International Students
International Students Office (ISO)
The ISO at MIT is an office all international students and is your primary resource for all questions and concerns you may have related to the visa process, maintaining your status while in the US, and your work opportunities in the US under your MIT sponsored visa.
For the School of Architecture and Planning, and the Center for Real Estate, Sylvia Hiestand ( 617-253-3795/ shiestan@mit.edu ) is the Associate Director of the ISO and the MSRED Program's Advisor Point-of-Contact. Please be patient when reaching out to her; she will return a response to you within a few business days.
International students are required to attend an ISO orientation session within 30 days of their arrival in the US as part of maintaining your F-1 visa compliance. You also will not be able to register for classes, or receive an ID Card without completion of this session. The ISO offers a number of these orientation sessions in the weeks before fall classes begin, which you may sign up for via the iMIT Portal.
If you are an international student and are already in the US do not leave the country; the ISO will process your visa paperwork transfer (from your current visa status to F-1 Student status) over the summer.
The online iMIT Portal through which you applied for your I-20 allows the ISO to track the progress of your application and our advisor Point-of-Contact, Sylvia Hiestand, will work with you one-on-one should delays occur.
You are unable to enter the US and attend classes at MIT unless you are arriving on an F-1 student visa. You will not be allowed to attend classes on campus if you enter the US on any visa other than an F-1 with the intent to study at MIT.
Important Immigration Updates
The most important and up-to-date immigration information will be available on the International Students Office (ISO) website on the following pages:
ISO Homepage: http://iso.mit.edu
ISO Major Immigration Updates page: http://iso.mit.edu/immigration/imm_updates.shtml
Visa Processes: https://iso.mit.edu/getting-started/obtaining-a-visa/
Students seeking a visa are unable to visit the consulate in their respective country any earlier than 120 days in advance of their expected arrival date.
If you are planning to leave the US during your time as an MIT student for course or leisure travel or for conference/research purposes, please ensure you carry the following information with you at all times:
Valid passport
Visa with a consulate stamp
Financial Support Documentation
For conference, research or other travel, have a letter indicating your student status and dates of your travel. (the CRE can supply this)
English as a Second Language Program
MIT's English Language Studies classes aim to meet the needs of MIT's diverse population: bilingual American students, newly-arrived immigrants, international students and visiting scholars who are in the US temporarily, as well as MIT faculty members and employees whose first language is not English. A major goal of the program is to foster facility and appropriateness in English language communication in a variety of academic and professional contexts.
The English Evaluation Test
In accordance with policy established by the MIT Committee on Graduate School Policy, newly admitted international graduate students whose language of instruction from primary school onwards was not English must take the English Evaluation Test (EET) as a prerequisite for registering. Visiting scholars, scientists, postdoctoral fellows and other MIT affiliates may take the EET to determine the appropriate subject to match their level of skill, but restrictions apply in regards to space availability.
The Center for Real Estate is committed to student success and those students who score poorly on the EET will be required to take an appropriate English course which can be counted towards degree requirements. Visit MIT Center for Real Estate EET Policy for more information.
For Fall 2023, the English Evaluation Test will be held in person in late August. If visa and/or vaccination delays cause you to miss this exam, you must take the exam when it's offered again in January. More information about the EET can be found here.
The Writing Center
The Writing Center offers several services to the MIT community during the academic year. Students and staff members can get free individual consultation about any writing difficulty, from questions about grammar to matters of style, including difficulties common to writers, such as overcoming writer's block, organizing papers, taking essay exams, revising one's work, or presenting scientific information. They may visit the Center during any stage of the writing process: prewriting, writing a first draft, revising, or editing.
The Center also offers instruction both to individuals and groups in methods of oral presentation (how to write a speech, how to use visual aids, how to conduct oneself when presenting scientific or nonscientific information). The Center provides specialized help to those for whom English is a second language. For appointments sign-up online at mit.mywconline.com or visit the Center in E18 Room 233.
Internships, CPT, OPT
Student visa regulations do not allow students to work in the US until they have 2 semesters of academic study behind them. Aside from opportunities at MITIMCo, which falls under the auspices of MIT, international students are unable to participate in a US-based externship during the month of January. We work with our alumni and partners to determine what opportunities may be available in international locations each year that students may apply to. In order to participate in CPT, you must have two semesters as a full-time student in the US.
Curricular Practical Training (CPT)
CPT is available only to those students whose degree program requires an internship/residency, or whose degree program has an internship course that can be counted towards degree requirements.
The MSRED Program at MIT has the latter option available for students: there is a summer internship option which students may count toward degree requirements. (Please note that students registering for the internship course during the summer semester are required to pay the tuition fees indicated/associated with registering for the course. )
Optional Practical Training (OPT)
Available to all F-1 students, either as a pre- or post- completion option, provided you have not already used 12 months of OPT at the same educational level at another US institution.
As the MSRED Program is not a STEM-designated program, F-1 OPT for MSRED students is capped at 12 months.