Navigating Postgraduate Admissions at Caltech: A Comprehensive Guide

California Institute of Technology (Caltech) is renowned for its rigorous academic environment and groundbreaking research. Admission to its postgraduate programs is highly competitive, attracting top students from around the globe. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the requirements and procedures for postgraduate admissions at Caltech, focusing on the general qualifications, specific departmental requirements, and application process.

General Qualifications for All Postgraduate Programs

Caltech seeks individuals with exceptional academic records, a passion for research, and the potential to make significant contributions to their chosen fields. Several qualifications are universally expected of all applicants, regardless of their specific area of study.

Academic Excellence and Research Aptitude

To be admitted to graduate standing, an applicant must have received a bachelor’s degree, or the equivalent, representing the completion of an undergraduate course in science or engineering related to one of the options offered by the Institute. Applicants must, moreover, have attained a scholastic record and provide recommendations to indicate the ability to pursue, with distinction, advanced study and research. Admission is granted once a year to a limited number of students who show promise for scholarship and research at the highest level.

English Language Proficiency

In order to be admitted for graduate study, students from non-English-speaking countries are expected to read, write, and speak English and comprehend the spoken language. Although not required for admission, applicants whose native language is not English or have not received a degree from a university or college where English is the primary language of instruction, should be able to demonstrate a strong capability in English prior to admission to Caltech. This can be done by self-reporting scores from the Educational Testing Service (TOEFL), Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic), the Cambridge Examinations and the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or other services that provide a certified English-language proficiency examination.

All international students are evaluated upon arrival at Caltech and, if it is determined that additional instruction in English is needed, they will be assigned to an English as a Second Language (ESL) course.

Read also: Caltech Tuition for Non-Residents

Commitment to Diversity

The graduate program thrives on individuals from a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences, and we highly encourage applications from members of groups underrepresented in science and engineering.

Financial Aid

Caltech offers competitive stipends in the forms of fellowships and research and teaching assistantships that are designed to cover tuition and living expenses. Students in good standing generally receive financial support for a maximum of five years. Funding for the summer quarters is not guaranteed; however, it may be provided based on the availability of such funding and on an individual student's performance. As a matter of educational policy, graduate students are expected to act as graduate teaching assistants at some point in their career.

Most of the funding sources for this support require that the student be authorized to work in the United States. Most of the funding sources require work authorization. An application for admission should be completed online through the Graduate Studies Office at gradoffice.caltech.edu/admissions. Applicants will automatically be considered for financial aid; no additional application is required.

Specific Requirements for the Division of Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS)

The Division of Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) at Caltech offers a Ph.D. program in the social sciences, encompassing fields such as economics, political science, history, psychology, anthropology, law, and public policy. Admission to this program is highly competitive, and applicants should be aware of the specific requirements.

Academic Background and Skills

HSS welcomes applications from students who are interested in working full time toward a PhD in the social sciences.

Caltech requires that PhD applicants in any field be able to clearly express themselves in written and spoken English. Modern approaches to the social sciences require the ability to think abstractly and quantitatively. As such, applicants must be skilled in formal reasoning. Although HSS does not require that an applicant's undergraduate degree be in any of the social sciences, the admissions committee expects every applicant to demonstrate a commitment to research in the social sciences. To be prepared to succeed in the social sciences PhD program, students should have a solid undergraduate background in mathematics, including at least:

two years of calculus, at the level of Apostol's Calculus, volumes 1 and 2; and
linear algebra, at the level of Apostol's Calculus, volume 2.

It is also strongly recommended that applicants complete an introductory course in mathematical statistics and real analysis before entering the HSS graduate programs. Caltech requires applicants whose first or native language is not English to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) as part of the application procedure. HSS requires Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores from applicants to its PhD programs.

Specific Requirements for the Department of Mechanical and Civil Engineering (MCE)

The Department of Mechanical and Civil Engineering (MCE) offers Doctor of Philosophy and Master of Science degrees. The program emphasizes Ph.D. level study and research.

Academic Background

As preparation for advanced study and research, entering graduate students are expected to have a thorough background in undergraduate mathematics, physics, and engineering. An outstanding four-year undergraduate program in engineering, sciences, or mathematics should provide a suitable background.

Application Details

To apply for admission to the graduate program in the Department of Mechanical and Civil Engineering (MCE), you must submit an application, available through the Graduate Admissions Office. In a typical year, between 250 and 300 applications for graduate study in MCE are received, and 25-30 offers of admission are made. Admissions decisions are made by a faculty committee based on both by the research opportunities in the applicant's area of interest and the competitiveness of the applicant's application.

