California Institute of Technology admissions are only offered to international students in fall intake every year. The admission at Caltech University begins from August 1 and continues till January 1st week. Graduate admissions typically closed between December 1st week to mid-December.
Caltech acceptance rate is only 2.27% as the university follows a highly selective admissions approach. For the 2024 academic year, California Institute of Technology received approximately 13,863 applications for undergraduate admissions. Of those, only 315 were admitted. To be eligible for Caltech admissions, you need 3.5 (90%) or above GPA for both undergraduate and graduate admissions. For final decision for admission is made on the basis of following criteria:
- Good academic record in mathematics
- Achievements in technology and science specifically in chemistry and physics.
- Basic knowledge of social sciences, science, and humanities.
- Creative skills
- Applicants must be among the top 10% of his/her previous class.
California Institute of Technology Graduate Admissions
Caltech University offers graduate admissions in 31 master's and doctoral degrees. The graduate degrees can be pursued in full-time or part-time mode based on special arrangements. Check out the requirements for graduate program at Caltech University:
Application Portal: ApplyWeb
Application Fee: $100 (₹8,735)
Application Requirements:
- Bachelor's degree with 3.5 GPA (85%)
- Standardized test scores:
- GRE- 310-320
- GMAT- 500
- English language requirements:
Documents Required:
- Transcripts
- Statement of purpose
- 3 letters of recommendation
- Essays
- CV or resume
- Professional, teaching or vocational experience
- Research experience
- Academic recognition and honours
- Professional activities
- Extracurricular record
- Conference presentation
- Publications
Also Check: Required Documents for Applying to US Universities
California Institute of Technology Undergraduate Admissions
Caltech University offers 28 undergraduate majors and 17 minors through its 6 academic departments. The minimum admission requirements for Caltech undergraduate programs are given below:
Application Portal: Common App or Questbridge
Application Fee: $75 (₹6,551)
Application Requirements:
- High school with 3.5 GPA (90%)
- Strong academic background in following subject:
- Mathematics (4 years)
- Chemistry (1 year)
- Physics (1 year)
- Biology (1 year recommended)
- English (4 years)
- History/Social sciences (2 or 3+ years recommended)
- English language requirements:
- TOEFL IBT- 100
- IELTS- 7.0
- Duolingo- 130
Documents Required:
- Official transcripts
- Letters of recommendation
- Supplemental application essays
- Statement of Intent
- Translation of documents into English (if applicable)
- Research papers or publications
- STEM or non-STEM portfolio
California Institute of Technology Admissions Deadline
California Institute of Technology admissions are now closed for the 2025 academic year. Below mentioned are tentative deadlines for admissions in the upcoming academic year.
Application Type | Application Deadline |
---|---|
Restrictive Early Action | November 1, 2025 |
Regular Decision | January 3, 2026 |
Caltech Application Deadlines
Check out the specific application deadlines for graduate admissions at California Institute of Technology for 2026 academic year:
Programs | Application Deadlines |
---|---|
M.S Aeronautics | December 15, 2025 |
M.S Astrophysics | December 15, 2025 |
M.S Bioengineering | December 1, 2025 |
M.S Computer Science | December 15, 2025 |
M.S Electrical Engineering | December 15, 2025 |
M.S Mathematics | December 10, 2025 |
M.S Mechanical Engineering | December 15, 2025 |
M.S Medical Engineering | December 15, 2025 |
Also Check: US University Application Timeline
California Institute of Technology Admission Decision Dates
California Institute of Technology typically issues admissions decisions for international students by the following dates:
Application Type | Decision Dates |
---|---|
Restrictive Early Action | Mid-December |
Regular Decision | Mid-March |
Graduate | Course Deadline to April 1 |
Students admitted in undergraduate programs must confirm their offer by May 1, 2025 while graduate applicants must confirm their acceptance to Caltech by April 15, 2025.
California Institute of Technology demonstrates a highly competitive acceptance rate, admitting less than 3% applicants. This is due to the large number of applicants applying for limited places, typically below 400 seats. Applicants with high academic GPAs, test scores along with exceptional extracurricular and professional background have higher chances of admissions to Caltech University. Additionally, you must apply earlier to receive priority consideration over other applicants.
