MIT Childcare Scholarship Program

MIT offers scholarships to eligible Institute employees, including postdoctoral associates and postdoctoral fellows who have a child or children enrolled in one of MIT’s Technology Childcare Centers (TCC).

If you are eligible for a scholarship, the amount of your award will vary according to your financial need, the number of enrolled childcare days, your TCC tuition, and the availability of funds when you submit your application. Scholarships are granted for up to one year. Families are encouraged to re-apply annually.

Note that your award will be adjusted or discontinued if you or your spouse or partner

enrolls or withdraws a child mid-year
reduces the number of childcare days
decreases the percentage of time employed at MIT and falls below benefits eligibility levels
discontinues employment
changes student enrollment status

Am I eligible?

How do I apply?

How is scholarship money paid?

How much am I eligible to receive?

Eligibility

You are eligible for an MIT childcare scholarship if you meet all of the following criteria:

are eligible for the full range of benefits as an MIT employee (including 401(k), tuition assistance, etc.), or you are a postdoctoral fellow
work at least 50% time (a minimum of 17.5 hours per week)
have a child currently enrolled in TCC
earn an annual family gross income of $170,000 (effective 9/2024-8/2025) or less (for families with more than one child enrolled at TCC, the income cap is raised by $10,000 for each additional child)

In addition, if you have a spouse or domestic partner, your spouse or partner must meet one of the following eligibility factors:

enrolled full-time as a student at an accredited institution
employed at least half-time (a minimum of 20 hours per week)*
disabled (disability must be certified by a doctor or clinic)

*If a spouse or domestic partner is seeking employment due to a recent job loss, a temporary MIT Child Care Center scholarship award may be approved for up to a maximum of three (3) months. If the spouse or domestic partner is still seeking employment (i.e., does not meet any of the above-stated eligibility factors) at the end of the three months, the award will be terminated.

NOTE: The MIT Child Care Center Scholarship is not available if the MIT affiliate’s spouse or domestic partner does not have work authorization.

Application process

Note that all scholarship recipients must reapply every year. If you are currently receiving a scholarship, TCC will notify you of the reapplication deadline.

Scholarship applications can be accessed through Atlas. To submit applications, click on “About Me” in the top menu bar and then look in the “My Benefits” section on the left for the link to the “MIT Childcare Center Scholarship Program”. When you submit your completed application form, you must also provide

documentation of previous calendar year income for you as well as your spouse or domestic partner (if any)
estimated income for the current scholarship year for you and your spouse or domestic partner (if any)

In certain cases, you may need to provide other documentation.

For more information about the application process, please contact the MIT HR Work-Life at 617-253-1592 or worklife@mit.edu.

Scholarship payments

At the end of each month during the period of your award, the Institute will automatically add monthly scholarship amounts to your MIT pay or stipend and will treat your scholarship award as taxable income, withholding funds as needed for payment of taxes. You are then responsible for paying the full monthly tuition to TCC.