We’ve included some frequently asked questions about the graduate admissions process. Please click on a question to display the answer. If you have additional questions not covered here please email us at chemgradeducation@mit.edu. Due to the high volume of emails we receive, please allow at least two business days for a response.
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.
How do I apply?
For full application instructions, please see the
Application Requirements
When do I need to submit my application?
Applications for Fall 2025 are now closed. Applications for Fall 2026 will open in September 2025.
Do you offer Spring Term Admission?
The MIT academic year begins in September, and PhD students are therefore only admitted for the fall semester. It is not possible to be admitted for the Spring term.
Do you offer fee waivers for the application?
During the admissions cycle, all 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.]
OGE will review all requests and if your fee waiver request is approved, you will be notified via email. Incomplete waiver requests will not be reviewed. Do not submit your graduate application until AFTER your fee waiver has been approved or denied. A fee waiver will not be retroactively applied to an application that has been submitted. If the application deadline arrives and you have not received an email response from OGE, you will be responsible for submitting your application, paying the application fee, and will not be issued a refund.
The Department of Chemistry can only waive the $90 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. The deadline to request a fee waiver from the Department of Chemistry has passed.
All other inquires about fee waivers should be directed to the Office of Graduate Education: gradadmissions@mit.edu
Do I have to take the GRE's?
No, the MIT Department of Chemistry does not accept GRE scores for applications. All applications will be given full consideration without reference to GRE scores, this includes both the general test and Chemistry subject test scores.
My Bachelors degree is not in Chemistry, can I still apply?
Yes, you can still apply to our graduate program. The only educational requirement for our program is that students must have received a Bachelors degree prior to the start of our program. That being said, in order to build a strong application to our PhD program in Chemistry, you will need to have a substantial background in chemistry.
Do I need to have research experience prior to applying?
In addition to classroom experience in chemistry and related subjects, participating in laboratory research is very important to having a strong application for our PhD program. We advise that students have 2 or more years of experience in a research environment (such as an undergraduate research position in a professor’s research group) prior to applying.
Can I receive transfer credit for graduate courses I have already taken?
No transfer credit is accepted for our program. All students, regardless of whether they have completed graduate work prior to entering our program, must satisfy the same program requirements. Prior educational experience, however, will help our faculty determine what classes are most appropriate for a student to take, and may be considered to satisfy prerequisites (if applicable) for some of our advanced graduate classes.
Can the TOEFL/IELTS be waived?
We can waive the TOEFL/IELTS requirement for international applicants who have completed 3 or more years in a degree-granting program instructed exclusively in English, or who consider English to be their primary language. You do not need to reach out to us to request a waiver. If you quality for a waiver the online application system will automatically waive the test score requirement.
What is your policy on using on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Essay Preparation?
You are free to utilize AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT) in the preparation of your statement of objectives and personal statement, however, we discourage you from relying too heavily on them. These emerging writing tools may be effective at improving grammar and structure, but can depersonalize the tone of your writing and occasionally produce erroneous or contradictory content. In preparing your essays, keep the following in mind: this year, due to the wide availability of these tools, the evaluation of your statements will focus more heavily on elements that are not trivially generated via AI, such as descriptions of your research experiences, specific elements that draw you to our program, and formative aspects of your lived experience.
Can I visit the department?
Admitted students are invited to attend our official visiting weekend in March. Though we are happy to meet with interested applicants outside of the official visiting weekend, many faculty and staff may not available, and we encourage applicants to email prior to visiting.
Can I upload an updated transcript after my Fall grades are posted?
We are not able to accept updated transcripts; the Admission Committee knows that the applications were submitted prior to the release of Fall grades.
Can I receive an update on the status of my application?
Candidates can check on the status of their application at apply.mit.edu/apply at any time. For the Fall 2025 Cycle, we anticipate that admissions decisions will be finalized in late January/early February. All applicants will be notified to check the admissions portal when a decision is available. Due to the high volume of applications, the Department of Chemistry does not respond to requests for application updates via email or phone calls.
Can I contact faculty?
You are welcome to contact our faculty directly if you would like, however many of our faculty are very busy and may not have time to respond to all inquiries from applicants. The best thing you can do is mention the faculty and research of greatest interest to you at MIT in your application, as this helps ensure that your application is reviewed by the most relevant faculty members. We ask that your tailor your personal statement to our program, by mentioning faculty and research currently happening within the department that is of greatest interest to you.
Do you offer a Masters degree program?
We do not have an MS program. Applications are only accepted for the PhD program.
Do you offer financial support?
All students admitted to the PhD program receive full tuition coverage along with a monthly stipend for the first academic year; first-year graduate students are usually supported by a combination of departmental fellowships and research assistantships while they complete the academic teaching requirement. Students must be eligible to work in the United States in order to receive funding. After the first year, continued funding is provided for the duration of the PhD program, subject to the availability of funds for that purpose, as long as students remain in good academic standing.
Does the stipend cover health insurance?
If needed, the fee for the MIT Student Health Plan is provided along with your tuition award and includes Accident and Hospitalization Insurance. You will receive this insurance unless you can demonstrate that you have equivalent insurance, in which case you must complete a waiver form available at MIT Medical.
