Applying to Graduate School
During the active admissions cycle you must submit your application via the Online Application. Applications for Fall 2024 admissions are now closed. Applications for Fall 2025 will open on September 15, 2024 and the application deadline is December 1, 2024. Please see below for helpful information about our application requirements. Since offers of admission are made continuously after the application deadline, all of your materials must be submitted by the application deadline. This includes letters of recommendation and all official test scores.
Note: Many questions are answered in our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section. Prior to contacting the MIT Department of Chemistry (chemgradeducation@mit.edu), please take the time to review our FAQ page.
Requests for fee waivers are coordinated centrally by the Office of Graduate Education. For further information, including the eligibility requirements for fee waivers, please visit the Application Fee Waiver section of their web site. The waiver request must be submitted at least five business days before the December 1st application deadline. The Department of Chemistry can only waive the $75 application fee for international applicants if they have already applied and paid an application fee for another PhD program at MIT in the same admission cycle. All other inquires about fee waivers should be directed to the Office of Graduate Education.
For more detailed information regarding the cost of attendance, including specific costs for tuition and fees, books and supplies, housing and food as well as transportation, please visit the Student Financial Services (SFS) website.
The Department of Chemistry does not provide application updates via email. All updates will be posted in the application portal.
Completing and Submitting the Application: Information for all applicants
Faculty of Interest
Applicants are asked to identify 3 faculty members listed in the application who they would be interested in working with.
Transcripts
A PDF copy of your college transcript(s) is required and can be uploaded to the application. Official transcript(s) are only required if you are admitted into our program.
Required Tests
GRE test scores are not accepted for applications. For applicants whose primary language is not English, your TOEFL or IELTS scores are required. Please see below for more information about TOEFL/IELTS.
Education and Work History
Resume/CV can be entered in text, MS Word or PDF format. Include your specific research experiences. This is extremely important.
Statement of Objectives
Your Statement of Objectives can be entered in text, MS Word, PDF format.
The recommended length for the Statement of Objectives is 1000-1500 words.
Please describe your reasons for pursuing graduate studies in the MIT Chemistry Department. In your description, explain how your background has prepared you for this graduate program. Identify the research area(s) that most interest you, the scientific problems that motivate your pursuit of an advanced degree in chemistry, and how the resources and faculty of MIT’s program promote these interests and motives. Describe your long-term scientific goals, and specify the unique aspects of MIT’s chemistry program that will enable you to achieve these goals. If applicable, describe any specific academic or research challenges that you have faced and overcome. If there are any other factors concerning your prior academic, research, or work experience that you would like the Admissions Committee to be aware of, please describe them. Please feel free to prepare your Statement of Objectives in whatever format most effectively communicates your views.
Personal Statement
The recommended length for the Personal Statement is 500-1000 words.
The MIT Chemistry Department is a community comprised of individuals from a diverse variety of backgrounds. We are interested in learning more about you as a person and how your background and experiences motivate you to make positive contributions to your community. There are no requirements for what to include; some possible prompts are below:
- The MIT Chemistry Department has four core community values. These are respect, well-being, inclusivity, and integrity. Please identify one of these values that is important to you and explain why.
- Describe your experience with resilience and/or perseverance. Give an example of a time in which you faced failure, a significant roadblock in making steady progress towards a goal. Describe how you approach this situation. What did you learn from this experience? How has this experience shaped the way you approach challenges today?
- Describe a meaningful teaching or mentorship experience you have had and what you learned from that experience. What do you like most about teaching others? What are the biggest challenges you anticipate in serving as a teaching assistant to MIT undergraduates?
- If there are any other factors concerning your prior academic, research, or work experience that you would like the Admissions Committee to be aware of, please describe them.
Financial Support
Provide information regarding fellowships and scholarships you have received and also send a copy of the award(s) to
chemgradeducation@mit.edu
Recommendation Writers
Provide at least 3 names and email addresses (no more than 5) that you will be requesting a letter of recommendation from. We highly recommend that you notify your writers by November 1, to give the writer time to write and submit their letter.
Admissions Interviews
Following an initial review of all applications by our faculty, some applicants will be invited via email to interview. Interviews take place virtually over Zoom. Interviews will include the applicant and two faculty members and run for approximately 15 minutes. Information about the interview process, including a description of the opening interview question, will be provided in the invitation email.
Application fee
Provide a credit/debit payment of $75. Occasionally, debit card payments may not process correctly. If you experience difficulty processing a debit card payment, please try using a credit card instead.
Additional Information for International Applicants
IELTS/TOEFL Exam
For applicants whose primary language is not English, your TOEFL or IELTS scores are required. The minimum acceptable TOEFL score is 100 and the minimum acceptable IELTS band score is 7.0. The MIT reporting code is 3514, and the department code is 62.
Transcript(s)
All copies of transcripts uploaded to the application must be in English.
Fee Waiver
The Department of Chemistry can only waive the $75 application fee for international applicants if they have already applied and paid an application fee for another PhD program at MIT in the same admission cycle.
Chemistry Application Mentor Program
CAMP is a volunteer-based, student-run program that provides assistance to Chemistry Applicants. CAMP is intended to assist applicants from disadvantaged backgrounds – including but not limited to: groups underrepresented in the STEM field, first generation PhD applicants, and applicants from non-traditional academic backgrounds. CAMP Applications for the Fall 2024 admissions cycle are closed.
