Study Abroad

The Caltech Cambridge Scholars Program offers qualified juniors and seniors the opportunity to spend the fall or winter term at the University of Cambridge in England. Students are hosted by and live in one of the Cambridge Colleges participating in the program. The participating colleges are Corpus Christi, Pembroke, St. Catharine’s, and St. John’s. Students pay Caltech room, board, tuition, and other standard Caltech fees for the term. There may be a small supplemental charge for room and tuition. The supplement varies yearly depending on prices and the exchange rate.

Students are admitted into one Cambridge department in the biological sciences, physical sciences, computer sciences, mathematics, or engineering sciences to take classes within the tripos, i.e., subject, offered by that department. Students can only take courses in one tripos subject, but can usually take classes from more than one part of the tripos in that subject. Students will find more information on the tripos structure and Cambridge University in the Fellowships Advising and Study Abroad Office or at www.cam.ac.uk.

During the term at Cambridge, students take the equivalent of at least 36 Caltech units, usually four Cambridge courses, but may take in some subjects. For their classes, students receive a minimum of 36 Caltech units that can be used to fulfill option requirements or to fulfill other Institute course requirements. Note that the final number of units and whether the units can be used to fulfill departmental requirements will be determined after faculty review upon a student’s return to Caltech.

Caltech students have the use of all Cambridge facilities and are matriculated into the university for the term. A minimum 3.6 GPA is required to apply. Eligible sophomores and juniors interested in either the fall or winter term should apply by the January deadline for the next academic year. Further information, including application procedures, and the exact deadline date, is available from the Fellowships Advising and Study Abroad Office at www.fasa.caltech.edu. Students can find more information about Cambridge at cam.ac.uk.

Please see the Financial Aid section for details on applying for and eligibility for financial aid related to study abroad. Students who receive financial aid should list supplemental charges and travel in their aid application.

The Caltech Copenhagen Scholars Program offers qualified juniors and seniors the opportunity to spend the fall at the University of Copenhagen (UCPH) or the Danish Technical University (DTU), both universities in the Copenhagen metropolitan area. At UCPH students will find courses offered in the physical or life sciences and computer science. At DTU students can take courses in engineering, computer science, nanotechnology, applied physics, space sciences, and in a broad range of science subjects, e.g., chemistry, physics, and mathematics. Students must select UCPH or DTU as their admitting university and will take all courses in the sciences/applied sciences at that university. All students are required to take a Danish language class during the semester.

Students live in a modern kollegiet (dormitory) with Danish students. There may be a supplemental charge for the room due to the ~15 weeks long semester. The supplement varies yearly depending on prices and the exchange rate. Students admitted to UCPH live in a UCPH kollegiet and students admitted to DTU live in a DTU kollegiet.

There is no board plan, but each kollegiet has a well-equipped kitchen, and students may cook for themselves or with the other students on the hall. In addition to the supplemental room charge, all students pay standard board and tuition, but should budget additional funds for food due to the length of the semester. Note that while students pay Caltech board fees, the board fee is used to spend on food while in Copenhagen. Students can cook in their kollegiet or eat out. Caltech fees are due by the normal fall due date.

Both UCPH and DTU are on a semester system, and Caltech students attend from the last week of August to mid-December and are required to participate in the one-week orientation or advising period the last week of August. Students have a one-week vacation in mid-October, and many use this vacation week to travel in Denmark or Europe.

Students take a maximum of 30 ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) and at least two classes (18 Caltech units) must get option credit of some type. All students take a class in the Danish language offered at UCPH. Students attending Copenhagen University are required to take a course in Danish culture and two Block 1 and one Block 2 class. Students attending DTU may elect to take a class from the Danish Culture series (monarchy, film, Vikings, etc.) if it fits their schedule and they do not exceed 30 ECTS. units combined with their DTU classes and Danish language class at UCPH.

All upper-level undergraduate or beginning graduate-level courses at UCPH and DTU can be taught in English.

Students admitted to DTU may take a class on the history of technology, which may qualify for Humanities credit. DTU has a very intriguing group of classes in management and in technology management. These can be taken for social science or option credit with the permission of the option representative.

Students receive a minimum of 36 Caltech units (many receive more units) that can be used for general or option credit or to fulfill other Institute course requirements. Note that the final number of units and whether the units can be used to fulfill departmental requirements will be determined after faculty review upon a student’s return to Caltech.

Students can enroll in an optional three-week-long Danish-language course in August at either UCPH or DTU depending on their admitting university. This course is not required, but as noted, all students are required to take Danish language during the fall semester for credit.

Further information about the Copenhagen Scholars Program is available in the Fellowships Advising and Study Abroad Office and online at: www.fasa.caltech.edu. Go to dtu.dk or ku.dk for further information on DTU or UCPH.

Please see the Financial Aid section for details on applying for and eligibility for financial aid related to study abroad. Students who receive financial aid should list supplemental charges and travel in their aid application. A minimum 3.0 GPA is required.

