Click the link to open or download.

First-year Rotation Forms

• Rotation 1 form
• Rotation 2 form
• Rotation 3 form
• Rotation 4 form

Annual Forms

• Second year form
• Third year form
• Fourth year form
• Fifth+ year form

Other Forms

• Defense form 
• Travel request form

This list is not exhaustive. For additional information, please check the MIT Office of Graduate Education fellowship site and NIH Programs for Graduate and Clinical Students, and refer to the individual fellowship websites hyperlinked below.

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION GRADUATE RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP

Disciplines and Due Dates: 

October 17, 2022 (Monday) Life Sciences

October 18, 2022 (Tuesday) Computer and Information Science and Engineering, Materials Research, Psychology, Social Sciences, STEM Education and Learning

October 20, 2022 (Thursday) Engineering

October 21, 2022 (Friday) Chemistry, Geosciences, Mathematical Sciences, and Physics and Astronomy

Reference letter deadline: October 28, 2022 5pm ET

Requirements: Only US citizens or permanent residents may apply - applicants can only apply one time (either prospective, 1st or 2nd year, but not more than once)
Academic eligibility:  Prospective graduate student / 1st and 2nd year graduate student
Award: stipend plus up to $12,000 for tuition (3 years)

SMART SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

Deadline: December 1, 2022 5 PM EST
Requirements: US citizens or Australia, Canada, New Zealand, or United Kingdom.  Must be able to obtain security clearance, and willing to work as a civilian at the DoD after graduating. Able to complete at least one summer internship and willing to accept employment with the DoD post-graduation.
Disciplines: STEM disciplines including but not limited to: Cognitive, Neural, and Behavioral Sciences, Computer and Computational Sciences,   Information Sciences
Academic eligibility:  Undergraduate and Graduate student with good standing with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale at the time of award.
Award: Stipend, full tuition, health insurance, miscellaneous supplies allowance, travel and paid summer internship, and DoD employment

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (DOD), NATIONAL DEFENSE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING GRADUATE FELLOWSHIP 

Requirements:  US citizens or nationals only – proof of citizenship will be required upon formal offer
Disciplines:  Including but not limited to Cognitive, Neural, and Behavioral Sciences, Computer and Computational Sciences
Academic eligibility: Within 1st-2nd year of program. Be pursuing research in alignment with one or more of the specific topics identified in the DoD’s Broad Agency Announcements.
Award: Stipend, full tuition, $1,200 for medical insurance (3 years)

FANNIE AND JOHN HERTZ FOUNDATION GRADUATE FELLOWSHIP

Deadline: October 28, 2022
Requirements: US citizens or permanent residents only
Disciplines:  Applied physical, biological and engineering sciences or mathematics
Academic eligibility: Prospective and first year graduate student.
Award:  Two award structures: Stipend and tuition; renewable for up to five years

FORD FOUNDATION PREDOCTORAL (GRADUATE) FELLOWSHIPS

Deadline: December 15, 2022
Requirements: All citizens, nationals, and permanent residents of the United States, as well as individuals granted deferred action status under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program
Disciplines: Including but not limited to biological and bomedical sciences, communications, computer science, cultural studies, engineering, ethnic studies, international relations, language, life sciences, linguistics, and psychology
Academic eligibility: PhD graduate students / 1st and 2nd year graduate student interested in a career in teaching and research at the college or university level. 
Award: stipends of $27,000, travel to a Conference of Ford Fellows, no tuition (3 years)

FORD FOUNDATION DISSERTATION FELLOWSHIPS

Deadline: December 8, 2022
Requirements: All citizens, nationals, and permanent residents of the United States, as well as individuals granted deferred action status under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program
Disciplines: Including but not limited to biological and biomedical science, communications, computer science, cultural studies, engineering, ethnic studies, international relations, language, life sciences, linguistics, and psychology
Academic eligibility: Graduate students who have successfully pass quals and will complete their dissertation in a period of 9-12 months during the 2023-2024 academic year but no later than Fall 2024.
Award:  Stipends of $28,000, travel to a Conference of Ford Fellows, no tuition (9-12 months)

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (DOE) COMPUTATIONAL SCIENCE GRADUATE FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM

