Domestic students

“Domestic” eligibility

For the purposes of your financial aid application, you are classified as “domestic” if you are 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 meet these conditions, you are eligible for federal aid, and should follow the instructions below.

If you are not a domestic student by this definition, then you apply for financial aid MIT using the process for international students, regardless of your place of residency.

How to apply for aid

We use three 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 four simple steps. Click each step to jump to the detailed instructions below.

  1. Submit your CSS Profile.
  2. Create your Federal Student Aid ID (FSA ID) as soon as possible. Once completed, it will take 5 business days for your account to be activated before you can fill out the FAFSA.
  3. Submit your FAFSA.
  4. Submit parental tax returns or income documentation.

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’ 2024 income tax returns or wage statements
    • Any other records of money earned
    • Bank statements
    • 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 the fee presents a challenge, it may be waived by the College Board. MIT is not able to offer a fee waiver directly.
  • If your parents are separated or divorced, each parent will need to complete their own CSS Profile application.
Submit the CSS Profile →

FAFSA

The U.S. government determines the amount of federal student aid—grants, loans, and work-study—you qualify for using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). If you have questions, check out our FAFSA FAQs.

  • Create or reconfirm your Federal Student Aid ID (FSA ID) as soon as possible. Once completed, it will take 5 business days for your account to be activated before your can fill out the FAFSA. Students and family members cannot share accounts, so create your own account.
    To create your FSA ID, you will need:

    • Your Social Security number (SSN)—if a contributor does not have an SSN, they may still create an FSA ID
    • Your own email address and/or mobile phone number
  • For the FAFSA, you will need:
    • Your parents’ 2024 federal income tax returns and W-2s
    • Other records of money earned
    • Current bank account balances
    • Records of investments
    • Records of untaxed income
  • Submit all materials as soon as you are able.
  • Designate MIT as one of your recipients using Federal Code 002178.
  • If you are asked to verify your FAFSA, this means that you may need to take a few extra steps to confirm your financial information. We will reach out to you if anything more is needed.
Submit the FAFSA →

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 do not file a tax return, please complete the Non Tax Filer Statement through IDOC and submit it along with documentation of income (W-2, 1099, or a letter from their employer outside the U.S.).
  • To submit documents through IDOC, you will need:
    • Your parents’ 2024 federal (not state) tax returns along with all schedules, statements, and W-2s. Veterans of the U.S. armed forces are exempt from this step.
  • If your family owns a corporation or interest in a partnership, you must send the corporation or partnership tax return through IDOC. Please note that a Schedule K-1 is insufficient data, as the complete tax returns are needed.
  • If you, your parents, or other siblings are beneficiaries of an estate or trust, submit the appropriate Schedule K-1 of IRS Form 1041 or IRS Form 4970 through IDOC.
  • If your parents are separated or divorced, your non-custodial parent’s tax return is required as well.
  • 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.
Submit parental documentation →

Managing your financial aid documents and offer

For prospective first-year 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 financial aid portal. 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 MIT 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 our Online Financial Aid System.

For current students

You can manage your financial aid documents and view your offer in our 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 617.258.8600. We have a team of financial aid counselors that will guide you through the process.