MIT Transfer Acceptance Rate and More

Do you want to transfer to MIT? You're in good company! Last year, about 1,500 aspiring transfer students applied there. Keep reading for the MIT transfer acceptance rate, tips for transfer applicants, and more.

MIT transfer acceptance rate

For the 2022-2023 school year, the transfer acceptance rate was 1%. Yep, it's not encouraging. All admitted transfer students enrolled.

MIT transfer requirements

MIT requires that all transfer applicants submit:

MIT transfer application
Two letters of recommendation from college professors
School Official Report from your current college
High school transcript
Transcripts from all colleges attended
SAT or ACT scores
$75 application fee

MIT suggests that the one recommendation letter come from a math or science professor and the other from a professor in any academic field who knows you well.

MIT transfer coursework

MIT says it is rare for transfer applicants who have not taken college-level calculus and calculus-based physics to be admitted. If you haven't taken those classes in college, it's probably prudent to leave MIT off your list.

MIT transfer deadline

The application deadline for transfer applicants for the fall semester is March 15. International transfer students can only enter MIT in the fall semester.

The application deadline for transfer applicants for the spring semester is October 15.

MIT community college pathways

MIT doesn't have any community college transfer agreements, but lots of other colleges do! Let's work together to find another option for you.

MIT transfer application advice

Keep your grades up, even as you work on your transfer applications. Transfer applicants' grades in college courses are almost certainly the most important element of their applications to MIT.
Submit standardized test scores. MIT requires that aspiring transfer students submit them, which is getting less common. If you think you could have gotten better SAT or ACT scores, you could re-take the test, but don't do test prep at the expense of your college coursework or getting strong transfer applications together.
Get organized. You don't want to miss the MIT transfer deadline! You're probably also considering schools other than MIT too. The transfer application process requires keeping track of lots of transfer deadlines and requirements. It's so easy to let something slip through the cracks. In my online course on transfer admission, I offer you all the spreadsheet column headings an aspiring transfer student needs to keep on top of everything.
Get compelling recommendation letters. These letters should come from college professors and focus primarily on your college-level academic performance. For more specific suggestions on how to get appealing recommendation letters, take my online course on transfer admission.
Write the right personal statement. There are topics that will make you look like a sure bet for a transfer student and topics that will scare the MIT admission office. Find out what topics competitive applicants write about in my online course on transfer admission.
Demonstrate interest in MIT in particular. Show that you want to attend MIT with lots of little college-specific details in your essays. That will make the admission office think you're likely to enroll if admitted, which may improve your odds. Get a checklist of ways prospective transfer students can demonstrate interest in my online course on transfer admission.