Application checklist
As PPSM is an interdepartmental program, applications should be directed to a department, usually that of the student’s previous degree.
Testing Requirements (GRE, IELTS, etc.) are RELEVANT ONLY TO THE DEPARTMENTAL application process—for information about Testing Requirements please:
1) Visit the departmental requirements for Doctoral Programs page on the MIT Graduate Admissions webpage—All references to “PPST” and/or “PPSM” refer to the program currently known as “Program in Polymers and Soft Matter.”
2) If you still have questions about Testing Requirements after having visited the “departmental requirements” link in step 1), please contact the appropriate departmental academic office using the email address shown in the list below:
Biological Engineering [EMAIL: be-acad@mit.edu] (DEC 15th APPLICATION DEADLINE)
Chemistry [EMAIL: chemgradeducation@mit.edu] (DEC 1st APPLICATION DEADLINE)
Chemical Engineering [EMAIL: chemegrad@mit.edu] (DEC 1st APPLICATION DEADLINE)
Materials Science and Engineering [EMAIL: dmse-admissions@mit.edu] (DEC 1st APPLICATION DEADLINE)
Mechanical Engineering [EMAIL: me-gradoffice@mit.edu] (DEC 15th APPLICATION DEADLINE)
3) From the list above, identify the link for submitting an online admission application to your chosen department(s), create a new account and begin preparing your online application. Applications to PPSM through multiple PPSM-affiliated departments are welcome–additional application fee required for each department applied to.
NOTE: PPSM accepts applications for FALL admission only. Please consult MIT’s Graduate Admissions for departmental application deadlines.
4) In the online application for your chosen PPSM-affiliated department(s), check the box for “MIT Program in Polymers and Soft Matter (PPSM)”.
5a) Complete and submit the online application with all support material specified by the department to which you are applying.
b)Immediately after submitting your online application, send a one-page letter of notification DIRECTLY TO THE PPSM office via post or email– FOR EMAILED LETTERS OF NOTIFICATION PLEASE USE ONLY ppsm-www@mit.edu. Your consideration for PPSM admission may be hindered if you send it to any other email address.
NOTE: Once you have been accepted to a department’s graduate program, as long as you CHECKED THE BOX for PPSM (step 4 above), your application will be forwarded to the PPSM office for consideration.
Letter of Notification Should Contain:
-Subject Line: “PPSM Letter of Notification”
-Your full name, postal address, email address, undergraduate school name, undergraduate program of study,
and the name(s) of the MIT department(s) that you have applied to.
It is not necessary to send a copy of your departmental application, letters of reference, article reprints, or any other support material, to the PPSM office. If the department you apply to responds with an offer of admission, then your complete application packet will be sent to PPSM for review.
If you prefer to send your letter of notification via post our street address is:
MIT Program in Polymers and Soft Matter (PPSM)
77 Massachusetts Avenue, Room 13-3130
Cambridge, MA 02139 USA
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Do I need to have a strong polymer background to join PPSM?
No, but a strong interest in the polymer field is important. As an interdisciplinary program, most of its entering students have a background in much of the underlying foundational material but not necessarily any extensive experience in polymers specifically. The core curriculum is designed to accommodate this diversity of backgrounds, and provides a thorough yet accessible introduction to the field.
Is PPSM its own department?
No. PPSM is an interdepartmental program, so each PPSM student has a home department (the participating department that admitted the student to graduate study at MIT). While all five of the participating departments accept the PPSM graduate core curriculum and doctoral quals in place of the equivalent departmental offerings, each department has a graduate office that sets rules and guidelines for its graduate students, including those who are participating in PPSM. These guidelines include thesis committee composition and frequency of meetings, minor subject requirements, arrangements for co-advising, teaching assistant responsibilities and others. PPSM students are expected to fulfill the requirements of the home department in every case. PPSM students end up being well-versed in both their traditional disciplinary field and in polymer science; this is a significant asset in the current interdisciplinary research and development environment.
What are the Testing Requirements for PPSM (GRE, IELTS, etc.)?
Testing Requirements are strictly part of the departmental application process. PPSM only considers candidates who have already successfully gained an offer of admission from one of our five affiliate departments, and therefore does not establish its own requirements for test score submissions or minimum acceptable scores. Visit MIT Graduate Admissions Testing Requirements webpage to download PDF showing each MIT department’s Testing Requirements.
Can I apply to PPSM through more than one PPSM-Affiliated MIT Department?
Yes, however you may be charged an additional application fee for each department you apply to.
Do I send my PPSM Letter of Notification before or after I receive a decision letter from the department to which I’ve applied?
Please send your PPSM Letter of Notification immediately after submitting your online application to your chosen PPSM Affiliated department(s). During the review process, the Letter of Notification enables PPSM to optimize admissions information sharing with PPSM’s five affiliated departments.
Which MIT faculty member can serve as my thesis research advisor?
If agreeable to the home department, any MIT faculty member can serve as a thesis advisor regardless of their affiliation with PPSM. The web pages PPSM Faculty and Faculty Affiliates provide listings of MIT faculty that are actively involved in PPSM and/or polymer research. Co-advising of students across departmental boundaries is encouraged and is common practice for PPSM research. Updates on the availability of research support and on the latest thesis topics being offered are obtained by direct contact with the faculty.
Are PPSM students required to have a PPSM Faculty member on their Thesis Committees?
No–PPSM does not have a fixed policy on the composition of thesis committees. Instead, PPSM students are expected to follow the guidelines of their home departments. Please contact the Academic Administrator for your department with questions about Thesis Committee procedures and regulations.
About your admission application
PPSM faculty welcome the interest of qualified students and will be pleased to answer inquiries concerning graduate study. Students applying to PPSM should have a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in a field of Science or Engineering.
Some departments require submission of test scores on both the aptitude and the advanced portion of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). The advanced test should be taken in the student’s undergraduate major. Please visit the MIT Graduate Admissions Office Testing Requirements web page for information about testing requirements for all MIT departments, including those affiliated with PPSM.
Since admission and financial aid are both highly competitive, application forms should be completed with care. The more we know of your experience, professional plans, and perspectives on the field of polymers, the better we can process your application.
Nondiscrimination Policy
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is committed to the principle of equal opportunity in education and employment. The Institute does not discriminate against individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, ancestry, or national or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, employment policies, scholarship and loan programs, and other Institute administered programs and activities, but may favor US citizens or residents in admissions and financial aid.
The Vice President for Human Resources is designated as the Institute’s Equal Opportunity Officer and Title IX Coordinator. Inquiries concerning the Institute’s policies, compliance with applicable laws, statutes, and regulations (such as Title VI, Title IX, and Section 504), and complaints may be directed to the Vice President for Human Resources, Room E19-215, 617-253-6512, or to the Manager of Staff Diversity and Inclusion, Room E19-215, 617-452-4516. In the absence of the Vice President for Human Resources or the Manager of Staff Diversity and Inclusion, inquiries or complaints may be directed to the Executive Vice President, Room 3-211, 617-253-3928, or to the Director of Labor and Employee Relations, Room E19-235N, 617-253-4264, respectively. Inquiries about the laws and about compliance may also be directed to the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, US Department of Education.
Accessibility