mit chemistry phd admissions

Applying to Graduate School

Welcome to the MIT Chemical Engineering Graduate Admissions page. This page explains the application process in general. To apply, go to the online application . You will be asked to create a user ID and password. Please write down your user ID and password for future use. You do not need to complete the entire application in one sitting. You may begin the application, save it, and return to it at a later time using your user id and password.

MIT’s Department of Chemical Engineering offers three graduate degree programs — PhD , PhD CEP and MSCEP .  MIT admits students for the Fall term each year; there is no January or June admissions.

Before you apply…

• Admission Frequently Asked Questions
• ChemE Application Mentorship Program (ChAMP)
• Learn about our Interdisciplinary Programs
• Watch Graduate Admissions Info Session Webinar
• Q&A and Slides from the Webinar

Note: Many questions are answered in our Frequently Asked Questions ( FAQ ) section. Prior to contacting MIT ChemE ( [email protected] ), please take the time to review our FAQ page.

The Department of Chemical Engineering does not provide application updates via email. All updates will be posted in the application portal.

Online Application: Due November 13

Fill out the online application by 23:59, EST, November 13

You will be providing the following information:

• Field(s) of interest
• Personal information
• We recommend that before October 15 you notify your letter writers that you will be requesting evaluations from them. This will give them time to prepare and submit their letters by November 13 . Once you have submitted your online application, instructions to your letter writers will be generated for you. You are responsible for making sure that your letter writers have copies of these instructions.
• Letters of recommendation should address the admissions criteria listed below.
• Scanned copies of your college transcripts
• For international students, official TOEFL, IELTS, or Cambridge English exam scores
• PhDCEP only : Self-reported GRE general exam scores
• PhD & MSCEP: GRE scores are not required or accepted as part of the graduate application
• Application fee of $75*
• Any honors, awards, prizes, or fellowships you have received
• All teaching, work, and research experiences you have had
• Any publications or presentations, including full citation with title and list of all authors and the DOI if applicable
• Any military or major volunteer service and study abroad experiences
• Anything else you’d like to share
• What motivates you to earn a PhD/PhDCEP/MSCEP in Chemical Engineering at MIT? (300 words)
• For up to two of your most important scientific, engineering, research, or work experiences over the last four years, describe your specific role, the new knowledge or discovery that you made, and the potential impacts of the project on science or society. (300 words per experience)
• In what type of environment do you and others thrive?  How do you find, create, and maintain those environments?  (300 words)
• Please tell us anything else about yourself that you think we should know. (No word limit)

* Fee waivers are available for eligible applicants.

Applicants are encouraged to submit their applications as early as possible and are responsible for ensuring that all admissions credentials are submitted on time. Your application will not be reviewed until all materials have been received. There is no separate application for financial support; all admitted students are offered financial support.

Admissions Criteria

Prospective student applications will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

Understanding of the Chemical Engineering Fundamentals: The candidate’s core knowledge of chemical kinetics, transport phenomena, thermodynamics, and the underlying quantitative skills that form the core solution methods for Chemical Engineers.

Analytical and Scientific Preparation: A candidate’s background in chemistry, biology, physics, mathematics, and computer science as relevant to the candidate’s area(s) of interest.

Drive and Persistence: A candidate’s commitment to education and research and ability to overcome adversity when challenges are encountered.

Excellence in Research: A candidate’s demonstrated accomplishment in scientific research, including scientific creativity and ability to formulate important scientific questions.

Character: A candidate’s integrity, leadership potential, and ability to work effectively on teams and as a community member within a diverse and multicultural environment.

Communication Skills: A candidate’s demonstrated effectiveness with scientific written and oral communication in English on technical and non-technical subjects.

Admissions Timeline

Office of Graduate Education -

Apply to become a part of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology community.

Discover & explore

Why choose MIT? Our own graduate students have asked this very same question, and have shared their insights through insightful blog posts . Diverse students explore topics from choosing an advisor to balancing mental health and wellness.

Incoming students

We’re excited to welcome you to MIT! As you prepare to come to Cambridge, lean on these important updates and helpful resources .

Quick links

• Frequently asked questions
• Costs & funding
• Admitted applicants
• International applicants
• Master’s degrees
• Doctoral degrees

This site uses cookies to give you the best possible experience. By browsing our website, you agree to our use of cookies.

If you require further information, please visit the Privacy Policy page.

Application Management

• Chemistry Directory
• Disability Accommodations
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee
• Major Awards
• Our Community Values
• Our History
• Quality of Life Committee
• Areas of Research
• Facilities and Centers
• Instructors
• Postdoctoral Research and Resources
• Graduate Program
• Undergraduate Programs
• Chemistry Undergraduate Teaching Laboratory
• Our Chemistry Education Office
• Elementary Schools
• High Schools
• Community Relations and Outreach
• Contact our Development Officer
• Funds to Support
• Meet Our Major Supporters

Application Checklist

• Faculty of Interest

Choose up to 3 faculty you would be interested in working with as a PhD student at MIT Chemistry. A list of Chemistry faculty is available here ; you may choose faculty from other departments.

• Contact Information for recommenders

Provide at 3 names and email addresses of people that can provide a letter of recommendation for you. You can provide more than 3 names, but not more than 5. We highly recommend that you notify these letter writers by November 1, to give the writer time to write and submit their letter. Fill out contact information for each recommender and then visit Letter Status to request letters from your recommenders.

• Transcripts

A PDF copy of your college transcript(s) is required and can be uploaded to the application. This can be an unofficial transcript as official transcript(s) are only required if you are admitted into our program. You will have a chance to describe the grading system(s) used at all colleges or universities you have attended on the Test Scores/Experience section. All copies of transcripts uploaded to the application must be in English. Do not send a paper transcript.

• Language Exams

For applicants whose primary language is not English, your TOEFL or IELTS scores are required. The MIT reporting code is 3514, and the department code is 62. We can waive the TOEFL/IELTS requirement for international applicants who have completed 3 or more years in a degree-granting program instructed exclusively in English, or who consider English to be their primary language.

• Honors, Publications, and Experience

List any accomplishments that add to your experience as a potential PhD student.

Upload a current resume/CV listing any relevant experience.

• Financial Support

Please list any fellowships that you have been awarded or have applied for. Fellowships can provide recognition and financial support, however, having a fellowship is not required for admission into the Chemistry PhD program.

• Subjects Taken

List science and math courses you have taken; if you run out of space, include only the courses that best reflect your Chemistry experience.

• Statement of Objectives

Recommended Length: 1000-1500 words. Please describe your reasons for pursuing graduate studies in the MIT Chemistry Department. In your description, explain how your background has prepared you for this graduate program. Identify the research area(s) that most interest you, the scientific problems that motivate your pursuit of an advanced degree in chemistry, and how the resources and faculty of MIT’s program promote these interests and motives. Describe your long-term scientific goals, and specify the unique aspects of MIT’s chemistry program that will enable you to achieve these goals. If applicable, describe any specific academic or research challenges that you have faced and overcome. If there are any other factors concerning your prior academic, research, or work experience that you would like the Admissions Committee to be aware of, please describe them. Please feel free to prepare your Statement of Purpose in whatever format most effectively communicates your views.

• Personal Statement

Recommended Length: 500-1000 words. The MIT Chemistry Department is a community comprised of individuals from a diverse variety of backgrounds. We are interested in learning more about you as a person and how your background and experiences motivate you to make positive contributions to your community. There are no requirements for what to include; some possible prompts are below:

• The MIT Chemistry Department has four core community values. These are respect, well-being, inclusivity, and integrity. Please identify one of these values that is important to you and explain why.
• Describe your experience with resilience and/or perseverance. Give an example of a time in which you faced failure, a significant roadblock in making steady progress towards a goal. Describe how you approach this situation. What did you learn from this experience? How has this experience shaped the way you approach challenges today?
• Describe a meaningful teaching or mentorship experience you have had and what you learned from that experience. What do you like most about teaching others? What are the biggest challenges you anticipate in serving as a teaching assistant to MIT undergraduates?
• If there are any other factors concerning your prior academic, research, or work experience that you would like the Admissions Committee to be aware of, please describe them.
• Application Fee

Provide a credit/debit payment of $75. Occasionally, debit card payments may not process correctly.  If you experience difficulty processing a debit card payment, please try using a credit card instead. You must submit the application and pay the fee by the December 1 st deadline.

Eligible applicants may apply for a fee waiver if they meet the Office of Graduate Education’s criteria. More information about applying for a fee waiver can be found on the here. .

Unfortunately, the Chemistry Department can only waive the $75 application fee for international applicants if they have already applied and paid an application fee for another PhD program at MIT in the same admission cycle.

• Submit Your Official IELTS/TOEFL Score (if applicable)

For applicants whose primary language is not English, your TOEFL or IELTS scores are required. The minimum acceptable TOEFL score is 100 and the minimum acceptable IELTS band score is 7.0. The MIT reporting code is 3514, and the department code is 62.

