Three letters of recommendation. Letters from instructors are preferred
unless you have been working for several years, in which case supervisors may be
included. The application can be submitted with fewer than three letters, but be
sure to remind your instructors to complete their letters. Applications still
missing two or more letters when review begins will not be reviewed. Review the
instructions for letter submission in the "Letters Status" section of the
application system. Applicants will send prepared emails to the recommenders
containing a secure link to the recommendation form. We prefer that letters be
submitted through the online application, and not a third-party letter
distributor.
Transcripts for all relevant degrees, official or unofficial, must be
uploaded to the application system. PDFs must be clearly readable and oriented
correctly on the screen. Only those applicants who are accepted for admission
will be required to send a hard copy of an official, sealed transcript (with
English translation) from each school attended. Please do not have official
copies sent to our office unless you are admitted. Certificate and community
college transcripts do not need to be sent unless the courses are not also
listed on your primary college transcripts. Non-English transcripts must be
translated into English, and if necessary, signed by a licensed notary and
accompanied by the original version.
In addition to transcripts, applicants should complete the Subjects Taken
section with any relevant course work. If you have taken studios, indicate this
on the Test Scores/Experience/Electronic Portfolio section.
IELTS or TOEFL Score.
Applicants whose first language is not English are required to submit either
an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score (Academic test)
or a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), regardless of citizenship or
residency in the U.S. while attending other educational institutions. No
exceptions are made. The admissions committee regards English proficiency as
crucial for success in all degree programs. In order to meet the admissions
deadline, it is recommended that candidates take the IELTS or TOEFL on the
earliest possible date.
Applicants must request that an official copy of their test results be sent
directly to MIT by IELTS International or Educational Testing Service. IELTS and
TOEFL Scores must be no older than two years as of the date of application. To
avoid delays, please use the following codes when having your TOEFL scores sent
to MIT:
Institutional Code: 3514
Department Code: 12
The minimum score required for the IELTS is 7 and the minimum TOEFL score is
600 (250 for computer-based test, 100 for Internet-based test). While either
test score is accepted, the IELTS score is preferred. (HTC PhD requires a TOEFL
score of 115.)
All students whose first language is not English are required to take the
English Evaluation Test (EET) prior to registration at MIT. Even students who
satisfy the IELTS/TOEFL requirement for admission may be required to take
specialized subjects in English as a Second Language (ESL), depending on their
EET results. These subjects do not count toward the required degree credits.
Curriculum Vitae, uploaded to the system.
A portfolio of work, uploaded to the application. See program-specific
instructions for portfolio requirements.
An Essay of one or two pages must be uploaded to the application system.
Indicate why you are applying, and describe your qualifications for the
degree.
A non-refundable Application Fee of $75 USD. You will need to submit a credit
card number on the Architecture Graduate Application to process this fee. If you
have a financial hardship, you may apply for an Application Fee Waiver:
http://gradadmissions.mit.edu/feewaiver
Submission of completed application form by the application deadline.
You may apply to two different programs within the Department of
Architecture. If you are considering two programs, discuss your plans with our
admissions staff to save yourself unnecessary fees. The link to apply is:
http://gradapply.mit.edu/architecture/apply.
Be sure to review the Application Instructions.
Interviews
An interview is not required for application but are recommended for all the
PhD programs, the Master of Science in Art Culture and Technology (SMACT) and
Master of Science in Building Technology programs (SMBT).
Reapplying
Applicants should use the online application system to submit a new
application and enter all the required information. Official test scores that
have been sent to us electronically in prior years are still in our records, but
applicants should upload all documents to the system, and request new
recommendation letters.