How to Apply as a First-Year Applicant
If you have not yet earned a high school diploma (this includes students in high school/college dual enrollment programs) or have not enrolled in college courses for credit after graduating from high school, you will be considered as a first-year applicant.
The following sections list everything you will need—both academically and in terms of forms and information—in order to apply to Caltech.
Academic Preparation Checklist
(If you have not taken all the listed courses, you should at least be enrolled in them at the time of your application.)
4 years of math (including calculus)
1 year of physics
1 year of chemistry
3 years of English (4 years recommended)
1 year of U.S. history/government (waived for international students)
Please note that we do not grant credit for AP, IB, A Level, Pre-U, or college courses taken prior to enrollment. Each student accepted to Caltech will take a math and physics placement exam prior to enrolling. Based on the results of these exams, you may place out of courses and be granted credit for those courses.
First-Year Application Checklist
Common Application with Caltech Questions or the Coalition Application (available July 2016 for fall 2017 applicants)
$75 application fee or fee waiver (Common App waiver or Caltech-specific waiver)
SAT with writing or ACT with writing (official scores from testing agency)
SAT Subject Test in Mathematics Level 2 (official scores from testing agency)
1 SAT science subject test: biology (ecological), biology (molecular), chemistry, or physics (official scores from testing agency)
1 math or science teacher evaluation
1 humanities or social sciences teacher evaluation
Secondary School Report
Academic transcripts
Additional Requirements for International First-Year Applicants
You must apply as an international student if you are not a U.S. citizen or if you do not have permanent residency status at the time of submitting an application to Caltech. All of the above checklist items apply to international applicants except where noted; please have all teacher evaluations and course names on transcripts translated into English. In addition, international students should supply the following:
TOEFL scores (required if English is not your native language or if you have not studied for the last two years at a high school where English is the language of instruction. The two years of study must be prior to the application deadline). We do not accept the IELTS.
International Financial Aid Statement of Intent Form (required of all international applicants). Caltech is need-sensitive in admissions for international students, and this form affirms whether you will apply for financial aid. As an international student, if you 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. Even if you do not plan to apply for aid, you must complete the form. Please note: International freshman candidates may apply Early Action only if they are not applying for financial aid. International freshman candidates seeking financial assistance must apply Regular Decision.
How to Apply as a Transfer Student
We only consider transfer applications to begin studies during the fall term; we do not admit students in the spring. In addition, we do not handle requests for visiting or exchange students.
The following list includes everything you will need—both academically and in terms of forms and information—in order to apply to Caltech.
Transfer Application Checklist
Common Application with Caltech Questions
$75 application fee
Entrance Examination Proctor Agreement form
Math and physics entrance examinations*
2 college faculty evaluations (math, science, or engineering accepted)
College official's report
Official transcripts from the last secondary school and all colleges/universities attended
International Transfer & 3/2 Student Supplemental Form (Note: Since financial aid is NOT available to international transfer students, all applicants who are neither U.S. citizens nor permanent residents must complete this form.)
TOEFL scores (required if English is not your native language or if you have not studied for the last two years at a school where English is the language of instruction. The two years of study must be prior to the application deadline.). We do not accept the IELTS.
*Caltech Transfer Entrance Examination
All transfer-student applicants are required to take a Caltech Transfer Entrance Examination in both mathematics and physics. These exams are to be taken after you submit a transfer application to Caltech.
Students must find a faculty proctor at their home institution to administer the exam. Once we receive your proctor agreement form, we will mail the exams to your proctor. The math exam takes approximately four hours; the physics exam takes approximately three hours. Exams must be returned to Caltech by March 23.