The École Polytechnique Scholars Program offers qualified juniors and seniors the opportunity to spend the fall, winter, or spring term at the École Polytechnique, which is located outside of Paris in the town of Palaiseau, about 40 minutes by train from Paris. Note that the winter and spring terms can only be attended in years that do not overlap with Caltech term dates and only with the permission of École Polytechnique and Caltech. In addition, seniors may not attend the spring term if they plan to graduate in June.

The École Polytechnique, often referred to by the nickname "L’X," is the foremost French grande école of engineering (according to French and international rankings). Founded in 1794 and initially located in the Latin Quarter in central Paris, it was moved to Palaiseau in 1976. It is one of the oldest and most prestigious engineering schools in the world, with a very selective entrance exam. As one of the world’s foremost establishments in science education, the École Polytechnique trains graduates who become outstanding scientists, engineers, researchers, managers, and politicians.

At École Polytechnique, students can take courses in one academic area called an approndisement. The subjects are engineering, computer science as well as the sciences, e.g., chemistry, physics, environmental sciences (GPS students) and mathematics. Students can also take one class in the social sciences and humanities if their schedule permits. All students take a French language class. Classes are taught in French or English based on the instructor’s preference. However, students must have very good ability in speaking, reading, and writing French before applying for this program. Students will continue to take French at their level while at École Polytechnique.

École Polytechnique has different academic schedules depending on the year of study. Caltech students who study at École Polytechnique for the fall term can only select classes from the third year of the École Polytechnique curriculum, and all classes must be selected from this year’s curriculum. Note that the second-year classes are not allowed, as this year goes from the fall through January and then has a second semester versus two terms. The third-year specialized curriculum has a schedule that corresponds closely to Caltech’s three-term system, and students must take all classes from the third-year curriculum. These classes are equivalent to 100-level classes at Caltech.

A minimum 3.3 GPA is required to apply. Eligible sophomores and juniors apply to study during their junior or senior year by the Caltech internal deadline, which is usually in January.

Note that students must be nominated by Caltech in order to apply and cannot apply without going through the internal Caltech nomination process, which is run by the Fellowships Advising and Study Abroad Office. Only this office can provide the required nomination. Each year application specifics will be provided to sophomores and juniors in the fall. Students will be required to complete both Caltech Study Abroad Proposal and Forms and complete the École Polytechnique application forms as well as undergoing a formal assessment of French skills by Caltech’s French instructor.

Please see the Financial Aid section for details on applying for and eligibility for financial aid related to study abroad. Students who receive financial aid should list supplemental charges and travel in their aid application.

The Caltech Edinburgh Scholars Program offers qualified juniors and seniors the opportunity to spend the fall at the University of Edinburgh. The University of Edinburgh is on a semester system, and Caltech students attend from mid-September to mid-December. All students are required to attend a weeklong orientation held the week before classes start. All students live in university dormitories or flats, which are within walking distance from the George Square (humanities and social sciences) and the King’s Buildings (the science and engineering campus). The university operates a free shuttle bus from the George Square campus to the King’s Buildings campus.

Students pay Caltech room, board, tuition, and other standard Caltech fees for the term. There is usually a supplemental charge for housing due to the longer length of the term. The supplement varies yearly depending on prices and the exchange rate.

Students are admitted into one of Edinburgh’s academic departments in the College of Science and Engineering (CSE). Note that students cannot be admitted into the economics department because that is in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, but they can take 20 credits in that department. Students, whose option is BEM or economics, are allowed to take 40 credits in economics in order to fulfill BEM or economics option requirements if the student also takes 40 credits in the College of Science and Engineering.

Students take a minimum of 60 Edinburgh credits per semester and a maximum of 80 credits, but no more than five courses. Students will take a minimum of two classes in the department is closest to their option and which will serve as the student’s admitting department. The two required classes (18 Caltech units) varies from 20 to 40 Edinburgh credits based on whether the two classes are 10 or 20 credit classes each. Students can take all of their classes in their admitting department or can take classes in other CSE departments provided they meet requirements. Students can take 20 credits (one course) in the College of Arts Humanities and Social Sciences or up to two 40 credits in this college if they take 40 credits in the College of Science and Engineering. Note that 60 credits (4 classes) is the standard course load, but most Caltech students take 70 to 80 credits. Note that at least 36 Caltech units must be taken, i.e., 4 classes/60 credits.

A minimum 3.0 GPA is required to apply. Eligible sophomores and juniors should apply by the January deadline for the fall semester at Edinburgh. Further information, including application procedures and exact deadline dates, is available from the Fellowships Advising and Study Abroad Office: fasa.caltech.edu.

Please see the Financial Aid section for details on applying for and eligibility for financial aid related to study abroad. Students who receive financial aid should list supplemental charges and travel in their aid application.

