Researchers, performing artists, visual artists, and makers may submit optional portfolios for review by MIT staff or faculty through SlideRoom. For more information on each type of portfolio, please review the descriptions below. Creative portfolios are truly optional, and should only be submitted if they feature work that is both significant to you and relevant to your MIT application.
Portfolios must be submitted by the same deadline as your corresponding application cycle for both first-year and transfer applicants.
Research Supplement
Students who have worked on a significant research project outside of high school classes may consider submitting the Research Supplement via SlideRoom. If you have worked on more than one research project, focus on one project that is most significant to you.
- Research questionnaire: Complete a brief questionnaire reflecting on your research experience.
- Abstract/poster: Include a PDF of your abstract or research poster, if available. If the work being submitted has been published, provide a citation.
- Research mentor recommendation: Nominate your research advisor, mentor, or Principal Investigator to submit a letter of recommendation directly through the SlideRoom portfolio.
Note: only one Research Supplement is permitted per applicant.
Music & Theater Arts Portfolio
The Music & Theater Arts Portfolio is designed for students who would like their work to be reviewed by the professional faculty from the MIT Music & Theater Arts department. Only advanced performers who are interested in continuing performance and/or study in music and theater arts while at MIT should consider submitting a portfolio via SlideRoom.
- Musicians: Submit two recordings representing contrasting styles or periods, 10 minutes total combined duration. Each selection must be an unedited solo performance, with accompaniment included as feasible/appropriate. (Shortening the length of a video or compressing the file size is permitted.)
- If you play two instruments equally well, you may optionally choose to submit a separate music portfolio for each instrument. Please create a second SlideRoom account using a different email address to submit a separate portfolio for your second instrument.
- Composers: Submit one recent composition score in PDF format. If possible, submit a recording of the composition.
- The composition portfolio is currently designed for musicians who compose music using Western musical notation. If possible, we ask that submissions that feature music production or electronic beats provide some musical notation, scores, or arrangements.
- Actors, dancers, directors, and designers: Submit up to three videos or images. 10 minutes maximum total combined video time.
- Screenwriters/playwrights: You may submit one or two scripts. Submissions should be no longer than 10 pages total. If your work was performed and recorded, you may submit up to 10 minutes total of video.
- This portfolio option is meant for screenwriters/playwrights only. While MIT values creative writing, we do not currently offer a portfolio to review creative writing, essays, poetry, etc.
Visual Art & Architecture Portfolio
The Visual Art & Architecture portfolio is designed for students with exceptional creative talent who would like their work to be reviewed by professional faculty and staff at MIT. You should consider submitting work via SlideRoom if your work is a significant part of your application and demonstrates strong creative talent for a young artist.
- We encourage all types of media art, including design, drawing, painting, mixed media, digital media, photography, sculpture, and architectural work.
- You may submit a portfolio of up to 10 images of your work for review. Include the title, medium, a brief description, date completed, and a brief description of each work’s concept or inspiration.
Note: only one Visual Art & Architecture portfolio is permitted per applicant.
Maker Portfolio
The Maker Portfolio welcomes engineering or crafting projects of your own design and making that are substantial, original, and technically creative. Although we encourage crafts that might not typically be lumped under “engineering,” we will still hold portfolios to the same kinds of critical thinking standards as MIT engineering work. You should have significant experience and practice in the types of projects you are submitting. Maker Portfolios are reviewed in SlideRoom by a board of MIT faculty and alumni with prolific maker experience.
Maker portfolio questionnaire
The Maker Portfolio begins with a questionnaire about what you make, how you make, and why you make. Your responses in the questionnaire help us match your portfolio to the reviewer best equipped to take a first look at it.
Maker media uploads
You may submit up to 25 media attachments for your Maker Portfolio. Please submit plenty of photos of your build process to help us understand your work. We are more interested in your build process than your end results.
- We can only review projects where you have provided sufficient evidence and documentation of your build process.
- All media attachments must include clear explanations.
- Be clear about what work is completed versus still in progress. It is fine to submit works in progress, but we can only review the work that you have completed so far.
- Assume your reviewer has general expertise in your Maker Portfolio category, but please explain things that might not be obvious if we have not done the exact kind of project you are submitting.
- Video
- Do not upload more than 2 minutes of video total across your entire portfolio. ONLY include video clips which help us understand your project better than photos. For example, demonstrating a system of moving parts.
- There is no bonus for submitting a video reel or showing yourself on camera. We are not looking for flashy influencer content. Consider using a voiceover explanation or text overlays to make your video more time-efficient.
- Video demonstrations must be included for projects with moving parts.
- Code projects
- All code projects must include your codebase (ideally version-controlled) AND a working demonstration of your project (video, live, or executable). If we are not able to access your demo, we cannot review your project.
Note: only one Maker Portfolio is permitted per applicant.
Portfolio fee and fee waivers
The fee to submit each portfolio is $10.
If the submission fee presents a hardship for you and your family, you may qualify for a fee waiver. To request a fee waiver, send a brief email to our SlideRoom portfolio team with the subject line “SlideRoom Fee Waiver” at least 3 days before the corresponding application deadline. Include your full name and date of birth in the body of the email.
Your SlideRoom portfolio must be in progress to receive a fee waiver; we cannot proactively grant fee waivers for portfolios that have not been started.