Last updated: November 2025
Quick Guide
Background
As stated in the earlier communication from Provost Cynthia Barnhart and EVPT Glen Shor, in the 2025–2026 academic year, the Schools and the College will receive a set amount of central funding (i.e., a block grant) for their graduate students’ RA tuition subsidy, calculated based on the total funding they received in FY25 for central RA tuition support across all types of RA appointments. In FY26, schools and the college will allocate from their block grants and apply local graduate student resources as necessary to maintain current levels of subsidy without requiring new levels of contributions from PIs.
The block grants are being introduced so MIT can remain competitive in attracting the best faculty and graduate students while enabling our central budget to continue supporting significant portions of faculty and staff compensation, financial aid, and capital improvements even as it takes on anticipated new burdens from federal policy changes. The block grants will be 4% lower than FY25 actual levels.
The following FAQ was developed to answer administrative questions about the RA tuition subsidy block grants for FY26. Over FY26, Schools and the College in collaboration with the Provost and EVPT will evaluate possible changes for future years. There are various aspects that will be uniform across the Institute. However, due to unique financial aspects among the Schools and the College, some of the guidelines will be developed at the School/College level. If you have questions regarding the research assistant tuition block grants, please email your Dean’s Office.
FAQ
Why are we using a block grant model?
We would like to maintain our current posture in funding RAs so MIT can remain competitive in attracting the best faculty and graduate students. At the same time, we seek to enable our central budget to continue supporting significant portions of faculty and staff compensation, financial aid, and capital improvements even as it takes on new burdens from federal policy changes, including the recent enactment of a significant increase in the endowment tax. The block grant model for FY26 will provide relief to the central budget by having Schools and departments combine their block grant with local resources to maintain currently applicable subsidies for RA tuition without requiring new levels of contributions from PIs.
How will the block grants be distributed?
The block grant allocations will be distributed to the Dean’s Offices of each School/College. Each Dean’s Office will then distribute to academic units that process RA appointments. The Schools and College may elect to provide funds to the unit accounts based on actuals, or provide allocated amounts ahead of the term.
How will the block grants funds be allocated to the Schools/College?
Allocations for FY26 were determined based on FY25 actuals charged to the RA tuition subsidy accounts across the Schools and College with the prescribed institute-wide reduction applied proportionally. In FY26, support will be issued via non-base GIB allocations for each of the Dean’s Offices to administer from new School/College-level cost centers under the existing RA admin flag. These allocations will reflect the FY26 tuition rate.
Should research assistant tuition be subsidized on all funds?
For FY26, all RAs on sponsored awards will receive the 55% tuition subsidy, and Schools and the College will each maintain their current approaches to tuition subsidies for RA appointments on non-sponsored funds (e.g., general Institute budget and gift funds) in FY26. Over FY26, Schools and the College in collaboration with the Provost and EVPT will evaluate possible changes for future years.
For students that are admitted to an academic unit and receive support from another unit, how should this student be supported?
- If the student is supported by sponsored research, the academic unit that admitted the student should provide the tuition subsidy from the block grant cost object for sponsored funds.
- If the student is supported by non-sponsored funds, the faculty supervisor or local administrators should follow School/College guidelines.
Is the summer tuition part of the block grant?
No, summer tuition for thesis-enrolled graduate students will be unaffected and will remain fully subsidized and processed directly from the GIB.
Will the MIT Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) remain subsidized?
Yes, the MIT Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) will remain subsidized, and it is unaffected by the change on the tuition subsidy for non-sponsored cost objects. For the Fall term of FY26, SHIP should be charged to the sponsored tuition subsidy account, but in future terms, a centralized Institute account will be available for charging SHIP.
If I need to change a RA distribution between sponsored and non-sponsored funding sources, should I cancel the original appointment?
No, the allocation should be updated in GAP or eSDS. As implemented with the CBA, RA appointments should only be cancelled when there is a change in the total effort for the student’s appointment. Please refer to the Graduate Student Appointment Guidelines. When changing the appointment, you will need to update the tuition subsidy allocation in accordance with School/College guidelines.
How will this change using RA tuition as cost sharing?
The tuition subsidy will not change as a source of cost sharing. Cost sharing occurs on sponsored research awards; therefore, the sponsored research tuition subsidy cost objects should be referenced.
Which tuition subsidy account should I use for a student appointment on my DLCI’s suspense account?
Please follow your School/College guidelines to determine how sponsored/non-sponsored appointments should be handled in cases of suspense.
My department doesn’t typically subsidize tuition on some of our non-sponsored cost objects; will the block grant change this practice?
No. If it is the current practice, the DLCI should continue charging full tuition to gifts and other local cost objects.
I’m entering an appointment for a student with a NIH Training Grant shortfall. How should the shortfall be processed for this appointment?
The shortfall for students on NIH Training Grants has historically been covered by the RA tuition subsidy. Please use the sponsored block grant cost object in your department.