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Prospective freshmen –
U.S. citizens and permanent residents

Important news about financial aid for 2008-09! Read the MIT press release as well as a Q&A and some background statistics on financial aid enhancements.

For entrance in September 2008

If you wish to apply for scholarship, loan and job assistance from MIT, we must receive the following documents no later than February 15, 2008 for both early-action and regular-action admissions applicants. Starting in January 2008, you can track the status of your financial aid application by checking MyMIT. Remember to keep copies of all your application documents. Also keep in mind that after you're awarded financial aid, there are additional steps you must take before your aid is disbursed. Those steps are outlined on our finalizing undergraduate awards page.

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

As soon as possible after January 1, 2008, complete the 2008-2009 FAFSA online at www.fafsa.ed.gov.

Designate MIT as one of your recipients by using "Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139." Our federal code number is 002178.

CSS PROFILE Application

Complete the 2008-2009 CSS PROFILE online at profileonline.collegeboard.com, designate MIT as a recipient by using our CSS code number of 3514 and answer the CSS Supplemental Questions specific to MIT.

Separated or divorced parents

If your parents are separated or divorced, you have an additional application requirement because we ask that both your parents provide financial information so we can determine a contribution from each of them.

The parent with whom you live (the custodial parent) completes the FAFSA and PROFILE. Your other parent (the noncustodial parent) completes the Noncustodial Parent's PROFILE.

CSS will e-mail you application instructions, including a link to the Noncustodial Parent's PROFILE web site and login instructions, to send to your noncustodial parent. You will receive this e-mail after you complete the CSS PROFILE indicating your parents are separated or divorced.

Both your custodial and noncustodial parent must submit federal income tax returns and, if necessary, a CSS Business/Farm Supplement, as explained in the following sections.

If you believe there are exceptional circumstances that make it difficult for your noncustodial parent to submit financial information, please contact your financial aid counselor.

Parents' federal income tax return (including all schedules and W-2s)

After you file your CSS PROFILE form, the College Board's Institutional Documentation Service (IDOC) will send you instructions for submitting your parents' 2007 federal tax returns and other supplemental forms that may be required. Everything you submit to IDOC should be sent as one packet.

Send a signed and dated copy of all pages and schedules of your parents' 2007 federal income tax return, including copies of all W-2s, through IDOC no later than February 15, 2008.

If your parents' 2007 federal income return is not available by our February 15, 2008 financial aid deadline, submit your parents' 2006 federal income tax return, including all schedules and W-2s, directly to Student Financial Services by February 15, 2008 and submit the 2007 federal income tax return, schedules and W-2s through IDOC as soon as they become available.

If your family owns an interest in a business corporation, submit a copy of the corporate tax return and a copy of your parents' statement of "Shareholder's Share of Income, Credits, Deductions, Etc." (IRS Form 1120S and Schedule K-1) through IDOC.

If your family has income from a partnership, submit a copy of the partnership tax return and a copy of your parents' statement of "Partner Share of Income, Credits, Deductions, Etc." (IRS Form 1165 and Schedule K-1) through IDOC.

If you, your parents, or other siblings are beneficiaries of an estate or trust, submit the appropriate schedule K-1 of IRS Form 1041 or IRS Form 4970 through IDOC.

CSS Business/Farm Supplement

If either of your parents is self-employed or owns any part of a business or farm, s/he must complete a CSS Business/Farm Supplement for each business or farm in which any interest is held.

Send the completed CSS Business/Farm Supplement through IDOC along with your parents' federal income tax return. If you will not be able to send the 2007 income tax return through the IDOC service by February 15, 2008, send the CSS Business/Farm Supplement directly to Student Financial Services with your 2006 income tax returns.

Additional information

If your family has special circumstances or unusual expenses, or you have any other information that will help us understand their financial situation more completely, please send us a letter detailing that information.

Submit this letter as part of your IDOC packet. If you will not be able to send the 2007 income tax return through the IDOC service by February 15, 2008, send the explanation letter directly to Student Financial Services with your 2006 income tax returns.

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