Tuition
Tuition rates for the following year are established each spring. Tuition for the 2024-25 academic year is $30,995 per semester plus approximately $2,600 for the summer*, and a Student Life fee of $203.00 per term. The total cost of attendance is approximately $68,250.
For more detailed information regarding the cost of attendance, including specific costs for tuition and fees, books and supplies, housing and food as well as transportation, please visit the SFS website.”
Students are automatically enrolled in MIT’s Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP), which costs $3,237 for the year. Students who hold sufficient coverage may be able to waive the SHIP.
*tuition rates are established each spring, for the upcoming year. This summer rate is for current students; next year the rate will be slightly higher.
Housing and Living Expenses
Typical monthly expenses for housing, food, books, and personal items average about $3,300.00 for a single student. This figure is a guideline only and should be carefully estimated based on individual circumstances. Some GPSW students live on campus—the MIT Graduate Housing Office can provide information on the cost and availability of student housing—while others find housing in the surrounding area.
Departmental Financial Aid
Our students receive financial aid in the form of tuition fellowships offered through MIT. Occasionally, we work with students to arrange hourly communications positions with MIT departments; these student employees work up to 10 hours per week at an MIT publication, communications office, or research facility.
All tuition fellowships offered through GPSW are “gift aid” that does not need to be paid back. Past science writing students have also received competitive MIT fellowships through the Graduate Program in Science Writing or through MIT‘s Office of Graduate Education after being nominated by the program director. These fellowships include the John S. Hennessy Fellowship, the Collamore-Rogers Fellowship, the Ida M. Green Fellowship, and the John A. Lyons Fellowship. Please contact the Graduate Program in Science Writing for further information at 617-253-6668.
Additional Fellowship and Grant Resources
In addition to the funds available at MIT, there are other sources of financial aid for graduate students worth exploring. The Office of Graduate Education’s fellowships page is a good place to start the search for outside funding. Past GPSW students have supplemented their departmental award with the Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship, the Taylor/Blakeslee University Fellowship (specifically for graduate science writing students), the Switzer Foundation Fellowship, and the National Press Club Feldman Fellowship. We have also hosted international Fulbright Fellows. External fellowships will not affect the total amount of aid you receive from MIT unless all of your expenses have already been covered and you are already receiving a 12-month “premium” stipend. Premium stipend rates are set annually by the Institute.
Student Loans
If you need loans to help cover remaining graduate education costs, federally subsidized loans are available to US citizens and permanent residents. Apply by submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which becomes available October 1 of the year before your GPSW fall semester will start. Student loans are also available through private lending companies, but these companies usually offer higher interest rates and more stringent borrower terms than the US government. MIT Student Financial Services in room 11-120 can help you navigate forms and financial aid procedures for student loans. They are available at sfs@mit.edu or at 617-253-4971.