Graduate Admissions

Prospective students, start here, important dates.

September 15: EAPS Application Portal Opens (credit card required) December 1: Deadline to apply for admission December – March: Application review period Mid-to-Late March: Decisions released via email

*All supplemental materials (e.g., transcripts, test scores, letters of recommendation) must also be received by  December 1.  Application review begins on that date, and incomplete applications may not be reviewed. Please be sure that your recommenders are aware of this hard deadline, as we do not make exceptions.

Questions? See the FAQs below or contact [email protected]

How to Apply

Applications open online in mid-September and close on December 1.

See the full Graduate Admissions FAQ below for more information on requirements, eligibility, funding, and more.

Applications to the MIT-WHOI Joint Program must be done through the  MIT-WHOI admissions portal .

Notes on applications:

• A credit card is required to process your application fee.
• A few sections of the application are editable after submission, including the “Statement of Objectives.”  
• We have no required minimum scores on the GRE General Test. The use of the GRE is evaluated by the Admissions Committee annually. *For the AY 2024 Admissions Cycle the GRE General Test will not be required or considered due to testing limitations and the difficulty accessing tests and testing sites for many applicants.
• Under special circumstances material may be sent by post and addressed to: EAPS Education Office Massachusetts Institute of Technology 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Room 54-912 Cambridge, MA 02139 Applicants should avoid using PO boxes in their return addresses. 

Required Documents

The application consists of five parts:

• The biographical section
• Three (3) letters of recommendation. Letters of recommendation should be submitted electronically, although we also accept paper letters of recommendation. Letters that arrive by paper will be scanned to your online application.
• GRE general test scores* *For the AY 2024 Admissions Cycle the GRE General Test will not be required or considered due to testing limitations and the difficulty accessing tests and testing sites for many applicants. IELTS or TOEFL test is required for all international applicants whose education was in a language other than English.
• “Subjects Taken” form with grades, including an uploaded PDF copy of your transcripts. Science and math courses, by field, that you consider to provide either major or supportive backgrounds for your proposed studies should be clear on your transcript. If you wish to include additional information on specifically relevant courses to your degree track, please feel free to include those in your statements. Occasionally courses in areas other than science and math will have provided a background relevant to your proposed graduate studies. If so, please identify those courses. Transcripts should be scanned and uploaded with your application. We will also accept transcripts delivered electronically directly from your school.
• “Statement of Objectives”
• We do not consider a CV and a list of publications when reviewing applications.
• If you send us additional documents that we have not requested, they will be discarded without consideration.

Required Tests

* PLEASE NOTE: For the AY 2024 Admissions Cycle the GRE General Test will not be required or considered due to testing limitations and the difficulty accessing tests and testing sites for many applicants.

Applicants to EAPS are required to provide scores for the GRE general test that are five years old or less. Applicants to the Planetary Sciences program are required to provide scores from either the GRE Physics or Chemistry subject exams. The MIT reporting code is: 3514, and the EAPS Department code is: 0599. Please note: If you are taking a GRE exam close to or after the applicaiton deadline, all applications are reviewed once the application deadline has passed. Decisions will be based on the information available at the time of consideration. We do not delay the application review process to wait for missing information.

TOEFL or IELTS

International students are required to provide scores from either the TOEFL or the IELTS for the English evaluation test.

The IELTS is our preferred option . We require a minimum score of 7 on the IELTS. IELTS scores are mailed by the agency directly to the MIT Admissions Office. 

For the TOEFL , we require a score of at least 600 on the paper-based test and 100 for the Internet-based test. The code for sending TOEFL scores to MIT is 3514, and the codes for the EAPS Department are:

• 61 for Astronomy, Planetary Science
• 71 for Geology, Geochemistry, Geobiology, Geophysics, Atmospheric Science, Climate Physics and Chemistry.

E-SAC Application Mentorship Program

Want to chat with a current eaps grad student.

The  EAPS Student Advisory Council (E-SAC) sponsors a student-run volunteer program that provides support for those navigating the graduate admissions process in EAPS.  We especially encourage applicants from underserved and non-traditional academic backgrounds to use this resource!

If you are interested in applying to the MIT-WHOI Joint Program , you can take advantage of the JP Applicant Support & Knowledgebase (JP ASK) resource.

Graduate Admissions FAQ

Who is eligible to apply.

We expect an applicant to have earned a bachelor’s degree by the time they register in EAPS, and possess a very strong background in math and physics. Students who hold the equivalent of a bachelor’s degree from an international program that is three years in length are eligible to apply. You do not have to hold a Masters degree to apply to our PhD program. Admission is extremely competitive. 

Are there separate admission procedures for Master’s and PhD programs?

No. There is only one admission process. When your submit your application please choose your final degree objective. You do not have to have a Master’s degree before being accepted into our PhD program.

If I already have a PhD, can I apply for another PhD in EAPS?

No, we will not admit an applicant who already holds a PhD degree. 

What funding or scholarships are available?

Any student admitted to an EAPS doctoral program can expect to receive financial support that includes a stipend, full tuition, and health insurance. First year support may be in the form of a fellowship or research assistantship. Support in the following years is most commonly from a research assistantship or teaching assistantship. Continuation of support for the length of a five-year program is based on the student making adequate progress toward the degree.

Applicants are encouraged to apply for independent fellowships from outside private agencies or government. If an independent fellowship falls below the EAPS level of support, the department will supplement this external fellowship with either a fellowship or research assistantship. If you are awarded a fellowship from some other source, please contact the EAPS Education Office to discuss department policy on merging various sources of support. 

The  MIT Office of Graduate Education  is a good resource for funding opportunities, both internal and external, and provides advising and support.

EAPS also maintains a list of examples of external funding that our students have successfully pursued.

I applied earlier; how may I reapply?

You should fill out a completely new online application. You may indicate that you applied earlier by checking the appropriate box. 

How do I pay for the application fee?

The online application portal requires you to pay with a credit card. We encourage you to use the online system

If it is impossible for you to pay with a credit card, you may send a paper application with a check to:

EAPS Education Office Massachusetts Institute of Technology 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Room 54-912 Cambridge, MA 02139

Applicants should avoid using PO boxes in their return addresses. 

Is the application fee ever waived or deferred?

The application fee helps to defray the cost of processing applications. It is never waived and must be paid in US dollars. We accept credit cards with the electronic online application and personal checks, bank checks, or money orders if a credit card is not available. 

Can the IELTS (or TOEFL) tests be waived in certain cases for international students?

The department will waive the requirement for either the IELTS or TOEFL exam for those students who have completed a four year bachelor’s program that is taught exclusively in English.

To apply for a waiver of this requirement, student should submit their request through the Graduate Student Application portal and provide documentation confirming the completion of a degree taught exclusively in English (these can be uploaded through the portal). We will use this information for use during the admissions review process.

Please note that all waivers must be submitted BEFORE completing your application. They cannot be added after you have submitted.

Is the deadline the same for the application and supporting documents?

No. The deadline for submitting your application is December 1; the online application portal will shut down that day.

However, the recommendation letter submission portal will stay open for an additional week. Formal review of applications will begin at that time.

What if some information is missing from my application?

Please make certain your letters of reference, transcripts, and test scores [GRE*, IELTS, and/or TOEFL] are submitted in a timely fashion. We will not delay consideration of an application to wait for missing materials. All decisions are made with the documentation available at the time. 

*Please note: For the AY 2024 Admissions Cycle the GRE General Test will not be required or considered due to testing limitations and the difficulty accessing tests and testing sites for many applicants.

What preparatory coursework do you suggest for the EAPS graduate program?

Program in geophysics.

• Newtonian Mechanics
• Oscillations and Waves
• Electricity and Magnetism
• Differential Equations

Programs in Geology, Geochemistry, and Geobiology or Atmospheres, Oceans and Climate

• Thermodynamics

Program in Planetary Science

Does eaps accept transfer credit.

No. If you have started a master’s or doctoral program at another university, you cannot transfer classes or research credit with the intention of completing that degree at MIT. However, the classes that you will be required to take as part of our EAPS program will reflect the background that you have. You will not be expected to take a course that has the same content as one you have successfully completed at another school.

To what address should I send my transcripts?

DO NOT send official copies of your transcript during the application process. You must upload a PDF copy of your transcript with your application.  

Only if your application is accepted should you then have official transcripts sent to our office: 

I will be applying before I finish the fall term. Should I update my application with a new transcript?

We do not require that you submit an updated transcript for consideration of your application.

If your application is later accepted we will ask that you provide an official current transcript at that time. 

Is it OK to send copies of awards, papers or extra letters of recommendation to supplement my application?

