MIT Spouses & Partners Connect
MIT Spouses & Partners Connect (MS&PC) is a dedicated network for the significant others of MIT students, postdocs, staff and faculty who have relocated to the Boston area. They organize activities that help international and American spouses and partners meet people, discover work and career opportunities, improve their English, share experiences and passions, and get information about living and parenting in Boston. See the MS&PC website for more info.
Resources for Grad Families
MIT is committed to supporting our graduate students with families; the following is a list of available resources including various offices, services, groups, and networks. If you are a newly admitted graduate student, you are encouraged to look at resources for housing, childcare, and family health plans as early as possible.
Childcare Resources
GAIN – Graduate Assistance and Information Network
Free and confidential service. Call: 844-MIT-GAIN (844-648-4246)
If you have questions about help with finding childcare and/or schools, see the MIT GAIN website for more info.
Back-up Childcare
Subsidized Back-up childcare through MIT available to undergraduate and graduate students through the MIT Work-Life Center.
Inviting Family Members to Visit the U.S.
While dependents (spouses, and dependent children) are eligible for dependent status of student visa holders (F-2 or J-2), other family members wanting to visit the U.S. will likely need to enter the U.S. in tourist visa status. Citizens of certain countries may be eligible to enter the U.S. under the Tourist Visa Waiver Program. Individuals not eligible for the Tourist Visa Waiver Program will need to obtain a tourist entry visa (B-2 status) from the U.S. Embassy/Consulate abroad in order to travel to the U.S.
Please see the attached guidance sheet from the ISO on “Inviting Relatives and Friends: B-2 Tourist Visa”.
NOTE: International Students wanting to inviting family to attend Commencement/Graduation ceremonies should follow the guidance above. If the student is/has been in F-1 or J-1 status during their studies at MIT, they may request a support letter from the ISO via iMIT to confirm their MIT-sponsored student visa status (completing the eform under the “F-1 Student Services” / “J-1 Student Services” menu, then select “Letter of Family Invitation.” A “Letter of Family Invitation” request would need to be completed for each family member for whom you would like a supporting letter.
The MIT ISO is generally not able to issue a supporting letter if the student is not in F-1 or J-1 status sponsored by MIT, but the student’s own support letter provided to their family members would be sufficient for your family member’s tourist visa application. Please see the ISO guidance sheet “Inviting Relatives and Friends: B-2 Tourist Visa” for what information to include in your support letter.
If any questions arise, please contact your ISO Advisor.
