Applicant Mentorship Program (AMP)

  • Five graduates standing in front of Building 10, some wearing graduate caps, pose in a row.

    Graduating students in Killian Court. Photo credit: Daisy Zhang.

AMP is open for prospective students to sign-up.  

AMP was developed with the goals of making the study of architecture more accessible to broader populations and diversifying the Department of Architecture's student body. AMP pairs prospective applicants with current students who can offer guidance and answer questions throughout the application process. All are welcome and eligible to sign up for the program.  

AMP is for graduate and doctoral applicants only.  PhD applicants can sign up but may be directed to contact a faculty member if no suitable student mentors are available. Participation is confidential.   

For the 2026-2027 academic year, AMP is active during three dedicated mentorship months: 

  • Session 1: October 
  • Session 2: November 
  • Session 3: December 

Mentors will be assigned primarily based on degree program and mentor availability, with discipline group and interests as secondary criteria. Your mentor will work with you to schedule the best times to host mentoring sessions during October, November, and December, and will be available to answer questions via email in October, November, and December.  

Mentors can provide feedback on all subjective or open-ended application components, including portfolios, statements of objectives, interviews, essays, and advice on who and how to ask for recommendation letters. Mentors can also answer general questions about the application process. 

If you are a prospective applicant and would like to participate in AMP, please complete the AMP Mentee Interest Form by Monday, September 21st, 2026. 

Once mentorship matches are made, mentees will be contacted by their mentors to arrange meetings. 

Important notes: 

  • We will do our best to match all interested applicants but cannot guarantee there will be enough mentors for all applicants.
  • Participation in AMP does not guarantee admission. 

For additional questions about AMP, please email nschou@mit.edu.  

For questions regarding the application process, please email arch@mit.edu.