caltech biology phd acceptance rate

Admission to Graduate Standing

Application

An application for admission should be completed online through the Graduate Studies Office at gradoffice.caltech.edu/admissions . Admission is granted once a year to a limited number of students who show promise for scholarship and research at the highest level. Completed applications are due between November 15 and December 15, for enrollment at the beginning of the fall term of the following year. Applicants will automatically be considered for financial aid; no additional application is required.

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. 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. Graduate admission is covered by Caltech’s Nondiscrimination Policy .

Applicants should refer to the Graduate Studies Office website for additional requirements, a list of supporting documents, and option-specific application deadlines.

Please note that students admitted to Caltech’s PhD program will be provided with financial support for tuition and living expenses to enable them to maintain the singular focus and high level of productivity expected of students in the program. Most of the funding sources for this support require that the student be authorized to work in the United States. Consequently, matriculation into the PhD program requires evidence of work authorization, unless alternative financial support can be arranged with the admitting option.

International Students

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. To be a candidate for an advanced degree, the student must have clear self-expression in both oral and written English.

California Institute of Technology

4 year • Pasadena, CA

California Institute of Technology is a private institution that was founded in 1891. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 982 (fall 2022), its setting is suburban, and the campus size is 124 acres. It utilizes a quarter-based academic calendar. California Institute of Technology's ranking in the 2024 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, #7. Its tuition and fees are $63,255.

Caltech, which focuses on science and engineering, is located in Pasadena, California, approximately 11 miles northeast of Los Angeles. Social and academic life at Caltech centers on 11 student residences and houses. Student houses incorporate an admired Caltech tradition: dinners served by student waiters. First-year students are guaranteed housing, and most students remain on campus for all four years. The Caltech Beavers have a number of NCAA Division III teams that compete in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Integral to student life is the Honor Code, which dictates that "No member of the Caltech community shall take unfair advantage of any other member of the Caltech community."

In addition to its undergraduate studies, Caltech offers top graduate programs in engineering and areas of science including biology, chemistry, computer science, earth sciences, mathematics and physics. Caltech produces a significant amount of research, receiving grants from institutions such as NASA, the National Science Foundation and the Department of Health and Human Services, among others. Close to 90% of undergraduate students participate in research while earning their degree. Caltech maintains a strong tradition of pranking with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology , another top-ranked science and technology university. Companies such as Intel, Compaq and Hotmail were founded by Caltech alumni. Famous film director Frank Capra also graduated from Caltech.

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At-a-Glance

Tuition & Fees

Undergraduate Enrollment

Acceptance Rate

2024 Rankings

Schools are ranked according to their performance across a set of widely accepted indicators of excellence. Read more about how we rank schools.

• #7 in National Universities  (tie)
• #10 in Best Value Schools
• #5 in Engineering Programs (doctorate)  (tie)

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High School GPA*

* These are the average scores of applications admitted to this school. Ranges represent admitted applicants who fell within the 25th and 75th percentile.

Will You Get Into California Institute of Technology ?

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Data provided by U.S. News College Compass Users.

Room & Board

$19,503 (2023-24)

Average Need-Based Aid Package

*Average cost after aid

Popular Majors

% OF GRADUATES

ALUMNI STARTING SALARY

Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services

Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians

Physical Sciences

Mathematics and Statistics

Biological and Biomedical Sciences

* In cases where salary data at the specific major level is unavailable, a general salary for the major category is displayed.

Faculty Research Impact

Bibliometric Rank

Publications Cited in Top 25% of Journals

Publications Cited in Top 5% of Journals

Total Papers published between 2018-2022

Citations Per Publication

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Graduate Enrollment

Total Enrollment

Full-Time Degree-Seeking Students

Student Diversity

Gender Distribution

Ethnic Diversity

Minority Enrollment

Two or more races

International

Not Specified is not included in this breakdown due to an enrollment of 0%.

Campus Life

Housing and Dorms

Types of campus housing available:

• apartments for married students
• special housing for disabled students
• theme housing

Student Activities

Sports Teams

Fraternities

After College

Graduation Rate

Graduating Students Who Have Borrowed (any loan type, 2021)

Average Debt at Graduation

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Undergraduate data are based on the 2022 school year.

