Please note: Our office will be available by phone and email on December 23–24, and will be closing at noon on December 24. We will be closed for the winter break from December 25–January, and will open on January 2. Happy holidays!

International students

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.

Our commitment to affordability

We want to make sure that MIT is an affordable option for all of our admitted students. Our financial aid team works closely with you and your family to develop a plan tailored to your financial circumstances, so that you can attend MIT and cover your expenses while you’re here.

How to apply

Applying for financial aid can be complicated, so we have broken it down to make it a bit easier. Before we can decide what your financial aid looks like, we need to know what your financial situation is. To do this, we use two documents that paint us a detailed picture of what kind of aid you’ll need to be able to attend MIT affordably.

Two steps to apply for aid.
  1. CSS Profile: a tool provided by the College Board that we use to determine if you qualify for a need-based MIT Scholarship
  2. Parental tax returns or income documentation: your parents’ tax returns or income documentation must be submitted through the College Board’s secure IDOC platform. If your parents live outside the U.S., please provide the tax return from that country, along with a translation to English if applicable.
Start your application →

More about each of the pieces we use to determine aid

CSS Profile

  • The CSS Profile is a tool provided by the College Board. We use it to determine if you qualify for a need-based MIT Scholarship.
  • For the application, you will need the following:
    • Your parents’ 2023 income tax returns or wage statements
    • 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.
Fill out 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.
  • 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.
  • You must submit all documents directly to IDOC. We are not able to accept anything sent directly to MIT.

Please note: It can take up to two weeks for the tax returns to be received by MIT.

Submit parental documentation →

Need help?

We know applying for aid can sometimes be overwhelming, 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 full team of financial aid counselors that will help guide you through the application process.