eligibility for federal aid includes U.S. citizens and permanent residents, as well as certain special cases outlined in section three of this Department of Education infographic.

If you are not a member of one of these groups, then you should follow the instructions below, regardless of your place of residency. But don’t worry: International students are considered for aid using the same process that we use for all applicants. We are committed to meeting 100% of demonstrated financial need for international students, just as we are for domestic students.

How to apply for aid

We use two documents to understand your financial situation and decide what kind of aid you’ll need to be able to attend MIT affordably. To submit these documents, follow these two simple steps. Click each step to jump to the detailed instructions below.

  1. Submit the CSS Profile.
  2. Submit parental tax returns or income documentation. If your parents live outside the U.S., please provide the tax return from that country, along with a translation to English if applicable.

Full instructions

CSS Profile

The CSS Profile is an online application provided by the College Board that we use to determine if you qualify for a need-based MIT Scholarship.

  • For the CSS Profile, you will need:
    • Your parents’ income tax returns or wage statements from two years ago
    • Any other records of money earned
    • Current bank account balances
    • Records of investments
    • Records of untaxed income
  • Designate MIT as one of your recipients by using our CSS Code 3514 and answer all supplemental questions specific to MIT.
  • If your parents are separated or divorced, each parent will need to complete their own CSS Profile application.
Submit the CSS Profile →

Parental tax returns or income documentation

After submitting the CSS Profile, you will need to submit your parents’ tax returns or income documentation to the College Board’s secure Institutional Documentation Service (IDOC) for processing.

Please note: It can take up to two weeks for the tax returns to be received by MIT. You must submit all documents directly to IDOC; we will be unable to accept any documents sent directly to MIT.

  • If your parents live outside the U.S., please provide the tax return from that country, along with a translation to English if applicable. Professional translation is not required, documents may be translated by you, your family, or someone you know.
  • If your parents are separated or divorced, you will need both parents’ income documentation.
Submit parental documentation →

Managing your financial aid documents and offer

For prospective students

After you apply for aid, you can manage your financial aid documents by accessing the MIT Application Portal and clicking “Track Financial Aid Documents” to access the MIT Online Financial Aid System. Once there, select the top-left menu and click “Documents & Messages.” You will also be able to see any supplemental documents we may require and important messages regarding your aid application. There may be a delay from when you submit your documents to when they appear here; please allow 10 business days for processing.

We will email you from sfs@mit.edu once we have completed our review and prepared your offer. The offer will be linked directly in the email; you can also view it in your Application Portal by logging in and clicking “View Update.” This is the same location where you accessed your admissions decision; your offer will be linked below the letter as a new document. After enrollment, you can view your offer in the Online Financial Aid System.

For current students

You can manage your financial aid documents and view your offer in the Online Financial Aid System.

Need help?

We know applying for aid can be confusing, so we are here to answer any questions that you may have. Feel free to email us at sfs@mit.edu or call our office at 1.617.258.8600. We have a full team of financial aid counselors that will guide you through the process.