Who is eligible to apply to MechE?
How do I apply?
Are there separate admission procedures for SM and PhD programs?
What is the deadline for applying?
What documents are necessary for applying to MechE?
What tests are necessary for applying to MechE?
What are the averages of GRE scores for admitted students?
Is there a minimum acceptable GRE score?
Can the IELTS or TOEFL tests be waived in certain cases for international students?
I can't submit all the letters of recommendation or transcripts at the same time. What should I do?
Since I have been in the work force for the last few years, it will be difficult to obtain all the letters of recommendation from faculty members. Is it OK to ask my employer/supervisors to write letters in support of my application?
Is the application fee ever waived or deferred?
When should I send my transcripts and where?
Will the Department keep me informed of my application status?
If accepted, when do I have to notify the department of my intent to attend graduate school?
Can I defer my admission?
Do you have part-time or evening programs?
How do I get a Research Assistantship or Teaching Assistantship?
Is it OK to send copies of awards, papers or extra letters of recommendation to supplement my application?
Can I apply to more than one department without negative consequence?
When will I hear about my decision?
Who is eligible to apply to MechE?
We expect an applicant to have earned a bachelor's or a master's degree by the time he/she registers in MechE. Most incoming students will have a degree in Mechanical Engineering or some related branch of engineering. The department's admission criteria are not specific, however, and capable students with backgrounds in different branches of engineering or in science may apply.
How do I apply?
Applicants to the MIT MechE graduate program should apply using the MechE online admissions site: https://apply.mit.edu/apply/
Are there separate admission procedures for SM and PhD programs?
No. There is only one admissions process. Students without a Master's degree will earn that degree before proceeding on to the PhD. If you already hold a Master's degree from another school, you can apply directly to the PhD. We do not admit directly to the PhD from the Bachelor's Degree, you must apply for the Master of Science program first.
What is the deadline for applying?
The MechE Department accepts applications for September only and the deadline for applying is December 15th of the previous year.
What documents are necessary for applying to MechE?
- The completed application form.
- Statement of Objectives.
- Minimum of three letters of recommendation.
- Uploaded official/unofficial copies of transcripts are acceptable for the application process. We will require official transcripts upon admission.
- Self-report GRE results - general test only. Please ask ETS to send the official GRE scores to us. Inst. code 3514, Dept. code 1502.
- IELTS (preferred) or TOEFL for international students whose native language is not English. Note, we accept the Academic IELTS only (not General Training). Minimum acceptable score for IELTS = 7.0; TOEFL = 100 IBT. Please ask British Council to send us the official IELTS score or ETS to send us the official TOEFL score (Inst. code 3514 and Dept. code 68). We will accept the TOEFL Home Edition as long as the result is officially sent to us from TOEFL directly. The IELTS/TOEFL will be waived for any student graduating from a US school. Students whose citizenship is from India are exempt from taking the IELTS or TOEFL exam.
- Please refer to 2N admissions information or faculty for admissions details as this program may have additional requirements.
What tests are necessary for applying to MechE?
See above
What are the averages of GRE scores for admitted students?
We do not average the GRE scores or keep statistics on this information.
Is there a minimum acceptable GRE score?
No, there is no minimum acceptable GRE score. We require GRE scores from all applicants.
Can the IELTS or TOEFL tests be waived in certain cases for international students?
Students whose citizenship is from India are exempt from taking the IELTS or TOEFL exam. We will also waive the IELTS or TOEFL if an international applicant whose "native" language is not English, and who has received a degree from a U.S. school.
I can't submit all the letters of recommendation or transcripts at the same time. What should I do?
We strongly recommend that you send in your application COMPLETE with documentation. The deadline for letters of recommendation is December 15. It is the responsibility of the applicant to follow up with the letter writers to make sure the letters get to us by December 15 deadline.
Since I have been in the work force for the last few years, it will be difficult to obtain all the letters of recommendation from faculty members. Is it OK to ask my employer/supervisors to write letters in support of my application?
In a case like this, we usually suggest that you receive at least one letter from a faculty member who knew you well, and the other two letters can be from employers.
Is the application fee ever waived or deferred?
The Office of Graduate Education offers application fee waivers to applicants who meet the criteria outlined on their website.
The Institute does not offer application fee waivers to international applicants.
When should I send my transcripts and where?
Hard copies or electronic official transcript/s are ONLY required if admitted. At that time, we will request you to send us your transcript/s with all your final grades to the following address or email address – megradoffice@mit.edu:
ME Grad Office, Room 1-112
M.I.T.
77 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02139
Will the Department keep me informed of my application status?
We do not routinely acknowledge receipt of applications or supporting documents. Applicants can go back into their online application and check for the number of recommendations that have been received.
If accepted, when do I have to notify the department of my intent to attend graduate school?
Applicants have until April 15th to notify MIT of their decision to accept or decline the offer of admission. After April 15 decisions are considered binding and may require a written release.
Information and a list of schools agreeing to adhere to this decision date can be found on the Resolution Regarding Graduate Scholars, Fellows, Trainees and Assistants, or by searching the Council of Graduate Schools website.
Can I defer my admission?
An admitted student may make a written request to defer admission for one term only. Exceptions are made in rare cases; these written requests must be explained in detail.
Do you have part-time or evening programs?
No. All degree programs are for full-time day students.
How do I get a Research Assistantship or Teaching Assistantship?
Students are eligible for assistantships after they have been admitted to the Department. To facilitate the student-faculty matching process and secure funding for the coming academic year as early as possible, we recommend that newly admitted students begin to contact faculty whose research is of interest to them as soon as they are admitted to the Department. Faculty with RA openings in their research group for the next academic year will start reviewing RA applications once admission decisions have been made. (For more information see the Graduate Program information on the MechE web site).
Is it OK to send copies of awards, papers or extra letters of recommendation to supplement my application?
No. Because of the large volume of applications submitted to MechE, we must discourage you from sending in copies of awards, journal articles and other extraneous documents. But you can certainly make reference to them in your application under the Test Scores/Experience section.
Can I apply to more than one department without negative consequence?
Yes, but keep in mind that the applications are independent of each other. We do not share supporting materials with the other departments. A separate fee is required for each application.
When will I hear about my decision?
Decisions are released on or around February 15th. All students will be notified by email of our decision.