Admission to California Institute of Technology is very competitive and has a 6.7% acceptance rate. For the class of 2025, Caltech saw an enrollment of a total of 2401 students. Out of the total enrollment, 29.94% are international students with 718 international graduate students. Admissions at the California Institute of Technology are offered in 28 undergraduate and 30 graduate degree programs. The most popular courses offered at Caltech are Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Chemical Engineering. 

Tip for Indian Students: Caltech does not have a minimum GPA requirement. However, the majority of the admitted applicants have a GPA of 3.5 (~89-90%) on a 4.0 scale and/or are in the top 10% of their class. 

California Institute of Technology Deadlines

Mentioned below are the general deadlines for applying to Caltech for 2023 for international students:

Admission Round Deadline
Early Action deadline November 1, 2022 (closed)
Regular Decision deadline January 3, 2023
Regular Decision notifications Mid-March, 2023
Early Action and Regular Decision admit reply deadline May 1, 2023

California Institute of Technology has 6 academic divisions in which students can offer courses of their choice. International and domestic applicants have similar application processes except that more supporting documents are needed for international applicants. Undergraduate courses include Biology and Biological Engineering, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Engineering and Applied Science, and some other programs.

Application Portal: Common Application or Coalition Application
Application Fee: 75 USD (~5,920 INR)
Admission Requirements: 

  • Official transcripts (Must be sent directly from your high school) with overall score of 75% or higher (preferred not required)
  • List of extracurricular activities
  • Copy of the passport
  • Financial statement
  • Teacher Evaluation- One from a math or science tutor and one from humanities or social science tutor
  • English proficiency score

Note: There is no minimum score requirement in the English Proficiency exams.

Caltech UG Admission Steps

Step 1: Fill in the personal information in the 
Step 2: Fill the details of your family
Step 3: Provide the information about your educational qualification
Step 4: Mention the Standardized tests you have appeared for
Step 5: Highlight the extracurricular activities
Step 6: Complete the Personal Essay

California Institute of Technology Graduate Admissions

California Institute of Technology has 6 divisions in which students can offer courses of their choice. International applicants are accepted by the university provided that they have met California Institute of Technology admissions eligibility requirements, provided official academic documents, and met deadlines. Graduate courses at Caltech are offered in Medical, Chemical, Bioengineering, Physics, Computer Science, Aeronautics and severalother fields.

Admission Requirements:

  • Official transcripts of a bachelor’s degree or equivalent
  • 3 LOR
  • Financial aid statement of intent
  • CV or resume 
  • SOP
  • Copy of passport
  • Admission interview
  • English proficiency scores

Also Check:

Step 1: Create a free account at the university’s graduate portal to submit the application form online.
Step 2: Include an application fee of 100 USD or submit a fee waiver request
Step 3: Upload a Statement of Purpose
Step 4: Upload an electronic copy of the official transcripts or updated online grade reports issued by your college or university
Step 5: Register three individuals from whom you will request letters of recommendation
Step 6: Upload a CV or Resume

Visa Application Process for International Students

International students receive either a DS-2019 form or an I-20 form from the university for visa application. Scholars at the university can either receive a DS-2019, an I-797A approval notice, or another appropriate document. Students must fix an appointment in their local US Consulate or Embassy. Candidates will need to pay the I-901 SEVIS fee for applying to the F-1 visa or J-1 Visa. Students must bring along the following documents with them during the visa interview:

  • Acceptance letter from California Institute of Technology
  • I-20/ DS-2019 form issued by the university
  • Copy of passport
  • Passport size photographs
  • Completed visa application
  • Visa application fee receipt
  • Scholarship/ Sponsorship Letter (if applicable)
  • Health Examination Form

Know More: US Student Visa

Prospective graduate students are advised to maintain a high CGPA and excellent grades in their undergraduate degree as it is required for graduate admissions. Graduate applicants should expect the outcome of their application within two-three weeks after the deadlines.

Even though the GRE score may be optional for some graduate programs, it is advisable for graduate applicants to sit for the GRE test and have good scores, since admissions at California Institute of Technology is highly competitive. An acceptance mail would be sent to students who have received offers from the California Institute of Technology.

FAQs

Ques. Which tests are accepted by Caltech as proof of English proficiency for graduation?

Ans. For under graduation Caltech only accepts TOEFL and Duolingo English tests as proof of English proficiency. They do not accept IELTS or any other test in substitution to TOEFL. Caltech also have started accepting Duolingo in 2022. 

Ques. Does Caltech waiver application fees?

Ans. Yes, Caltech can waive application fees under certain circumstances like if your payment of application fees creates financial hardship to the family or if you have applied for such fee waiver through (NACAC) or filled a fee waiver form with SAT/ACT.

Ques. Is the GRE exam compulsory for a post-graduation application in Caltech?

Ans. No, GRE exam is not compulsory for a post graduate exam in Caltech but if the applicant has the test score then you can submit it with your application.

Ques. What is the minimum GPA required for Caltech?

Ans. There is no minimum GPA for admission to Caltech. However, most students admitted in the institution have GPA of 3.5 or more.

Ques. Is it compulsory for international students to convert their scores into US GPA scales?

Ans. No, there is no such requirement of converting grades or rankings into US GPA scale.

Ques. What is the minimum English proficiency score required for Caltech?

Ans. There is no minimum score requirement for proof of English proficiency.