Deadline:  Not yet published (usually January) 
Requirements:  US citizens and permanent residents
Disciplines:  DOE CSGF recipients use math and computers to conduct doctoral research in many fields, including but not limited to computer, physical, mathematical or life sciences
Academic eligibility: 1st year graduate students
Award:  Stipends of $38,000, full tuition, $1,000 professional development allowance

AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIPS & FELLOWSHIPS 

Various deadlines and scholarship award amounts ($1,000 – 25,000) – check website for complete information

PAUL AND DAISY SOROS FELLOWSHIP FOR NEW AMERICANS

Deadline:  October 27, 2022 2 pm EST
Requirements: "New Americans” which is defined as born in the US to parents born abroad as non-US citizens, naturalized US citizens, green card holders, adopted (born outside of the US by American parents and granted US citizenship as a result of adoption) or DACA recipients. Must be under 31 years old as of the application deadline
Disciplines:  All fields
Academic eligibility:  Prospective or current graduate students in 1st or 2nd year
Award: Up to $90,000 over two years

AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL FOUNDATION, ELIZABETH MUNSTERBERG KOPPITZ CHILD PSYCHOLOGY GRADUATE FELLOWSHIPS

Deadline:  November 15, 2022
Disciplines:   In the areas of psychology, such as child-clinical, pediatric, school, educational and developmental psychopathology
Academic eligibility:  Advanced graduate students (have passed qualifying exams at time of application)
Award:  Stipend up to $25,000, tuition waiver/coverage from home institution for 1 year of support

AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN (AAUW) AMERICAN FELLOWSHIPS DISSERATION FELLOWSHIP 

Deadline:  November 1, 2022
Requirements:  Scholar who identifies as a woman, US citizenship or permanent residents only
Disciplines:  All fields of study
Academic eligibility:  Graduate student working on doctoral dissertation (4th year or later).
Award:  $8,000 to $50,000 for living and educational expenses, dependent childcare, travel to meetings/seminars equipment, tuition for dependents education and more.

AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN (AAUW) INTERNATIONAL FELLOWSHIPS

Deadline:  November 15, 2022 
Requirements:  Women, non US citizens or permanent residents
Disciplines:  All fields of study
Academic eligibility:  Performing a PhD in the US
Award:  $20,000-50,000 living and educational expenses, dependent childcare, travel to meetings/seminars, equipment, travel to home country and more.

NIH INDIVIDUAL PREDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS TO PROMOTE DIVERSITY IN HEALTH-RELATED RESEARCH (F31)

Deadline: April 8, August 8, December 8  Must be submitted through your DLC Fiscal Office.
Requirements: US citizens and permanent residents and individuals with disabilities, or from racial and ethnic groups, or individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds pursuing advanced degrees in the biomedical and behavioral sciences.
Disciplines: All disciplines relevant to National Eye Institute, National Institute on Aging, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
Academic eligibility: Graduate student studying life sciences, engineering, health sciences, biomedical, behavioral, or statistical research
Award: Stipend of $23,376, $16,000 tuition, $4,200 institutional allowance (up to 5 years including T32 support)

AMERICAN PHYSIOLOGICAL SOCIETY (APS), PORTER PHYSIOLOGY FELLOWSHIPS FOR MINORITIES

Deadline:  January 15, 2023
Requirements:  Underrepresented ethnic minorities who are US citizens or permanent residents pursuing a PhD.
Disciplines:  Physiological sciences
Academic eligibility:  Prospective/current graduate students pursuing full-time studies toward the PhD. Advisor must be an APS member in good standing
Award:  Annual stipend of $28,300, no tuition

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF JUSTICE (NIJ) GRADUATE RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM

Deadline:  Not yet published

Other fellowship databases:
BigFuture Scholarship Database
Scholarships and Grants
Pathways to Science Fellowships

Financial Support

The Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences aims to support all graduate students for their entire time of study at MIT, regardless of citizenship. Funding packages provide:

• 12-month stipend
• Tuition
• Individual health insurance, which can be waived

BCS typically provides a stipend at or above the MIT recommended rate.

