Study Abroad: How to Apply and What to Expect After Graduation
She enrolled in Fashion PR programs at five US universities
USA, Massachusetts, Cambridge · The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, or MIT, is rightly considered the centre of global innovation. This is where some of the strongest research is carried out and new technologies are born: in artificial intelligence, robotics, bioengineering and beyond. At SelfStartGlobal we know that with the right strategy, a strong academic profile and a well-presented application, getting into MIT is realistic. Offers from MIT received by our students prove it.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is a private research university founded in 1861. For the 14th year in a row it is ranked No. 1 in the world in the QS World University Rankings (2026).
MIT’s academic culture is built around research and practice: undergraduates join real laboratory projects through UROP, and the university’s motto, Mens et Manus (“Mind and Hand”), sums up its balance of science and hands-on work.
MIT is especially strong in engineering, computer science, physics, economics and management, and its interdisciplinary approach lets students combine technology with design, policy and business.
MIT alumni include Buzz Aldrin, Kofi Annan, Richard Feynman, Intel co-founder Robert Noyce and Dropbox founder Drew Houston.
Since its founding, MIT has been the birthplace of technologies that have changed our lives: from radar and early digital computers to 3D printing and CRISPR gene-editing research.
More than 100 Nobel laureates are associated with MIT, and its alumni have founded companies such as Intel, Dropbox, Qualcomm and Bose.
Facts about the Massachusetts Institute of Technology:
MIT is a community of ambitious people. Students here learn not just to solve problems and equations, but to change our future.
Getting into the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a process that requires strategy and attention to every detail. An excellent GPA is not enough: you need to show yourself as a person, demonstrate leadership, a passion for science and potential for research and discovery.
Step-by-step admission process:
First, decide on the level of study (bachelor’s, master’s or PhD) and the programme. MIT offers more than 50 undergraduate majors, from robotics and computer science to economics.
The package includes academic transcripts, essays, recommendations, test scores and proof of English proficiency. Engineering applicants often add a project portfolio.
MIT is looking for people with a spark in their eyes who can explain why they want to change the world.
For autumn entry: Early Action by 1 November, Regular Action by 4 January.
Held online or in person with an MIT alumnus (Educational Counselor). It is not mandatory: if an interview cannot be offered, it is waived without affecting your application. It is a chance to show not only your intellect, but also your personality and motivation.
— GPA: 3.8 out of 4.0 or higher.
— English: IELTS 7.0 minimum (7.5 recommended); TOEFL 5.0 minimum (5.5 recommended) on the new scale from January 2026, previously 90/100.
— SAT: Math 780–800, Reading and Writing 740–780 (middle 50%); ACT 34–36.
— 2 letters of recommendation (one from a maths or science teacher, the other from a humanities, social science or language teacher).
— Essays about yourself and your projects.
— A bachelor's degree with excellent grades.
— GRE if required by the department (or GMAT for the Sloan School of Management).
— IELTS or TOEFL results.
— Essays, CV, research portfolio.
MIT evaluates the student’s profile as a whole: not only academic knowledge, but how it is applied, leadership, goals and motivation. We help build a complete step-by-step admission strategy, choose a programme, write a convincing essay and present your achievements effectively, so that you not only get in but also receive a 50% to 100% scholarship.
Studying at MIT is expensive, but thanks to financial aid it can be significantly reduced or even fully covered.
Cost for 2026/27:
MIT admits undergraduates on a need-blind basis, including international applicants, and meets 100% of demonstrated financial need. Families earning less than $200,000 a year (with typical assets) pay no tuition. In 2025/26 about 60% of MIT students received financial aid, and about 40% studied tuition-free.
Available grants and scholarships:
We help students choose the right kind of financial support, complete the CSS Profile (and the FAFSA for US citizens), prepare the application and support them throughout the admission process.
Life at MIT is full of academic activity and, at the same time, freedom. The campus sits on the Charles River, a short distance from Harvard, and looks like a mini city of the future: it is home to research centres, laboratories and innovation hubs, and some of its residence halls are strikingly modern.
MIT students seem to live by the principle “Work hard, play smart”. Hackathons, start-up challenges, research projects and even robotics competitions take place all the time.
Student life in numbers:
At MIT, students do not just study. They create, turn ideas into reality and change our future.
MIT is known for its interdisciplinary approach: for example, engineering students can also study design or policy, and the business school works closely with engineering and medical laboratories.
MIT is organised into five schools (including the MIT Sloan School of Management) and the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing, each a benchmark in its field:
Includes Aerospace, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Robotics.
Many Nobel Prize-winning discoveries were made here.
A leader in urban studies, architecture and sustainable development.
Philosophy, economics, history, political science.
A flagship in artificial intelligence and big data.
Admission to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology requires academic knowledge and achievements, but a personal brand and a well-built strategy are just as important. We support students from the first steps to getting a visa and starting their studies.
Our services:
Come for a free consultation: we will help you build a strategy for getting into the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) or any other university abroad and take the first step towards the degree of your dreams.
She enrolled in Fashion PR programs at five US universities
She was admitted to three American universities at once: Augustana College, Widener University, and the University of South Dakota. She chose Augustana College, where she received a scholarship of $45,000 per year.
Got accepted to NYU Abu Dhabi on the first try (acceptance rate 4%) with a scholarship of $217,000. Also received offers from Lynn and Drexel University.
I was accepted to the PhD program at Columbia University on my first try, having strengthened my profile and compiled my achievements into a strong application.
He entered a master’s program in the USA at two universities at once – Brandeis University and Washington University in St. Louis, receiving scholarships totaling $80,000. He chose Brandeis University and went to study on the first try.
She enrolled in graphic design at universities in France, Italy and Hungary. She received scholarships at all of them and chose the university with the maximum funding — $135,000 for the entire period of study.
She entered graduate school at Kent State University and Ohio University. At Ohio University, she won a Graduate Teaching Assistantship with full funding of $37,774, covering tuition, insurance, and living expenses.
He entered Siena Heights University (USA) for the Theater and Music program with a full scholarship of $170,000. Preparation took less than a year.
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