California Institute of Technology popularly known as CalTech is a well-renowned research institute for Science and Engineering. It is one of the hardest institutions to gain admission in USA. Caltech grants admission to less than 1000 students in an academic year for undergraduate education. The university exhibits an acceptance rate of 6.7%, demonstrating a highly selective admission policy. Explore: Caltech Rankings
The university has an international population of around 7.9% in its undergraduate programs and 44.53% in graduate programs. Caltech has no minimum GPA requirement. The majority of accepted applicants, however, have a GPA of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale (~89-90%) and are in the top 10% of their class.The estimated cost of attendance at Caltech is 65.41 lakhs for UG programs and 69.41 lakhs for PG programs. This cost includes a tuition fee of 45.49 lakhs and 44.84 lakhs respectively. Check: Caltech Student Profiles
California Institute of Technology has achieved the #1 position in education subcategory of America’s best employers according to Forbes, 2022. The university provides extensive career support to its students through the Career Development Center. After graduation, Caltech students earn an average starting salary of 105,500 USD per annum.
Likes:
- Program Availability: International students are offered with 28 UG majors 12 UG minors available 31 graduate degree programs in California Institute of Technology. The university has more students in graduate courses than undergraduate programs.
- Strong Alumni Network: The university is home to some 7 Nobel laureates and 58 National Medal of Science winners.
- Weather: California is known for its gorgeous year-round Southern California weather. The highest temperature reaches upto 45°C and lowest is -8.3°C.
- Transportation: Caltech offers free metro pass to its students which helps in cost of living for international students.
Dislikes:
- Expensive Cost of Living: Pasadena, California is an expensive city. Which makes cost of attendance at Caltech quite expensive. Especially housing costs.
- Safety Issue: California has a higher than average crime rates, which makes safety a major issue for international students.
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California Institute of Technology Acceptance Rate
California Institute of Technology exhibits an undergraduate acceptance rate of 2.07%. The university has an overall acceptance rate of only 6.7%. For the class of 2025, Caltech received 13,026 freshmen applications. Only 270 students were enrolled from among them indicating a highly selective admission policy. The university encourages students to have confidence in themselves to cope up in a university with an undergraduate population of less than 1000.
California Institute of Technology Rankings
The California Institute of Technology is ranked 6th in the QS World University Rankings 2023 and #21 in US Universities by QS Global World Rankings, 2022. Some of the other rankings achieved by Caltech are:
- #74 in Graduate Employability Ranking, by QS Global World Rankings, 2022
- #2 in World University rankings, 2022 by Times Higher Education
- #7 in US College Rankings, 2022 by Times Higher Education
- #9 in National Universities by US News and World Report, 2022
- #15 in Best Value Schools by US News and World Report, 2022
According to QS Ranking 2022, California Institute of Technology has scored 96.7 in academic reputation. Mentioned below is the comparison of the top ranked programs at Caltech and Georgia Institute of Technology:
| Program | California Institute of Technology | Georgia Institute of Technology |
|---|---|---|
| Geology | 3 | 51 |
| Engineering - Chemical | 9 | 18 |
| Chemistry | 10 | 34 |
| Engineering - Electrical and Electronic | 12 | 14 |
| Engineering - Mechanical | 15 | 14 |
| Engineering and Technology | 15 | 16 |
| Computer Science and Information Systems | 39 | 33 |
| Economics and Econometrics | 44 | 201 |
| Engineering - Civil and Structural | 51 | 20 |
Also Check:
| California Institute of Technology vs Harvard University | Caltech vs Princeton | California Institute of Technology vs Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
California Institute of Technology Campus
The California Institute of Technology campus is situated in the heart of Pasadena at the foot of the prestigious San Gabriel Mountains.
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is the leading research center for robotic exploration of the solar system in the United States.
- Its Seismological Laboratory located on the school campus is the global preeminent source for earthquake information.
- The university owns the Kavli Nanoscience Institute for research purpose.
- The university has its own Center for Autonomous Systems and Technology, Bioengineering center, Observatory and many other on-campus research facilities.
- There are more than 50 student clubs and sports organizations and 16 Division III varsity teams.
California Institute of Technology Accommodation
The institute guarantees housing for all first-year graduate students looking to study in the USA and all freshmen and second-year undergraduate students. It offers a full range of on-campus housing options to Undergraduate and graduate students.
Cost of the housing for undergraduate students is USD 3605 (~2.79 lakhs) per person per term for the 2022-23 academic year. However the cost of accommodation for Graduate students varies depending upon the room type. Mentioned below are the cost for the same:
| Type | Cost/Month (in INR) |
|---|---|
| Four bed quad furnished | 0.52 lakhs |
| two bedroom double furnished | 0.62 lakhs |
| One single bedroom | 1.06 lakhs |
California Institute of Technology Programs
The programs offered by the institute include 28 undergraduate and 30 graduate degree programs. The institute has six academic divisions namely-
- Biology & Biological Engineering
- Chemistry & Chemical Engineering
- Engineering & Applied Science
- Geological & Planetary Sciences
- Humanities & Social Sciences
- Physics, Mathematics & Astronomy.
