MIT: What's the Real Cost to Attend?

Hey everyone! As a dreamer of MIT, I'm trying to figure out what the real cost of attending would be. Beyond just tuition, what other costs are there? Can someone breakdown the expenses involved in attending MIT? It would be super helpful to hear from those who have been through it.

MIT does have a published Cost of Attendance (COA) amount that includes more than just tuition. Here's a breakdown of the estimated costs for the academic year (fall and spring semesters) for the 2024-2025 year:

1. Tuition & Fees: The amount you pay for your classes (and fees), which for the year 2024-2025 is $62,396.

2. Housing: As a freshman, you'll be required to live in on-campus housing, and the cost is roughly $13,060. After freshman year, you can choose to live off-campus, and costs can vary.

3. Meal Plan: All students staying on campus must have a meal plan, costing approximately $7,220.

4. Books & Supplies: Although this can vary depending on your classes, MIT estimates this at about $910.

5. Personal Expenses: Included are things like laundry, cell phone bill, eating out, and more, estimated at $2,374.

So, in total, the estimated COA is around $85,960.

Keep in mind, though, that "Cost of Attendance" is not necessarily the same as "Net Price". The latter refers to what you end up paying after financial aid. MIT has a need-blind admissions policy and meets 100% of demonstrated financial need. So what you pay could end up being much lower than the COA, depending on your family's financial circumstances. You can use MIT's Net Price Calculator to get an estimate of what you'd actually pay. The idea is that no one should be deterred from applying because of financial constraints.

Remember also to consider travel costs, particularly if you're from a considerable distance away and plan on going home for breaks. These are not included in the official COA.