California Institute of Technology
A science and engineering institute of about 970 undergraduates that also runs NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
- Acceptance rate
- 3.8%
- Fall 2025 entering class (Class of 2029)
- Students
- 2,369
- 971 undergraduates
- International
- 34%
- of students
- Student–faculty
- 3:1
- ratio
- Tuition
- $68,574
- International undergraduates · 2026-27
About Caltech
Caltech began in 1891 as Throop University and took its current name in 1920. It is tiny by design: about 970 undergraduates and 1,400 graduate students on a 124-acre campus in Pasadena, taught by around 300 professorial faculty, a 3:1 student-faculty ratio. It also manages the Jet Propulsion Laboratory for NASA, which employs about 4,600 people and collaborates with Caltech on more than 100 research projects.
Academics are organised into six divisions: Biology and Biological Engineering; Chemistry and Chemical Engineering; Engineering and Applied Science; Geological and Planetary Sciences; Humanities and Social Sciences; and Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy. Undergraduates choose among 26 options (majors), but every student first takes a demanding common core in mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology, and the year runs on three quarters. An honor code governs academic life, which is why many exams are take-home.
Caltech is for students who want science at full intensity and like working through hard problems with a small group of peers. Undergraduates live in a house system with strong traditions, and research is part of normal undergraduate life. Admission is need-blind for domestic applicants and need-aware for international applicants, and Caltech meets 100 percent of demonstrated need for everyone it admits.
The truth shall make you free
University motto
Why students choose Caltech
A 3:1 student-faculty ratio across a student body of about 2,400, so undergraduates work directly with faculty.
Research access through Caltech-managed facilities such as the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, LIGO and Palomar Observatory.
An honor code that allows take-home exams and a culture of collaborative problem-solving.
Eight undergraduate Houses chosen through Rotation, where new students visit each House before ranking them.
Admissions
Fall 2025 entering class (Class of 2029)
About 1 in 26 applicants is admitted
428 admitted from 11,285 applicants
Middle 50% of admitted students scored in this range.
Caltech enrolled 248 first-year students in fall 2025. It is need-aware for international applicants because international aid funds are limited.
Typical entry requirements
| Required high-school coursework | Four years of math including one year of calculus; one year each of physics and chemistry. Students without access may substitute AP scores of 5, IB scores of 6-7, or Schoolhouse.world course challenges. |
|---|---|
| English language | IELTS 7 · TOEFL iBT 100 Required unless English is your native language or your school's primary language of instruction. Minimums: TOEFL 100 overall with 25 per section (tests before 21 January 2026) or 5 overall and 5 per section on the revised 1-6 scale; IELTS 7 overall and in each component; Duolingo 130 overall and in each area. Must be taken before the application deadline. |
Deadlines
- Restrictive Early Action Non-binding Next deadline · In 26 daysNovember 1, 2026
Non-binding; no other early action or early decision applications except listed exceptions. Materials due November 6; decisions mid-December.
- Regular Decision Non-binding In ~3 monthsJanuary 4, 2027
Materials due January 10; decisions mid-March. Reply by May 1, 2027.
Caltech's deadlines page lists November 1 and January 4 with a May 1, 2027 reply date, i.e. the cycle for entry in fall 2027.
How to apply
Common App or QuestBridge (no preference); Caltech supplement with a STEM interest question, a scholarly character essay, two scientific drive essays and a fun question; two teacher recommendations (one STEM, one humanities or social science); SAT or ACT; optional research paper or portfolio.
What admissions looks for
- Capacity for Caltech rigor: readiness for the pace, depth and intensity of the academics, with strong foundations in math and science.
- Scholarly character: integrity, resilience and generosity in learning, including collaboration and constructive responses to setbacks.
- Scientific drive: persistent curiosity, self-directed exploration beyond assignments and hands-on building or investigation.
- There is no single Caltech profile; these qualities can show up through many different paths.
Tips for applying to Caltech
- 1 Map your essays to Caltech's three stated qualities: the supplement is literally built around rigor, scholarly character and scientific drive.
- 2 Pick STEM and humanities recommenders from your last two years of high school; a research paper submission needs an extra letter from your research supervisor.
- 3 If your school lacks calculus, physics or chemistry, plan early to use AP, IB or Schoolhouse.world course challenges to meet the requirement.
