Students who wish to study urban planning at MIT at the undergraduate level must first be accepted to MIT. At the end of the first year MIT students decide which course of study they wish to pursue. Undergraduate applicants do not apply directly to the Department.

Additional information and instructions for undergraduate applicants are available in the MIT Admissions website:

http://mitadmissions.org/

Five-Year SB-MCP Option

Undergraduate Course 11 majors may apply for admission to the department's Master in City Planning (MCP) program in their junior year. Students accepted into the five-year program receive both the Bachelor of Science and the MCP at the end of five years. Admission is intended for those undergraduates who have demonstrated exceptional performance in the major and show commitment to the field of city planning. Criteria for admission include the following: + A strong academic record in Course 11 subjects + Letters of reference from departmental faculty + Practical experience in planning, which could be gained through internships, practicums, studios, Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program experiences, summer jobs, etc. + A mature and passionate interest for the field that warrants further study.

Students can obtain more information on the five-year program from Ellen Rushman, room 9-413.

The DUSP Graduate Application for Fall 2022 admission is available starting September 7th at: https://gradapply.mit.edu/dusp

To get started you must first create a user account and password. This will allow you to start an application and save it multiple times prior to submission. PLEASE record your user name and password- we cannot retrieve them for you. 

The following information is critical to your understanding of our admissions process and to the preparation of your application.  You should read the descriptions of the Department and its programs before you complete the application.

Application requirements can be completed or submitted online. If admitted, we do require official transcripts be mailed or submitted electronically from the institution.

The application deadline is January 3rd. All applications and supporting materials must be postmarked by this date or where applicable, submitted electronically. The Admissions Committee will not evaluate incomplete or late applications.

Peer Application Support Service

Application support can be provided to eligible students through PASS, a student-run service committed to increasing the ethnic and cultural diversity of each admitted class. See "SCC/QuBE PASS Peer Application Support Service" below for more details.

Graduate Record Examination (GRE)

The GRE is waived for the 2022 admissions cycle. 

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)

• Required: For applicants whose native language is not English, unless they have a prior degree from an institution where instruction was in English. Preference for official scores reported from the testing agency, however DUSP will review scores up to five years old submitted by applicant.  
• MCP & PhD Minimum Score: 600 (paper-based), 100 (internet-based).
• Reporting codes:  3514 (MIT) 

International English Language Testing System (IELTS)

The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is also accepted with a minimum score of 7.  

For detailed instructions on completing the online application, please review the DUSP Application Instructions. 

If you are interested in applying to the PhD in Transportation or the Master of Science in Transportation, follow this link:  https://gradapply.mit.edu/transportation/apply/login/

The Department of Urban Studies and Planning offers financial assistance to Master's students and Doctoral students. All admitted students are considered for departmental financial aid.

Tuition

Tuition and the estimated living expenses for a single graduate student are available via the MIT Registrar's Office. Additional costs should be budgeted for students with families.

Living expenses vary widely depending on such factors as marital status, availability of resources, and interests. The Institute has calculated a Standard Graduate Student cost of attendance that you can review here. 

Master in City Planning (MCP)

Applicants to the MCP program who are accepted are offered a minimum financial aid package of 75% tuition and student health insurance. In addition, some Master's students are also offered a research assistantship covering a monthly stipend in exchange for ten hours per week of work for a faculty member. 

MCP students may also seek additional financial aid through opportunities such as faculty sponsored research grants and hourly-paid jobs. All students are eligible to apply for departmentally funded hourly jobs and off-campus internships.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Five to seven PhD students are admitted with complete financial aid packages for five years, including summer funding. A typical funding package consists of a first year fellowship followed by four years of department funding. This covers full tuition, a monthly stipend, and student health insurance. In exchange, students serve as research assistants or teaching assistants during each of the semesters for which they receive department funding. Summer funding is available in the form of research assistantships or curriculum development teaching assistantships. Other PhD students are admitted without departmental financial aid. These students must have either an externally funded fellowship, a research assistantship funded by outside sources, or their own financial resources and will be asked to provide official proof of funding upon being admitted.  Under current policies, students without MIT financial aid or external funding cannot be admitted to the program.

Once students have completed their general exams by the end of their fourth semester, and have developed a preliminary dissertation proposal, they can qualify for non-resident reduced tuition (5 percent for the first three terms of non-resident status, and 15% for the last three semesters).

Loans

All Master's and PhD students are eligible at any time to apply for loans and nondepartmental funds. Some restrictions may apply to international students. MIT's Student Financial Services (SFS) administers both need-based and non-need-based loans. Loan eligibility for need-based loans is determined by using a standard budget developed by the SFS. Specific loan programs include:

• Federal Direct Stafford Student Loans. This program of need-based loans is the best source of loan funds for MIT graduate students. Click here for the maximum annual amount for this loan and additional information. Interest rates vary.

• MIT Technology Loans. A technology loan may be available to meet need beyond the Stafford loan. Although need-based, all MIT loans for graduate students require a co-maker.

• Alternative Loans. These loans may be available to students not eligible for need-based loans. They may also be available to replace the expected student contribution, calculated by the SFS for need-based loans. The SFS keeps information on many different alternative loan programs.

Internships

Off-campus internships provide MCP candidates with the opportunity to gain practical experience in the planning field, while securing resources to help meet living and other expenses. All students are eligible to participate in off-campus internships, but we encourage students to be realistic about the amount of time they can actually spend working and commuting to work, given the heavy demands of their coursework. The following is information on DUSP's primary internship opportunities: the DUSP Career Development Internship Program.

DUSP Career Development Internships

The DUSP Career Development Internship program is aimed at providing Master's and upper-level Undergraduate students with meaningful professional experience to strengthen and enhance their academic experience. The Career Development Program regularly solicits listings for semester-long internships from an extensive database of area alumni/ae and other employers. Students in the Department have worked at a variety of local organizations, including community development corporations, public agencies, and private consulting firms. Students may also secure positions on their own, using their own contacts and networks.  Students receive a stipend from the Department based on an internship commitment of 144 hours (an average of 12 hours per week for 12 weeks). MCP students receive a stipend of $3,500 and Undergraduates are paid on an hourly basis. The Department offers limited financial support to eligible organizations. Students, employers and faculty sponsors sign a three-way agreement describing the work assignment and compensation arrangements. In addition, MIT Career Advising & Professional Development (CAPD) provides assistance to all MIT students, including access to resources helpful to internship seekers.