Caltech is a world-renowned science and engineering institute that marshals some of the world's brightest minds and most innovative tools to address fundamental scientific questions and pressing societal challenges.
The Institute manages JPL for NASA, sending probes to explore the planets of our solar system and quantify changes on our home planet. Caltech also owns and operates large-scale research facilities such as the Seismological Laboratory and a global network of astronomical observatories, including the Palomar and W. M. Keck Observatories; and cofounded and comanages LIGO.
| Acronym | CIT / Calt |
| Nickname | Caltech |
| Motto / Slogan | The Truth Shall Make You Free |
| Colour | Orange and White |
| Mascot | The Beaver |
| Founded | 1891 |
| Location | Pasadena, California, United States |
| Address | 1200 East California Boulevard Pasadena, California 91125 |
The mission of the California Institute of Technology is to expand human knowledge and benefit society through research integrated with education. We investigate the most challenging, fundamental problems in science and technology in a singularly collegial, interdisciplinary atmosphere, while educating outstanding students to become creative members of society.
Caltech does not discriminate or permit discrimination by any member of its community on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, national origin, citizenship, ancestry, age, marital status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy or perceived pregnancy, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic or condition protected by state and federal law.
Caltech harnesses transformative insight and innovation from across science and engineering disciplines to safeguard the planet's resources and mitigate the effects of global climate change through scholarship and practice. Our legacy of field- and policy-defining breakthroughs continues as we prepare all students to leverage the power of fundamental research, cutting-edge instrumentation, and computation in the pursuit of science-driven sustainability solutions.
After Caltech, you’ll work with inspiring people whose excellence pushes you further. But here, you have a rare chance to learn directly from world-class faculty dedicated to your growth. Many have won top prizes or lead world-changing research. They teach at Caltech because their greatest contribution to the future is you.
Nine out of ten Caltech students conduct research while here, regardless of their major. You may work at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory or Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory, or participate in an exchange program in China or Iceland. And you don’t need prior experience: With at least one Ph.D.-level researcher for every Caltech undergraduate, you’ll learn the ropes quickly enough.
Entry requirements vary by program and course. Check the program page for requirements.
International Students:
Transcripts and Letters of Recommendation
We require official documents (transcripts) that note your class titles, grades, and predicted grades/scores (if applicable); the transcript must be sent to us directly from your school. If the language of instruction in your school is not English, we require the original document and an English translation. Consider asking an English teacher or school official to translate the document. Caltech admissions officers are trained to understand your education system, so there is no need to translate or convert grades to the American system
Standardized Test Scores
We require either the SAT or ACT test scores. In addition to the SAT or ACT scores, if you have taken AP or IB examinations, you will be asked to submit those scores as well.
English Proficiency Exams
Caltech will challenge your English skills, and we want to make sure that you will thrive in our classrooms and community. English Proficiency Exam scores are required of all international applicants unless 1) your native language is English or 2) English is the primary language of instruction in your secondary school. For non-Native English speakers where English is the primary language of instruction in your secondary school, Caltech strongly recommends an English Proficiency Exam score. We accept the Duolingo English Test (DET), IELTS, or the TOEFL.
Applicants must have completed a bachelor's degree or the equivalent before beginning graduate study. Applicants who already hold a Ph.D. degree will not be considered for a second Ph.D. degree. Transcripts from each college or university attended, three letters of recommendation, a CV, and essays are required components of the application and are carefully and equally weighed during the evaluation process. GRE policies differ substantially among the various graduate programs, and therefore applicants must refer to the GRE policy for their specific graduate program. Most of the funding sources require work authorization. As a consequence, matriculation into the PhD program requires evidence of work authorization, unless special compensation can be arranged with the admitting option.
Email: [email protected],[email protected]
Phone : +1 626-395-6341, 626-395-6346
Michelle Effros, George Van Osdol Professor of Electrical Engineering, and Jennifer Jackson, William E. Leonhard Professor of Mineral Physics, are the Institute's vice provosts. The vice provosts help oversee research and education policies and procedures, including sponsored research policies and proposal authorizations, the technology transfer program, the Postdoctoral Scholars Office, the libraries, research compliance (including administering the Institute's policies on scientific misconduct and conflict of interest), the Council on Undergraduate Education, the Staff and Faculty Consultation Center; the Student-Faculty Programs Office (which administers SURF and related programs), and the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Outreach.
