Travel and Arrival Information
Professional Institute (PI) courses are held on the main MIT campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, unless otherwise indicated in the course description.
Travel to campus
The closest airport to MIT is Boston's Logan Airport. Plan your visit to MIT with online resources including MIT's directions to and getting around campus. Participants receive information via email on the location of registration two to three weeks in advance of the course start date.
Visas
The MIT Professional Institute follows the U.S. State Department guidelines, which state that participants in PI programs, if they require a visa, need a tourist visa, not a student visa. Please consult the U.S. State Department to determine whether or not you need a visa. When applying for a visa, applicants should use their acceptance letter as their letter of invitation and remember that the visa application process typically takes several months. Applicants are highly encouraged to start the visa application process as soon as they have been accepted to a PI course. The most recent guidelines can be obtained from the local U.S. Embassy or Consulate or the U.S. State Department.
Transportation
Boston has excellent public transportation (http://www.mbta.com). The closest subway stop to MIT is Kendall Square on the Red Line. The commute to the MIT campus by public transportation from Logan Airport is about an hour. A taxi ride from the airport or train station to MIT is about $30 without tip and takes about 25 minutes depending on traffic. There are a number of local hotels within walking distance of campus.
Parking
Parking on campus and in Cambridge is extremely limited. Hotels do provide parking to their guests for a fee. Garage parking in the area costs $20 to $35 a day. Please see our list of public parking facilities if you need to bring a car and are unsure of where you will park.
Daily schedule
Typically, classes begin between 8:00am and 9:00am and end at 5:00pm, with short breaks in the morning and afternoon and an hour break for lunch. Many, but not all, courses shorten the final day to facilitate travel. Participants receive more detailed schedule information by email two to three weeks in advance of the course start date. You may check the course description pages in April/May for updates on registration times and course schedules. See Courses by Date or Courses by Topic for links to the course description pages.
What to wear
Typical attire for Professional Institute courses is business casual or casual. Weather in New England is quite variable and we recommend checking a weather forecast before packing.
Computer access
We recommend that you bring a laptop if you will need a computer during your stay. You will not have access to MIT computers, except for classroom use if required for the course. Wireless access is available throughout the MIT campus and you will receive information on how to access the wireless network when you arrive on campus.
Dining
Many dining options are available on and near campus. See MIT’s where to eat page and the list of local restaurants provided by the Professional Institute on registration day.
During your course, light refreshments are generally provided in the morning and afternoon. Please refer to the course description to see if lunch will be provided. Unless otherwise noted, meals are not included in tuition.
Tourist Information
There are many interesting things to do in the Boston/Cambridge area. For information on what’s happening around town during your stay, visit Cambridge Office of Tourism, Cambridge Arts Council, Boston.com, City of Boston, Time Out Boston, and, for activities on campus, events.mit.edu.
