Graduate Program

Visiting the Department

Each spring, typically in beginning to mid-March, the Department invites admitted students to come as a group to visit the campus in order to meet with faculty, learn more about the academic programs and current research, explore some of the research facilities, and spend a weekend immersed in the culture of MIT. The Department typically covers travel costs for domestic students to visit and supports a portion of the cost for international students (typically up to ~$300 US for both foreign and domestic students) to visit during these hosting weekends. The hosting weekends will be February 28–March 1, 2008 and March 6–8, 2008.

We strongly encourage admitted students to visit MIT, regardless of your initial inclination to accept or decline the offer of admission. Obviously, you will be able to make a much more well informed decision about whether MIT is right for you, given the chance to meet not only faculty but also current students and your potential peers in the fall.

Weekend Highlights

On Friday we will have a full day program of talks given by Department professors, one-on-one visits with faculty, informal meetings with graduate students, and laboratory tours.

On Saturday morning there will be an informal program featuring additional opportunities to get to know facilities and personalities in both the Department and the Institute.

Friday evening and Saturday afternoon and evening are available for you to experience the sights of the city of Boston and Cambridge along with your fellow visiting admittees and graduate student hosts.

We will provide lodging for three nights (double occupancy) and all meals (Thursday evening through Sunday morning).

You will have a great opportunity to spend a weekend with a group of people with whom you may choose to share your graduate experience.

Weekend Planning

After you have been admitted, you will be asked to list a few professors with whom you would particularly like to meet on the Friday afternoon of your visit. Soon after, we will send you additional information, including a detailed agenda for your visit. As you begin planning your visit, please note that we ask you to arrive in Boston Thursday afternoon or evening and to depart Sunday morning.

The hassles of driving around Boston and Cambridge are infamous, mostly due to the huge amount of construction underway. We recommend that you use public transportation rather than renting a car if you are coming to MIT from Logan Airport.

Expense Reimbursement

We will be pleased to reimburse a portion of your transportation expenses to and from Boston. We will reimburse up to $300 toward round-trip coach class airfare, (see note 1) or 48 cents per mile for up to 800 miles by car plus highway and bridge tolls. As noted above, we will provide for your lodging for three nights (double occupancy) (see note 2) and will reimburse you a maximum of $8.00, $12.00, and $25.00 for any breakfast, lunch, or dinner (respectively) costs you incur between Thursday evening and Sunday morning. (Many of these meals will be provided.) Please keep your receipts for all out-of-pocket expenses as you must submit them for us to reimburse you. You are welcome to request a specific hotel roommate if you know another newly admitted student who will be visiting the Department the same weekend.

1. Please note, in some cases, air fare is significantly reduced if you choose to fly into nearby Providence, RI, and take public transportation to Boston.
2. Alternatively, you may wish to stay with friends or family in the Boston area, and thereby decline the department's offer of lodging. If so, the department will reimburse up to $350 of your airfare.