About MISTI Italy

Italy and MIT share the same birth year (1861) and the same passion for innovating through rigorous abstract inquiry and ingenious craft. MIT’s motto “Mens et Manus” perfectly applies to the talent for integrative invention which has distinguished Italy since the Renaissance and still makes it one of the world’s largest makers and exporters. The MISTI Italy program enables MIT students and researchers to experience Italy’s genius for combining technology and culture, science and beauty, and gives our Italian partners access to MIT scientific imagination and problem solving skills.

Opportunities for MIT students include paid research stays at partner universities and labs; in -country faculty led workshops; internships at small and large companies; teaching at Italian high schools over IAP. To our Italian partners, we offer access to MIT “can do” culture through our students, the labs they come from and our expertise.

Program Opportunities

Internships

The MISTI Italy Program offers paid research and company internships to qualified undergraduates in most academic fields. Graduate students are not eligible for program funding, except when participating in special collaborations.

Most internships are at partner labs and universities, take place in the summer and require a 8-10 weeks commitment. A few company internships or longer terms opportunities may be available to advanced undergraduates--but require substantial advance planning. 

Apply Here

 

         No language requirement for graduate students

  • No culture class required--but demonstrated interest in Italy& Europe, as shown by relevant MIT classes a plus
  • Commitment to complete all MISTI & MIT-Italy pre-departure and post internship requirements

All Italy placements are custom made and identified through in person meetings with the Program Co-director.  Most internships are summer research, with few seniors being placed at  companies.  

MIT UROP experience is required for all placements--some Italian a very strong plus. While we cannot place all applicants the year they first apply to the Program, considering a wider range of placements (research, teaching, participating in a faculty led workshop) and taking a longer perspective significantly improve your chances. First Years are strongly encouraged to plan their internship over a two-years time frame. 

The Program co-director begins to explore potential placements and contact hosts only after applicants have committed to the program, completed the country application and have been accepted into the program. However, acceptance does not guarantee a placement. 

Please note : Placements in Italy are finalized relatively close to departure—mid February-late March—hence the rolling deadline. Upper classmen are encouraged to apply earlier.  

  1. Complete the MISTI Launchpad Application – January 15th and rolling afterwards. First Years are strongly encouraged to wait until February, when they know their Spring classes and research plans. Upperclassmen:are encouraged to apply EARLIER
  2. Interview with Italy Program Co-Director - Mid December to mid-March. February onwards for Freshmen
  3. Commit to MISTI Italy Program - February-March 1st by choosing it on the MISTI launchpad application
  4. Once approved, complete the Italy Program Application.
  5. Internship matching process - mid-January - mid-March.
  6. Mandatory Pre-Departure Sessions – late-March to early-May
  7. Summer internships: from the end of May/beginning of June-August 10
  8. August 15th: internship reports due

How to Apply

Like all MISTI Programs, the MISTI Italy Program guarantees coverage of basic travel and living expenses, & health insurance.

Global Teaching Labs

The Italy Global Teaching Lab Program sends MIT students to teach STEM subjects—math, bio, chemistry,  with a few spots in CS, robotics, Ai and a strong emphasis on Physics—and DEBATE-- at Italian high schools for 3 weeks over IAP while living with a host family. This is a big plus for the program, but students with severe allergy issues/ very strict dietary requirements --that go beyond vegetarian/vegan/celiac requirements --should choose programs that allow for individual housing. Participants are placed at public schools—mostly in small towns—teach individually for up to 20 hours a week under the supervision of a host teacher, and live with families chosen by the host school. All the teaching takes place in English, and is geared to emphasize experiential learning. In 2025 and 26, nearly one hundred  MIT students taught at 50 plus Italian high  schools.

Program dates for IAP 2027 are: January 6-29th. ( teaching Jan 7-28,with departure from US to Italy on January 5th and departure from Italy on the 29th) No changes allowed.

Apply Here

Watch Meredith Arterburn's GTL experience during IAP 2023

Open to sophomores, juniors and graduating seniors in all disciplines who have taken --and excelled in--subject relevant MIT classes. Graduate students will be considered only if they did their undergraduate studies at MIT. First Years will be considered for debate only—high school debate experience required. Flexibility, cultural curiosity, adaptability to living with host family and strong communication skills a must.  

  • GPA 4.0 and above,
  • Must have excelled in MIT classes  related to the subjects to be taught
  • Excellent communication skills.
  • Flexibility and adaptability--instructions on what/how to teach may come late/be scant
  • Teaching experience (preferably at MIT)
  • No language requirement, but preference is given to students with some knowledge of Italian and Latin.
  • Selected participants must attend Global Teaching Labs and MISTI Italy training sessions and submit a report afterwards

The MISTI Italy Program covers round-trip airfare from and to Boston  to destination, with the host schools providing about $ 900 for incidental living expenses after arrival in Italy. Participants stay for free with families selected by their host schools--with many meals provided as well.

An information session will be held on :

Tuesday, September 15, 2026 from 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM

Meeting Location and Application deadline will be announced by September 1

 

Please refer to the How to Apply page for MISTI GTL application instructions and further info about the session

Due to the high number of expected applicants, there will be no individual meetings before or after the application deadline. Selected applicants will be informed by e-mail about interviews timing and location. The number and profiles of applicants who will be interviewed will depend on the number  and types of available spots. We aim at completing the acceptance and matching process by the end of October. Participants cannot chose their location, must be open to living with host families and will be asked to commit before being matched to a specific school. Please do not apply to this GTL program if you have serious allergies to foods or pets or eating requirements that may be too difficult for host families to meet ( celiacs, vegetarians, vegans OK) .

Global Classroom

IAP 27

Professors Will Broadhead ( History) and Admir Masic ( Civil Engineering) will be offering their cross-disciplinary GC on Roman History and Technology. This is a truly mens and manus experience that takes you from reading classic texts amidst Rome monuments to the archeological site of Pompeii where you analyze the Romans' building materials and learn how to restore  their frescoes. Go to the MISTI Global Classroom page or reach out for more info.

 

Summer '26-MISTI Italy -University of Catania GC on Sicilian Climate-- Second Edition 

The Second Edition of this GC held in partnership with the University of Catania --and the participation of the Universita La Sapienza of Rome--was extremely successful. Nine MIT undergraduates led by professor Andrew Whittle worked with faculty and graduates students from the partner Universities and spent an additional four week research stay at the University of Catania.

The GC was enriched by the generous contribution of many experts and site visits and benefited from the most generous hospitality and logistic assistance of our University of Catania partners.

Stay tuned for future editions.

Summer 2024-MISTI Italy Environmental preservation and restoration of urban and archeological sites in an era of climate change: the Southern East Sicily case. 

Summer '22 Misti Italy Global Classroom: Rebuilding the Edge. 

Rebuilding the Edge is a faculty-led workshop that explores the relationship between regional infrastructure projects and small communities in the Italian region of Abruzzo. The workshop is open to MIT graduates and undergraduates who have an interest in these issues and skills they can contribute to the project. The workshop is the result of a partnership between MIT’s Urban Risk Lab, the MIT-Italy Program, and Fondazione Ferrovie dello Stato Italiano–the Italian state railway system Foundation. 

Read more about this summer workshop on Fast Company, "How MIT students are helping revitalize a tiny Italian village". 

You can also contact MIT-Italy program manager, Serenella at ssferza [at] mit.edu if you have any additional questions.

Meet Your Program Co-Director

Contact
MIT Italy Managing Director Serenella Sferza

Get in touch with Serenella Sferza, MIT-Italy Co-Director, to get your questions answered.