About Us

Yang Post-Baccalaureate Program 

Ajani Stewart, a former postbaccalaureate is sitting in a room surrounded by many speakers while standing next to his mentor

Passionate about the brain but need more research experience before grad school? The K. Lisa Yang Post-Baccalaureate Program offers a fully funded two-year neuroscience research experience in MIT’s Yang Tan Collective, helping exceptional recent graduates build the skills, confidence, and mentorship networks to thrive in top PhD programs.

What you will do

Join a cutting-edge MIT lab: You’ll be carefully matched with a Yang Tan Collective laboratory that aligns with your scientific interests. Under the guidance of a faculty mentor and day-to-day support from a postdoc or graduate student, you’ll design and carry out experiments, analyze data, and contribute to publications.

Grow as a scientist and scholar: Attend weekly lab meetings, high-impact seminars, and technical workshops; practice public speaking and scientific writing; and get hands-on guidance on preparing graduate school applications.

Learn without limits: Scholars can audit MIT classes to deepen knowledge and connect with professors across the institute.

Community & professional development

You won’t be alone — you’ll join a close-knit cohort of eight scholars and be part of a vibrant neuroscience community in MIT’s iconic Building 46. Together, you’ll explore science, share discoveries, and have fun along the way.

  • Weekly postbac meetings to share research and sharpen skills
  • Neurolunch and CogLunch weekly seminars with building 46 graduate students and postdocs
  • Social gatherings: off-campus fall social & spring retreat
  • Access to a rich schedule of world-class neuroscience talks and events
  • Outreach activities with public school students in the Boston area

Why it matters

The K. Lisa Yang Post-Baccalaureate Program is more than a bridge — it’s a launchpad. Our scholars leave with authored papers, strong letters of recommendation, deep technical training, and a network of peers and mentors that lasts for years. Our scholars have gone on to PhD programs at MIT, Stanford, Princeton, NYU, and Harvard Medical School.

We especially encourage talented scholars from economically disadvantaged backgrounds or those who lacked access to research opportunities during college to apply.

Applications for the 2027-2029 cycle will open on December 1, 2026. Application materials and link will be posted on that date.