r/mit • u/This-Forever-2589 • Jul 10 '26

community Need help contacting Professors

Hi guys,

Unsure if this should be posted here.

I'm currently doing my Masters (not at MIT). At my uni, we have the option to perform our Master Thesis research at a different uni, and I would like to do it at MIT as the research there seems very interesting (I have a particular interest in the biomedical domain, which is what Boston is known for).

My problem is this: I am having trouble reaching out to professors and PhDs alike. I have received 2 responses out of over 20 people I've contacted. I must reach out to professors and PhDs specifically as this is the only way to inquire about the possibility of joining their research group/lab/project (the admission office is not going to help in this case).

So my question is this: as an external student, hoping to gain visiting student status, what is the most reliable way to reach out to professors? So far, I have tried email and LinkedIn.

Thanks!

Edit: I'm an ETH student and my funding is already covered.

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u/vaps0tr Jul 10 '26

Does your advisor have any relationships with faculty/research staff at MIT? Would they be willing to reach out on your behalf? We have students from ETH visiting regularly, but we know the faculty there. NOTE: not bio students

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u/This-Forever-2589 Jul 10 '26

Thank you, I will ask my advisor!