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California Institute of Technology: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics

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The California Institute of Technology, Caltech, is one of the most selective colleges in the country . With an acceptance rate of 6.4%, students will need to have well above average grades and test scores to be competitive.

Caltech accepts both the Common Application and the Coalition Application. The Institute requires scores from the SAT or ACT, academic transcripts, teacher recommendations, an application essay, and several short-answer essays.

Considering applying to this highly selective school? Here are the admissions statistics you should know, including average SAT/ACT scores of admitted students.

Why Caltech?

• Location: Pasadena, California
• Campus Features: The small school of just 938 undergraduates sits on a 124-acre campus that is a short distance from Los Angeles and the Pacific Ocean.
• Student/Faculty Ratio: 3:1
• Athletics: The Caltech Beavers compete in the NCAA Division III SCIAC, Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
• Highlights: Caltech typically vies with MIT for the top position among the nation's best engineering schools . Students can choose from 28 academic programs, and 95% of undergraduates participate in research.

Acceptance Rate

During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, Caltech had an acceptance rate of 6.4%. This means that for every 100 students who applied, 6 students were admitted, making Caltech's admissions process highly competitive.

SAT Scores and Requirements

Caltech requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, 79% of admitted students submitted SAT scores.

This admissions data tells us that most of Caltech's admitted students fall within the top 7% nationally on the SAT. For the evidence-based reading and writing section, 50% of students admitted to Caltech scored between 740 and 780, while 25% scored below 740 and 25% scored above 780. On the math section, 50% of admitted students scored between 790 and 800, while 25% scored below 790 and 25% scored a perfect 800. Applicants with a composite SAT score of 1580 or higher will have particularly competitive chances at Caltech.

Requirements

Caltech does not require the SAT writing section. Note that Caltech participates in the scorechoice program, which means that the admissions office will consider your highest score from each individual section across all SAT test dates. Beginning with the 2020-21 admissions cycle, Caltech no longer requires applicants to submit SAT Subject test scores.

ACT Scores and Requirements

Caltech requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, 42% of admitted students submitted ACT scores.

This admissions data tells us that most of Caltech's admitted students fall within the top 1% nationally on the ACT. The middle 50% of students admitted to Caltech received a composite ACT score between 35 and 36, while 25% scored a perfect 36 and 25% scored below 35.

Note that Caltech does not superscore ACT results; your highest composite ACT score will be considered. However, if you have taken the ACT more than once, Caltech will take note of differences in section scores across all ACT test dates. Caltech does not require the optional ACT writing section.

Caltech does not provide data about admitted students' high school GPAs. In 2019, 99% of admitted students who provided data indicated that they ranked in the top 10% of their high school class.

Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph

The admissions data in the graph is self-reported by applicants to Caltech. GPAs are unweighted. Find out how you compare to accepted students, see the real-time graph, and calculate your chances of getting in with a free Cappex account.

Admissions Chances

As one of the nation's most selective colleges, Caltech is looking for applicants with grades and test scores that are well above average. However, Caltech has a holistic admissions policy and the admissions officers will be looking for more than good grades and high standardized test scores. They will also want to see challenging courses , glowing letters of recommendation , winning essays , and strong extracurricular involvement . Success in AP, Honors, or IB classes will be essential, but the admissions committee will also be reading every word of your application essay and short answer responses. Bear in mind that Caltech is looking for more than stellar scientists and engineers, the school wants to enroll students who will enrich the campus community in meaningful ways.

In the graph above, the blue and green dots represent accepted students. You can see that most successful applicants had "A" averages, SAT scores (ERW+M) of about 1450 or higher, and an ACT composite score of 32 or higher. However, there are many students with high test scores and GPAs of 4.0 who don't get into Caltech.

All admissions data has been sourced from the  National Center for Education Statistics  and  Caltech Undergraduate Admissions Office .

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Application Requirements

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 the applicant's statement of purpose are required components of the application and are carefully and equally weighed during the evaluation process. GRE tests (general and advanced subject) are not required and in most options scores will not be considered for admission. Most of the funding sources require work authorization. As a consequence, matriculation into the PhD program requires evidence of work authorization, unless special compensation can be arranged with the admitting option. Applicants are expected to read, write and speak English and comprehend the spoken language. Although not required for admission, for applicants whose native language is not English or who have not received a degree from a university or college where English is the primary language of instruction, it is important to demonstrate a strong capability in English. 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.

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