International Applicants

The application deadline for fall 2023 has passed. Below, find information for fall 2023 applicants. Thanks for your patience as we update the requirements for fall 2024 applicants this summer.

Caltech is at the leading edge of science, so we strive to enroll a student body that includes the brightest students from around the world.

How does Caltech define an international student?

Caltech defines international applicants as students who are non-U.S. citizens or permanent residents attending secondary school outside of the United States. If you are in the U.S. as an asylee, refugee, or undocumented student, you are a domestic applicant.

Other than financial need consideration for international students, the application and review processes are the same for all applicants, and we offer need-based financial aid that meets 100% of your demonstrated financial need. Regardless of where you live or attend school, we will review your application in the context of your school.

Academic Preparation

Caltech will challenge you to think in new and innovative ways and we expect you to prepare for that challenge by taking a strong curriculum in high school.

Regardless of your curriculum, we expect you to take the following classes in high school:

• 4 years of math, including 1 year of calculus (For students in the IB curriculum, this equates to taking 2 years of Higher Level Math)
• 1 year of chemistry
• 1 year of physics, preferably calculus-based, though not required

Four years of high school infers that you have had 12 years of education. We realize that some countries only include three years of secondary school, for a total of 11 years. As long as you meet our academic requirements within your country's curriculum, we will consider your application.

When to Apply

Students apply to U.S. colleges/universities during their final year of high school. We admit students to start in the fall term, and our application deadlines are during U.S. fall and winter. We know that some applicants will not have final grades available at that point, and we will consider the most recent grades on your transcript in our application review. You may apply for Restrictive Early Action or Regular Decision.

If you have already enrolled at another university, you may only apply for transfer admission to Caltech. We may grant exceptions for students in the southern hemisphere who begin their college education while applying to U.S. universities.

Transcripts

We require official documents (transcripts) that note your class titles, grades, and predicted grades (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.

Fee Waivers

If you are applying for financial aid and the application fee presents a hardship for your family, we offer fee waivers.

Financial Aid

Caltech is committed to meeting the full demonstrated financial need of all admitted students. We are need-aware for international students because the total amount of financial aid funds for international students is limited. This limitation may result in financial need being a factor in the Institute's admissions decisions for international applicants. Approximately 50% of international students admitted to Caltech each year have financial need.

If you are an international applicant and plan to apply for financial aid at any time during your undergraduate career here, you must apply for it at the time that you apply for admission. If Caltech offers you financial aid for the first year, you may reapply for aid in subsequent years. If you do not apply for or receive financial aid for you first year, you may not apply for aid for any other academic period. We may make exceptions for citizens of Canada and Mexico. Our International Financial Aid Statement of Intent has additional details.

You may apply either Restrictive Early Action or Regular Decision. Financial aid covers the full cost of attendance, including tuition, housing, dining, books, fees, and personal expenses.

For more information about how to apply for financial aid, please see Afford or email our Financial Aid Office.

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. We accept the Duolingo English Test (DET), IELTS, or the TOEFL. The English proficiency exam must be taken prior to the application deadline.

Global Student Haven Initiative

Caltech has joined the Global Student Haven Initiative (GSHI), a new consortium that aims to support more effectively student refugees from around the world. The consortium aims to lower the educational barriers some student refugees face in the midst of crisis, and also to equip and prepare these scholars and researchers for eventual return to their home nation.

For more information about the program, visit the Global Student Haven Initiative website. For questions, please contact Jann Lacoss, at +1 626-395-6341 or [email protected]