Read also: Applying to Caltech

The program emphasizes Ph.D. level study and research. We do not have a Masters of Science only program. Only in exceptional cases is there admission to the Master of Science program as the final degree objective.

Submission of GRE scores is optional. For applicants who decide to submit GRE scores, they will be considered in our evaluations. Admissions decisions are based on many factors including academic and research background and performance, letters of recommendation, personal statements, and GRE scores if available. Self-reporting GRE scores is sufficient at the application stage, but the official results will be required prior to admission for those who included the scores as part of their application.

What MCE is looking for

There are many routes to Caltech including some that are considered ‘non-traditional'. No matter your route, we admit students who have most of the following attributes:

strong letters of recommendation from those who know the applicant well and can speak to their ability to be successful in PhD studies
research ability as demonstrated by research experience in courses or additional projects
interest in research areas that are represented at Caltech as expressed in the statement of purpose
the academic background needed to be successful at Caltech (strong transcript in a rigorous curriculum that includes significant quantitative science and/or engineering coursework)
the record indicative of dedicated attitude and perseverance

Admissions to MCE are done by a faculty committee - you will be admitted to a Caltech program but not directly into a specific Caltech research group. However, your research interests need to overlap, in a broad sense, with the research directions pursued by Caltech faculty for you to be admitted to the program (since you will not be able to find a suitable advisor at Caltech otherwise). So, as you develop your application, make sure to think about several faculty members in MCE and related departments (GALCIT, Materials Science etc) whose groups you may be interested in joining. It is helpful to the admissions committee to mention in your application letter those faculty members that you think could be suitable advisers for your research interests. Some faculty members have dual appointments in different options (even divisions), so it is best to contact them individually if you are unsure which option to apply to.

Statement of Purpose

Requests from the application prompt, which reads: "Provide a brief statement of your scientific and professional interests and objectives and explain why you are interested in graduate studies at Caltech. Include a description of your past accomplishments that are not evident from the examination of other documents submitted, including research in progress. Discuss the most influential science or engineering experience you have had.

Master of Science (M.S.) Degree Specifics

The Master of Science degree is a professional degree designed to prepare a student for teaching, for further graduate studies, or for more advanced work in industry. Detailed requirements are based primarily on professional studies, and the program should be planned in consultation with the faculty in the appropriate discipline. Under normal circumstances, the requirements for the master's degree can be completed in one academic year. Students must declare candidacy for the master's degree no later than the academic year in which the final degree requirements have been met or upon separation from the Institute. Students who are pursuing a doctoral degree and obtain a master’s along the way, must declare candidacy for the master’s no later than two weeks prior to conferral of the Ph.D.

A student who enters the Institute holding a master's degree from another institution will not normally be awarded a second master's degree in the same field. A student will not be awarded two master's degrees from the Institute. Special regulations for the master's degree are listed under each graduate option. At least one academic year of enrollment at the Institute and a minimum of 135 units of graduate work at the Institute subsequent to the baccalaureate degree are required for the master's degree. Included in these units are at least 27 units of free electives or of required studies in the humanities numbered 100 or above. Advanced courses taken while enrolled as a Caltech undergraduate student in excess of the bachelor’s degree requirements may be counted toward the master's degree requirements with the approval of the academic Option Representative and the Dean of Graduate Studies.

To qualify for a master's degree, a student must complete the work indicated in the section on special regulations for their option with a grade-point average for the approved master’s candidacy courses of at least 1.9. In special cases, with the approval of the instructor, option representative, and the Dean of Graduate Studies, courses taken elsewhere before enrollment at the Institute may be offered in place of specifically required courses. An examination may be required to determine the acceptability of such courses. Admission to M.S. By the third term of the academic year in which the student expects to receive the degree, candidates should have completed a plan of study in Regis, which must have the approval of the option representative and, in some cases, of the research adviser. This approved plan of study will constitute requirements for the degree. Any modifications to the plan of study must be approved by the Option Representative no later than two weeks before the degree is to be conferred. Some options require a thesis or research report in addition to course requirements. The thesis or research report must be approved by the research adviser and option representative no later than two weeks before the degree is to be conferred. Joint B.S./M.S. In exceptional cases, undergraduate students may be eligible to pursue a joint B.S./M.S. program of study to be completed within the four years (12 terms) of the undergraduate program. The M.S. degree may be in a different field than the B.S. option. Students should contact the respective graduate Option Representative to find out if the joint B.S./M.S. degree is offered in a particular option by the start of junior year. If so, students must follow the normal procedures for admission to the graduate program. Students admitted to the joint B.S./M.S. degree must complete a minimum of 486 units for the bachelor's program and an additional 135 units for the master's program with no overlapping of courses. In addition, a written plan of study must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office for approval no later than the fall term of the senior year. The plan of study should provide detail of the courses that are proposed to satisfy each degree requirement within the 12 terms of the bachelor's program and once approved shall constitute the requirements for the degree. Additional terms and overloads are not permitted. Any changes to the plan require written approval by the Registrar. If not completed within the four years, students will be removed from the joint program and they, and all their courses, will be attached to the bachelor's program. Students enrolled in the joint B.S./M.S.

