Frequently Asked Questions

We've reviewed the questionnaire. How much detail should we provide?

Your firm's questionnaire will be posted, along with all other submissions, on an MIT website restricted to G-Lab students. Hence, you will be in direct competition with those other submissions. Please take the time to thoughtfully describe your company and the project, so that students can fully appreciate the opportunity. In short, a clear and thorough questionnaire will increase student interest.

How should we complete our questionnaire so that we get the right kind of students with the right backgrounds?

If you desire students with special skills or backgrounds, please state this clearly on your questionnaire. We cannot guarantee that these requests will be matched, but it will be a significant factor in the matching process.

How are host company projects matched with student teams?

Student teams submit bidding forms ranking their top three company choices. The faculty match teams based on:host company needs, student team preferences and students' backgrounds and prior work experience.

When and how do we find out which student team has been matched with our company?

After the matching results are announced, the student teams will contact you the second week of October by email and agree a time to talk by telephone. Their telephone costs are covered by G-Lab, so you will not incur any international long-distance charges.

How do we settle on the terms of the consulting project?

The teams understand it is one of their primary responsibilities to negotiate scope, schedule and deliverables with their host companies as soon as possible. The agreement will be reduced to a simple workplan, which you will be asked to sign off on.

How much time can we expect the team to spend working on our project?

From October to December, the team will devote the equivalent of one workday per week, on average, on their G-Lab projects. During January, the team will be working intensively and full-time. The January internship must consist of at least 3 consecutive weeks of work.

Our proposed project would require us to share sensitive and confidential information with the team. What protection can you/the team provide?

On occasion, team members have signed non-disclosure agreements with their host companies. Every team's conclusions and presentation are submitted to the faculty for grading purposes, but all confidential material will be redacted before any open classroom discussion. Please contact us directly to discuss your specific concerns. We have successfully resolved many such situations in the past.

What are the dates and logistical details of the January internship?

The precise dates are agreed by you and your team. The only strict requirement is that all members of the student team must start work on the same Monday and finish on the same Friday. The internship must consist of at least 3 consecutive weeks of work without vacation days during the week.

What are the expectations regarding air travel? Do we reimburse students or pay for their tickets initially?

This issue is also to be agreed by you and your team. Either approach is acceptable, and typically is dictated by which method is less expensive for the host company. Students in all cases fly economy class and, if purchasing their own tickets, agree to use good-faith efforts to locate the least expensive fare. Host companies are obligated only to pay round-trip airfare from Boston. If students are arriving at your location from another city, they are personally responsible for any incremental difference in ticket prices.

I have multiple offices. Can the team split up and go separately to different places?

No. The team members should stay together during their project. Teams may travel together from one office to another, however.

What are the expectations for the lodging we provide?

Modest but safe accommodation is the standard. Sleeping arrangements should be sensible and appropriate to the composition of the team and the location.

How are the out-of-pocket and petty cash issues handled?

Generally, out-of-pocket expenses such as shipping, copying, etc., are for the account of the team, subject to common sense limitations.

What kind of feedback is involved?

We follow up with all host companies after their G-Lab project is completed. We seek candid feedback on team performance and company satisfaction. With permission, some of those data are reused to improve the content of the course.