Graduate Research Assistant Tuition Subsidy

Dear colleagues,

Following engagement with faculty and the deans of our schools and college, we will soon change the way that we fund research assistant (RA) tuition from the central budget. This change will enable MIT to continue providing a 55% tuition subsidy for graduate RAs (including those funded on non-grant sources, like start-up packages and gift funds) while phasing in limits on the total graduate tuition subsidy that is funded from the central budget.

Summer tuition for thesis-enrolled graduate students will be unaffected and will remain fully subsidized.

What is changing?

Starting in the 2025–2026 academic year, the schools and the college will receive a set amount of central funding (i.e., a block grant) for their graduate students’ RA tuition subsidy, calculated based on the total funding they receive today for central RA tuition support across all types of RA appointments. This block grant approach is similar to the approach we now use in awarding NSF and NASA graduate student fellowship shortfall block grants.

Schools, departments, and other units admitting graduate students will allocate a combination of these block grants and their local resources as necessary to fully fund their students’ RA tuition subsidy at the current 55% level. We are asking these units to activate their untapped resources, including from unused endowment payout for graduate student support. This will allow us to maintain MIT's current level of subsidy on RA tuition while limiting central support without requiring new contributions from PIs.

Why are we making this change?

We would like to maintain our current posture in funding RAs so MIT can remain competitive in attracting the best faculty and graduate students. At the same time, we seek to enable our central budget to continue supporting significant portions of faculty and staff compensation, financial aid, and capital improvements even as it takes on anticipated new burdens from federal policy changes.

This change will apply to the academic year RA tuition subsidy, beginning in academic year 2025–2026. We will phase in this reduction in the central funding over three years to provide schools, the college, and departments with appropriate time to adjust to this new approach.

Sincerely,

Cynthia Barnhart 
Provost

Glen Shor
Executive Vice President and Treasurer