The application for the DEDP master's program is now live: https://apply.mit.edu/apply/
Applications for the spring 2026 cohort are due on Wednesday, January 15, 2025 at 11:59 pm ET. We encourage all applicants to start early to ensure enough time to complete the application requirements.
The DEDP team hosted an admissions webinar on October 22, 2024. If you missed the event, you can watch the recording.
The application for the MIT Master’s in Data, Economics, and Design of Policy (DEDP) will only be open to learners who have completed a DEDP MITx MicroMasters credential. All MicroMasters grades must be submitted with the application, including grades from the testing session that occurs during the application window. The credential consists of 5 courses, including 3 core courses and 2 elective courses within a specific track. One of the electives must be advanced.
The application will ask which DEDP MicroMasters track(s) you have completed. You are welcome to apply with either or both credentials, but your application will be reviewed the same in either case. If admitted, you can pursue either track in the master’s program as long as you've completed the MicroMasters electives in that track before arriving on campus. Admitted students are only able to complete one track on campus.
Because we consider our MicroMasters courses and proctored exams to be good predictors of students’ ability to succeed in graduate-level classes at MIT, students’ performance in the MicroMasters program will play an important role in admissions. In contrast, learners will not be required to sit other standardized tests such as the GRE or GMAT, nor will they be required to have any prior university-level training besides the successful completion of the DEDP MicroMasters. For questions on admissions, please contact dedp_masters@povertyactionlab.org.
You may contact us directly at dedp_masters@povertyactionlab.org should you require your application fee to be waived.
You may submit either a resume or CV, whichever is most appropriate to your background. There is no page limit.
Transcripts will be required for any previous university-level coursework for all applicants. Although official transcripts are not required at the time of applying, they will be required from admitted students in order to enroll in the program.
These may be from either academic or professional references.
Please explain why you are a good candidate for graduate school. You should describe why you wish to attend graduate school, what you would like to study, and any research experience you have. Describe one or more accomplishments you are particularly proud of that suggest that you will succeed in your chosen area of research.
Present a hypothetical research proposal for a topic in which you are interested. Outline the importance of this topic, formulate a clear research question, and describe your methodological approach and the data you would employ to investigate the question. Describe how your study could contribute to the field of development economics or public policy.
Please note that we have created a brief guide on writing your research statement.
*Please note that the personal and research statement should not exceed two pages each and should be double spaced using 12pt font.
Applicants whose first language is not English must present evidence of their English ability by submitting official language test scores. Applicants must take either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). The IELTS Academic exam is preferred at MIT, and the TOEFL IPT exam is not accepted.
We require a minimum TOEFL Internet-based score of 100 or a minimum IELTS score of 7 for admission. The institute code for the TOEFL exam is 3514. Please note that MIT also accepts the IELTS Indicator test and the TOEFL iBT test, which can be taken online from home. You will need to report your test scores on your application and submit official scores for review.
International non-native speakers of English who have spent four or more years studying in an accredited school or university where English is the language of instruction will be eligible to waive the TOEFL/IELTS requirement. If you fulfill this criteria, you will have the option to request to waive the TOEFL/IELTS test on the online application, under the section 'Test Scores'. TOEFL and IELTS scores are valid for two years. Scores that expire while an application is under review will be considered valid, but scores must be submitted before they expire.
You can find additional information for international students through MIT's International Students Office website, or reach out to us directly.
Finally, please note if you are admitted to the DEDP master's program you would not be eligible for OPT enrollment or a STEM extension.