Massachusetts state law regarding student absence due to religious beliefs has been adopted by the Institute as follows:
Any student who is unable to attend classes or participate in any examination, study, or work requirement on a particular day because of his or her religious beliefs is excused from any such activity. The student will be given the opportunity to make up the work that was missed, provided that the makeup work does not create an unreasonable burden upon MIT. The Institute will not level fees or charges of any kind when allowing the student to make up missed work. In addition, no adverse or prejudicial effects will result because students have made use of these provisions.
The following partial listing — prepared in conjunction with the MIT Office of Religious, Spiritual, and Ethical Life — is provided for your information.
Academic Year 2020-2021
2020
| September | 18-20 | Fri (sundown)-Sun (sundown) | Rosh Hashanah |
| 27-28 | Sun (sundown)-Mon (sundown) | Yom Kippur | |
| October | 2-4 | Fri (sundown)-Sun (sundown) | Sukkot begins |
| 9-11 | Fri (sundown)-Sun (sundown) | Shemini Atzeret/Simchat Torah | |
| 17-18 | Sat (sundown)-Sun (sundown) | Birth of the Bab | |
| 18-19 | Sun (sundown)-Mon (sundown) | Birth of Baha'u'llah | |
| November | 1 | Sunday | All Saints' Day |
| 6 | Friday | Lhabab Duchen | |
| December | 8 | Tuesday | Immaculate Conception |
2021
| January | 20 | Wednesday | Bodhi Day |
| March | 20-21 | Sat (sundown)-Sun (sundown) | Naw Ruz |
| 27-29 | Sat (sundown)-Mon (sundown) | Passover begins | |
| April | 2/4 | Friday/Sunday | Good Friday/Easter (Western) |
| 2-4 | Fri (sundown)-Sun (sundown) | Passover ends | |
| 8 | Thursday | Vesak | |
| 12 | Monday (sundown) | Ramadan begins | |
| 19-20 | Mon (sundown)-Tues (sundown) | First day of Ridvan | |
| 27-28 | Tues (sundown)-Wed (sundown) | Ninth day of Ridvan | |
| 30/May 2 | Friday/Sunday | Good Friday/Easter (Orthodox) | |
| 30-May 1 | Fri (sundown)-Sat (sundown) | Twelfth day of Ridvan | |
| May | 12 | Wednesday (sundown) | Ramadan ends |
| 12-13 | Wed (sundown)-Thurs (sundown) | Eid-al-Fitr | |
| 13 | Thursday | Ascension Thursday | |
| 16-18 | Sun (sundown)-Tues (sundown) | Shavuot | |
| 22-23 | Sat (sundown)-Sun (sundown) | Declaration of the Bab | |
| 28-29 | Fri (sundown)-Sat (sundown) |
Ascension of Baha'u'llah |