- 4 International applicants who will need aid must apply for it at the time of admission; you cannot apply later.
What are your chances?
Sign up to see your personalized admission chances for California Institute of Technology
Sign up to see your chancesCosts & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in USD
Caltech is need-blind for domestic applicants, need-aware for international applicants, and meets 100 percent of demonstrated need; there are no merit scholarships. Families earning under $100,000 can typically expect no-loan packages covering tuition, fees, housing and food, and most under $200,000 have tuition covered.
- Just under $69,000
- Average grant aid for fall 2026 admits
- 20%
- Pell-eligible first-years (fall 2026 admits)
- $2,655
- Required fees (2026-27)
- $5,388
- Student health insurance (2026-27, if needed)
Academics
Academic calendar: Quarters (fall, winter, spring)
Physics
Home of LIGO co-founder Kip Thorne, a Caltech alumnus, and a department tied to the gravitational-wave observatory.
Chemistry
Where Linus Pauling earned his PhD and later taught.
Geological and Planetary Sciences
Planetary science with close links to JPL's space missions.
Engineering and Applied Science
The division of alumni such as Carver Mead and Hsue-shen Tsien.
Research
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, managed by Caltech for NASA since 1958.
- LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory), designed with MIT.
- Palomar Observatory in San Diego County and the Owens Valley Radio Observatory.
- More than 50 research centers, institutes and facilities.
Schools & faculties
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
- Division of Engineering and Applied Science
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences
- Division of the Humanities and Social Sciences
- Division of Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy
Student life
Caltech requires students to live on campus for their first two years and guarantees that housing; most stay on campus all four years. There are eight traditional undergraduate Houses plus three unaffiliated halls, and new students choose through Rotation, visiting each House and eating dinner there before ranking them. The honor code shapes daily life, from take-home exams to shared trust. Pranks, including a long rivalry with MIT, and Ditch Day are part of the lore. Athletics are NCAA Division III in the SCIAC.
- Eight undergraduate Houses assigned through Rotation.
- The Honor Code, which allows take-home exams.
- Ditch Day and a history of pranks, including on MIT.
- NCAA Division III athletics in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference; the mascot is Bernoulli the Beaver.
Housing. Housing is guaranteed and required for the first two years, and most students live on campus all four years.
Location
Caltech is in Pasadena, about 11 miles north-east of downtown Los Angeles at the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains. Pasadena is a walkable, leafy city with Old Pasadena's restaurants nearby, and the Metro rail line connects to downtown Los Angeles. JPL is in the foothills a short drive away. Weather is warm and dry most of the year.
Nearest airport: Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR); Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) for international flights
Notable alumni
- LP Linus PaulingTwo unshared Nobel Prizes (Chemistry and Peace); PhD 1925
- CT Charles TownesNobel Prize in Physics 1964 for work leading to the maser and laser; PhD 1939
- KT Kip ThorneNobel Prize in Physics 2017 for LIGO; BS 1962
- BM Benoit MandelbrotPioneer of fractal geometry; master's degree in aeronautics
- AB Arnold BeckmanInventor of the pH meter; PhD 1928
- HT Hsue-shen TsienFather of China's rocket program; PhD 1939
- KW Kenneth WilsonNobel Prize in Physics 1982; PhD 1961
- CM Carver MeadMicroelectronics pioneer; BS 1956, PhD 1960
Frequently asked questions
What is Caltech's acceptance rate?
For fall 2025, Caltech admitted 428 of 11,285 first-year applicants, about 3.8%, according to its 2025-26 Common Data Set.
Does Caltech require the SAT or ACT?
Yes. Caltech requires the SAT or ACT and reviews each section score in buckets rather than the composite; there is no minimum score. Fall 2025 enrollees had a middle-50% ACT composite of 35-36.
Is Caltech need-blind for international students?
No. Caltech is need-blind for domestic applicants but need-aware for international applicants, though it meets full demonstrated need for all admitted students.
What high school courses does Caltech require?
Four years of math including a year of calculus, plus a year each of physics and chemistry. Students without access can use AP, IB or Schoolhouse.world alternatives.
How much does Caltech cost?
The 2026-27 on-campus cost of attendance is $98,622, including $68,574 tuition. Most families earning under $100,000 can expect a no-loan aid package covering tuition, fees, housing and food.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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