The MIT MENA Program empowers MIT students to collaborate with partners in the region to solve some of today’s most pressing challenges. The program has activities in the following locations: Jordan, Bahrain, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, and the U.A.E. This list may expand in the future.

Program Opportunities

Internships

MISTI’s award-winning international internship program provides a one-of-a-kind, world-class experience for MIT students: the opportunity to gain real-life work experience in leading companies and labs around the world. Best of all, all expenses are paid, including airfare.

The MISTI Arab World Program matches MIT students with internship and research opportunities at leading companies, research labs, and universities in specific countries in the region. Students undergo intensive training before their internships, which includes courses on the host country's history, politics, and culture. Currently, internship opportunities are available in Jordan, Morocco, KSA, and the UAE, with plans to extend them to additional countries in the region.

The MIT DesignX Dubai (MDXB) accelerator is the MIT Morningside Academy for Design's venture accelerator, created in collaboration with the MIT-MENA Program (MISTI Arab-World). It is led by staff and faculty from MIT, in partnership with local partners, including the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ), Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO), and the Global Growth Hub (GGH). The accelerator aims to jumpstart and deploy new startups in the MENA region in the field of climate change and sustainability. It includes opportunities for MIT students to participate in internships with accelerator ventures.

Apply here for Dubai Accelerator IAP 2026: applymisti.mit.edu

 

 

 

  • Complete all in-person training requirements
  • Minimum GPA of 4.0
  • In-person attendance at the session on the country’s culture and politics is mandatory, and failure to attend will result in removal from the program

* Final project on country of placement is required.

*Freshmen will have the opportunity to engage in research opportunities if available.

 

 

 

Applications for Summer 2025-2026 can be found on the MISTI Portal. First, complete your Launchpad Application.

  • Informational meetings are available year-round. Contact the Program Administrator to schedule
  • Complete the MISTI Launchpad Application – By December 1st, rolling thereafter until March 15th
  • Schedule official Interview with Country Program Administrator – September to March 15th (Schedule interview as soon as MISTI Launchpad Application is complete)
  • Commit to MIT-MENA Program – Latest By March 21st
  • Once approved, complete the County-Specific Application – April 1 at the absolute latest.
  • Internship matching process – September to April 15, rolling thereafter.
  • Mandatory In-person Pre-Departure Sessions – Mid-April to Late May.
  • September 1 – Complete evaluation

How to Apply

Jordan:

Engicon (engineering), Sesame ( ideal for nuclear science majors), Save The Children, SOS, King Hussein Cancer Center, Petra Engineering, Solar PiezoClean, SagerDrone, ACES (CS & AI), Injo4( CS& AI)

Morocco:

 Honoris ( CS&AI), LocaleNLP (CS&AI),

UAE:

Abu Dhabi airport ( CS&AI), The American University of Sharjah ( Math research at a lab, renewable energy research, Functionalized Membranes for Water Treatment), Danaher, Avolta ( project is customized based on the student's interest), Khalifa University (healthcare)

Saudi Arabia:

KAUST ( research opportunities)Hala ( cs and AI),

Global Teaching Labs

Learn through teaching. GTL challenges MIT students to synthesize and present what they know, work in a team, and communicate with peers of a different cultural background, all while sharing MIT's unique approach to science and engineering education with high school students around the world. GTLs are often thematic and offered in several country options per IAP.

Through the MISTI Global Teaching Labs program, MIT students become teachers for one month over IAP in January. Students have the opportunity to travel to specific countries in the region to teach a variety of subjects, including a variety of STEM topics, entrepreneurship and leadership, and 3D printing. Students bring MIT’s unique and exciting hands-on teaching approach to high school classrooms.

To be eligible to participate, students must have a minimum 4.0 GPA, submit a MISTI application and complete an interview.

Students will be selected based on the following criteria:

  • Knowledge of subject matter
  • Adaptability
  • Leadership ability
  • Communication skills
  • Interest in/experience with teaching
  • Interest in the host country
  • Fit with team/program

 

  • Informational meetings are available year-round. Contact the Program Administrator to schedule
  • Complete the MISTI Launchpad Application – By December 1st, rolling thereafter until March 15th
  • Schedule official Interview with Country Program Administrator – September to March 15th (Schedule interview as soon as MISTI Launchpad Application is complete)
  • Commit to MIT-Arab World Program – Latest By March 21st
  • Once approved, complete the County-Specific Application – April 1 at the absolute latest.
  • Internship matching process – September to April 15, rolling thereafter.
  • Mandatory In-person Pre-Departure Sessions – Mid-April to Late May.
  • September 1 – Complete evaluation

   Bahrain:

  1. RVIS:
  • Industrial Robotic Arm
  • AI Vision Quest
  • Electric Car Engineering
  • AI in Marketing & Content Creation
  • AI Creators Lab: Challenges in Prompt Engineering

 2. American University of Bahrain ( AUBH)

  • Smart Safety and Reliability Systems: 

    a) Predictive Maintenance Models – using machine learning to predict potential equipment failures (e.g., pumps, compressors) based on sensor data.

    b) AI-Driven Anomaly Detection – for real-time alerting based on environmental and operational sensor inputs.

    c) Computer Vision for Safety Compliance – e.g., recognizing personal protection equipment (PPE) usage or unauthorized access through live or recorded video feeds.

     

Latest News from MIT-Arab World

Meet the Program Administrator

Contact Us
Maye Elqasem headshot in a light blue outfit seated with a grey background

Get in touch with Maye Elqasem, Program Administrator of the MISTI MIT-Arab World Program, to get your questions answered.