MIT Summer Research Program

Opportunity Description:


The MIT Summer Research Program (MSRP) seeks to promote the value of graduate education; to improve the research enterprise through increased diversity; and to prepare and recruit the best and brightest for graduate education at MIT.

MSRP began in 1986 as an institutional effort to address the issue of underrepresentation of African Americans, Mexican Americans, Native Americans, and Puerto Ricans in engineering and science in the United States. Today, this program’s goal is to increase the number of underrepresented minorities and underserved (e.g. low socio-economic background, first generation) students in the research enterprise.

MSRP seeks to identify talented sophomores, juniors, and non-graduating seniors who might benefit from spending a summer on MIT’s campus, conducting research under the guidance of MIT faculty members, postdoctoral fellows, and advanced graduate students.

Students who participate in this program will be better prepared and motivated to pursue advanced degrees, thereby helping to sustain a rich talent pool in critical areas of research and innovation.

Participants receive:

  • Supervision by an MIT faculty member and postdoctoral fellow or advanced graduate student
  • Individual counseling on academic careers
  • Constructive feedback on the need for further undergraduate courses and acquisition of additional laboratory skills
  • Opportunity to possibly co-author a scientific paper with the faculty mentor
  • Exposure to state of the art research laboratories in MIT departments and interdisciplinary centers
  • A weekly stipend
  • Round trip travel expenses
  • University housing (students are responsible for their food expenses)
  • Access to campus facilities (library, athletic, and health facilities)

Program features:

  • Weekly research presentation by MIT faculty
  • Weekly seminars on issues directly related to the academic, personal, and professional growth of interns
  • Community service day
  • Social outings (barbeques, boat cruise, visits to Boston area)
  • Preparation of an abstract, research paper, and graduate school statement of purpose
  • Poster presentation at the end of the program

Minimum Qualifications and/or Eligibility Requirements: 

Applicants must meet the following general eligibility criteria:

  • Have a minimum 3.5 overall or major GPA (on a 4.0 scale)
  • Must be enrolled full-time in a degree-granting program at a US institution of higher education located in the US or its territories excluding MIT
  • Be a sophomore, junior, or non-graduating senior; must have 2 academic years of college coursework (not including college credit earned while in high school or its equivalent) and not graduating prior to December 2022
  • Have an interest in pursuing a graduate degree in one of MIT’s graduate programs, Sloan professional programs not included (MBA, EMBA, LGO, etc)
  • Have a genuine interest in pursuing a career in academic research and/or teaching
  • Must be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, non-U.S. citizen with DACA, OR international student with appropriate visa and work authorizations

Applicants must also identify as one or more of the following:

  • First-generation college student who will be the first in their families to graduate from a four-year college or university.
  • Member of an ethnic or racial group historically underrepresented in graduate education at MIT (Black/African American, American Indian/Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian or other Native Pacific Islander, Hispanic/Latinx)
  • An undergraduate scholar currently participating in a fellowship or academic support program vetted by MIT (OGE will verify an applicant’s status while pursuing a baccalaureate degree at a U.S. institution)
  • Having had experiences overcoming significant challenges in their path toward graduate school. Examples include but are not limited to
    • Managing a disability
    • Being of a gender or orientation identity historically underrepresented in their graduate field of study
    • Veteran status
    • Single parent
    • Holding DACA status
    • Financial hardship as a result of family economic circumstances

Application Process: 

Submit your application here.

For more information, please refer to the program FAQ or the provided resources for applicants on this page.

Application Deadline: 

Monday, January 10, 2022
For more information on this opportunity, please contact:
Website/CV: 
https://oge.mit.edu/graddiversity/msrp/