May 15, 2026 23:00:00

The president of MIT described the critical situation regarding funding and talent development, saying, 'Frankly speaking, this is a loss for the nation.'

Sally Cohnbluth , president of the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), explains the critical situation arising from the Donald Trump administration's cuts to research funding.

Video transcript: A message from President Kornbluth about funding and the talent pipeline | MIT Office of the President | MIT - Massachusetts Institute of Technology
https://president.mit.edu/writing-speeches/video-transcript-message-president-kornbluth-about-funding-and-talent-pipeline

In a message released on May 14, Cornbrus explained the situation at MIT, stating, 'MIT is facing ongoing challenges in two related areas: fundraising and talent development.'

The reason MIT is facing a funding shortage is related to a bill passed in the United States in 2025 that would raise the tax rate on investment returns from endowments at some prestigious private universities from the current 1.4% to 8% . As a result, MIT's endowment revenue has decreased significantly, forcing the university to make staff cuts across the entire institution.

Mr. Cornbrus told MIT members, 'I know that layoffs are painful, but your efforts have been invaluable, and I am grateful for everything you have done to get us this far.'

Amidst this situation, in February 2026, news arrived that 'funding for many research institutions in the congressional budget had recovered, at least partially.' However, while Congress had indeed significantly increased funding for government agencies, Cornbruce argues that the funds are not flowing into MIT as they used to. Some federal agencies are reportedly discussing the possibility of considering geographical factors, rather than basing funding allocation solely on scientific merit.

Due to difficulties in securing funding, MIT's federally funded research activities have already decreased by more than 20%. Although funding from non-government sources has increased, it has not been enough to offset the decline in federal funding, and MIT's research activities, including both federal and non-government funding, are down 10% compared to a year ago. 'This is a huge loss for one of the world's most influential and productive research communities,' said Cornbrous.

MIT has not only focused on conducting scientific research but also on developing researchers. However, Kornbrus argues that changes in federal government policy are hindering talented international students and researchers from entering MIT.

Research labs are reportedly becoming reluctant to accept new graduate students due to increased federal taxation and reduced budget allocations. It's understandable that they would reduce the number of graduate students they accept, as continued cuts in federal funding would make it difficult for principal investigators to secure the necessary funds to support student research.

Excluding

the MIT Sloan School of Management and the EECS MEng program (Master's program in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science), the number of new students enrolling next year is expected to decrease by approximately 20% compared to 2024. As the EECS MEng program is still accepting applications at the time of writing, it is expected that the enrollment will decrease similarly to other programs once the selection process is complete. Cornbrews explains that, excluding the business schools, the total number of graduate students at MIT could decrease by approximately 500.

Cornbrus stated, 'This means a significant reduction in the number of students pursuing research at MIT, as well as a reduction in the number of graduate students that undergraduates can mentor. But for me, the most serious impact is that hundreds of incredibly talented young people will lose the opportunity to receive an education at MIT, and we will no longer be able to benefit from their creative talent.'

MIT is moving forward with a plan to support organizations struggling with a lack of federal funding, but this is not a long-term solution. 'Frankly speaking, this is a loss for the nation. Shrinking the pipeline of basic discovery research will cut off the flow of future solutions, innovations, and treatments, and will also reduce the supply of future scientists,' said Cornbrous, warning that underfunding and a lack of talent development at universities will also hurt America.

To address these issues, MIT is undertaking the following initiatives:

- Increase grant applications to meet federal government needs, including submitting 176 grant applications for the Department of Energy's new mission.
- We will explore ways to secure funding from industry, such as by establishing the MIT-IBM Computing Lab in collaboration with IBM.
- Explore new revenue streams through educational programs that align with MIT's mission.
- Replace the leader of the resource development team and explore ways to raise funds through charitable activities.

Kornbrus said, 'MIT's Washington office is working energetically on a bipartisan basis to raise awareness about the damage that taxing university endowments is doing to MIT and several other universities of comparable standing. I also frequently meet with congressional and administration leaders to emphasize how valuable MIT is to the nation. Knowing that you are all here and working so hard to fulfill our mission gives me the confidence to do this job.'