How to Apply
Visiting the Department
Prospective Student FAQ
Other Useful Links

We recommend that you submit your application via the Online Application which can be accessed at the MIT Graduate Admissions Website. Alternatively, at the MIT Graduate Admissions website you can download a PDF application form or request that a paper form be mailed to you. Letters of recommendation can be submitted electronically if desired, and the application fee can be paid by credit card. We recommend that you try to submit all of the application materials at approximately the same time as this will facilitate our review of your application. Applications submitted by mail should be set to:

Department of Chemistry
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Room 2-204
Attention: Ms. Susan Brighton
77 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02139

Completing and Submitting the Application
One section of the application is a Statement of Objectives for graduate study. As part of this essay, please discuss specific faculty you are interested in and their area of research, and explain why you are interested in their work. The more we know of your experience, plans, and research goals, the better, and earlier, we can process your application.

The deadline for September admission is December 15. Since offers of admission are made on a rolling basis, it is very important that all your materials reach us by the December 15 deadline. This includes letters of recommendation, academic transcripts, statement of objectives, scores for the GRE (and IELTS, if required). The minimum allowable IELTS score is 7. The chemistry subject GRE is recommended, but not required. Applications received after December 15 will be given due consideration if vacancies still exist.

Please note that the Chemistry Department DOES NOT require that you fill out the entire "Record of Subjects" section of the application. We request that you list only the science and math courses you have taken by subject name, academic year, and course grade. It is not necessary to list textbooks.

We will do our best to keep you informed of the status of your application. Again, remember that it is in your best interest to submit ALL materials as closely together as possible. We generally notify all applicants of the status of their application by mid to late February.

Declines will be mailed by the end of February. These dates are estimates only, and we will try to adhere closely to them.

An admitted student may defer admissions for one calendar year, but must make a written request to the Graduate Office for approval of the deferral.

Important Notice for Applicants Who Are Not U.S. Citizens
Before you apply to the Chemistry Graduate Program, please be aware that:

1. Spoken and written fluency in English is extremely important. Many of our students are required to teach, and therefore we cannot offer admission to students for whom we think communication in English will be a problem. Fluency is judged by the verbal GRE score and the IELTS score. We must receive official reports of both scores.
2. MIT cannot waive the $75 application fee. Applications that arrive without this fee will not be reviewed.

For information on the research of the MIT Chemistry Faculty please see the faculty and research page.