MITES (MIT Introduction to Technology, Engineering, and Science) provides transformative pre-college experiences for highly motivated students in grades 7 through 12, with a focus on expanding access to STEM education for students from underserved and under-resourced backgrounds. Every MITES program is free: educational costs, food, and boarding are all covered, so families pay only for transportation, and travel scholarships are available for the summer program.
Formerly known as the MIT Office of Engineering Outreach Programs (OEOP), MITES now runs three distinct programs. Here's how each works and how to put together a competitive application.
MITES Saturdays
MITES Saturdays, formerly SEED Academy, is a multi-year STEM academy for 7th through 12th graders attending public schools in Boston, Cambridge, and Lawrence, Massachusetts.
Students build skills across math, science, and engineering over several years of Saturday sessions on MIT's campus, with transportation provided for students from Lawrence. If you're a local middle or early high school student, this is the earliest entry point into the MITES community.
MITES Semester
MITES Semester, formerly MOSTEC, is a six-month STEM experience for rising high school seniors, running from June through December.
The centerpiece is a virtual, team-based project course in areas that have included astrophysics, computational biology, design thinking, and neuroscience and connectomics. Alongside the project, students take a supplemental core course, choosing from options like calculus, physics, computer science, or science writing.
Because it extends into the fall, MITES Semester also overlaps directly with college application season, and the program builds in college preparation: application guidance, essay support, and advice from alumni who have navigated the process. For students who can't commit to a residential summer, it delivers the MITES experience alongside a normal school year.
MITES Summer
MITES Summer, formerly known simply as MITES, is the flagship: a rigorous six-week residential program on MIT's campus for rising seniors.
Students take five challenging courses spanning math, science, and humanities, with electives in areas like machine learning, genomics, robotics, and architecture, plus hands-on lab work. It's a deliberately intense preview of college-level academics; participants receive detailed instructor evaluations that carry weight in admissions.
Living on campus is central to the experience. Students build a close-knit community, tour labs and local companies, explore STEM career paths, and get structured college admissions guidance, including essay workshops and campus tours. MITES alumni have a strong record of going on to selective universities, including MIT itself.
For a comparison of how MITES Summer stacks up against other options at MIT, see our guide to MIT summer programs for high school students.
Eligibility and How to Apply
Applicants to MITES Semester and MITES Summer must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents in their junior year of high school. A single application covers both programs, and MITES encourages students to apply to both; if accepted, you'll be offered a spot in one.
The application typically opens in November, and the deadline is February 1 at 11:59 pm PST, with recommendations due February 15. Decisions are released in mid-April.
The application includes your academic information and unofficial transcript, an outline of your extracurricular activities, short answer essays, and teacher recommendations. Standardized test scores are optional, though strong scores can help if you have them, and there is no minimum GPA; selection is holistic, looking for demonstrated interest in science and engineering, a strong academic record, and motivation to grow.
Tips for a Strong Application
Start Early
The application takes real time, and recommendation requests need lead time too. Ask your recommenders well before the February deadline, choose recent teachers who know you well, and give them a summary of your activities and goals to work from.
Write Authentic Essays
The prompts ask about your aspirations, how your background shapes your goals, and the experiences that sparked your interest in STEM. Specifics beat generalities: one vivid story about the moment a subject grabbed you is worth more than a paragraph of enthusiasm in the abstract.
Show Initiative Beyond the Classroom
Science fairs, research projects, STEM clubs, and independent builds all demonstrate the kind of motivation MITES selects for. If you're earlier in high school, our guide to 50+ STEM summer programs for students can help you find opportunities to build that record now.
Proofread Everything
Clean, well-organized essays signal the same discipline the program demands academically.
A Launchpad, Not a Finish Line
MITES gives students the confidence, skills, and community to pursue STEM seriously, and its alumni consistently convert the experience into strong college outcomes and research trajectories. Students aiming even higher often pair a MITES summer with research programs like the Research Science Institute the following year, or turn a MITES project into something bigger through the MIT THINK Scholars Program.
STEM Competition Support With ScienceFair
If you want to build the kind of research and competition record that makes applications like these stand out, our coaches include ISEF Grand Awardees and Regeneron Science Talent Search Scholars who have been there. Book a free consultation with an academic advisor to plan your next steps.
