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Admissions
The following sections describe the application process in detail.
Undergraduate Admission
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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:
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.
Open House for Prospective Graduate Students
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Stay tuned for details about a virtual Open House for graduate programs in Fall 2020.
Graduate Admission
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The DUSP Graduate Application for Fall 2021 admission is available starting September 5th 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. All supplemental materials should be sent to the following address:
- MIT Department of Urban Studies & Planning
- DUSP Admissions
- 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Room 9-413
- Cambridge, MA 02139-4307
Deadline
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 2021 admissions cycle.
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
- Required: For applicants whose native language is not English, even if they have attended school in the United States. No exceptions are made for this requirement. Permanent residents or US Citizens do not need to take the TOEFL exam. If you need clarification on the policy, please see FAQs.
- MCP & PhD Minimum Score: 600 (paper-based), 100 (internet-based).
- Reporting codes: 3514 (MIT), 97 (DUSP)
The Admissions Committee regards English proficiency as an important criterion for success in all degree programs. Applicants must request that offical results be sent directly to MIT by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) and submit a scanned copy along with their online application. We recommend taking the TOEFL on or before December 10th to ensure that your official scores are received by the application deadline. Upon arrival, students must take an English diagnostic test, regardless of whether they have attended English-speaking schools or have studied previously in English-speaking countries.
International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is also accepted with a minimum score of 7. See TOEFL information for more details on the requirement. We recommend taking the IELTS on or before December 10th to ensure that your official scores are received by the application deadline.
Please review the DUSP Application Instructions when you are completing the online application. The enclosed details correspond to each of the numbered sections of the application.
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/
Peer Application Support Service (PASS)
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The Students of Color Committee (SCC), Latinx, and Queers in the Built Environment (QuBE) at MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning (DUSP) are committed to increasing the diversity of each admitted class and are excited that you are considering the PASS program in your application process.
What is PASS?
PASS is a mentorship program intended to support prospective international applicants, queer applicants, and applicants of color by connecting them to current students who can provide guidance during the application process. Mentors can advise on individual applications, proofread final drafts of essays, and answer questions about the curriculum. The PASS program is most active during the fall and winter months.
If you are interested in taking part in PASS, please follow the instructions below:
- Fill out the PASS interest form here. [As of 12/6/19 PASS is no longer accepting applications for this admissions cycle]
- If you have specific questions or concerns, email SCC PASS (sccrecruit@gmail.com).
Please fill out the PASS interest form by November 30. A current graduate student volunteer will contact you soon after receiving your request. If you sign up for PASS after the deadline, we will do our best to accommodate you on a rolling basis, as mentors become available. We encourage you to sign up as soon as possible, as mentors are increasingly less available as the semester progresses. Please keep in mind that graduate students are volunteering their time to PASS and are offering this service to supplement other support you should be getting from your own personal and professional networks. Though PASS is intended to extend SCC/Latinx/QuBE's support to you in this application process, this is by no means a guarantee of admission.
Please note: this initiative is primarily geared toward prospective Masters students; PhD students are welcome to sign up, but our ability to match you is quite limited as most volunteers are Masters students. If you'd like additional information about the PhD program, we encourage you to reach out to the departmental contact for PhD admissions at duspapply@mit.edu.
Financial Aid
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The Department of Urban Studies and Planning offers financial assistance to Master's students and of Doctoral students. We encourage all applicants to apply for aid regardless of nationality or race. To facilitate a student's search for financial aid, DUSP maintains an updated list of external fellowship opportunities, both domestic and international. Please see scholarship link below.
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. Monthly living costs (housing, food, and personal expenses) average $2,400 for a single graduate student and $3,050 for a married graduate student. The estimated living expenses assume that a student will live frugally. Little is allowed for clothing, travel, and incidental expenses. The budget does not include the purchase or maintenance of an automobile or other major items. It may be possible with careful budget planning to reduce the allowances for housing and food, but not by more than two or three hundred dollars. Round trip transportation costs and travel insurance are not included.