Engineer's Degree Specifics

Engineer’s degrees are awarded in exceptional circumstances. The work for an engineer’s degree must consist of advanced studies and research in the field appropriate to the degree desired. It must conform to the special requirements established for that degree and should be planned in consultation with the members of the faculty concerned. Students who have been admitted to the terminal master's degree and wish to pursue further studies leading toward either the engineer’s or the Ph.D. degree must file a petition (and in some cases must file a new application) to continue graduate work toward the desired degree. At least eight terms of graduate academic enrollment subsequent to a bachelor’s degree equivalent to that given by the Institute are required for an engineer’s degree. Of these, at least three terms must be at Caltech. It must be understood that these are minimum requirements, and students must often count on spending a somewhat longer time on graduate work.

To qualify for an engineer’s degree, a student must complete the work prescribed by the supervising committee with a grade-point average of at least 1.9. Research work and the preparation of a thesis must constitute no fewer than 55 units. Before the midpoint of the first term of the academic year in which the student expects to receive the degree, they must complete a proposed plan of study and, in consultation with the chair of the appropriate division, will select a committee comprised of at least three members of the professorial faculty to supervise the student’s work and to certify its satisfactory completion. The student should consult with this committee in planning the details of their work. The plan of study shall then constitute the requirements for the degree. Engineer's degree candidates are required to upload a final thesis by June 1 in the year the degree is to be conferred in accordance with the same regulations that govern the preparation of doctoral dissertations. At the discretion of the option in which the degree is desired, a final examination may be required.

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Degree Specifics

The degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) is conferred by the Institute primarily in recognition of breadth of scholarship, depth of research, and the power to investigate problems independently and efficiently, rather than for the completion of definite courses of study through a stated period of residence. The work for the degree must consist of research and the preparation of a thesis describing it, and of systematic studies of an advanced character, primarily in science or engineering. In addition, the candidate must have clear self-expression in both oral and written English.

Subject to the general supervision of the Committee on Graduate Study, the student’s work for the Ph.D. degree is specifically directed by the division in which they have chosen the major subject. With the approval of the Dean of Graduate Studies, students are admitted to graduate standing by the option in which they choose their major work toward the Ph.D. degree. In some cases, applicants for the Ph.D. may be required to complete requirements for the master's degree first; however, this is not a general prerequisite for the Ph.D. Students who have received an engineer’s degree will not be admitted for the Ph.D. degree. A student who holds a Ph.D. or the equivalent from another institution will not normally be admitted to graduate standing at Caltech to pursue a second Ph.D. degree. A student will not normally be awarded two Ph.D. The Institute does not require a minor for the Ph.D. degree, but the individual options may have minor requirements as part of their requirements for the major.

A doctoral student may undertake a minor program of study in most options as specified in this catalog under the section “Special Regulations of Graduate Options.” Completion of a minor program of study is recognized on the diploma by the statement “…and by additional studies constituting a minor in [name of option].” A minor program of study should be at a level of study in the minor substantially beyond that typically acquired by students as part of their major requirements. Most options require 45 units or more, including at least one 200-level course and a coherent program of the supporting 100-level courses. The faculty of the minor option may approve a proposed minor program on the basis of overall class performance and/or by an oral examination. Detailed requirements for minor options are listed under the individual options. At least three academic years (12 terms) of academic enrollment subsequent to a bachelor's degree equivalent to that given by the Institute are required for the Ph.D. Of this, at least one year (4 terms) must be at the Institute. It should be understood that these are minimum requirements, and students must usually count on spending a somewhat longer time in work for the degree. A student whose undergraduate work has been insufficient in amount or too narrowly specialized, or whose preparation in their special field is inadequate, should plan upon spending increased time in work for the degree. However, no student will be allowed to continue work toward the Ph.D.

Continuity of registration must be maintained until all requirements for the Ph.D. have been completed, with the exception of authorized leaves. The thesis adviser must be a full-time, tenured or tenure-track faculty member. Research faculty, emeritus faculty, and Faculty Associates (in some graduate options only) can supervise thesis research; however, the thesis adviser of record must be a tenured or tenure-track Caltech faculty member. In such cases, responsibilities of the adviser of record include general advising, monitoring student progress, and meeting with the student at least twice a year. Expectations for the relationship between graduate students and faculty advisers are discussed under Guidelines for Graduate Student Advising.

