Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Overview

MIT is a private research institute on the Cambridge side of the Charles River. It is best known for engineering, computer science, mathematics and the physical sciences, but it also teaches economics, architecture, linguistics and the humanities. Students are admitted to the Institute and pick a major later, so you do not need to commit to a department on the application.

How to apply

The biggest practical difference from other US schools is the platform. MIT runs its own application at apply.mitadmissions.org, where you also manage recommenders, test scores and your decision. You cannot send MIT the Common App essays you wrote for other schools; plan for MIT's own short-answer questions.

• Early Action: due November 1, decisions in mid-December. It is non-binding.
• Regular Action: due January 4, decisions in mid-March.
• You may apply in only one cycle per entry year.

After you submit, an MIT Educational Counselor may contact you for an interview. If no interviewer is available in your area, MIT says the interview is waived and your application is not disadvantaged. Students in smaller Canadian towns should not worry if no one calls.

Testing policy

MIT requires the SAT or ACT. Tests must be taken before November 30 for Early Action and before December 31 for Regular Action. English proficiency exams are strongly recommended for certain non-native English speakers, and Regular Action applicants must take those by January 31. Students educated in English in Canada will usually not need one, but read MIT's wording for your situation.

Costs and financial aid

MIT Student Financial Services states that MIT is need-blind and full need for all undergraduate students, domestic and international. That makes it one of the few US institutions where a Canadian family's ability to pay is not considered in admission.

The same page says students from families earning under $200,000 a year typically attend tuition-free, while noting that families in the $100,000 to $200,000 range still have a median net price above zero once housing and food are counted. MIT's aid is need-based, so use its calculator with your own figures.

Planning around MIT's own portal

Because MIT sits outside the Common App, students sometimes leave it until last. Start the MIT portal in September, list your recommenders there, and check that your counsellor knows MIT needs the school report submitted separately. MIT's short essays ask about specific experiences, such as a time you collaborated or something you do for fun, so keep a running list of examples while you write other applications. If you take your final SAT or ACT in November, it still counts for Early Action as long as it is before November 30.

Notes for Canadian applicants

Canadians apply as international students. Your school sends the official transcript and report, and MIT reads Canadian grading systems in context. If your school reports percentages rather than letter grades, our explainer on Canadian GPA scales may help you describe your record.

See the US State Department student visa page for entry rules, and the StudyBrix United States guide for an overview of the US system.