CAPD is dedicated to helping all MIT students, including those who are undocumented or have Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) status. We admire the determination, problem solving ability and resilience of these community members and strive to provide the appropriate support.
Your career planning
Explore and build skills
Explore your interests and develop skills by conducting research, taking project-based classes and volunteering. MIT’s Office of Experiential Learning provides information about these opportunities.
Join student organizations with an academic or pre-professional focus to learn about different industry areas and build your leadership skills.
Complete free virtual work experiences created through Forage.
Review TheDream.US Inclusive Internships & Fellowships list.
Applications and workplace rights
DACA recipients can complete paid internships and work after graduation. Stay up to date with community friendly DACA information provided by the Immigrant Legal Resource Center.
The Higher Ed Immigration Portal provides information about employment based visas for non-citizen students including Dreamers with or without DACA.
Connect with CAPD staff to determine the best way to answer certain questions on your job or internship application.
Life after college
Review Life After College: A Guide for Undocumented Students, by Immigrants Rising, to explore your career options. A few examples include:
Attending graduate or professional school. Review and apply for fellowships sourced by Immigrants Rising and My Undocumented Life to pay for your education. These fellowships don’t require proof of US citizenship.
Becoming a part of the freelance or gig economy. Learn more about entrepreneurship through resources at MIT, Immigrants Rising and undocuprofessionals opportunities.
The New York State Youth Leadership Council also provides a Non-Citizen’s Guide to Entrepreneurship and details about independent contracting, including advice to negotiate job offer into an independent contractor role.
Consider working with worker cooperatives.
Resources at CAPD & MIT
CAPD staff can help you explore your career options, connect you with allies on campus, provide feedback on your application materials (resume, cover letters, and graduate school essays), and help you prepare for interviews.
Undergraduates can also contact Student Support Services (S3) for additional support, and graduate students can connect with GradSupport.
The Techqueria is a nonprofit serving the largest global community of Latiné professionals in tech. Some of the helpful resources include a slack community channel and job board.
The City of Boston can help you transition into your new home and make your stay here as enjoyable as possible. Whether you’re looking for information about the neighborhood where you will be staying, the services the City has to …
Immigrants Rising provides resources and recommendations to generate income through entrepreneurship and freelancing.
The mission of OACES, building on the pioneering legacy of the OME, is to champion the success of students who have faced challenges on their paths to and through MIT. This may include, but is not limited to, students who …
While initially it may seem as though undocumented students have limited options upon graduating from college, this guide is intended to shed light on the possibilities that do exist. The guide has been written to be as inclusive and comprehensive …
