Admission to Graduate Standing

An application for admission should be completed online through the Graduate Studies Office at gradoffice.caltech.edu/admissions. Admission is granted once a year to a limited number of students who show promise for scholarship and research at the highest level. Completed applications are due between November 15 and December 15, for enrollment at the beginning of the fall term of the following year. Applicants will automatically be considered for financial aid; no additional application is required.

To be admitted to graduate standing, an applicant must have received a bachelor’s degree, or the equivalent, representing the completion of an undergraduate course in science or engineering related to one of the options offered by the Institute. Applicants must, moreover, have attained a scholastic record and provide recommendations to indicate the ability to pursue, with distinction, advanced study and research. The graduate program thrives on individuals from a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences, and we highly encourage applications from members of groups underrepresented in science and engineering. Graduate admission is covered by Caltech’s Nondiscrimination Policy.

Applicants should refer to the Graduate Studies Office website for additional requirements, a list of supporting documents, and option-specific application deadlines.

Please note that students admitted to Caltech’s PhD program will be provided with financial support for tuition and living expenses to enable them to maintain the singular focus and high level of productivity expected of students in the program. Most of the funding sources for this support require that the student be authorized to work in the United States. Consequently, matriculation into the PhD program requires evidence of work authorization, unless alternative financial support can be arranged with the admitting option.

In order to be admitted for graduate study, students from non-English-speaking countries are expected to read, write, and speak English and comprehend the spoken language. Although not required for admission, applicants whose native language is not English or have not received a degree from a university or college where English is the primary language of instruction, should be able to demonstrate a strong capability in English prior to admission to Caltech. This can be done by self-reporting scores from the Educational Testing Service (TOEFL), Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic), the Cambridge Examinations and the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or other services that provide a certified English-language proficiency examination.

All international students are evaluated upon arrival at Caltech and, if it is determined that additional instruction in English is needed, they will be assigned to an English as a Second Language (ESL) course. To be a candidate for an advanced degree, the student must have clear self-expression in both oral and written English.