Undergraduate Residential Leadership Opportunities
Undergraduate students serve in vital leadership roles within our 11 residence halls. Together, they work with live-in faculty and professional staff to create a rich and supportive living environment.
At MIT, the peer to peer leadership model is how we build community. In Residential and Community Life, we aspire to create leadership opportunities where student leaders can build important skillsets in conflict navigation, how to develop and sustain meaningful relationships, and how to create communities where all students can thrive.
House Teams
Each residence has a robust house team of faculty, staff, and students who work together to maintain a vibrant living environment. These teams are made up of:
- Heads of House — Live-in faculty who offer academic and personal support to residents.
- Area Directors (ADs) — Full-time, live-in student outreach and support experts who assist with the transition to college and navigating MIT’s complex environment.
- Graduate Resident Advisors [link to Graduate Resident Opportunities] (GRAs) and Resident Peer Mentors (RPMs) — Offer additional support and plan programming to build community.
- House Operations Managers (HOMs) — Support the facilities and operations of a house, including managing the front desk, cleaning, and maintenance staff.
Student leaders within residences elect house governments to determine room assignments, support the residence culture, and host events for students.
Resident Peer Mentor Program
The Resident Peer Mentor Program gives upperclass students an opportunity to support and create community for incoming first-year students. RPMs are appointed for a full academic year, and the interview processes are conducted within each residence hall.
- All RPMs must have and maintain a minimum grade point average of 4.0.
- RPMs must be full-time undergraduate students for their entire appointment.
- Applicants may not be under disciplinary action and may not violate any MIT policies during their appointment.
- Successful completion of duties is required for continued appointment.
RPMs receive a $600/academic year ($300.00 per semester) reduction in housing costs. As this allotment is deducted from your MIT bursar’s account, it might affect the room and board portion of your financial aid package. Please speak to your financial aid counselor for more specific information.
Applications for the 2025-2026 Academic Year are due on Wednesday, April 30 at 11:59 p.m.
Those interested in the RPM position should email peermentorinfo@mit.edu with any questions. Residence-specific questions about expectations and the recruitment process should be directed to your residence’s Area Director.
Peer Mentor Important Dates:
RPM and Peer Engagement Ambassador (PEA) Move-In Aug 21st
In-Person Training August 22nd 9am-3pm
RPM assistance FY Move-In August 23rd
First Year Event August 29th, time TBD
Summer Resident Assistant
The Summer Resident Assistant (SRA) role is a crucial part of MIT Undergraduate Residential Life’s efforts to support and promote a healthy and inclusive community for designated summer housing buildings. Rising sophomore, junior, and senior undergraduate students can apply for this part-time (10 hours per week) position, compensated with free housing costs for the summer session.
Important Deadlines
- Applications live | Friday, April 5
- Applications and video interviews, Priority | Tuesday, April 16, 9 a.m.
- First round offers sent | Thursday, April 18
- First round offers accepted | By Friday, April 19, 5 p.m.
- Second round offers sent | Monday, April 2
- Second round offers accepted | By Wednesday, April 24, 9 a.m.
- Mandatory training | Week of May 27 (approximately eight – 10 hours over two days)
- Early move-in | Sunday, May 26
- Move out | Friday, August 2
For questions about the application process, please email summer-ra-admin@mit.edu
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