MITES Summer

Join MITES Summer (formerly MITES) for our six-week, on-campus program that immerses students from across the country in life at MIT. You’ll take five rigorous, rewarding math, science, and humanities courses—and discover all you can achieve. You’ll also participate in lab tours and social events, and benefit from college admissions counseling. This national program gives you firsthand insights into the value and reward of STEM degrees and careers, while also developing the academic and personal skills you need for success.

The MITES Summer experience

MITES Summer alumni reflect on their transformational experiences in the program and why they chose to return to mentor and teach.

View the video here

Why choose MITES Summer?

Be part of an intense, immersive, deeply rewarding experience—you’ll discover new facets of STEM and deepen your knowledge all summer long
Realize your potential—you’ll take on new challenges and learn how to overcome them
Develop lifelong friendships with like-minded students from similar backgrounds—and have what our alumni describe as their “best summer ever”
Be part of a supportive, successful community—with alumni who’ve matriculated to top colleges across the country, including MIT, Harvard, Princeton, Brown, and Stanford
Prepare for college and your chosen career—you’ll learn academic, social, and practical life skills, plus college application guidance tailored to your strengths and needs
Engage with admissions counselors—gain insights about prestigious schools at our college fair
Discover what a STEM education can do for you—you’ll tour MIT labs and local companies employing MITES alumni, and engage in seminars with STEM professionals
Enjoy a real college experience—you’ll live on campus and discover the Greater Boston area with new friends

Free of charge

All program-related costs are covered by generous individuals, foundations, corporations, and MIT. Students only pay for transportation to and from MIT.

Eligibility requirements

To be eligible to apply to MITES Summer, applicants must be:

U.S. citizens or permanent residents
High school juniors

What you’ll learn

A semester of college condensed into one invigorating summer, the MITES Summer program includes high-level math and science, as well as electives that focus on real-world STEM applications—from Machine Learning to Architecture to Genomics—what most high school curricula don’t cover. You’ll learn about the impact of STEM on society and how to use your knowledge to build a better world.

You’ll discover firsthand what it’s like to be a student at MIT, and gain insight into how to apply to colleges, all while laying the groundwork for you to thrive in STEM professions.

The details

Six weeks over the summer—late June through early August
Classes, recitations, workshops, and tours on weekdays 9:00am to 5:00pm
Social events, office hours/homework, and exploration of the Greater Boston area on evenings and weekends
Room and board provided free of charge

One more advantage: At the culmination of the program, each student receives a written evaluation from their instructor, outlining strengths and growth areas, as well as highlighting the student’s contributions to the class. Many students choose to submit this as supplemental material with their college applications.

How to apply

MITES Summer and MITES Semester share the same eligibility requirements and application. And, you can choose to be considered for one or both programs. Eligible students can apply online during the fall semester of their junior year in high school.

Apply to MITES Summer and MITES Semester

Additional Application Details

Students selected for MITES Summer generally have the following qualities:

Passion for science, technology, engineering, and math—demonstrated through extracurricular activities, essays, and letters of recommendation
Strong academic record

We strongly encourage students from the following backgrounds to apply:

Underrepresented in science and engineering, identifying as African American/Black; Hispanic/Latinx; Native American or Alaska Native; and Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander
Underserved, defined as coming from low socioeconomic means, which may be indicated by qualification for free/reduced lunch
Potentially the first family member to attend college
From families with an absence of science and engineering degrees
From high schools with low admittance rates to top-tier colleges, especially rural or predominantly minority high schools

All applicants who meet the eligibility requirements will be considered, regardless of race or ethnicity.

MITES has allowed me to grow as a scientist, an engineer, a Black woman, and an advocate for my community.

Being among so many other students of color who take pride in their ambition has inspired me to be unapologetic in pursuing my own ambitions and has also pushed me to aim higher. Seeing how other students here believe in and invest in their communities and their identities has prompted me even more to go farther than I already have to make space for other Black girls in environments like these.”

Linda Denson

MITES ’18, New Orleans, LA

Courses

Students take one math course, one life sciences course, one physics course, a humanities course, and one project-based elective course. Scholars are placed into the math, life sciences, and physics courses based on a knowledge inventory taken during the orientation period of the program.

Past elective courses have included:

Architecture
Engineering Design
Machine Learning
Genomics
Electronics

Sample schedule for MITES Summer scholars

Students find this program to be more challenging than high school. You can plan to spend roughly seven hours per weekday (9a-5p with a break for lunch) in classes and other planned activities. Students have reported spending an average of 6 hours per weekday and 4-6 hours per weekend day doing homework. You will have midterms (Week 3) and finals (Week 6) as well as final projects and presentations (Week 5 and Week 6).