Master in City Planning (MCP)
Applicants to the MCP program may opt in for consideration for departmental funding during their application process. All Master's students who ask to be considered for departmental support in their application and who are accepted into a graduate program, are offered a minimum financial aid package of 75% tuition. In addition, some Master's students are also offered a research assistantship covering a monthly stipend and health insurance in exchange for ten hours per week of work for a faculty member.
MCP may also seek additional financial aid through opportunities such as tuition and travel grants and hourly-paid jobs. All students are eligible to apply for departmentally funded hourly jobs and off-campus internships. Financial aid is awarded based on need and merit.
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Five to seven PhD students are admitted with complete financial aid packages for four years. A typical funding package consists of a first year fellowship followed by three years of department funding. This covers full tuition and a monthly stipend. In exchange, students serve as research assistants or instructors during each of the semesters for which they receive department funding. After the first four years, it is sometimes possible to obtain an externally funded research assistantship or a departmentally funded instructorship.
Other PhD students are admitted without financial aid. These students must have either an externally funded fellowship, a research assistantship funded by outside sources, or their own financial resources. Under current policies, students without MIT financial aid or external funding cannot be admitted to the program.
Once students have completed their general exams, normally by the end of their third year, 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 admitted with or without aid 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 tuition costs and living 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 $3,000 and Undergraduates receive $2,500. 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.
Fellowships
Legatum Fellowship Program
A number of fellowships are available to DUSP students. Of particular note to students interested in international development is the Legatum fellowship program. The Legatum Center seeks entrepreneurs who aspire to have a lasting and positive economic impact on low-income countries by developing their own entrepreneurial ideas and building their own local enterprises. The application deadline is February 15th and the program is only available to MIT students. More information can be found on their website: http://legatum.mit.edu/resources/legatum-fellowships/
Donald M. Payne International Development Program
The Donald M. Payne International Development Program seeks to attract and prepare young people for careers in the USAID Foreign Service. The Payne Graduate Fellowship Program provides benefits of up to $90,000 over two years toward a two-year master's degree, arranges internships on Capitol Hill and USAID Missions, and provides professional development and support activities for those who want to become Foreign Service Officers in the U.S. Agency for International Development. Fellows may use the fellowship to attend any good two-year master's program in a U.S. institution to study an area of relevance to international development, including international relations, public policy, public administration, languages, public health, environmental sciences, agriculture, urban studies, or business administration. At the end of the two-year fellowship, Fellows enter the Foreign Service of the U.S. Agency for International Development. Applicants must be college seniors or graduates looking to start graduate school in the fall of the year they apply, have GPAs of at least 3.2 and be U.S. citizens. It welcomes applications from those with any undergraduate major who have an interest in a career of international service. Information and application materials can be found at https://www.paynefellows.org/. The Program is funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development and managed by Howard University.
Frequently Asked Questions
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I don't have a background in design--can I apply?
Yes. Our students come from a variety of academic and professional backgrounds, including but not limited to public policy, urban design & planning, architecture, economics, political science and engineering.
What is the deadline for applying to DUSP?
Completed applications and supporting materials must be post marked or submitted electronically by January 3rd for admission the following September.
Where should I send my application?
We strongly recommend that you fill out the online application available at: https://gradapply.mit.edu/dusp
I submitted an application but would like to know if you have received it, or if anything is missing. How do I check?
Because of the large volume of applications we receive, we can not confirm receipt of official transcripts or test scores.
Where should I send my official transcripts & test scores?
All supporting materials (letters of recommendation may be sent directly by the evaluator) should be sent to the address below:
- MIT Department of Urban Studies & Planning
- DUSP Admissions
- 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Room 9-413
- Cambridge, MA 02139-4307
Can I submit more than 3 letters of recommendation?
No, we will not review more than three letters of recommendation.
Do I need to submit a portfolio or writing sample?
It is recommended that applicants to the CDD program group submit a portfolio, however; it is not required.
How many applications do you receive each year?