The Caltech London Scholars Programs offers qualified juniors and seniors the opportunity to spend a fall term at University College London, which is located in the lovely Bloomsbury area of London. University College London (UCL) is on a semester system, and Caltech students attend UCL’s autumn semester from about the third week of September to mid-December. All students are required to attend an exchange student orientation the week before the semester begins. Students also attend a new student orientation the first week of the semester. All students live in a UCL dormitory, which is located a short walk or short bus ride from the academic buildings of the UCL campus. Students pay Caltech room, board, tuition, and other standard Caltech fees for the term. There is a supplemental charge for housing/board due to the longer length of the term. The supplement varies yearly depending on prices and the exchange rate.

Students are admitted into one of UCL’s academic departments in the physical, life, or engineering sciences and must take at least 50% of their classes in their Admitting Department. Usually the Admitting Department is in a subject area that most closely corresponds to the student’s Caltech option, but there is some leeway in this provided the student has the background to be admitted to the department in question in the STEM subjects. Students cannot be admitted into humanities or social science departments.

The remaining 50 percent of classes can either be taken in the Admitting Department, another department in the sciences or engineering, or the humanities and social sciences with the exception of the English literature department, the the Slade School of Design, which do not admit visiting students, even those with majors in English literature or the arts. Note that there are ample opportunities to take literature courses from a number of departments that offer literature classes, e.g., Slavonic and East European studies, Classics, Scandinavian studies, European cultural studies, Hebrew and Jewish studies, French, etc. Note that these departments offer classes taught in translation and in the foreign language.

A typical UCL semester class is 15 UCL credits. Caltech students must take 60 UCL credits during their semester at UCL. This would be equivalent to 36 Caltech units unless a class is equivalent to a 12-unit Caltech class. UCL classes fulfill option credit, humanities or social science credit or general credit. Note that the final number of units and whether the units can be used to fulfill departmental requirements will be determined after faculty review upon a student’s return to Caltech.

Students are only allowed to take Year One classes in the economics department. Students can take higher level economics classes in the School of Eastern European and Slavonic Studies.

A minimum 3.3 GPA is required to apply and some departments such as Computer Science (3.9) or the Biological Sciences (3.5) require a higher GPA. Advice on this can be obtained from Caltech’s study abroad office.

Certain departments at UCL will not admit fall only exchange student. For this year the subjects include, mathematics, statistical sciences, physics, all engineering sciences except for mechanical engineering, which does admit fall only students.

Eligible sophomores and juniors apply by the January deadline for the fall semester at UCL. Further information, including application procedures and exact deadline dates, is available from the Fellowships Advising and Study Abroad Office.

Please see the Financial Aid section for details on applying for and eligibility for financial aid related to study abroad. Students who receive financial aid should list supplemental charges and travel in their aid application.­­­

The Caltech Melbourne Scholars Programs offers qualified juniors and seniors the opportunity to spend the summer/fall (Semester 2) at the University of Melbourne, which is located in the vibrant city of Melbourne, Australia. Melbourne is on a semester system, and Caltech students attend Melbourne’s second semester from the second week of July to the end of November. Since Melbourne is in the Southern Hemisphere, the university’s first semester starts in July and crosses over both the Caltech winter and spring terms. Therefore, students attend Melbourne’s second semester, which corresponds better to Caltech’s fall semester. All students are required to attend an orientation that takes place at the University of Melbourne the week before the semester begins.

Students live in a residence hall, which is located a short walk from the academic buildings of the campus. Halls of residence have either an apartment or suite setup and offer that vary by hall assigned such as a 15-meter outdoor swimming pool and lounge area, barbecue area, workout gym (with plasma TV, cross trainers, free weights, treadmills, exercise bikes, etc.), café, lounge, computer lab, and laundry. Students share a suite or apartment with other students.

Students pay Caltech room, board, tuition, and other standard Caltech fees for the term. There is a supplemental charge for housing/board due to the longer length of the Melbourne semester. In some years there could be a supplemental tuition charge. The supplement varies yearly depending on prices and the exchange rate.

Students take four classes at Melbourne. Each class is worth 12.5 Melbourne credit points. Of the four classes, students must take two classes related to their option at Caltech and may take up to two outside of their subject, including the humanities and social sciences. Students are eligible to take one class as a research class in an area related to their option.

The Melbourne credit load would be equivalent to 36 to 45 Caltech units. Melbourne classes can be used to fulfill option credit, humanities or social science credit, or general credit requirements. Note that the final number of units and whether the units can be used to fulfill departmental requirements will be determined after faculty review upon a student’s return to Caltech.

A minimum 3.0 GPA is required to apply. Eligible sophomores and juniors apply by the fall deadline for the second semester starting in July. Further information, including application procedures and exact deadline dates, is available from the Fellowships Advising and Study Abroad Office.

Please see the Financial Aid section for details on applying for and eligibility for financial aid related to study abroad. Students who receive financial aid should list supplemental charges and travel in their aid application.