What you need to know
As an MIT student, you may audit subjects for self-enrichment or intellectual curiosity. Classes taken as a listener do not count toward degree requirements, course load, or enrollment status, and they do not earn credit or appear on any external record or official transcript.
Listener status is allowed at the discretion of the instructor, and you should check with him or her and your advisor before enrolling in a subject as a listener. Instructors are encouraged to inform students on the first day of class if listeners are permitted. You may not register as a listener in any UROP or other individualized subject(s).
Some key points to remember:
- When taking a subject as a listener, your degree of participation is determined by the instructor’s policy or by special arrangement between you and the instructor.
- You may register and receive credit for a subject previously taken as a listener, but you may not take an Advanced Standing Exam in that subject.
- If you are enrolled in an MIT degree program full-time, you may register as a listener without paying additional tuition.
- Special (non-degree) students and those registered for a light load are charged tuition for subjects taken as listeners on a per-unit basis and at the same rate as for-credit subjects.
What you need to do
- Designate a subject as listener during registration.
- After registration, request listener changes through our Add/Drop application.
- An email notification will be sent to your advisor. He or she must approve your request.
- After your advisor has approved the request, return to the Add/Drop application to submit the change.
- After Add Date, submit change requests via petition. Petitions require approval by your department and the appropriate committee.
- Undergraduates — submit your petition to the CAP.
- Graduate students — submit your petition to the OGE.