No. Because of the large volume of applications submitted to EAPS, we must discourage you from sending in copies of awards, journal articles, and other extraneous documents. If you do send any of these documents they will be discarded without review. 

I have been in the workforce for the last few years. Is it OK to ask my employer to write letters in support of my application instead of past professors?

In a case like this, we usually suggest that you submit at least one letter from a faculty member who knew you well—perhaps your undergraduate thesis supervisor. The other two letters can be from employer(s). When in doubt, remember that our Admissions Committee wants to know about your ability to do independent research. Character references do not carry weight. 

Will the department keep me informed of my application status?

We will acknowledge receipt of application with an email that tells you whether your application is complete or incomplete at that time. We will list any missing items. At any time you can go back into your online application and check whether any missing letters of recommendation and test scores have been received. 

Applicants can log into their online account to check for their admission result. Decisions will be made starting about mid-January and the process will continue into March. The results will be posted online, and you will be notified by email. We do not send the results through the postal mail.

If special situations arise, you may call the EAPS Education Office at 617-253-3381, or send an email to [email protected] .

When will I receive my decision notification?

Decisions for September admission are made in January and the process will continue until March 15. Applicants should go into their online application to check their status. Applicants have until April 15th to notify MIT of their decision to accept or decline the offer of admission. Your recorded decison as of April 15 is considered binding and may require a written release. If you do not respond by April 15, we may recind our offer.

Information and a list of schools agreeing to adhere to these dates and conditions can be found on the Council of Graduate Schools website .

Can I defer my admission?

An admitted student may make a written request to defer admission for one year only. Exceptions are made in rare cases; these written requests must be explained in detail.  

How do I know what subjects/classes to register for?

The subjects you register for will depend on the education program into which you have been admitted. Your academic advisor will assist you in determining appropriate subjects for your program based on your research interests and your past experience. You can add or drop subjects during the term. 

Do you have part-time, evening, or online courses?

We have no evening or part-time courses.

Outside of the official graduate curriculum, content from many EAPS courses are posted on MIT OpenCoursware , as well as on the MITx and edX platforms.

Can I visit the department?

All students whose applications have been accepted are invited to visit our department as part of our Graduate Admissions Open House.

If you are in the area prior to submitting your application, you are welcome to stop by the EAPS Education Office , Building 54, Room 912, to discuss the program.

T he Role of Diversity at MIT

A diverse student body is and has long been critical to the educational mission of MIT. We are committed to providing our students “with an education that combines rigorous academic study and the excitement of discovery with the support and intellectual stimulation of a diverse campus community.”

From the  CUAFA Statement on the Role of Diversity in MIT’s Educational Mission .

MIT is an equal opportunity employer.

We value diversity and strongly encourage applications from individuals from all identities and backgrounds. All qualified applicants will receive equitable consideration for employment based on their experience and qualifications, and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, or national or ethnic origin. See MIT’s  full policy  on nondiscrimination. 

MIT considers equivalent combinations of experience and education for certain jobs. All candidates who believe they possess equivalent experience and education are encouraged to apply.

Employment is contingent upon the complete of a satisfactory background check.

Labor Condition Application Notifications These  US Department of Labor required notices  serve to inform interested parties that the Massachusetts Institute of Technology submits applications for H-1B non-immigrants for certain academic and research positions.

• Diversity & Inclusion
• Community Values
• Visiting MIT Physics
• People Directory
• Faculty Awards
• History of MIT Physics
• Policies and Procedures
• Departmental Committees
• Academic Programs Team
• Finance Team
• Meet the Academic Programs Team
• Prospective Students
• Requirements
• Employment Opportunities
• Research Opportunities

Graduate Admissions

• Doctoral Guidelines
• Financial Support
• Graduate Student Resources
• PhD in Physics, Statistics, and Data Science
• MIT LEAPS Program
• for Undergraduate Students
• for Graduate Students
• Mentoring Programs Info for Faculty
• Non-degree Programs
• Student Awards & Honors
• Astrophysics Observation, Instrumentation, and Experiment
• Astrophysics Theory
• Atomic Physics
• Condensed Matter Experiment
• Condensed Matter Theory
• High Energy and Particle Theory
• Nuclear Physics Experiment
• Particle Physics Experiment
• Quantum Gravity and Field Theory
• Quantum Information Science
• Strong Interactions and Nuclear Theory
• Center for Theoretical Physics
• Affiliated Labs & Centers
• Program Founder
• Competition
• Donor Profiles
• Patrons of Physics Fellows Society
• Giving Opportunties
• physics@mit Journal: Fall 2023 Edition
• Events Calendar
• Physics Colloquia
• Search for: Search

Admissions Information for Prospective Graduate Students

Thank you for considering the PhD program in Physics at MIT. Information regarding our graduate program and our application process can be found below and through the following webpages and other links on this page. If your questions are not answered after reviewing this information, please contact us at [email protected] .

Here are some links to pages relevant to prospective students:

• Material Required for a Complete Application , and information about When/How to Apply can be found below on this page.
• We have an FAQ which should help to answer many questions, and we provide Application Assistance from staff and students if you don’t find what you need in the FAQ.
• Additional Guidance about the application itself, along with examples, can be found on a separate page. The graduate application is available at https://apply.mit.edu/apply/ .
• General information about the graduate program and research areas in the physics department may also be of use.
• MSRP (MIT Summer Research Program) is designed to give underrepresented and underserved students access to an MIT research experience, pairing each student with a faculty member who will oversee the student conducting a research project at MIT.

Statement regarding admissions process during COVID Pandemic (Updated Summer 2023)

MIT has adopted the following principle: MIT’s admissions committees and offices for graduate and professional schools will take the significant disruptions of the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020 into account when reviewing students’ transcripts and other admissions materials as part of their regular practice of performing individualized, holistic reviews of each applicant.

In particular, as we review applications now and in the future, we will respect decisions regarding the adoption of Pass/No Record (or Credit/No Credit or Pass/Fail) and other grading options during the unprecedented period of COVID-19 disruptions, whether those decisions were made by institutions or by individual students. We also expect that the individual experiences of applicants will richly inform applications and, as such, they will be considered with the entirety of a student’s record.

Ultimately, even in these challenging times, our goal remains to form graduate student cohorts that are collectively excellent and composed of outstanding individuals who will challenge and support one another.

Questions or concerns about this statement should be directed to the Physics Department ( [email protected] ).

Also, to stay up-to-date on the latest information on MIT and the COVID-19 pandemic at now.mit.edu .

Applying to the MIT Department of Physics

We know that the application process can be time-consuming, stressful, and costly. We are committed to reducing these barriers and to helping all applicants receive a full and fair assessment by our faculty reviewers. Help is available from the Physics Graduate Admissions Office at [email protected] and additional assistance from current students is offered during the admissions season. Further details are described at the end of this page in our Assistance for Prospective Applicants section.

The list below describes the important elements of a complete application. Please reach out to us at [email protected] if you have a concern or logistical difficulty that could prevent you from providing your strongest application.

Required for a Complete Application

1. online application and application fee.

• MIT Graduate Admissions Online Graduate Application
• Application Fee: $75 NOTE: Applicants who feel that this fee may prevent them from applying should send a short email to [email protected] to describe their general reasons for requesting a waiver. We will follow up with information about how to apply for a formal ‘application fee waiver’. Additional documents may be required, so additional time will be necessary to process requests. Either the fee or a formal fee waiver is required with a submitted application.

2. University Transcript(s)

Unofficial transcripts are sufficient for our initial review, with final transcripts required as a condition of matriculation for successful applicants. Applicants should include a scan of their transcript(s) and, if a degree is in progress, should include a list of the class subjects being taken in the current semester. The GradApply portal will allow applicants to log back into the application after the deadline to add their Fall term grades when they are available.

Note: We will respect decisions regarding the adoption of Pass/No Record (or Credit/No Credit or Pass/Fail) and other grading options during the unprecedented period of COVID-19 disruptions, whether those decisions were made by institutions or by individual students.

3. Standardized Test Results

• GRE Tests are not required for graduate applications submitted in 2023. The Physics subject GRE (PGRE) will be optional in 2023 and our department does not require results from the General GRE test.
• TOEFL or IELTS Test or a waiver is required for non-native English speakers. MIT’s TOEFL school code is 3514; the code for the Department of Physics is 76. IELTS does not require a code. Eligibility for TOEFL/IELTS waivers is in our FAQ section .
• Self-reported scores are sufficient for our initial application screening, with official scores required for admitted students as a condition of their offer. Applicants should attach a scanned copy of their test score report.

4. Letters of Recommendation

Letters should include any individual work applicants have done and/or areas where they have special strengths. It is possible to submit up to 6 total letters, but 3 are sufficient for a complete application and committee members may evaluate applications based on the first three letters that they read.

