MIT Student Financial Services
About Us

Consumer information

To find consumer infomation about MIT and other schools, a good place to start is the U-CAN profile of MIT. That site is part of the University and College Accountability Network, a free, consumer-oriented college information web site developed by the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities.

The following sections provide information that colleges are required by federal law to make available to all enrolled and prospective students. This site acts as a central resource for information that can be found in other MIT web sites, brochures and other publications. If you need help finding information or you would like a paper copy of any of the items, contact Student Financial Services.

NOTE: Because of the nature of federal, state and institutional guidelines affecting financial aid programs, the information contained in this web site is subject to change.

 

1. General information about MIT


2. Consumer information


3. Financial aid information

 


1. General information about MIT

 

Institute accreditation

MIT is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc., through its Commission on Institutions of Higher Education. Many degree programs at MIT are accredited by specialized professional accrediting bodies. Academic departments can provide information on the accreditation of the specific degree programs they offer. Click here for a partial listing of these academic accrediting bodies. Inquiries regarding MIT's accreditation status should be directed to MIT’s Office of the Vice President for Institute Affairs or:

    Commission on Institutions of Higher Education
    New England Association of Schools and Colleges
    209 Burlington Rd.
    Bedford, MA 01730-1433
    781-271-0022
    cihe@neasc.org

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    Degree programs

    Visit the MIT Education page for a list of academic departments, sections and programs. The Office of Undergraduate Advising and Academic Programming also has information on MIT’s degree programs and majors.

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    Instructional, laboratory and other academic facilities

    The Department of Facilities maintains detailed maps and floor plans of MIT buildings and rooms that are used for academic, residential or support activities. This information includes gross area breakdowns, room inventory definitions, how buildings are numbered, and more. To quickly locate a building, street or other element on the MIT campus, use the online MIT Campus Map.

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    Faculty members and other instructional personnel

    Each academic department, lab and center at MIT has its own web site with listings of faculty members and other personnel. You can locate specific departments and individuals on the MIT Education page or by using the MIT search page.

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    Facilities and services for disabled students

    The Disabilities Services Office offers information on academic, housing and other accommodations made by MIT for disabled students. Adaptive Technology for Information and Computing provides consultations and equipment (alternative pointing devices and keyboards, text readers, etc.) to allow technology accessibility for disabled students and other members of the MIT community.

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    Policies for students without a high school diploma or equivalent

    MIT does not require a high school diploma or equivalent for admission. It does not offer a GED program.

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    Nondiscrimination statement

    (To see this text online, go to the Reference Publications Office.)

    The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is committed to the principle of equal opportunity in education and employment. The Institute does not discriminate against individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, veteran status, ancestry, or national or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, employment policies, scholarship and loan programs, and other Institute administered programs and activities, but may favor US citizens or residents in admissions and financial aid.*

    The Vice President for Human Resources is designated as the Institute's Equal Opportunity Officer and Title IX Coordinator. Inquiries concerning the Institute's policies, compliance with applicable laws, statutes, and regulations (such as Title VI, Title IX, and Section 504), and complaints may be directed to the Vice President for Human Resources, Room E19-215, 617-253-6512, or to the Coordinator of Staff Diversity Initiatives/Affirmative Action, Room E19-215, 617-253-1594. In the absence of the Vice President for Human Resources or the Coordinator of Staff Diversity Initiatives/Affirmative Action, inquiries or complaints may be directed to the Executive Vice President, Room 3-211, 617-253-3928, or to the Director of Labor and Employee Relations, Room E19-235N, 617-253-4264, respectively. Inquiries about the laws and about compliance may also be directed to the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education.

    *The ROTC programs at MIT are operated under Department of Defense (DOD) policies and regulations, and do not comply fully with MIT's policy of nondiscrimination with regard to sexual orientation. MIT continues to advocate for a change in DOD policies and regulations concerning sexual orientation, and will replace scholarships of students who lose ROTC financial aid because of these DOD policies and regulations.


    2. Consumer information

     

Price of attending MIT

The Registrar’s Office lists tuition and fees for the current and following academic years, including summers. The Office of Institutional Research maintains a 10-year history of tuition rates.

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Privacy of education records

The federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. These rights are outlined in detail in MIT Policies and Procedures and include:

  • The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days of the day that MIT receives a request for access.
  • The right to request the amendment of the student's education records that the student believes are inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student's privacy rights under FERPA.
  • The right to provide written consent before MIT discloses personally identifiable information from the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.
  • The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the University to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the office that administers FERPA is:

    Family Policy Compliance Office
    U.S. Department of Education
    400 Maryland Ave. SW
    Washington, DC 20202-5901

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Graduation, completion and transfer-out rates

The Student Right-to-Know Act requires disclosure of information on graduation, completion and transfer-out rates for all students and for student-athletes. The graduation rate for freshmen who arrived at MIT in 1999-2000 is 94%. The Office of Institutional Research maintains a five-year history of enrollment and degrees awarded.

MIT does not offer financial aid based on athletic achievement, so it is not required to report completion or graduation rates for student athletes.

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Equity in athletics

The Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act (EADA) requires disclosure of athletic program participation rates and financial support data, demonstrating the school’s commitment to providing equitable athletic opportunities for men and women students. MIT’s data is provided to and listed by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Postsecondary Education.

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Drug and alcohol abuse prevention information

MIT’s Office of Community Development and Substance Abuse Programs is dedicated to educating students about the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse. The OCDSAP offers a number of services including community forums, events and programs, including and education and training for students, staff and parents.

The OCDSAP is part of the Division of Student Life, which publishes the Mind + Hand Book, a guide for students that includes policies and resources surrounding a drug-free campus.

