MIT School of Science and the MIT Work-Life Center offer a range of direct services and resources to support MIT graduate students and their families
MIT School of Science and the Institute offer a range of direct services and resources to promote the health and well-being of MIT faculty members and their families.
Office of Graduate Education: Resources for Families
The MIT Office of Graduate Education maintains a list of resources for graduate student families that includes student health plans and services, on- and off-campus housing, relocation information, child and adult care, support groups for parents and families, and committees and groups dedicated to improving family life at MIT.
MIT HR Work-Life
MIT HR Work-Life is committed to meeting the personal and professional needs of faculty, staff, postdocs, graduate students, and their families. Work-Life offers a wide range of programs and services to enhance your quality of life, both at home and at work – including MIT GAIN, Backup Child Care, Technology Childcare Centers, Lactation Support, and the Work-Life Webinar Series.
The MIT Graduate Assistance and Information Network (GAIN) is a free and confidential service, available 24/7, that can make life easier for you and your adult household members. One call puts you in touch with work-life experts who can provide personalized resources and referrals across the wide range of topics including childcare, Boston/Cambridge area schools, elder/adult care, legal/financial concerns, work, and daily living. Call MIT GAIN at 844-MIT-GAIN (844-648-4246) or visit https://www.mitgain.com/.
Childbirth Accommodation
A student anticipating childbirth is eligible for up to three months of maternity leave, or childbirth accommodation. Graduate students on childbirth accommodation will continue to receive full stipends and will retain access to on-campus medical facilities and eligibility for hospitalization benefits, as long as tuition and fees have been paid for that term. Please note that the third month of leave is funded by the School of Science.
Students should initiate conversations with advisors and department administrators about five months before they expect to take leave. Plans should be made for TA assignments, time-sensitive research or reports, and any other issues of importance, such as field work, doctoral qualifying examinations, publication deadlines, etc. Childbirth accommodation will stop the academic and research clocks with respect to assignments, reports, or other class or research-related requirements, including TA duties.
Graduate students who require childbirth accommodation must file a petition with the Office of the Dean for Graduate education for approval. All eligible students will be approved.
Family Care
Technology Childcare Centers
MIT hosts five Technology Childcare Centers, four on the main campus and one at the Lincoln Laboratory, managed by Bright Horizons Family Solutions. Full-time and part-time infant, toddler, and preschool care are available, with a limited number of slots for graduate student families.
Backup Adult and Senior Care
Backup care provided by Care.com at a subsidized hourly rate in your home or at a licensed childcare center near your home or work. Screened and trained caregivers are available on short notice to provide childcare, day or evening, 7 days a week. MIT students can request up to 10 childcare referrals per academic year.
On-Campus Lactation Rooms
MIT has several dedicated lactation rooms around campus intended for the use of the MIT community, and the School of Science and its departments sponsor several more for their own communities. All rooms have at minimum locking doors, good lighting and ventilation, electrical outlets, a comfortable chair, waste baskets and cleaners, and a nearby refrigerator and sink.