Making MIT your home: On-campus housing options
Choosing where to live is a big decision and the team at MIT Housing & Residential Services (HRS) is ready to help you explore your housing options. Graduate housing at MIT offers a variety of on-campus options at different price points for both single students and students with families:
On-campus housing does not require advance payment of rent and redeemable deposits, and is billed through MIT Pay; includes all utilities (e.g., high speed internet, electricity, heat, hot water); and almost all units are furnished. Specific rates are available from Housing and Residential Services.
First-year graduate students receive priority during the General Allocation Lottery which typically runs in April. There are many reasons why thousands of MIT graduate students choose to make MIT their home – community, choice and convenience are just a few. Learn more about on-campus housing options by visiting graduatehousing.mit.edu and Graduate Housing at a Glance.
Exploring off-campus housing options
The team at HRS also helps students navigate the off-campus housing search process with online tools, available at www.mitoffcampus.com (MIT credentials required). A wide range of housing is available off campus at different price points.
Compared to on-campus housing, off-campus housing generally requires advance payment of rent and redeemable deposits; additional monthly payments for utilities (e.g., high speed internet, electricity, heat, hot water) and are rented unfurnished.
International students
Because the first few months in the United States usually demand more financial outlay than any other period, students should plan to arrive with enough money to meet substantial initial expenses (for at least the first two months of stay), such as travel to Cambridge from the port of arrival; travel insurance; temporary accommodations in hotels, if necessary; meals in restaurants; purchase of furnishings, advanced payment of rent and redeemable deposits for housing, electricity, gas, heat and telephone services if you will be living off-campus. New students should review the International Students Office (ISO) website, especially the “Getting Started” and “Life at MIT” sections, as you are planning your arrival.
Income from U.S. sources is usually taxable under the U.S. tax code. Because international students are not eligible for certain deductions from taxable income, unless specified by treaty, their tax liability may be greater than that of domestic students. More on nonresident alien tax information can be found on the Office of the Vice President for Finance (VPF) website. While MIT cannot advise students about their individual tax liability, international students should consult the VPF and Office of Graduate Education (OGE) websites for helpful information.
When planning your budget, we advise that you assume taxes may absorb as much as 30% of your stipend, although for many students it will be lower.
Students with families and dependents – Graduate students with spouses and/or dependents may need to consider additional members on their health care plan; child care expenses; and higher housing costs for a larger amount of living area. Note that childcare expenses in the area can be quite high. Please also feel free to reach out to the program administrator for Graduate Students with Children, Sarah Galison, who can provide detailed information on a variety of resources for graduate students with children including the Childbirth Accommodation and/or Parental Accommodation policies and the MIT Grant for Graduate Students with Children.
Examples of student experiences
The Grad Blogs are a great resource where graduate students share their stories about navigating their time at MIT, including some financial aspects:
