Application Directions

To begin your MIT LGO application, decide which of our seven engineering departments is the right one for you.

As an MIT LGO applicant, you are applying to MIT Sloan, the MIT School of Engineering, and LGO with one online application. In addition to the general qualifications listed above, some engineering departments will have specific admissions requirements. (You can find that information for each department on their individual pages). Some departments also have different internship opportunities. Have a close look at the partner company page to explore internship possibilities.

For some applicants, choosing a department is easy. Others need a bit more guidance in deciding where they best fit. If that’s you, please feel free to reach out to us with any questions at lgo@mit.edu, where we have a variety of options for reaching out to the LGO admissions team.

LGO applicants submit ONE application. Candidates can apply through the MIT Sloan School of Management (Round 1 or Round 2) to any of the seven departments.

When you apply through Sloan to the LGO program, you will also be considered for just a standalone MBA degree, if you are not admitted into LGO.

Applicants to the Aero/Astro department can also apply through the MIT School of Engineering but only in Round 2. We evaluate your application using the same criteria regardless of where you submit your application. If you apply through the Aero/Astro department, you will also be considered for just the MS if you are not accepted into LGO.

To learn more about the different engineering departments working with LGO, please visit our engineering section.

The application for the LGO Class of 2025 is closed. The 2023/24 application for the LGO Class of 2026 will open in July 2023.

Below are some extended application directions. This information is subject to change, and you may receive slightly different instructions when you begin the application. If this happens to you, please follow the directions in the online application.

There may be supplemental questions related to your engineering department of choice. For more information, please consult the LGO page for your chosen engineering department.

Official transcripts

Upload official transcript copies in the online application. A scanned copy of your transcripts uploaded to the online system is sufficient.

We will ask all admitted applicants for an official transcript. Any discrepancies between the transcripts in your application and the hard copies may result in a candidate’s rejection or withdrawal of our admission offer.

GMAT or GRE scores

LGO accepts either GMAT or GRE test scores. Standardized tests, such as GMAT and GRE are a component of the application process and play an important role in our holistic evaluation process. The Admissions Committee will continue to accept the remote/at-home version of these exams. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the LGO program will allow for candidates for the 2022-23 admission cycle to submit a request for a test waiver, should their current situation prevent them from safely being able to access an exam. If the waiver is approved, and the candidate is admitted, no test will be required. To request a test waiver, please start your application and navigate to the Test Scores section and fill out the test waiver request form; once submitted, you will receive a response as soon as possible.

We will accept self-reported test scores by the application deadline, and welcome either traditional or online version of exams. Official scores should also be sent:

• To share your GMAT score, please enter Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) – MIT Sloan School of Management
• To share your GRE score, please use the MIT Sloan GRE School Code: 3791

When you send your official scores, please follow MIT Sloan’s directions.

Resume

Upload a business resume that lists your employment history, educational record, and any other appropriate information. We recommend you follow the general rules and guidelines for an American-style resume: ideally no more than one page long and in reverse chronological order.

Cover Letter

MIT LGO seeks students whose personal characteristics demonstrate that they will make the most of the incredible opportunities at MIT, both academic and non-academic. We seek thoughtful leaders with exceptional intellectual abilities and the drive and determination to put their stamp on the world. We welcome people who are independent, authentic, and fearlessly creative — true doers. We want people who can redefine solutions to conventional problems, and strive to preempt unconventional dilemmas with cutting-edge ideas.

Taking the above into consideration, please submit a cover letter seeking a place in the MIT LGO Program. Your letter should conform to a standard business correspondence, include one or more examples that illustrate why you meet the desired criteria above, and be addressed to Dr. Thomas Roemer, Executive Director of the LGO program. (300 words or fewer, excluding address and salutation).

Statement of Purpose

Write a short description outlining why you would like to enroll in the engineering department you chose. Feel free to explain your academic/research interests, career goals, and why the department’s relationship with LGO fits you. We ask that you to keep your statement to 300 words.

Video Statement

Please introduce yourself to your future classmates via a brief video statement. You will upload your video file to the application system and will receive detailed instructions on how to record your statement in the application. It’s fine to record this 60-second video at your desk or table at home. We’re looking for how you present yourself, not for your video editing skills. A head shot from the shoulders up is best and please make sure your audio is clearly able to be heard.

Organizational Chart

To help us better understand your current role and the impact that you have on your team and department, please submit an organizational chart. We should be able to clearly understand the internal structure of your organization, where you sit in your organization, and your line of reporting. You can learn more about the specifics of the organizational chart on Sloan’s MBA application instructions.

Letters of recommendation

LGO applicants must submit two letters of recommendation, one professional and one technical, with the option of submitting a third additional technical recommendation letter.

One professional recommendation is required from an individual who is able to speak with certainty about your professional achievements and potential. Your professional recommendation should reflect your leadership and teamwork skills and should follow the recommendation guidelines on the Sloan application site.

Your second recommendation should be a technical reference from someone who has worked with you on significant engineering and technical projects or coursework, and can speak to your ability to carry out advanced engineering research and projects. Examples of recommenders for the technical reference include a previous professor, a manager or senior colleague who is in a technical role such as chief engineer or data scientist. We prefer and encourage an academic source when possible. Your recommender should assess your academic and technical skills, particularly regarding analytical acumen, technical expertise and depth, quantitative problem solving, and the ability to look deeply into a technical problem. This letter can follow the MIT Sloan recommendation prompts, but we are looking for answers specifically to the following additional questions:

1. Please give an example of an engineering/technical project or challenge that the applicant faced, and the resources they used in addressing it.
2. Assess this applicant’s ability to continue graduate education in an engineering field, based on your observations of how this candidate addresses advanced technical coursework and problems.

MIT Sloan and LGO utilize the GMAC Common Letter of Recommendation form. More information about the GMAC Common Letter of Recommendation can be found here. Please navigate to the Recommendation Letter section of the application and add your recommender’s contact information; they will be sent instructions on how to submit their letter.

Please note: We strongly encourage submitting an additional technical letter of recommendation if feasible. Additional insights into your technical abilities and problem solving skills can further strengthen your application, as long as they are from a recommender who can provide specific examples. Keep in mind we will review all submitted material as is and without negative inferences if candidates do not submit a 3rd recommendation.

Interviews will be scheduled by invitation only, after an initial evaluation of a complete application. We only interview a select number of candidates who apply, but receiving an invitation to interview does not guarantee admission. For the foreseeable future all admission interviews will be conducted virtually, and we will contact you with more information.

Those invited to interview will be prompted to submitted two short essay questions in advance of the interview. More details will be shared in the interview invitation.

• We encourage you to apply when you feel you can submit your strongest application to the program.
• Due to the application review process that varies across each engineering department, a smaller portion of applicants are admitted in Round 1 compared to Round 2, this is particularly true for candidates applying to the Aeronautics/Astronautics department. Round 1 applicants who are waitlisted will be considered in Round 2. Even if you apply in Round 1, please be prepared to wait until early March to receive an admissions decision. NOTE: Candidates who apply to the Operations Research Center can only be admitted in Round 2, regardless of the round in which they applied.

MIT LGO Application Round 1

MIT LGO Application Round 2