FAQs
Ques. How much is Caltech tuition fee for Indian Students ?
Ans. Caltech charges a tuition fee of $65,622 (₹57.34 lakhs) for undergraduate programs and $63,402 (₹55.40 lakhs) for graduate programs from Indian students.
Ques. Is Caltech harder than MIT?
Ans. Both Caltech and MIT are two of the hardest universities in USA with acceptance rate typically below 5%. However, Caltech is slightly harder than MIT with an acceptance rate of 2.27% while MIT acceptance rate is 4.5% according to Fall 2024 admissions.
Ques. Does Caltech give 100% scholarships to international students?
Ans. Yes, Caltech offers 100% scholarships to international students based on demonstrated financial need. However, the scholarships are highly competitive and international students are encouraged to apply earlier and submit financial aid applications separately.
Ques. Does Caltech give a CSS fee waiver for international students?
Ans. Caltech offers CSS fee waiver to eligible international students before making an admission decision. To get a fee waiver, you must request a fee waiver from the admission portal while making the initial payment. The decision for fee waiver typically arrives 72 hours after sending the request.
Ques. How do I email the Caltech admissions office?
Ans. You can reach out to Jann Lacoss at ugadmissions@caltech.edu or call on +1 626-395-6341 for any query related to admissions for international students.
College Student Profiles
California Institute of Technology Program Fees & Deadlines
Program | Important Dates | Fees | Application Fees | Eligibility | Financial Aid |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
M.S Computer Science 1 year | Application Deadline For 2026 Intake (15th Dec 2025) | USD 65,622 /Yr | 100 | GPA: 3.5, TOEFL : 100, IELTS : 7.5, Duolingo : 120 | - |
Restrictive Early Action Deadline For 2026 Intake (1st Nov 2025) Regular Decision Application Deadline For 2026 Intake (3rd Jan 2026) | USD 65,622 /Yr | 75 | IELTS:- 7, Duolingo:- 130, TOEFL:- 100 | - | |
Application Deadline For 2026 Intake (15th Dec 2025) | USD 65,622 /Yr | 100 | TOEFL : 100, IELTS : 7, Duolingo : 130 | - | |
M.S Mathematics 2 years | Application Deadline For 2026 Intake (15th Dec 2025) | USD 65,622 /Yr | 100 | TOEFL : 100, IELTS : 7, Duolingo : 130 | - |
M.S Astrophysics 1 year | Application Deadline For 2026 Intake (15th Dec 2025) | USD 65,622 /Yr | 100 | TOEFL : 100, IELTS : 7, Duolingo : 130 | - |
Ph.D Biology 4 years | Application Deadline For 2026 Intake (1st Dec 2025) | USD 65,622 /Yr | 100 | TOEFL : 100, IELTS : 7, Duolingo : 130 | |
B.S Mechanical Engineering 4 years | Restrictive Early Action Deadline For 2026 Intake (1st Nov 2025) Regular Decision Application Deadline For 2026 Intake (3rd Jan 2026) | USD 65,622 /Yr | 75 | TOEFL : 100, IELTS : 7, Duolingo : 130 | - |
B.S Computer Science 4 years | Restrictive Early Action Deadline For 2026 Intake (1st Nov 2025) Regular Decision Application Deadline For 2026 Intake (3rd Jan 2026) | USD 65,622 /Yr | 75 | TOEFL : 100, IELTS : 7, Duolingo : 130 | - |
B.S Planetary Science 4 years | USD 63,402 /Yr | - | - | - | |
B.S Chemical Engineering 4 years | Restrictive Early Action Deadline For 2026 Intake (1st Nov 2025) Regular Decision Application Deadline For 2026 Intake (3rd Jan 2026) | USD 65,622 /Yr | 75 | TOEFL : 100, IELTS : 7, Duolingo : 130 | - |
Do you think the Dates are wrong ? Report Here
Course Finder - Search from 50K+ courses
Popular Streams:
Reviews
3 Reviews Found
Likes
- I chose Caltech because a faculty was present there which had similar interests to my field of research.
Overview
Caltech is very strong in what I do (electrical engineering) and other domains of science. It is a highly reputed institution and very selective.
Scholarship
Yes, first year of PhD. Tuition fee scholarship.
Overview
My sister who lived in the USA had suggested me to take admission in this college. An online application form was submitted by me with an application fee $75 to get admission. They even asked me to show my undergraduate mark-sheet where I got 9.5 GPA.
Similar Colleges


Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville


University at Albany


Northern State University


Abilene Christian University
.jpeg?h=143&mode=stretch)

Ohio Northern University


USC-Aiken


University of Akron


State University of New York Polytechnic Institute


Comments