Caltech International Applicant Guidelines: Financial aid must be requested at the time of application; there are hard minimum English proficiency score requirements.
Caltech Fall 2027 Admission: International students are need-aware; financial aid must be applied for at the time of admission application, otherwise you cannot apply for it during your four years; hard minimum English proficiency scores are IELTS 7 (7 in each section), TOEFL 100 (25 in each section), and Duolingo 130; Calculus, Physics, and Chemistry are required.
The International Applicants page on the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) admissions website outlines the requirements for Fall 2027 admission, applicable to non-U.S. citizens and non-permanent residents attending high school outside the United States. Application deadlines: Restrictive Early Action (REA) is November 1, 2026, and Regular Decision (RD) is January 4, 2027.
Specific Impacts and Recommendations for Chinese Students
1. Financial Aid Must Be Applied for Concurrently
The university has a need-aware policy for international students with limited funding. Impact and Recommendations: If you plan to apply for financial aid, you must submit it at the same time as your admissions application. If you do not apply for or receive aid in your first year, you will not be able to apply during your four years of undergraduate study. Upon admission, the university meets full demonstrated financial need, with aid covering tuition, room, board, books, fees, and personal expenses.
2. Strict Minimum Requirements for English and Standardized Test Scores
There are strict minimum score requirements for English proficiency; both the overall and section scores must meet the minimums, and all tests must be completed before the application deadline. Exemptions apply to native English speakers or those whose high school instruction is primarily in English. IELTS requires 7/7; Duolingo English Test (DET) requires 130/130; TOEFL requires 100/25 before January 21, 2026, and 5/5 thereafter. Additionally, SAT or ACT scores must be submitted.
3. Core Course and Letter of Recommendation Requirements
Required coursework includes four years of mathematics (including one year of calculus), one year of physics, and one year of chemistry. IB (International Baccalaureate) students must take Higher Level Mathematics, and A-Level students must take A-Level Mathematics. Two letters of recommendation are required: one from a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) teacher and another from a humanities or social sciences teacher. International students are encouraged to submit an InitialView interview video and writing sample (unscored and cannot replace English proficiency tests), which must be completed before the deadline.
4. All Materials Must Be Translated
The university will not review any part of the application materials that is not in English. Transcripts must be sent directly by the school, accompanied by the original documents and English translations (which can be translated by an English teacher or school staff); conversion to a U.S. GPA is not required. Students who have taken AP or IB courses must also submit these scores in addition to SAT/ACT scores.
Source: https://www.admissions.caltech.edu/apply/first-year-applicants/international-applicants. Policies are subject to the latest official updates.