We have approximately 400 applicants to our MCP program each year, and of those we accept 55-60 students. For the PhD program we have approximately 125 applicants and accept 10-12 doctoral candidates.
What are my chances of admission to your program based on the following criteria (GRE scores, class rank, etc.)?
We cannot provide preliminary evaluations of chances for admissions based on any one or two qualifications. The Graduate Admissions Committee carefully reviews the entire application package (statement of intent, GRE scores, recommendation letters, transcripts, etc.) to determine admission decisions.
I applied to DUSP in a previous year, but was not admitted. How do I re-apply?
If you would like to re-apply to the program, you must follow the same steps as a new applicant. We do not keep transcripts, test scores or any other application materials on file from previous years.
Do I need to take the GRE exam and what is the minimum score?
GRE scores are required of all applicants and should be taken early enough for scores to reach MIT before the January 3 deadline. We do not accept the GMAT as a replacement. The Verbal, Quantitative, and Analytical Writing sections are required of all applicants to the DUSP Graduate Program. There is no minimum score requirement for the MCP program. The minimum score required for the PhD program is 1200 V&Q combined (308 in the new scoring system), and an analytical writing score of 5.0.
Do I need to take the TOEFL exam? Can the TOEFL exam be waived in certain cases for international students?
The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is required of every applicant whose native or first language is not English. No exceptions will be made for this requirement. If you completed an undergraduate or masters degree in the US but are from a non-English speaking country you are REQUIRED to take the IELTS/TOEFL. If you are from the US but were raised speaking another language, you are REQUIRED to take the IELTS/TOEFL. The Admissions Committees regard English proficiency as crucial for success in all degree programs. A minimum TOEFL score of 100 (internet-based) is required by DUSP. We also accept the IELTS (International English Language Testing System with a minimum of 7. Permanent residents or US Citizens do no need to take the TOEFL exam.
What codes do I use when reporting my GRE and TOEFL scores to DUSP?
The codes you should use when reporting your GRE scores to DUSP are as follows: 3514 (MIT), 2205 (DUSP). When reporting TOEFL exam scores, applicants should use: 3514 (MIT), 97 (DUSP).
What forms do I fill out to apply for financial aid?
You can apply for aid by filling out the of the "Financial Support" section included in the online application.
Do you provide financial support for foreign applicants?
All applicants who request financial aid are considered.
When will I know if I have received financial aid?
All financial aid decisions are made at the same time as the admission decisions.
Do I need to request an interview before I apply to DUSP?
We do not conduct interviews as part of the admissions process but we encourage you to attend our Open House in the Fall for prospective students.
Do you have interpreters to read international applications?
No, it is the applicants responsibility to have an application and all its contents translated to English before it is submitted. If a college or university does not issue transcripts, a certfied letter must be provided. It should list courses, grades, and degrees and date received.
When will I be notified of my admission decision?
Admission decision letters will be sent by the first week of April.
May I defer admissions?
No, we do not defer admissions. You may re-apply the following year by following the same steps as a new applicant.
Do you provide any assistance in preparing an application?
The Students of Color Committee at DUSP have created the "Peer Application Support Service" (SCC PASS) to provide assistance to prospective Masters in City Planning students in the application process. SCC PASS is intended to support student of color applicants through individual application advising, proofreading final drafts of essays, and answering questions about the program. See the sidebar link under "Application Instructions" above or click here.
Can I get two degrees from MIT at the same time? Can I get a degree from Harvard and DUSP at the same time?
Students may pursue dual degrees in virtually any other department at MIT, provided they are accepted for admission and complete degree requirements in each department. Some common dual degrees completed by planning students are with architecture, real estate development, and transportation. Students who have been admitted to study for the Master in City Planning may apply to the other program during their first year of study at MIT and propose a program of joint work in the two fields that will lead to the simultaneous awarding of two degrees. Please be aware that pursuing a dual degree will add at least a year to your studies. MIT Students are not eligible to complete a degreee at both Harvard and MIT simultaneously.