5. Statement of Objectives

Research is central to graduate study in physics. The Statement of Objectives/Purpose should include descriptions of research projects, aptitude and achievements as completely as possible. This important part of the application provides an opportunity to describe any interests, skills, and background relative to the research areas selected on the application form. Applicants should share anything that prepares them for graduate studies and describe their proudest achievements.

Additional Application Materials

• Research, Teaching, and Community Engagement – Any special background or achievement that prepares the applicant for Physics graduate studies at MIT. This may include research at their undergraduate school as part of their Bachelor or Master degree, or summer research at another program or school.  We also value our student’s contributions to their community on a variety of scales (from institutional to societal) and we encourage applicants to tell us about their teaching and community engagement activities.  The “experience” questions are intended to provide a CV-like listing of achievements, some of which may be elaborated on in the “Statement of Objectives” and/or the optional “Personal Statement”.
• Publications, Talks, and Merit Based Recognition – Recognition of success in research, academics, and outreach can take many forms, including publications, talks, honors, prizes, awards, fellowships, etc.  This may include current nominations for scholarships or papers submitted for publication.
• Optional Personal Statement – Members of our community come from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences. We welcome any personal information that will help us to evaluate applications holistically and will provide context for the applicant’s academic achievements. This statement may include extenuating circumstances, significant challenges that were overcome, a non-traditional educational background, description of any advocacy or values work, or other information that may be relevant.
• Detailed instructions for each application section, and many examples , can be found on the “ Additional Guidance ” page.  The detailed instructions are lengthy, and are intended to be read only “as needed” while you work on your application (i.e., you don’t need to go read the whole thing before you start).

When/How to Apply

When : Applications can be submitted between September 15 and December 15 by 11:59pm EST for the following year.

How : The application is online at https://apply.mit.edu/apply/

Application Assistance

Faculty, students, and staff have collaborated to provide extensive guidance to prospective applicants to our graduate degree program. Resources include several department webpages to inform prospective applicants about our PhD degree requirements and to help applicants as they assemble and submit their materials. In addition to staff responses to emails, current graduate students will answer specific individual questions, give one admissions-related webinar, and provide a mentorship program for selected prospective applicants.

During the application season, prospective students may request additional information from current students about the admissions process, graduate student life, or department culture, either as a response to a specific individual email question or for more in-depth assistance. Applicants will benefit most from contacting us early in the process, when current students and staff will be available to respond to questions and mentor selected applicants. After mid-November, department staff will continue to field questions through the admission process.

Here are some resources for prospective applicants:

• Our website provides answers to many frequently-asked admissions questions .
• Admissions staff are available for questions at [email protected] .
• Current students collaborate with staff to answer specific questions emailed to [email protected] .
• PhysGAAP Webinars are designed to provide student perspectives on the application and admissions processes in an interactive format. This year’s webinar will take place on Wednesday, Nov 1st, 2023 from 10am to 12pm EDT. Sign up here: https://mit.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_ah13eCcEh0cKW7I
• PhysGAAP Mentoring provides in-depth guidance through the application process.

Student-led Q&A Service

A team of our current graduate students is available to share their experience and perspectives in response to individual questions which may fall under any of the following categories:

• Coursework/research (e.g., How do I choose between two research areas and how do I find a potential research advisor?)
• Culture (e.g., What is it like to be a student of a particular identity at MIT?)
• Student life (e.g., What clubs or extracurriculars do graduate students at MIT take part in?)

To request a response from the current students, please send an email to [email protected] and indicate clearly in the subject line or first sentence that you would like your email forwarded to the PhysGAAP student team. Depending on the scope of your question, department staff will send your email to current students.

We encourage you to reach out as early as you can to maximize the benefit that this help can provide to you. While the admissions office staff will continue to field your questions throughout the admissions season, current students may not be available to respond to questions sent after November 15.

This student email resource is designed for individual basic questions. More in-depth guidance, especially about the application itself, will be available through the PhysGAAP Webinars and/or PhysGAAP Mentorship Program described below.

Student-led Webinar

A panel of our graduate students hosted a 2-hour long Zoom webinar in late October of 2022 to present information about the application and admissions processes, and to respond to questions on these topics. The webinar addressed general questions about preparing, completing, and submitting the application; what the Admissions Committee is looking for; and the general timeline for the admissions process.

Below is video from our latest webinar that took place on Wednesday, Nov 1st, 2023. Check back here in Fall 2024 for information on our next webinar.

Note: We have  compiled a document  containing supplementary material for previous PhysGAAP webinars.

Webinar Recordings

Past PhysGAAP Webinars

Please note that the two webinars below are from prior years and may contain outdated information about some topics, such as GRE requirements.

• October 2022
• December 2021
• September 2021

Mentorship for Prospective Applicants

In addition to the materials available through this website, answers to emails sent to the department, or from our graduate student webinars, we also offer one-on-one mentoring for students who desire more in-depth individual assistance. Prospective applicants may apply to the PhysGAAP Mentoring program,, which pairs prospective graduate school applicants with current graduate students who can assist them through the application process, provide feedback on their application materials and insight into graduate school and the MIT Physics Department.

We welcome interest in the PhysGAAP Mentorship program and mentorship applications are open to any prospective applicant. However, our capacity is limited, so we will give preferential consideration to PhysGAAP Mentorship applicants who would most benefit from the program and can demonstrate that they are a good fit.

PhysGAAP Mentoring may a good fit for you if you

• feel like you lack other resources to help you navigate the graduate school application process,
• find the other forms of assistance (online webinars, email at [email protected] ) insufficient to address your needs, and
• think you could benefit from one-on-one application mentorship.

PhysGAAP Mentoring may not be a good fit for you if you

• only have one or two questions that could be answered elsewhere (online webinars, email at [email protected] , or online FAQs), or
• feel like you already have sufficient resources to complete your application (e.g., the PhysGAAP webinars, access to other mentoring services or workshops)

Please note that:

• PhysGAAP Mentoring is only open to students who are planning to apply to graduate schools in Fall 2024 .
• Participation in PhysGAAP is not considered during admissions review. It helps applicants put forward their strongest materials, but does not guarantee admission into our graduate program.
• Any information you submit in the PhysGAAP Mentoring application will only be seen by the PhysGAAP team and your matched mentor.

Admissions/Application FAQs

Our Frequently Asked Questions provide further information about degree requirements, funding, educational background, application deadlines, English language proficiency, program duration, start dates and deferrals, and fee waiver requests.

The MOST Frequently Asked Question…

What is included in a strong graduate application for physics at mit.

Applications are assessed holistically and many variables are considered in the application review process. The following four main factors are required for a complete application.

• the applicant’s statement of objectives or purpose,
• transcripts of past grades,
• score reports of any required standardized tests,
• three letters of reference.

In addition, any past research experience, publications, awards, and honors are extremely helpful, particularly if they are in the area(s) of the applicant’s interest(s). Applicants may also include a personal statement in their application to provide context as the materials are assessed.

Applications are routed to admission committee members and other faculty readers using the “areas of interest” and any faculty names selected from the menu as well as based on the research interests included in the statement of objectives. Please select the areas of interest that best reflect your goals.

Instructions are available in the application itself , with further guidance on our Additional Guidance page. The Physics Admissions Office will respond to questions sent to [email protected] .

General Questions Regarding the PhD Program in Physics

Must i have a degree in physics in order to apply to this graduate program.

Our successful applicants generally hold a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics, or have taken many Physics classes if they have majored in another discipline. The most common other majors are astronomy, engineering, mathematics, and chemistry. Bachelor of Science degrees may be 3-year or 4-year degrees, depending on the education structure of the country in which they are earned.

What are the requirements to complete a PhD?

The requirements for a PhD in Physics at MIT are the doctoral examination, a few required subject classes, and a research-based thesis. The doctoral examination consists of a written and an oral examination. The written component may be satisfied either by passing the 4 subject exams or by passing designated classes related to each topic with a qualifying grade; the oral exam will be given in a student’s chosen research area. The Physics Department also requires that each student take two classes in the field of specialization and two physics-related courses in fields outside the specialty. Research for the thesis is conducted throughout the student’s time in the program, culminating in a thesis defense and submission of the final thesis.

Can I take courses at other schools nearby?

Yes. Cross-registration is available at Harvard University and Wellesley College.

How many years does it take to complete the PhD requirements?

From 3 to 7 years, averaging 5.6 years.

How will I pay for my studies?

Our students are fully supported financially throughout the duration of their program, provided that they make satisfactory progress. Funding is provided from Fellowships (internal and external) and/or Assistantships (research and teaching) and covers tuition, health insurance, and a living stipend. Read more about funding .

Note: For more detailed information regarding the cost of attendance, including specific costs for tuition and fees, books and supplies, housing and food as well as transportation, please visit the Student Financial Services (SFS) website .

How many applications are submitted each year? How many students are accepted?

