for Caltech Scholarships?
for Caltech Undergraduate Scholarships?
- Review Caltech’s first-year admission requirements and make sure your academic preparation meets the university’s expectations.
Applicants should be particularly well prepared in mathematics and science, including calculus, physics and chemistry.
- Apply through either the Common Application or QuestBridge.
Caltech accepts both application routes and does not give preference to one over the other. The current first-year application fee is US$85, although fee waivers are available to eligible applicants.
- Complete the Caltech supplemental questions and submit the required academic information.
Your application should include
Secondary-school record
Caltech supplemental essays
SAT or ACT
Teacher recommendations
School Report
English proficiency evidence where required
Caltech requires one teacher recommendation from a STEM subject and one from humanities or social sciences.
- Clearly state that you intend to apply for financial aid.
International applicants are asked to complete an International Financial Aid Statement of Intent within the admission application. Do not indicate that you can pay the full cost if you actually intend to request Caltech aid later. This decision is important because international students who do not apply for aid during first-year admission generally cannot request institutional financial aid in later years.
- Complete the CSS Profile.
Select California Institute of Technology and use Caltech’s CSS Profile code
4034
Caltech uses the CSS Profile to assess the family’s financial circumstances and calculate demonstrated need. International applicants who qualify for a CSS Profile fee waiver may receive a payment code from Caltech.
- Submit the required family financial documents.
Depending on your circumstances, Caltech may request
Parents’ national tax returns
Foreign tax documents
Non-tax filer statements
Noncustodial parent CSS Profile
Scholarship Data Form and Addendum
Additional income or asset documentation
If your parents are divorced, separated or were never married, your noncustodial parent may also need to complete a separate CSS Profile.
- Wait for your admission and financial aid decisions.
If admitted with aid, Caltech calculates your demonstrated financial need and constructs an aid package. Caltech Scholarships and eligible named scholarships are automatically included; there is no separate application for each institutional scholarship.
for Caltech PhD Funding?
- Review the Caltech graduate programmes and select the research programme that best matches your academic background and research interests.
Check the department’s
Research areas
Faculty
Academic prerequisites
GRE policy
Application requirements
Funding information
- Identify faculty whose research closely matches your interests.
Read recent publications and research-group pages before contacting a professor. Where appropriate, send a short personalised email explaining:
Your academic background
Previous research experience
Proposed area of research
Technical skills
Publications or conference work
Why the professor’s research interests you
Attach a concise academic CV.
- Prepare the required graduate application documents.
Caltech requires transcripts, three recommendation letters, a CV and application essays. Individual programmes may request additional material. Your essays should clearly explain your research experience, academic preparation, proposed interests and reasons for choosing Caltech. You can use our guide on writing a statement of purpose for scholarship when preparing your application.
- Submit your application through the Caltech Graduate Studies application portal.
The graduate application fee is currently US$100. A limited number of fee waivers are available to applicants who demonstrate financial need or meet other approved criteria.
- Arrange three strong recommendation letters.
Select professors or research supervisors who can comment specifically on your
Research ability
Academic performance
Independence
Technical preparation
Creativity
Potential for doctoral research
Use our scholarship recommendation letter guide when approaching your referees.
- No separate application is normally required for standard PhD funding.
All doctoral students entering Caltech graduate programmes are offered a funding package covering tuition and fees together with a stipend or salary. Funding may be provided through fellowships, teaching assistantships or research assistantships. The details of your financial support will be included in your admission and funding offer.
Documents Required for Caltech Scholarships
Undergraduate Documents
International first-year applicants should prepare
Common Application or QuestBridge Application
Caltech supplemental essays
US$85 application fee or fee waiver
Official secondary-school transcripts
School Report
Mid-Year Report
One STEM teacher recommendation
One humanities or social sciences teacher recommendation
SAT or ACT results
IELTS, TOEFL or Duolingo result where required
International Financial Aid Statement of Intent
English translations of documents issued in another language
Optional research papers, publications or portfolios where relevant
Research experience is not compulsory for undergraduate admission, but applicants with substantial research can submit a research paper or publication as optional supporting material.
Financial Aid Documents
International students requesting aid should prepare
CSS Profile
Parents’ income information
Parents’ national tax returns
Foreign non-filer statement where applicable
Noncustodial parent CSS Profile where required
Scholarship Data Form and Addendum when requested
English translations of financial documents
Additional documents requested by the Financial Aid Office
PhD Documents
Graduate applicants should normally prepare
Online graduate application
Academic transcripts from every college or university attended
Bachelor’s degree information
Academic CV
Application essays
Three recommendation letters
GRE result where required or recommended
English proficiency evidence where applicable
Research publications or other supporting material where useful
Programme-specific supplementary documents
Applicants can use the following ScholarshipRoar guides
Academic CV for Scholarship
Statement of Purpose for Scholarship
Scholarship Recommendation Letter
Scholarship Interview Questions and Answers
Website
For more information about Caltech Scholarships, visit
Caltech Financial Aid
Financial Aid for International Students
Caltech Scholarships
Caltech Graduate Financial Support
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Caltech Scholarships fully funded?
Caltech undergraduate scholarships are need-based rather than one fixed fully funded award. Caltech meets 100% of demonstrated financial need for admitted students who apply for aid, so students with very high financial need can receive very substantial funding. Caltech PhD programmes are fully funded. Incoming doctoral students receive tuition and fee coverage together with a living stipend or salary.
Is Caltech need-blind for international students?
No. Caltech is need-aware for international applicants because its international financial aid budget is limited. The amount of aid an international applicant requires can therefore be considered during admission.
Does Caltech meet 100% of demonstrated financial need?
Yes. Caltech commits to meeting 100% of demonstrated financial need for admitted students who apply for financial assistance.
Does Caltech offer merit scholarships?
Caltech does not offer general undergraduate merit scholarships. Its undergraduate Caltech Scholarships are based on demonstrated financial need. Some donor-funded named scholarships include additional merit criteria, but students are considered for them automatically.
Can international transfer students receive financial aid?
No. Caltech states that institutional financial aid is not available to international transfer or 3/2 applicants.
How much is the Caltech PhD stipend?
The current Caltech PhD stipend is US$50,000 per year, equivalent to approximately US$4,166 per month.
Does Caltech PhD funding cover tuition?
Yes. The standard PhD financial package covers tuition and mandatory fees in addition to providing a stipend or salary.
Do I need a separate application for PhD funding?
Normally no. All students entering Caltech doctoral programmes are offered a financial aid package as part of their graduate admission.
Are Caltech master’s programmes funded?
Not generally. Caltech states that some terminal master’s students are admitted without financial support. Programme-specific fellowships may occasionally be available, but master’s applicants should not assume that Caltech will cover their tuition and living expenses.
Is SAT or ACT required for Caltech?
Yes. Caltech requires Fall 2027 first-year applicants to submit either SAT or ACT results.
Is IELTS compulsory for Caltech?
Not for every international applicant. Students are exempt from the undergraduate English-test requirement if English is their native language or the primary language of instruction at their secondary school. Other international applicants can submit IELTS, TOEFL or Duolingo.
What is the Caltech application fee?
The current application fees are
Undergraduate: US$85
Graduate: US$100
Fee waivers are available to eligible applicants.