It also offers joint degree programs in association with UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, the USC Keck School of Medicine, and the Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine. Some of the popular programs of the school as tabulated below:
California Institute of Technology Application Process
In an academic year, the university admits international undergraduate applicants in a couple of intakes. However, the graduate students can take admission for the fall session only.
Application Portal: Common Application, Coalition Application or University’s Graduate portal.
Application Fee: Uundergraduate programs: 75 USD | Graduate programs: 100 USD.
Admission Requirements for graduate programs:
- Academic transcripts of an undergraduate degree and secondary education records
- Average GPA: 3.5/4.0 (~89-90%)
- Statement of purpose
- Resume
- 3 LOR
- Documentation of Financial Support in form of bank statements or sponsor documents showcasing the availability of required funds.
- Copy of ID pages of passport
- English language proficiency tests (no bar on score) (only TOEFL iBT or Duolingo)
California Institute of Technology Cost of Attendance
Caltech accepts a number of direct charges from the students taking admission. Students are advised to make an estimated budget to study in the institution before applying. The following table provides the approximate costs of studying in the institute:
| Type of Expense | Annual Cost for Undergraduate (in INR) | Annual Cost for Graduate ( in INR) |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition fees | 45.49 lakhs | 44.84 lakhs |
| Mandatory fee | 0.38 lakhs | 1.63 lakhs |
| Accommodation | 8.41 lakhs | 9.28 lakhs |
| Meal | 6.06 lakhs | 7.09 lakhs |
| Books and supplies | 1.11 lakhs | 1.08 lakhs |
| Pesronal expenses | 2.1 lakhs | 3.63 lakhs |
| Transportation | 1.86 lakhs | 1.86 lakhs |
| Total | 65.41 lakhs | 69.41 lakhs |
California Institute of Technology Scholarships
Caltech does not offer any merit-based scholarships but meets the 100% requirement of the students with a demonstrated need for financial aid. The institute gives scholarships, loans, awards, grants only on the basis of the needs of the students and even helps them to locate work while studying to support their finances. International applicants can apply to various external scholarships for international students in USA.
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California Institute of Technology Alumni Network
The university alumni network has over 24,000 active living members which include entrepreneurs, academic leaders, technological innovators, medical pioneers, etc . The alumni enjoy benefits like opportunities and tools to connect professionally, career assistance through Caltech Alumni Advisors Network and can seek or offer a job on Handshake. A few notable alumni of the university are:
- Charles T. Munger - Vice Chairman, Berkshire Hathaway Inc
- Daniel D. O'Dowd - Founder and CEO, Green Hills Software Inc
- Fei-Fei Li - Sequoia Professor of Computer Science, Stanford University
California Institute of Technology Placements
The Career Development Center of California Institute of Technology provides dedicated career services to its graduates and alumni. The center provides counseling, resume writing workshops and tips, pre-health and pre-professional advising, Networking strategies, and higher study options to the students. Students even learn to compose interview thank you letters through the career centrer. Students are provided with LinkedIn labs to connect with employers.
The average starting salary of California Institute of Technology graduates is 105,500 USD. Career fairs arranged twice a year by the university brings over 150 recruiters to employ Caltech graduates. Caltech is also recognized as the 7th best employer in America in the midsize employer category according to Forbes, 2022.
A world-renowned institute, Caltech addresses some fundamental scientific questions and presses for societal challenges through the brightest and most innovative minds in the world. Ranked among the best universities in USA, the institute ensures equal learning opportunities for all the students with on-campus housing for all candidates. Furthermore, Caltech fulfills entire costs and needs of the students through its need-based scholarship programs. The university brings international students to professional exposure through its career oriented programs and hence is a desired place for international students willing to study in the USA.
FAQs
Ques. Is Caltech a Ivy Leage institute?
Ans. No, the California Institute of Technology is not a Ivy League institute. However, the institute is one of the top universities in the USA and has an equivalent reputation like a Ivy League member.
Ques. What is the application fee of California Institute of Technology?
Ans. Caltech accepts an application fee of 70 USD from the international undergraduate students and 100 USD from the graduate applicants.
Ques. What is the average cost of studying in the California Institute of Technology?
Ans.International undergraduate students can estimate a total cost of 79,947 USD to study in Caltech. For Indian students, this amount is equivalent to 60 Lakh INR.
Ques. What is the minimum GPA required for Caltech admission?
Ans. The university has no bar on the minimum GPA requirement, however, as an applicant you should get a GPA of 3.5 on 4.0 (~89-90%) or above for Caltech admission.
Ques. Is admission to Caltech tough?
Ans. Yes, the institute is one of the highly selective universities in USA with an acceptance rate of ony 6%. As a prospective student, you need excellent academic results, standardized test scores and multiple recommendations as the basic prerequisites for Caltech admission.
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