Although the number varies each year, the Department of Physics usually welcomes approximately 45 incoming graduate students each year. Last year we received more than 1,700 applications and extended fewer than 90 offers of admission.

What are the minimum grades and exam scores for admitted applicants?

There are no minimum standards for overall grade point averages/GPAs. Grades from physics and other related classes will be carefully assessed. Under a special COVID-19 policy, MIT will accept transcripts with a variety of grading conventions, including any special grading given during the COVID-19 pandemic. GRE Tests are not required for graduate applications submitted in 2023. The Physics subject GRE (PGRE) will be optional in 2023 and our department does not require results from the General GRE test.

Our program is conducted in English and all applicants must demonstrate their English language proficiency. Non-native English speakers should review our policy carefully before waiving the TOEFL/IELTS requirements. We do not set a minimum requirement on TOEFL/IELTS scores; however, students who are admitted to our program typically score above the following values:

• IELTS – 7
• TOEFL (computer based) – 200
• TOEFL (iBT) – 100
• TOEFL (standard) – 600

The Application Process

When is the deadline for applying to the phd program in physics.

Applications for enrollment in the fall are due each year by 11:59pm EST on December 15 of the preceding year. There is no admission cycle for spring-term enrollment.

The COVID-19 pandemic has made it difficult for me to take tests in person. Can I still apply?

GRE Tests are not required for graduate applications submitted in 2023. The Physics subject GRE (PGRE) will be optional in 2023 and our department does not require results from the General GRE test.Non-native English speakers who are not eligible for a test waiver should include their results from either an in-person or online version of the TOEFL or IELTS test.

Does the Department of Physics provide waivers for the English language exam (TOEFL/IELTS)?

An English language exam (IELTS, TOEFL, TOEFL iBT, or the C2 Cambridge English Proficiency exam) is required of all applicants who are from a country in which English is not the primary language. Exceptions to this policy will be considered for candidates who, at the start of their graduate studies in 2022, will have been in the US or in a country whose official language is English for three years or longer and who will have received a degree from a college or university in a country where the language of education instruction is English. An interview via telephone, Zoom, or Skype may be arranged at the discretion of the Admissions Committee. More information on a possible English Language Waiver Decision (PDF).

Does the Department of Physics provide application fee waivers?

Although we do not want the MIT application fee to be a barrier to admission, we cannot provide application fee waivers to all who request one.  Under-resourced applicants, and applicants who have participated in the MIT Summer Research Program (MSRP), Converge, or another MIT program or an official MIT recruiting visit are eligible for a fee waiver from the MIT Office of Graduate Education (OGE). Please check MIT Graduate Diversity Programs for further details.  Departmentally, we have allotted a small number of waivers for applicants who have completed an application (including transcript uploads, and requests for letters of recommendation), but do not qualify for a waiver from the OGE. Fee waiver requests will be considered on a first-come-first-served basis, and not after December 1. Furthermore, applications lacking the paid fee or a fee waiver by 11:59pm EST on December 15 will not be reviewed or considered for admission. Please complete the  MIT Physics Departmental Fee Waiver Application Form  when you are ready to apply for a departmental waiver. Waivers are not awarded until the application is complete.

Can I arrange a visit to the Physics Department or a specific research area?

Update as of September 23, 2021: In an effort to keep our community safe and healthy, we are not currently hosting or meeting with outside visitors in person, nor are we facilitating visits to our classrooms. Current graduate students and prospective applicants should direct any questions by email to [email protected] .

Applicants are invited to send specific questions to the Physics Admissions Office and some questions may be forwarded to current students for further information.

Can I receive an update on the status of my application?

Candidates will receive email acknowledgments from the Physics Academic Programs Office informing them whether their application is complete, is missing materials, or if further information is needed. Due to the high volume of applications that are received, no additional emails or telephone inquiries can be answered. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that all items are sent.

When will I be notified of a final decision?

Applicants will be notified via email of decisions by the end of February. If you have not heard from us by March 1, please send email to [email protected] .

We do not provide results by phone.

Can admitted students start in a term other than the next Fall semester?

Applications submitted between September 15 and December 15 by 11:59pm EST are assessed for the following Fall semester. We do not provide a separate admission review cycle for the Spring semester. Individual research supervisors may invite incoming students to start their research during the summer term a few months earlier than their studies would normally begin. All other incoming students start their studies in late August for the Fall term.

Once admitted, applicants may request a one-year deferral to attend a specific academic program or for another approved reason, with single semester deferrals for the following Spring term granted only rarely.

• Skip to Content
• Bulletin Home

• This Is MIT >
• Graduate Education >
• Around Campus
• Academic Program
• Administration
• Arts at MIT
• Campus Media
• Fraternities, Sororities, and Independent Living Groups
• Medical Services
• Priscilla King Gray Public Service Center
• Religious Organizations
• Student Government
• Work/​Life and Family Resources
• Advising and Support
• Digital Learning
• Disability and Access Services
• Information Systems and Technology
• Student Financial Services
• Writing and Communication Center
• Major Course of Study
• General Institute Requirements
• Independent Activites Period
• Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program
• First-​Year Advising Seminars
• Interphase EDGE/​x
• Edgerton Center
• Grading Options
• Study at Other Universities
• Internships Abroad
• Career Advising and Professional Development
• Teacher Licensure and Education
• ROTC Programs
• Financial Aid
• Medical Requirements
• Graduate Study at MIT
• General Degree Requirements
• Other Institutions
• Registration
• Term Regulations and Examination Policies
• Academic Performance and Grades
• Policies and Procedures
• Privacy of Student Records
• Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab
• Art, Culture, and Technology Program
• Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard
• Center for Archaeological Materials
• Center for Bits and Atoms
• Center for Clinical and Translational Research
• Center for Collective Intelligence
• Center for Computational Science and Engineering
• Center for Constructive Communication
• Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research
• Center for Environmental Health Sciences
• Center for Global Change Science
• Center for International Studies
• Center for Real Estate
• Center for Transportation &​ Logistics
• Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory
• Concrete Sustainability Hub
• D-​Lab
• Deshpande Center for Technological Innovation
• Division of Comparative Medicine
• Haystack Observatory
• Initiative on the Digital Economy
• Institute for Medical Engineering and Science
• Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies
• Institute for Work and Employment Research
• Internet Policy Research Initiative
• Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change
• Knight Science Journalism Program
• Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research
• Laboratory for Financial Engineering
• Laboratory for Information and Decision Systems
• Laboratory for Manufacturing and Productivity
• Laboratory for Nuclear Science
• Legatum Center for Development and Entrepreneurship
• Lincoln Laboratory
• Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship
• Materials Research Laboratory
• McGovern Institute for Brain Research
• Microsystems Technology Laboratories
• MIT Center for Art, Science &​ Technology
• MIT Energy Initiative
• MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative
• MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research
• MIT Media Lab
• MIT Office of Innovation
• MIT Open Learning
• MIT Portugal Program
• MIT Professional Education
• MIT Sea Grant College Program
• Nuclear Reactor Laboratory
• Operations Research Center
• Picower Institute for Learning and Memory
• Plasma Science and Fusion Center
• Research Laboratory of Electronics
• Simons Center for the Social Brain
• Singapore-​MIT Alliance for Research and Technology Centre
• Sociotechnical Systems Research Center
• Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research
• Women's and Gender Studies Program
• Architecture (Course 4)
• Art and Design (Course 4-​B)
• Art, Culture, and Technology (SM)
• Media Arts and Sciences
• Planning (Course 11)
• Urban Science and Planning with Computer Science (Course 11-​6)
• Aerospace Engineering (Course 16)
• Engineering (Course 16-​ENG)
• Biological Engineering (Course 20)
• Chemical Engineering (Course 10)
• Chemical-​Biological Engineering (Course 10-​B)
• Chemical Engineering (Course 10-​C)
• Engineering (Course 10-​ENG)
• Engineering (Course 1-​ENG)
• Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (Course 6-​2)
• Electrical Science and Engineering (Course 6-​1)
• Computation and Cognition (Course 6-​9)
• Computer Science and Engineering (Course 6-​3)
• Computer Science and Molecular Biology (Course 6-​7)
• Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (MEng)
• Computer Science and Molecular Biology (MEng)
• Health Sciences and Technology
• Archaeology and Materials (Course 3-​C)
• Materials Science and Engineering (Course 3)
• Materials Science and Engineering (Course 3-​A)
• Materials Science and Engineering (PhD)
• Mechanical Engineering (Course 2)
• Mechanical and Ocean Engineering (Course 2-​OE)
• Engineering (Course 2-​A)
• Nuclear Science and Engineering (Course 22)
• Engineering (Course 22-​ENG)
• Anthropology (Course 21A)
• Comparative Media Studies (CMS)
• Writing (Course 21W)
• Economics (Course 14-​1)
• Mathematical Economics (Course 14-​2)
• Data, Economics, and Design of Policy (MASc)
• Economics (PhD)
• Global Studies and Languages (Course 21G)
• History (Course 21H)
• Linguistics and Philosophy (Course 24-​2)
• Philosophy (Course 24-​1)
• Linguistics (SM)
• Literature (Course 21L)
• Music (Course 21M-​1)
• Theater Arts (Course 21M-​2)
• Political Science (Course 17)
• Science, Technology, and Society/​Second Major (STS)
• Business Analytics (Course 15-​2)
• Finance (Course 15-​3)
• Management (Course 15-​1)
• Biology (Course 7)
• Chemistry and Biology (Course 5-​7)
• Brain and Cognitive Sciences (Course 9)
• Chemistry (Course 5)
• Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences (Course 12)
• Mathematics (Course 18)
• Mathematics with Computer Science (Course 18-​C)
• Physics (Course 8)
• Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
• Institute for Data, Systems, and Society
• Chemistry and Biology
• Climate System Science and Engineering
• Computation and Cognition
• Computer Science and Molecular Biology
• Computer Science, Economics, and Data Science
• Humanities and Engineering
• Humanities and Science
• Urban Science and Planning with Computer Science
• African and African Diaspora Studies
• American Studies
• Ancient and Medieval Studies
• Applied International Studies
• Asian and Asian Diaspora Studies
• Biomedical Engineering
• Energy Studies
• Entrepreneurship and Innovation
• Environment and Sustainability
• Latin American and Latino/​a Studies
• Middle Eastern Studies
• Polymers and Soft Matter
• Public Policy
• Russian and Eurasian Studies
• Statistics and Data Science
• Women's and Gender Studies
• Advanced Urbanism
• Computational and Systems Biology
• Computational Science and Engineering
• Design and Management (IDM &​ SDM)
• Joint Program with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
• Leaders for Global Operations
• Microbiology
• Music Technology and Computation
• Operations Research
• Real Estate Development
• Social and Engineering Systems
• Supply Chain Management
• Technology and Policy
• Transportation
• School of Architecture and Planning
• School of Engineering
• Aeronautics and Astronautics Fields (PhD)
• Artificial Intelligence and Decision Making (Course 6-​4)
• Biological Engineering (PhD)
• Nuclear Science and Engineering (PhD)
• School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences
• Humanities (Course 21)
• Humanities and Engineering (Course 21E)
• Humanities and Science (Course 21S)
• Sloan School of Management
• School of Science
• Brain and Cognitive Sciences (PhD)
• Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences Fields (PhD)
• Interdisciplinary Programs (SB)
• Climate System Science and Engineering (Course 1-​12)
• Computer Science, Economics, and Data Science (Course 6-​14)
• Interdisciplinary Programs (Graduate)
• Computation and Cognition (MEng)
• Computational Science and Engineering (SM)
• Computational Science and Engineering (PhD)
• Computer Science, Economics, and Data Science (MEng)
• Leaders for Global Operations (MBA/​SM and SM)
• Music Technology and Computation (SM and MASc)
• Real Estate Development (SM)
• Statistics (PhD)
• Supply Chain Management (MEng and MASc)
• Technology and Policy (SM)
• Transportation (SM)
• Aeronautics and Astronautics (Course 16)
• Aerospace Studies (AS)
• Civil and Environmental Engineering (Course 1)
• Comparative Media Studies /​ Writing (CMS)
• Comparative Media Studies /​ Writing (Course 21W)
• Computational and Systems Biology (CSB)
• Computational Science and Engineering (CSE)
• Concourse (CC)
• Data, Systems, and Society (IDS)
• Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences (Course 12)
• Economics (Course 14)
• Edgerton Center (EC)
• Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (Course 6)
• Engineering Management (EM)
• Experimental Study Group (ES)
• Global Languages (Course 21G)
• Health Sciences and Technology (HST)
• Linguistics and Philosophy (Course 24)
• Management (Course 15)
• Media Arts and Sciences (MAS)
• Military Science (MS)
• Music and Theater Arts (Course 21M)
• Naval Science (NS)
• Science, Technology, and Society (STS)
• Special Programs
• Supply Chain Management (SCM)
• Urban Studies and Planning (Course 11)
• Women's and Gender Studies (WGS)

