This website is intended as a starting point for you to become more familiar with the MIT-WHOI Joint Program.
Once you have accepted your offer of admission via Slate, please read the information below carefully and complete for your most immediate next steps at both MIT and WHOI.
International and Navy students - please be sure to read below in the sections specific to you.
Onboarding Checklists for MIT and WHOI
As you're enrolling jointly in two separate institutions, there are some steps that you'll need to complete twice, one for each institution, due to the confidential nature of the information and therefore, the inability of the two institutions to share the information between them.
You may find the Overview Checklist, which will be helpful in ensuring you've completed all steps in both locations here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yWSvDw20A1p8hp81Nu4dLsCR1sTcgliv/edit?usp=share_link&ouid=113629648546922130504&rtpof=true&sd=true
You may find detailed checklist information for MIT here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hdPjByDJlC_0s5GhnjlqUsC00ZzwMLpi/view?usp=sharing
You may find detailed checklist information for WHOI here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Fj0z7czkn7ByugteOVMUhD0KQsjApVVx/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=113629648546922130504&rtpof=true&sd=true
You may find the requirements (if any) of your affiliated home MIT department that you must meet here: linked document forthcoming in Summer.
MIT and WHOI Accounts
You'll need to set up both your MIT and WHOI email addresses. Please be sure one is forwarding to the other; it doesn't matter which, but WHOI will send you information about WHOI, and MIT will send you information about MIT, only to the email affiliated with the institution sending the email. You are responsible for ensuring you're tracking email in both accounts.
Many MIT websites are only accessible via MIT Certificates. Using the information contained in the automated email sent from MIT, download MIT Certificates. You will need this information to access course websites, registration information, visa process and procedures for international students, housing information, and your student account with Student Financial Services, among other things. You should complete this step as soon as possible. You will be unable to access relevant webpages or complete other steps related to matriculation at MIT if you don't.
Similarly, be sure you set up your WHOI account, wireless network access, VPN and DUO access as soon as possible, as it's the only way to access many WHOI resources remotely.
Health Insurance
The Basic MIT Student Medical Plan is included in tuition and all students are automatically enrolled as part of tuition charges. There is no option to waive this insurance and it provides access to most services at MIT Medical at no additional charge.
The MIT Student Extended Insurance Plan is the insurance option students are able to waive. Students are automatically enrolled in the Extended Insurance. You must opt-out of this plan if you don't wish to use it. Waiver information for the Extended Insurance Plan can be found here.
You must waive this Extended Insurance Plan by mid-August. MIT Medical will be sharing more information and deadlines in the coming months via your MIT Email address; you must monitor this account.
After this deadline, no late waivers for the fall term will be accepted.
More information about the health insurance plan, please visit the Support Resources page of this website.
NSF GRFP Recipients
For those of you who have received an NSF, congratulations!
MIT is hosting an NSF GRFP Presentations on Zoom on April 23 that you may find helpful:
Wednesday, April 23 from 12 - 1 pm Eastern
Register here: https://mit.zoom.us/meeting/register/uBUCMZ9sT9G5te0QlFI8uQ
For those of you interested in learning more about MIT Fellowships, you can sign up for the OGE's monthly Fellowships newsletter here: https://oge.mit.edu/fellowships/newsletter/ . The MIT OGE's Fellowships Homepage can be found here: https://oge.mit.edu/fellowships/
Indicate your starting date in the Summer or Fall here: https://forms.gle/6vQxo7Y2auKFq28UA. For the Summer in particular, you'll want to be sure you've discussed your start date with them first.
MIT NOW & Emergency Information
Most goings-on at MIT and WHOI have returned to pre-pandemic operations. However, all MIT-WHOI Joint Program students must either be fully-vaccinated or have a documented religious or medical exemption on file with MIT Medical in order to access campus.
Be sure you subscribe to both MIT Alerts and the WHOI Emergency Notification System. Doing so will ensure you have the most up-to-date information on any emergencies (closures due to weather, other emergencies). You must subscribe to both, MIT will not send WHOI alerts, and vice versa.
If you receive an email from MIT JP or APO staff asking you to report your current location, do so as soon as possible; we are attempting to account for all students' safety and location of all students during an emergency. This is likely to be an incredibly rare occurance. Nonetheless, please take it seriously if you receive such an email.
WHOI Campus-Wide Emergency Notification System
E2Campus is an early notification system that can send you email and text alerts when there is an emergency on campus. Register for WHOI’s campus-wide emergency notification system.
International Students
You must complete and submit the Financial Certification Form in the iMIT Portal in order for MIT to begin processing your I-20 documents. Once finalized (~3 weeks) your I-20 will be mailed to you. Be sure you input your most up-to-date mailing address in order to receive this documentation in a timely manner. Detailed process information can be found here: http://iso.mit.edu/students/getting_started.shtml.
More detailed information and next steps specific to international students can be found on the "International Students" page of this website.
Navy Students
You have the option to complete your Math refresher via the 2N programs 18.089 summer course. If you're interested, please let us know by completing this form (with the brief course description included for your reference) by May 1, 2025: https://forms.gle/ktNJ3t79cfK13Gq48
Peer Mentoring
Looking for some insight from a current student? Complete the following form to be matched up with a peer already in the program to help support you with your transition to grad school by deadline forthcoming.
Sign up for the Peer Mentoring Program here: Sign Up Form Forthcoming
Other Necessities
In addition to tuition, stipend, and health insurance support, you may want to peruse opportunities to secure the necessary computing equipment for your course of study. You should be sure to talk with your advisor about their ability to assist in funding these purchases.
MIT's Online Education Store, where you can access discounts on computers and accessories from Dell, Lenovo, and Apple: https://kb.mit.edu/confluence/display/istcontrib/Student+Computer+Purchase+Discount+Links;jsessionid=72ADEF17805833DCF015EBFF6E93D9EA