University

California Institute of Technology

Pasadena, California, United States

Verified · last verified 2026-09-02

University overview

The California Institute of Technology (Caltech) is a private research university located in Pasadena, California. It was established in September 1891 by Pasadena philanthropist Amos G. Throop as Throop University, was subsequently known as Throop Polytechnic Institute and Throop College of Technology, and was renamed the California Institute of Technology in 1920. The institution is organized into six academic divisions: Biology and Biological Engineering; Chemistry and Chemical Engineering; Engineering and Applied Science; Geological and Planetary Sciences; Humanities and Social Sciences; and Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy. Its campus is located at 1200 East California Boulevard. Caltech manages the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) for NASA and co-manages the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO).

Institution type

Private, nonprofit

Campus setting

Urban

Cost of attendance

Not available (2024–2025)

Undergraduate enrollment

987

Application platforms

Common App, Other

Current application deadlines

Restrictive early action · 2026–2027
2026-11-01
Early decision · 2026–2027
2026-11-01
Regular decision · 2026–2027
2027-01-04

Majors

Applied Mathematics · Mathematics and Statistics
Astronomy and Astrophysics · Physical Sciences
Biology, General · Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Biomedical/Medical Engineering · Engineering
Business/Managerial Economics · Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services

20 more majors are available with a free account.

Source and verification

Source record · supports supplemental_essays:2026–2027 · retrieved 2026-09-03

Source record · supports majors · retrieved 2026-09-02

Source record · supports requirements:2026–2027 · retrieved 2026-09-02

Common App 2026–2027 Requirements Grid · supports deadlines:2026–2027 · retrieved 2026-08-20

Source record · supports application_platforms · retrieved 2026-07-21

Source record · supports testing_policy · retrieved 2026-07-21

Source record · supports deadlines · retrieved 2026-07-21

Source record · supports essay_prompts · retrieved 2026-07-21

Source record · supports requirements · retrieved 2026-07-21

Source record · supports deadlines · retrieved 2026-07-21

Source record · supports description · retrieved 2026-07-21