Regular Graduate Admissions

A regular graduate student is an individual who has been admitted to the Institute and who is registered for a program of advanced study and research leading to any of the post-baccalaureate degrees offered by MIT.

To be admitted as a regular graduate student, an applicant must normally have received a bachelor's degree or its equivalent from a college, university, or technical school of acceptable standing. Applicants are evaluated by the department in which they propose to register on the basis of their prior performance and professional promise. These are evidenced by academic records, letters of evaluation from individuals familiar with the applicant's capabilities, and any other pertinent data furnished by the applicant. While high academic achievement does not guarantee admission, such achievement, or other persuasive evidence of professional promise, is expected.

A student registered in a program of study leading to the simultaneous award of the bachelor's degree and master's degree must apply for graduate study and be registered as a graduate student for at least one academic term (not the summer session) of their program of study.

Some engineering departments require students seeking a doctoral degree to qualify first for a master's degree.

Undergraduate Requirements for Advanced Degrees

In addition to preparation in the specific field of interest, most departments require significant work in mathematics and the physical sciences, but some require as little as a year of college-level work in these disciplines. Requirements of individual departments are described in their chapters of this catalog. Students with minor deficiencies in preparation may be admitted for graduate study; however, deficiencies in prerequisite or general or professional subjects must be made up before the student can proceed with graduate work dependent on them.

Application Procedures

Students normally begin graduate study in September. However, in select departments, suitable programs can be arranged for students entering in June or February. Prospective applicants should check with individual departments about their dates for admission and matriculation. Application deadlines vary by department. Deadlines are noted on the graduate admission application.

All applicants are required to apply online. Each department or program has its own online application with specific instructions. Department websites and application instructions may be found on the MIT Graduate Admissions website.

Inquiries about specific application and testing requirements, deadlines, and notification of decision for admission should be addressed to the appropriate graduate department or program.

International Graduate Admissions

Graduate student applicants who are citizens of countries other than the United States must have received a bachelor's degree or its equivalent from a college, university, or technical institute of acceptable standing. The academic record and all credentials must indicate the ability of the candidate to complete the approved program of graduate study and research. Applicants are evaluated by the academic departments. Admission is granted on a competitive basis. Competence in written and spoken English is expected.

English Language Proficiency Test Requirements

All applicants whose first language is not English, including those currently enrolled in US institutions, must present evidence of their ability to carry on their studies in English.

Qualifying applicants must take the International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic), the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iBT), or the Cambridge English Test (Advanced or Proficiency test); refer to department information for specific testing requirements, which vary.

Students who have received instruction in English in their primary and secondary schools may be eligible for a waiver of the English proficiency exam requirement. Also, students who have been in residence in the United States, or in another country where English is an official language, for three years or longer and have received a degree from an accredited institution there where English is the primary language of instruction, may be eligible for a waiver of this requirement. In both cases, applicants may send a written request to the department or program to which they are applying, and should be prepared to provide verification of the institution’s language of instruction. If the applicant is admitted, the department or program will keep this information with the student’s records.

Please see Graduate Admissions for more information about considerations for international applicants.

Special Graduate Student Admissions

A special graduate student is one whose intended program of study is essentially graduate in nature but who is not a candidate for an advanced degree. Students holding a bachelor's degree or higher who are not currently enrolled in an MIT degree program and are interested in taking classes as a non-degree student at MIT must apply through MIT's Advanced Study Program . Deadlines for filing applications are May 1 for fall term and December 1 for spring term. The application and additional information may be found on the Advanced Study Program website.

Admission is valid only for one term; a student must seek readmission each term to continue at the Institute. Those applying for special graduate student status for the first time must pay an application fee. To be allowed to continue as a special graduate student, satisfactory academic performance must be maintained. Admission as a special graduate student does not imply any commitment toward an individual's admissibility to regular graduate student status

A student who is neither a United States citizen nor a United States Permanent Resident is considered an International Student. The form I-20 or DS-2019 will not be issued for subject registration of less than 36 units. Most subjects at MIT are either 9 or 12 units each. Detailed information about policies and procedures can be found at the Office of Graduate Education website.

Graduate Student Status for Research Staff Members

In view of their full-time responsibilities on assigned research and their corresponding salary scales, Institute research staff or employees of the Lincoln Laboratory or Draper may not be full-time regular graduate students, but may, under certain conditions, be granted the status of special graduate student. However, a research staff appointee or an employee of the Lincoln Laboratory or Draper who desires to work for an advanced degree must be admitted as a regular graduate student and must complete the residency and other requirements of the degree program to which the individual has been accepted. This individual may not continue to hold a research staff appointment, nor include any work completed while employed as part of the thesis for an advanced degree.

