SM Nuclear Science and Engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Programme overview

The SM gives students general knowledge of nuclear science and engineering and a foundation for nuclear industry work or further graduate study. Specialisations include nuclear fission technology, applied plasma physics, nuclear materials, nuclear security, and nuclear science and technology.

Faculty: School of Engineering | Department: Nuclear Science and Engineering | Duration: About 18 months for students with adequate undergraduate preparation; actual completion ranges from one to two years | Study mode: full-time | Location: Cambridge, MA, United States

What you will study

Subjects are selected according to the student's field of interest from departmental recommended lists.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering (graduate programmes): recommended preparation is at least three introductory physics subjects (classical mechanics, electricity and magnetism, wave phenomena), ordinary differential equations (PDEs and linear algebra recommended), at least one term of general, inorganic and physical chemistry, engineering fundamentals (thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, heat transfer, electronics and measurement, computation) and laboratory experience.

Requirements published at program group level.

USD 66,720 a year (2026-27). Standard MIT graduate tuition for 2026-27, 9-month academic year ($33,360 per fall/spring term; the 12-month figure including the summer session is $89,775). Same rate for all graduate students; excludes the $420 fee, health insurance, housing and living Source

Graduate applications are made to individual departments, which run their own admissions processes and timelines; online applications open in early fall and most deadlines fall around the end of the fall semester.

Graduate deadlines vary by department; most departments use the unified portal at apply.mit.edu/apply and the Sloan School of Management uses its own portal at applymitsloan.mit.edu/apply. Fee waiver requests are due November 18 for programmes with a December 1 deadline, December 1 for deadlines of December 15-23, and December 15 for deadlines in January or later. Admission offers with funding are honoured until April 15.

Apply through the official page: https://oge.mit.edu/graduate-admissions/

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