Tips for Newcomers

A group of spouses/partners of MIT students and scholars developed a Newcomers' Frequently Asked Questions website. This is an excellent resource as you begin your new life at MIT and in the Boston/Cambridge area. Topics on their website include:

LifeSites: The MIT human services community has created LifeSites as a portal to resources offered by more than 60 MIT offices and departments to students, staff, faculty, alumni, retirees, families, and others. A special section focuses on the needs of employees and students who are New to MIT.

MIT's Off-Campus Housing Office has listings of temporary housing, realtors, and additional resouces, as well as a guide to neighborhoods and the rental housing market.

HOUSING Tip from Newly Arrived Postdoc - Cambridge Area:

Porter Square in Cambridge/Somerville is one good location to live. In that
area, you are 1-1.5 walk-able miles from both Davis Square and Harvard
Square, both of which have a lot of bars, shopping, and other things to do.
Porter Square itself has a couple of bars and restaurants, and a practical
shopping center with a supermarket, CVS, Blockbuster, etc. If you live close
to Mass Ave, it's a busy area with lots going on, but as you get further
away from Mass Ave, deeper into Cambridge or Somerville, the area is mostly
residential. I live on the Cambridge side and it's relatively quiet and
seems like a pretty safe area. The red line is pretty reliable for commuting
to MIT, and it's only about a 10-minute ride from Porter to Kendall.

ANOTHER HOUSING TIP FROM NEWLY ARRIVED POSTDOC:

I moved to Boston from California in early October. The timing was not exactly
perfect considering schools had already started and most people had
accommodations figured out. Anyways I solely looked on Craiglist for my
housing. I looked at one place in the Allston/Brighton region on the Green
line, which was very far and shabby, another one at Porter Square, which was
pretty good, but only a one bedroom. Since I was moving alone, I was hoping to live
with roommates and split the rent. I finally found a studio (smaller
than a 1 bedroom) near the Charles/MGH red line stop. I really liked the
location/community/proximity to MIT and decided to rent it. While studios in
this region are pricy, I like where I live. My suggestion would be try and look
for apartments on the red line and explore all opportunities available before
you decide on a place.

The National Postdoc Association created a Survival Guide for international postdocs in the U.S.

MIT has a large number of intercultural clubs that provide events and programming for students and scholars from various countries or continents. While they are often student run, most welcome the affiliation and participation of postdocs. These clubs are often the best and fastest way to meet and connect with other members of the MIT community from your home country. Some of the largest clubs that we are aware of (but there are countless others) include the:

• MIT European Club
• MIT Chinese Student Scholar Assocation