Application
Applications for September 2021 admission will open in mid-September 2020, with an application deadline of
December 15, 2020.
How is the COVID pandemic impacting admissions?
Recognizing the challenges to teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, MIT has adopted the following principle: MIT’s admissions offices for graduate and professional schools evaluate applicants holistically and will take the significant disruptions of COVID-19 into account when reviewing students’ transcripts and other admissions materials relating to Spring 2020. In particular, we will respect decisions regarding the adoption of Pass/No Record (or Credit/No Credit or Pass/Fail) and other grading options during this unprecedented period, whether they are made by institutions or by individual students.
For 2021 applications only: In response to restrictions caused by the COVID-19 outbreak, the GRE exam has been removed as part of the HASTS application for this application cycle. We will announce by July 2021 if we will use GRE scores in the 2022 admissions cycle.
Applications must include all of the following in order to be reviewed:
- Application form including $75.00 application fee to be paid by credit card. Click here to find out if you are eligible for a fee waiver, which should be applied for by December 1.
- For non-native English speakers, either the IELTS or TOEFL score is required. Have your official scores sent from either IELTS or ETS directly to MIT. Please also be sure to enter your scores and upload a PDF of your score report in section 8 (Test Scores / Experience) of the application. The exam MUST be taken before December 15, 2020, and you must meet the minimum score requirement, in order for your application to be reviewed. Note that we MUST receive official exam scores from IELTS or ETS (self-reported scores will not suffice), and IELTS and ETS will not send them to us if they are more than 2 years old, so please plan accordingly. See our FAQ Page for more information about the score requirement, how to submit, and requests for waivers.
- Three letters of recommendation (section 2). Enter the evaluators’ contact information in this section. You then must go to the “Letter Status” link, copy the relevant information, and SEND EMAILS to each evaluator with the information provided on that page. It is in your best interest to send the emails out as soon as possible; do not wait to submit the application before sending the emails. You can later return to this page to see which letters have been submitted.
An ideal recommender is someone who knows you well and can speak to your ability to succeed in a PhD program. It is recommended that at least two letters come from people who are familiar with your academic work and/or future research interests.
If a recommender has difficulties using our admissions system, please ask him/her to send an email to hasts@mit.edu or send their recommendation letter in a sealed envelope directly to the department:
Doctoral Program in HASTS
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
77 Massachusetts Avenue, E51-163
Cambridge, MA 02139-4307
- Statement of objectives (section 10) entered either as text in the field provided OR uploaded as a PDF, but not both. Please tell us about the scholarly question(s) you are interested in studying. Why do you wish to pursue these questions? Why is the HASTS program the right place to do so? The statement should be no more than 1350 words long.
- A writing sample (section 11) such as a research paper or a chapter from a thesis. There are no specific parameters in terms of content, but the length should not exceed that of a chapter or article. When selecting a sample, keep in mind that admissions committee members will look at writing samples in order to evaluate applicants’ readiness to embark on graduate study. It must be uploaded in the online application as a PDF. Please do not use the text box.
- Transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended (section 7). Upload a PDF of your transcript from each school you attended under the listing for that school. Only applicants who are advanced to round two of our admissions process will be required to provide official, sealed transcripts from each school attended.
- Current resume or curriculum vitae. To submit, upload a PDF in section 8 (Test Scores/Experience) at the end of the page.
More Information
Click on the following links for an admissions overview, funding and frequently asked questions.