Any research staff appointee and any employee of the Lincoln Laboratory or Draper may, by written permission from the director of the division (or his or her designate), apply for admission as a special graduate student for enrollment in one subject only per term (but not thesis), either as a listener or for academic credit.

Acceptance for such enrollment will be granted if, in the opinion of the instructor, the individual is qualified to undertake the subject and if section size permits. For this type of enrollment, the student will be assigned to an appropriate registration officer and will pay, whether as a student or listener, the fee established at the special student rate.

Print this page.

The PDF includes all information on this page and its related tabs. Subject (course) information includes any changes approved for the current academic year.

Degree programs

Mit offers a wide range of degrees and programs..

All graduate students, whether or not they are participating in an interdepartmental program, must have a primary affiliation with and be registered in a single department. Every applicant accepted by MIT is admitted through one of the graduate departments. MIT has a number of established interdepartmental programs, and there are many more opportunities for students to arrange interdepartmental programs with interested faculty members.

All MIT graduate degree programs have residency requirements, which reflect academic terms (excluding summer). Some degrees also require completion of an acceptable thesis prepared in residence at MIT, unless special permission is granted for part of the thesis work to be accomplished elsewhere. Other degrees require a pro-seminar or capstone experience.

Applicants interested in graduate education should apply to the department or graduate program conducting research in the area of interest. Below is an alphabetical list of all the available departments and programs that offer a graduate-level degree.

Interested in reading first-hand accounts of MIT graduate students from a variety of programs? Visit the Grad Blog . Prospective students who want to talk with a current student can reach out to their department(s) of interest for connections or, if they are interested in the MIT experience for diverse communities, can reach out to a GradDiversity Ambassador .

Search Programs

This site uses cookies to give you the best possible experience. By browsing our website, you agree to our use of cookies.

If you require further information, please visit the Privacy Policy page.

• #25935 (no title)
• #26870 (no title)
• 1.013 – Senior Civil and Environmental Engineering Design
• Belonging, Achievement, and Composition
• Give to CEE
• Alumni Spotlight
• CEESA Career Fair
• Rising Stars Workshop
• Community Spotlight
• Contact CEE
• Course 1, Year 1
• Course One Newsletter
• Data Science for Engineering Systems MEng program
• Graduate Admissions
• Graduate Degrees
• Graduate Student Life
• Graduate Timeline & FAQ
• Educational Objectives & Outcomes
• Environmental Engineering Tracks
• Mechanics and Materials Tracks
• Undergraduate Degrees
• Undergraduate Minors
• Undergraduate Opportunities
• Undergraduate Student Life
• Environmental Health and Lab Safety
• Environmetal Science and Engineering Parsons Lab
• Hubs & Centers
• Interdepartmental Program in Transportation
• Major in 1, Minor in 6
• Minor in CEE
• MIT Graduate Admissions Statement
• C.C. Mei Distinguished Speaker Series
• Past Events
• Faculty Position in the MIT Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering
• Graduate Students
• Post-Tenure Faculty
• Researchers
• Photo Galleries
• Postdoctorate Program
• Registration Process
• Climate, Environment, and Life Sciences
• Food and Water Security
• Resilient Systems and Mobility
• Sustainable Materials and Infrastructure
• CEE Brand Assets
• Student Groups and Professional Societies
• Student Life
• Systems Engineering Tracks
• Transfer Credit Guidelines for 1.00/1.001
• TREX Course 1.091
• Undergraduate Guide
• 2007 News Releases
• 2008 News in Brief
• 2008 News Releases
• 2009 News in Brief
• 2009 News Releases
• 2010 News in Brief
• 2010 News Releases
• 2011 News in Brief
• 2011 News Release
• 2012 News in Brief
• 2012 News Releases
• 2013 News in Brief
• 2013 News Releases
• 2014 News in Brief
• 2014 News Releases
• 2015 News in Brief
• 2015 News Releases
• 2016 News in Brief
• 2016 News Releases
• 2017 News in Brief
• 2018 News in Brief
• 2019 News in Brief
• CEE Profiles
• Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Engineering
• Faculty Spotlight
• Global Teaching Labs
• Graduate Profile
• Graduate Spotlight
• Graduate Student life
• Mechanics of Materials
• mini-UROP 2017
• MIT Civil and Environmental Engineering
• MIT Great Barrier Reef Initiative
• ONE-MA3 2017
• ONE-MA3 2018
• ONE-MA3 2019
• Postdoc Spotlight
• Staff Spotlight
• Study Abroad
• Undergraduate Spotlight
• Women In STEM

New major crosses disciplines to address climate change

Lauren Aguilar knew she wanted to study energy systems at MIT, but before Course 1-12 (Climate System Science and Engineering) became a new undergraduate major, she didn’t see an obvious path to study the systems aspects of energy, policy, and climate associated with the energy transition.

Aguilar was drawn to the new major that was jointly launched by the departments of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) and Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences (EAPS) in 2023. She could take engineering systems classes and gain knowledge in climate.

“Having climate knowledge enriches my understanding of how to build reliable and resilient energy systems for climate change mitigation. Understanding upon what scale we can forecast and predict climate change is crucial to build the appropriate level of energy infrastructure,” says Aguilar.

The interdisciplinary structure of the 1-12 major has students engaging with and learning from professors in different disciplines across the Institute. The blended major was designed to provide a foundational understanding of the Earth system and engineering principles — as well as an understanding of human and institutional behavior as it relates to the climate challenge . Students learn the fundamental sciences through subjects like an atmospheric chemistry class focused on the global carbon cycle or a physics class on low-carbon energy systems. The major also covers topics in data science and machine learning as they relate to forecasting climate risks and building resilience, in addition to policy, economics, and environmental justice studies.

Junior Ananda Figueiredo was one of the first students to declare the 1-12 major. Her decision to change majors stemmed from a motivation to improve people’s lives, especially when it comes to equality. “I like to look at things from a systems perspective, and climate change is such a complicated issue connected to many different pieces of our society,” says Figueiredo.

A multifaceted field of study

The 1-12 major prepares students with the necessary foundational expertise across disciplines to confront climate change. Andrew Babbin, an academic advisor in the new degree program and the Cecil and Ida Green Career Development Associate Professor in EAPS, says the new major harnesses rigorous training encompassing science, engineering, and policy to design and execute a way forward for society.

Within its first year, Course 1-12 has attracted students with a diverse set of interests, ranging from machine learning for sustainability to nature-based solutions for carbon management to developing the next renewable energy technology and integrating it into the power system.

Academic advisor Michael Howland, the Esther and Harold E. Edgerton Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, says the best part of this degree is the students, and the enthusiasm and optimism they bring to the climate challenge.

“We have students seeking to impact policy and students double-majoring in computer science. For this generation, climate change is a challenge for today, not for the future. Their actions inside and outside the classroom speak to the urgency of the challenge and the promise that we can solve it,” Howland says.

The degree program also leaves plenty of space for students to develop and follow their interests. Sophomore Katherine Kempff began this spring semester as a 1-12 major interested in sustainability and renewable energy. Kempff was worried she wouldn’t be able to finish 1-12 once she made the switch to a different set of classes, but Howland assured her there would be no problems, based on the structure of 1-12.

“I really like how flexible 1-12 is. There’s a lot of classes that satisfy the requirements, and you are not pigeonholed. I feel like I’m going to be able to do what I’m interested in, rather than just following a set path of a major,” says Kempff.

Kempff is leveraging her skills she developed this semester and exploring different career interests. She is interviewing for sustainability and energy-sector internships in Boston and MIT this summer, and is particularly interested in assisting MIT in meeting its new sustainability goals.

Engineering a sustainable future

The new major dovetail’s MIT’s commitment to address climate change with its steps in prioritizing and enhancing climate education. As the Institute continues making strides to accelerate solutions, students can play a leading role in changing the future.   

“Climate awareness is critical to all MIT students, most of whom will face the consequences of the projection models for the end of the century,” says Babbin. “One-12 will be a focal point of the climate education mission to train the brightest and most creative students to engineer a better world and understand the complex science necessary to design and verify any solutions they invent.”

Justin Cole, who transferred to MIT in January from the University of Colorado, served in the U.S. Air Force for nine years. Over the course of his service, he had a front row seat to the changing climate. From helping with the wildfire cleanup in Black Forest, Colorado — after the state’s most destructive fire at the time — to witnessing two category 5 typhoons in Japan in 2018, Cole’s experiences of these natural disasters impressed upon him that climate security was a prerequisite to international security. 

Cole was recently accepted into the  MIT Energy and Climate Club  Launchpad initiative where he will work to solve real-world climate and energy problems with professionals in industry.

“All of the dots are connecting so far in my classes, and all the hopes that I have for studying the climate crisis and the solutions to it at MIT are coming true,” says Cole.

With a career path that is increasingly growing, there is a rising demand for scientists and engineers who have both deep knowledge of environmental and climate systems and expertise in methods for climate change mitigation.