Progress Monitoring

Progress through the graduate program is monitored in part by the candidacy, thesis advisory, and thesis examination committees detailed in the following sections. Each committee has a chair who is responsible for running the meeting, summarizing the outcome, and working with the graduate student and adviser as appropriate. On the recommendation of the option concerned, the Dean of Graduate Studies will admit a student to candidacy for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy after the student has been admitted to work toward the Ph.D. and has been enrolled for at least one term; has initiated a program of study approved by the major option and, if needed, by the minor option; has demonstrated, by written or oral examination, a comprehensive grasp of the major and minor subjects and of subjects fundamental to them; has displayed the ability for clear self-expression in both oral and written English; and has shown ability in carrying on research in a subject approved by the option concerned. Option regulations concerning admission to candidacy are given in a later section.

Depending upon option regulations, candidates will either be assigned a candidacy committee by the Option Representative or must independently select appropriate members to serve on the candidacy committee. A candidacy committee consists of a minimum of three members, two of whom must be professorial faculty. Emeritus faculty, research faculty, JPL staff and external scholars may serve on the candidacy committee, with approval of the Option Representative and the Dean of Graduate Studies in advance of the candidacy examination. The student should ensure that all members of the committee are available during the examination period and that they are willing to provide timely and appropriate feedback.

A student not admitted to candidacy by the end of the third year or twelfth term of graduate enrollment at the Institute must petition the Dean of Graduate Studies for permission to register for further work. Approval of the petition for extended registration requires a plan to complete the candidacy exam and any outstanding coursework within two terms. Candidacy (and permission to register) may be withdrawn by formal action of the option from a student whose research is not satisfactory, or for other compelling reasons. Each Ph.D. student is assigned a Thesis Advisory Committee consisting of a minimum of three professorial faculty members. Emeritus faculty, research faculty, JPL staff and external scholars may serve on the thesis examination committee with approval of the option representative and the Dean of Graduate Studies. Each Ph.D. candidate shall undergo broad oral examination on the major subject, the scope of the thesis, and its significance in relation to the major subject. The thesis examination, subject to the approval of the Dean of Graduate Studies, may be taken after admission to candidacy whenever the candidate is prepared; however, it must take place at least three weeks before the degree is to be conferred.

The thesis examination may be written in part and may be subdivided into parts or given all at one time at the discretion of the options concerned. The student must declare their intent to defend by posting the exam details in Regis not less than two weeks before the date of the examination. A thesis examination committee consists of four members, with a minimum of three professorial faculty. At least two weeks before the final oral examination, the candidate is required to provide a draft copy of the completed thesis to the Graduate Office for proofreading as well as to the members of the thesis examination committee. The date of the examination and the composition of the thesis examination committee should be posted in Regis at least two weeks before the final defense is scheduled. In general, registration is required for the term in which the thesis defense is undertaken. Approval of the Dean of Graduate Studies is required for any student seeking to enroll for a subsequent term following the thesis defense. This enrollment will be limited to one term and cannot be granted after the degree has been conferred. A student not receiving Caltech funding, may petition the Dean of Graduate Studies for a tuition waiver if the student schedules the examination by the third Friday of the term in which the examination will be taken.

Before uploading the final, corrected thesis to CaltechTHESIS, it is the candidate’s responsibility to obtain approval of the thesis by the Option Representative and all members of the thesis examination committee. The final version of the thesis must be uploaded to CaltechTHESIS by June 1 in the year the degree is to be conferred in accordance with the deadlines listed on the Thesis Requirements page.

Application Deadlines and Procedures

To be considered for admission, a complete application, including all supporting material (including TOEFL scores), must be submitted to Caltech no later than December 15. Applicants must have completed a bachelor's degree or the equivalent before beginning graduate study. Applicants who already hold a Ph.D. degree will not be considered for a second Ph.D. degree. Transcripts from each college or university attended, three letters of recommendation, a CV, and essays are required components of the application and are carefully and equally weighed during the evaluation process. GRE policies differ substantially among the various graduate programs, and therefore applicants must refer to the GRE policy for their specific graduate program.

Completed applications are due between November 15 and December 15, for enrollment at the beginning of the fall term of the following year.

Application Fee and Waivers

There is a cost of $100 to apply to graduate school at Caltech. A fee waiver is available and we encourage anyone for whom the fee represents a burden to apply for one. The fee waiver is available within the online admissions system and is submitted to the Graduate Studies Office. Admissions committees and potential faculty advisers do not have access to information regarding fee waivers.

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