The Department expects faculty labs to individually support students beyond year three, with funded research assistant appointments. If you have applied for a fellowship from non-MIT sources, please contact the Academic Office. If you receive a competitive fellowship award (e.g. NRSA, NSF, NDSEG) which contributes 50% or more to the total cost of stipend, tuition and insurance, you will receive an additional $1,000 stipend supplement for each year you are actively supported by the fellowship.

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.

Taxation

Fellowship income is taxable, but MIT does not withhold taxes from the fellowships of US citizens or permanent residents, although it does so for foreign nationals. If you are an international student and believe there is a tax treaty between the US and your country, contact Marsha Dailey, the Foreign National Tax Coordinator in the MIT Office of the Vice President for Finance, at mdailey@mit.edu or 617-253-2799.

It may be advisable to visit the IRS website for information on taxes.

• IRS information for students
• IRS information for individuals
• IRS publications

The MIT International Students Office offers information and access to tax preparation software for non-resident aliens.

The required W4 form is completed online through the MIT Atlas portal. Instructions for doing this are here.

Payroll

The MIT HR/Payroll Service Center manages payroll for the Institute. When you join the program, you will receive information on what to do in order to receive your stipend and other parts of the payroll process.

A social security number is not a required field in order to pay an individual, and there will be no delay in paying students while they apply for a social security number. You should call the Payroll Service Center (617-253-4255) as soon as they have received their social security number. Do not send Social Security numbers by email.

Students should complete the W-4 and M-4 tax forms so they are taxed per their wishes. If they do not, they will default to “Single 0” at a higher tax rate.

Banking

MIT requires direct deposit for your stipend. Use the MIT Atlas portal to seTo activate direct deposit, complete the necessary online form at . You’ll need to know the routing number of your bank and the relevant account number, which you can find at tt up direct deposit, using these instructions. Direct deposit may preclude certain fees at some banks.

The only occasion on which a stipend would not be directly deposited is if for some reason the disbursement through MITSIS is later than the payroll accounting cutoff date, generally around the 20th of each month. There are times when funding is not processed before that deadline, and a special check must be prepared by payroll, in which case it will not be directly deposited but must be picked up.

Graduate students are eligible to join the MIT Federal Credit Union. 

Helpful Links:
Student Finance Information
I-9 Obligations
Student Financial Services
Atlas (MIT Login required)

Health Services

If you are a full-time graduate student in BCS you are eligible for health insurance. The MIT Student Medical Plan is encouraged as part of your tuition coverage. You may also buy health insurance coverage for family members (spouse, partner and/or children). You may also waive health insurance if you have existing coverage elsewhere.

Dental Coverage

The MIT Graduate Student Dental Plan is offered by MIT through Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts. It is available to all MIT graduate students enrolled in a degree-granting program. It is separate from the MIT student health plans. This coverage is optional and enrollment is not automatic. Dental insurance is not required by law, and students are responsible for premiums and any dental bills they incur.

Mental Health and Counseling

MIT Medical’s Student Mental Health and Counseling Services works with students to identify, understand, and solve problems, and to help transform that understanding into positive action. The service sees nearly 21% of the student body each year, and about 29% of students in a given class by the time they graduate. 

Resources for Easing Friction and Stress (REFS) 

REFS are confidential, peer-to-peer counselors who work to ensure that grad students have someone to talk to, vent to, and problem-solve with if they’re facing any issues, from research frustration to advisor conflict to financial issues. Feel free to email bcs-refs@mit.edu or to any of the REFS listed below.

• Djuna von Maydell
• Katya Tsimring
• Gal Raz
• Josefina Correa-Menendez
• Sadie Zacharek

Childbirth Accommodation and Parental Leave

MIT graduate students have access (according to eligibility) to two different leaves when they give birth or undertake significant responsibilities for a newborn child or a child newly placed with them: Childbirth Accommodation and/or Parental Leave. Students must initiate planning with their department; the Office of Graduate Education (OGE) provides final review and approval. 

Medical Leave

Medical leave is a period of absence for a graduate student from academic and research work to allow time for treatment and recovery from mental and/or physical conditions that interfere with a student's ability to make satisfactory progress towards academic goals and participate in graduate student life. Approval of medical leave stops academic and research clocks. Students considering medical leave should make an appointment with a graduate dean to discuss their plan and options.