“Climate science must be coupled with climate solutions. As we experience worsening climate change, the environmental system will increasingly behave in new ways that we haven’t seen in the past,” says Howland. “Solutions to climate change must go beyond good engineering of small-scale components. We need to ensure that our system-scale solutions are maximally effective in reducing climate change, but are also resilient to climate change. And there is no time to waste,” he says.

QS World University Rankings rates MIT No. 1 in 11 subjects for 2024

Advancing technology for aquaculture

Mit news in the news, characterizing social networks, with a new experimental technique, mit engineers probe the mechanisms of landslides and earthquakes, a new way to quantify climate change impacts: “outdoor days”.

Suggestions or feedback?

MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology

• Machine learning
• Social justice
• Black holes
• Classes and programs

Departments

• Aeronautics and Astronautics
• Brain and Cognitive Sciences
• Architecture
• Political Science
• Mechanical Engineering

Centers, Labs, & Programs

• Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL)
• Picower Institute for Learning and Memory
• Lincoln Laboratory
• School of Architecture + Planning
• School of Engineering
• School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences
• Sloan School of Management
• School of Science
• MIT Schwarzman College of Computing

Researching extreme environments

Press contact :, media download.

*Terms of Use:

Images for download on the MIT News office website are made available to non-commercial entities, press and the general public under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives license . You may not alter the images provided, other than to crop them to size. A credit line must be used when reproducing images; if one is not provided below, credit the images to "MIT."

Previous image Next image

A quick scan of Emma Bullock’s CV reads like those of many other MIT graduate students: She has served as a teaching assistant, written several papers, garnered grants from prestigious organizations, and acquired extensive lab and programming skills. But one skill sets her apart: “fieldwork experience and survival training for Arctic research.”

That’s because Bullock, a doctoral student in chemical oceanography at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), spends significant time collecting samples in the Arctic Circle for her research. Working in such an extreme environment requires comprehensive training in everything from Arctic gear usage and driving on unpaved roads to handling wildlife encounters — like the curious polar bear that got into her team’s research equipment.

To date, she has ventured to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, five times, where she typically spends long days — from 5:00 a.m. to 11 p.m. — collecting and processing samples from Simpson Lagoon. Her work focuses on Arctic environmental changes, particularly the effects of permafrost thaw on mercury levels in groundwater.

“Even though I am doing foundational science, I can link it directly to communities in that region that are going to be impacted by the changes that we are seeing,” she says. “As the mercury escapes from the permafrost, it has the potential to impact not just Arctic communities but also anyone who eats fish in the entire world.”

Weathering a storm of setbacks

Growing up in rural Vermont, Bullock spent a lot of time outside, and she attributes her strong interest in environmental studies to her love of nature as a child. Despite her conviction about a career path involving the environment, her path to the Institute has not been easy. In fact, Bullock weathered several challenges and setbacks on the road to MIT.

As an undergraduate at Haverford College, Bullock quickly recognized that she did not have the same advantages as other students. She realized that her biggest challenge in pursuing an academic career was her socioeconomic background. She says, “In Vermont, the cost of living is a bit lower than a lot of other areas. So, I didn’t quite realize until I got to undergrad that I was not as middle-class as I thought.” Bullock had learned financial prudence from her parents, which informed many of the decisions she made as a student. She says, “I didn’t have a phone in undergrad because it was a choice between getting a good laptop that I could do research on or a phone. And so I went with the laptop.”

Bullock majored in chemistry because Haverford did not offer an environmental science major. To gain experience in environmental research, she joined the lab of Helen White, focusing on the use of silicone bands as passive samplers of volatile organic compounds in honeybee hives. A pivotal moment occurred when Bullock identified errors in a collaborative project. She says, “[Dr. White and I] brought the information about flawed statistical tests to the collaborators, who were all men. They were not happy with that. They made comments that they did not like being told how to do chemistry by women.”

White sat Bullock down and explained the pervasiveness of sexism in this field. “She said, ‘You have to remember that it is not you. You are a good scientist. You are capable,’” Bullock recalls. That experience strengthened her resolve to become an environmental scientist. “The way that Dr. Helen White approached dealing with this problem made me want to stick in the STEM field, and in the environmental and geochemistry fields specifically. It made me realize that we need more women in these fields,” she says.

As she reached the end of college, Bullock knew that she wanted to continue her educational journey in environmental science. “Environmental science impacts the world around us in such visible ways, especially now with climate change,” she says. She submitted applications to many graduate programs, including to MIT, which was White’s alma mater, but was rejected by all of them.

Undeterred, Bullock decided to get more research experience. She took a position as a lab technician at the Max Planck Institute of Marine Microbiology in Bremen, Germany, where she studied methane emissions from seagrass beds — her first foray into chemical oceanography. A year later, she applied to graduate schools again and was accepted by nearly all of the programs, including MIT. She hopes her experience can serve as a lesson for future applicants. “Just because you get rejected the first time does not mean that you’re not a good candidate. It just means that you may not have the right experience or that you didn’t understand the application process correctly,” she says.

Understanding the ocean through the lens of chemistry

Ultimately, Bullock chose MIT because she was most interested in the specific scientific projects within the program and liked the sense of community. “It is a very unique program because we have the opportunity to take classes at MIT and access to the resources that MIT has, but we also perform research at Woods Hole,” she says. Some people warned her about the cutthroat nature of the Institute, but Bullock has found the exact opposite to be a true. “A lot of people think of MIT, and they think it is one of those top tier schools, so it must be competitive. My experience in this program is that it is very collaborative because our research is so individual and unique that you really can’t be competitive. What you are doing is so different from any other student,” she says.

Bullock joined the group of Matthew Charette, senior scientist and director of the WHOI Sea Grant Program , which investigates the ocean through a chemical lens by characterizing the Arctic groundwater sampled during field campaigns in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. Bullock analyzes mercury and biotoxic methylmercury levels impacted by permafrost thaw, which is already affecting the health of Arctic communities. For comparison, Bullock points to mercury-based dental fillings, which have been the subject of scientific scrutiny for health impacts. She says, “You get more mercury by eating sushi and tuna and salmon than you would by having a mercury-based dental filling.”

Promoting environmental advocacy

Bullock has been recognized as an Arctic PASSION Ambassador for her work in the historically underresearched Arctic region. As part of this program, she was invited to participate in a “sharing circle,” which connected early-career scientists with Indigenous community members, and then empowered them to pass what they learned about the importance of Arctic research onto their communities. This experience has been the highlight of her PhD journey so far. She says, “It was small enough, and the people there were invested enough in the issues that we got to have very interesting, dynamic conversations, which doesn’t always happen at typical conferences.”

Bullock has also spearheaded her own form of environmental activism via a project called en-justice , which she launched in September 2023. Through a website and a traveling art exhibit, the project showcases portraits and interviews of lesser-known environmental advocates that “have arguably done more for the environment but are not as famous” as household names like Greta Thunberg and Leonardo DiCaprio.

“They are doing things like going to town halls, arguing with politicians, getting petitions signed … the very nitty-gritty type work. I wanted to create a platform that highlighted some of these people from around the country but also inspired people in their own communities to try and make a change,” she says. Bullock has also written an op-ed for the WHOI magazine, Oceanus , and has served as a staff writer for the MIT-WHOI Joint Program newsletter, “ Through the Porthole .”

After she graduates this year, Bullock plans to continue her focus on the Arctic. She says, “I find Arctic research very interesting, and there are so many unanswered research questions.” She also aspires to foster further interactions like the sharing circle.

“Trying to find a way where I can help facilitate Arctic communities and researchers in terms of finding each other and finding common interests would be a dream role. But I don’t know if that job exists,” Bullock says. Given her track record of overcoming obstacles, odds are, she will turn these aspirations into reality.

Share this news article on:

Related links.

• MIT-WHOI Joint Program
• Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences

Related Topics

• Graduate, postdoctoral
• Earth and atmospheric sciences
• Sustainability

Related Articles

Bringing the environment to the forefront of engineering

Featured video: Investigating our blue ocean planet

Responsive design meets responsibility for the planet’s future

Designing exploratory robots that collect data for marine scientists

Previous item Next item

More MIT News

The many-body dynamics of cold atoms and cross-country running

Read full story →

Heather Paxson named associate dean for faculty of the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences

Preparing MIT’s campus for cardiac emergencies

To build a better AI helper, start by modeling the irrational behavior of humans

Advancing technology for aquaculture

Using deep learning to image the Earth’s planetary boundary layer

• More news on MIT News homepage →

Massachusetts Institute of Technology 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, USA

• Map (opens in new window)
• Events (opens in new window)
• People (opens in new window)
• Careers (opens in new window)
• Accessibility
• Social Media Hub
• MIT on Facebook
• MIT on YouTube
• MIT on Instagram