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Campus safety and security

MIT Police officers on cruiser, motorcycle, bicycle, and foot patrols provide law enforcement, crime prevention and emergency medical services. The Safety, Security and Crime Prevention Handbook is published annually and contains a yearly report of campus crime statistics as well as other information on safety and crime prevention, as required by the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Campus Security/Clery Act).

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3. Financial aid information

Aid from federal sources

SFS Financial Aid administers the following forms of federal student aid on the basis of financial need:

SFS Financial Aid also administers federal funding from the Robert Byrd Honors Scholarship Program, which is not based on financial need.

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Aid from state and local programs, school aid and other private sources

SFS provides information on seek financial aid from the following sources:

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How students apply for aid and how aid eligibility is determined

Students apply for financial aid from MIT by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the CSS PROFILE. International undergraduates must also submit the College Board International Student Financial Aid Application. SFS Financial Aid also requires copies of tax returns filed by parents of undergraduates to determine the Expected Family Contribution. If the student has financial need, MIT supplies a combination of self-help (student loans and/or term-time work) and MIT scholarship, a grant that does not need to be repaid.

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How MIT distributes aid among students

SFS Financial Aid awards financial aid based solely on the financial need of the student. SFS Financial Aid packages all federal and state grants, federal loans and Institute grants for which the student is eligible in order to meet the full financial need of each student.

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How and when financial aid is disbursed

The process of financial aid disbursement to student accounts and information on what to do in case of problems are outlined on the SFS page on financial aid credits.

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Terms and conditions of employment that is part of the financial aid package

The student financial aid package includes “self-help” totaling up to $5,250 for 2007-08. Students must provide their self-help amount through term-time work and/or student loans. Each individual student job has its own terms and conditions and wage rate, though all such jobs are subject to the MIT student minimum wage of $9.00 per hour. For more information, see the SFS Jobs page.

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Criteria for measuring satisfactory academic progress

Students' academic performance is evaluated by their department and then by the Committee on Academic Performance (CAP) at the end of the fall and spring terms. The Office of Undergraduate Advising and Academic Programming serves as the department for freshmen and undesignated sophomores.
Students are reviewed for possible academic deficiency as a result of poor grades or low units. Upperclass students are automatically marked for review if they have a term rating of 3.0 or less, or they are registered for 35 units or fewer at the end of the term. Freshmen are reviewed if they receive 39 or fewer units of credit; the number of subjects they passed is considered since they do not have term ratings.

Because of the individual nature of student academic performance and differences in academic and grading policies among departments, the CAP cannot set forth rigid standards of academic performance to be employed throughout the Institute.

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How a student who has failed to maintain satisfactory academic progress may reestablish eligibility for financial aid

Once a student has enrolled or re-enrolled, he or she is automatically eligible for financial aid from MIT. See the MIT Academic Guide for Undergraduates and Their Advisors in section 13, “Leave of Absence, Withdrawal, and Readmission Procedures.”

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Policies on return of federal student aid funds

Student Financial Services handles refunds for students withdrawing from school and for students with financial aid overawards.

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Availability of federal student aid for study-abroad programs

MIT meets the full financial need of undergraduates receiving need-based financial aid who are approved to study out of residence. For details, consult SFS Financial Aid and MIT Study Abroad.

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Loan counseling and repayment

All first-time borrowers of Federal Direct Loans, Federal Perkins Loans and MIT Technology Loans must undergo online loan entrance counseling (MIT certificates required). Additionally, students who borrowed Federal Direct Stafford Loans and/or Federal Perkins Loans during their MIT careers  are required by federal law and MIT policy to attend a loan exit interview in person before they may graduate.

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Obtaining a deferment or forbearance for a federal education loan

Under certain circumstances, students who borrowed federal student aid funds and are unable to meet their repayment obligations may be eligible for a deferment or forbearance, allowing them more time to repay the loan and/or lower monthly payments. Borrowers should consult the SFS Loan page or their MIT loan counselor for more information, but they must contact their loan servicer directly to apply for a deferment or forbearance.

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Scholarship fraud

According to the Federal Trade Commission, perpetrators of financial aid fraud often use the following lines to sell their scholarship services; students should avoid any scholarship service or web site that says the following:

  • "This scholarship is guaranteed or your money back."
  • "You can't get this information anywhere else."
  • "I just need your credit card or bank account number to hold this scholarship."
  • "We'll do all the work."
  • "This scholarship will cost some money."
  • "You've been selected by a 'national foundation' to receive a scholarship" or "You're a finalist" in a contest you never entered.

If you think you've been the victim of scholarship fraud, wish to file a complaint, or want more information, call 877-FTC-HELP or see www.ftc.gov/scholarshipscams. The College Scholarship Fraud Prevention Act passed by Congress in 2000 enhances protection against fraud in student financial assistance by establishing stricter sentencing guidelines for criminal financial aid fraud.

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SFS NewsDates & Deadlines
 

Stay Tuned

Need a loan?

For details on applying for specific student and parent loans, see Get a Loan. Remember that you must first apply for financial aid to qualify for federal loans that are based on financial need.

Financial aid status

1. Undergrads – The majority of the undergraduate financial aid applications received by April 22 have been reviewed and award letters have been sent. SFS Financial Aid is working hard to award all completed files as soon as possible. You may check the status of your financial aid award on WebSIS. Questions? Call 617-253-4971 or email finaid@mit.edu.

2. Graduate students – SFS Financial Aid will be finalizing all completed graduate financial aid applications within the next few weeks. Your patience is appreciated. If you have further questions, call 617-253-4971 or email finaid@mit.edu.

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