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Undergraduate Admissions

Caltech is built for students who love STEM and are driven not only to ask big questions, but to do the work to find the answers.

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Undergraduate Admissions skip to main content For Counselors Request Information Contact Us Undergraduate Admissions Why Caltech Open Why Caltech submenu Academics Open Academics submenu Core Curriculum The First Year Majors & Minors Cross Registration Academic Advising Research Open Research submenu Undergraduate Research Entrepreneurship Student Life Open Student Life submenu Honor Code Traditions & Pranks Housing Dining Clubs & Activities Study Abroad Life After Caltech About Caltech Apply Open Apply submenu Preparing for Caltech Open Preparing for Caltech submenu Summer Preparation Academic Preparation Demonstrating STEM Preparedness Selecting High School Courses First-Generation Applicants General Advice What We Look For Open What We Look For submenu How We Review Faculty & the Admissions Process Class Profile First-Year Applicants Open First-Year Applicants submenu Application Requirements Deadlines Academic Requirements for First-Year Applicants Supplemental Application Essays Standardized Tests Letters of Recommendation Supplemental Materials Verification of Submitted Materials International Applicants Homeschooled Applicants Admissions Release Time Riddles Transfer Applicants Open Transfer Applicants submenu Transfer Deadlines Application Requirements Application Fee & Waiver Entrance Exams & Academic Preparation FAQ Supplemental Application Essays International Applicants 3/2 Program Open 3/2 Program submenu Application & Requirements Supplemental Application Essays FAQ QuestBridge Small Town and Rural Applicants Global Student Haven Initiative For Counselors Afford Visit & Connect Open Visit & Connect submenu Visit Campus Open Visit Campus submenu Fall Fly-in Program: Caltech Up Close Caltech Summer Preview: Women in STEM Connect Virtually Message from the Dean of Admissions Regional Admissions Counselors Contact Us Explore More Open Explore More submenu Student & Alumni Stories Open Student & Alumni Stories submenu A new home, close to home A force for change Epic fail, better recovery From telescopes in Sweden to astrophysics in California Thriving in STEM through community support Excelling in chemistry research as an undergraduate Building robots and mapping orbital trajectories Creating a Community for Black Students Exploring space as a computer science major Student Blog News SearchSearch Menu Close Why Caltech Open Why Caltech submenu Apply Open Apply submenu Afford Visit & Connect Open Visit & Connect submenu Explore More Open Explore More submenu For Counselors Request Information Contact Us Why Caltech Back Academics Core Curriculum The First Year Majors & Minors Cross Registration Academic Advising Research Undergraduate Research Entrepreneurship Student Life Honor Code Traditions & Pranks Housing Dining Clubs & Activities Study Abroad Life After Caltech About Caltech Apply Back Preparing for Caltech Summer Preparation Academic Preparation Demonstrating STEM Preparedness Selecting High School Courses First-Generation Applicants General Advice What We Look For How We Review Faculty & the Admissions Process Class Profile First-Year Applicants Application Requirements Deadlines Academic Requirements for First-Year Applicants Supplemental Application Essays Standardized Tests Letters of Recommendation Supplemental Materials Verification of Submitted Materials International Applicants Homeschooled Applicants Admissions Release Time Riddles Transfer Applicants Transfer Deadlines Application Requirements Application Fee & Waiver Entrance Exams & Academic Preparation FAQ Supplemental Application Essays International Applicants 3/2 Program Application & Requirements Supplemental Application Essays FAQ QuestBridge Small Town and Rural Applicants Global Student Haven Initiative For Counselors Visit & Connect Back Visit Campus Fall Fly-in Program: Caltech Up Close Caltech Summer Preview: Women in STEM Connect Virtually Message from the Dean of Admissions Regional Admissions Counselors Contact Us Explore More Back Student & Alumni Stories A new home, close to home A force for change Epic fail, better recovery From telescopes in Sweden to astrophysics in California Thriving in STEM through community support Excelling in chemistry research as an undergraduate Building robots and mapping orbital trajectories Creating a Community for Black Students Exploring space as a computer science major Student Blog News SearchSearch Go from dream to do. Why Caltech Apply Afford 982 Undergraduate students 3:1 Student-to-faculty ratio 95% Undergrads who participate in research 14% First-generation to college students Previous Next Students Faculty Alumni Thriving in STEM through community support Mars Arechavala It's very difficult but very interesting and applicable to what I'll be doing at some point in my life," they said. "For example, when I did research with FSRI, I didn't understand all the science behind my project. But last term, I started learning the science behind what I was doing, so it all came together, and I'm excited to learn more. Read More About Mars Arechavala Epic fail, better recovery Miles Jones In high school, I could just understand everything by myself," he says. "That doesn't fly here. You need to reach out for assistance. Read More About Miles Jones From telescopes in Sweden to astrophysics in California Elin Stenmark Doing research where you get paid to find things out about the universe and teach other people—that sounds incredible," she said. "It's a fulfilling combination of two really cool aspects that get tied into the same job. Read More About Elin Stenmark Previous Next Professor of Environmental Microbiology Jared Leadbetter Students admitted to Caltech accomplish so much while they are here, and then go on to make extraordinary contributions to STEM and society in the decades after their graduation. It is my tremendous honor to play a small role in shaping each class, knowing full well that for each student we admit, their best and most exciting moments are yet to come. See more stories Assistant Professor, Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences Katherine de Kleer One of the things I love about Caltech is that students, postdocs, and faculty interact all the time. People are present and engaged, with an openness and curiosity to learn from one another. It’s really special. Read More About Katherine de Kleer Previous Next BS '22 Ayooluwa Odemuyiwa I am what a scientist looks like" Ayooluwa discovered her voice and used it to be an advocate #SoCaltech Mahider Gessesse, '23 Through Caltech's "Break Through: Together We Change the World" campaign, Mahider was able to research an issue she's passionate about. "I wanted to bring a hard science approach to treating problems that up until recently have just been left to psychiatry and psychology. That's the main reason I picked computational and neural systems." Meet Mahider Young Alumni Trustee and Head of software engineering at TGS Management Company Mason Smith (BS '09) A small school isn’t for everyone. It’s for people who want opportunities to get involved and make a difference—and I want to help make sure that all students feel like this is the place where they can do that. Read More About Mason Smith (BS '09) Previous Next Why Caltech? Why is easy: You can research with Nobel Prize winners, live in L.A., and see what happens when your curiosity is cultivated. But why not is just as important—because before you get in, you should know what you’re getting into. Visit & Connect Our Techer Talks give you a chance to meet students and ask questions. Want to learn more from an admissions officer? Register for a virtual information session. (We're Caltech. Of course you can do this online.) Want to check out campus in person? Join us for a tour or information session. It's the best way to see what we're about. Student Blog The best boba, the worst classes: Hear it from Techers, uncensored, in these blogs. Read about everything from researching in the Galapagos to what happens here on the weekend (more than studying, we promise). 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