California Institute of Technology | Caltech
Application Dates & Deadlines
Restrictive Early Action deadline: November 1, 2023
Restrictive Early Action decision notifications: Mid-December, 2023
Regular Decision deadline: January 3, 2024
Regular Decision notifications: Mid-March, 2024
Restrictive Early Action and Regular Decision admit reply deadline: May 1, 2024
Restrictive Early Action (REA) is a non-binding early admissions process for students who are confident that Caltech is their first-choice university, are excited about the possibility of attending Caltech, and want to learn early if they are admitted to Caltech. At the same time, students will not be required to accept a Caltech REA offer and may compare financial aid options if they choose to apply to other institutions during the Regular Decision process. Applications are due November 1 and students will be notified of their admissions decision (admit, defer, or deny) by mid-December. Admitted students will then have until May 1, 2024 to decide if they will accept Caltech's offer of admission.
Students who choose to apply REA to Caltech may not apply Early Action nor Early Decision to any other institution, with the following exceptions:
An institution outside of the United States;
Any public institution that has a non-binding admissions policy with a fall application deadline (such as the University of California system);
An institution's non-binding rolling admissions process;
Any military academy;
Any scholarships or special academic programs with an early deadline at another institution, public or private, if the early application submission is a necessary aspect for consideration, and the outcome is non-binding;
If you are deferred admission after applying REA to Caltech, you may apply to another institution's Early Decision II program. If you are admitted to that institution's Early Decision II program, you are required to withdraw your application of admission to Caltech.
Additionally, REA should be for students who are prepared to submit their most competitive application by November 1, including letters of recommendation, and required course work for admission. For more information on preparing for Caltech, visit our Academic Preparation and Academic Requirements pages.
Restrictive Early Action Frequently Asked Questions
What is Restrictive Early Action?
Restrictive Early Action (REA) is a non-binding early admissions process for students who are confident that Caltech is their first-choice university, excited about the possibility of attending Caltech, and want to learn early if they are admitted to Caltech. At the same time, students will not be required to accept a Caltech REA offer and may compare financial aid options if they choose to apply to other institutions during the Regular Decision process. Applications are due November 1 and students will be notified of their admissions decision (admit, defer, or deny) by mid-December. Admitted students will then have until May 1, 2024 to decide if they will accept Caltech's offer of admission.
Students who choose to apply REA to Caltech may not apply Early Action nor Early Decision to any other institution, with the following exceptions:
An institution outside of the United States;
Any public institution that has a non-binding admissions policy with a fall application deadline, such as the University of California system;
An institution's non-binding rolling admissions process;
Any military academy;
Any scholarships or special academic programs with an early deadline at another institution, public or private, if the early application submission is a necessary aspect for consideration, and the outcome is non-binding;
If you are deferred admission after applying REA to Caltech, you may apply to another institution's Early Decision II program. If you are admitted to that institution's Early Decision II program, you are required to withdraw your application of admission to Caltech.
Why did Caltech move from Early Action to Restrictive Early Action?
In the few years, Caltech has seen a substantial increase in applications, more than doubling our total applicant pool since Fall 2020. With a first-year class of only 235 students, the application pool is far outpacing the space we have available on campus. Lowering our admit rate is not a goal for Caltech; instead, we want applications from students who are thrilled about the idea of engaging deeply in science, technology, and engineering in Southern California.
We believe that moving to a restrictive early action process will be responsive to our applicants' desire to identify Caltech as their first choice while, at the same time, allowing them to consider all their college options and financial aid packages until May 1, before making a final decision. We also intend to make the majority of our admissions decisions in the Regular Decision round and, as explained below, only make deferment decisions for a select few students.
What is the difference between REA and Regular Decision?
The deadline:
November 1, 2023 for Restrictive Early Action with a notification date of mid-December.
January 3, 2024 for Regular Decision with a notification date of mid-March.
Additionally, REA should be for students who are prepared to submit their most competitive application by November 1, including teacher evaluations and required course work for admission.
Will I have a better chance of getting into Caltech REA?
Caltech's admit rate is under 5% for both Early Action and Regular Decision and the difference in admit rates is negligible. As such, we recommend it for students who:
are excited about the possibility of attending Caltech for their undergraduate career
have taken the calculus, chemistry, and physics courses required for admission to Caltech
have prepared a competitive application by November 1, including letters of recommendation
What is the deadline for applying REA and when will decisions be released?
Applications are due November 1 and students will be notified of their admissions decision (admit, defer, or deny) by mid-December. Admitted students will then have until May 1, 2024 to decide if they will accept Caltech's offer of admission.
What admissions decisions are possible after applying REA?
There are 3 admissions decision outcomes when students are notified in mid-December:
Admit – a student is admitted and has until May 1, 2024 to accept or decline their offer.
Defer – a student is deferred and has the option to opt-in to Regular Decision. Caltech is very judicious with our deferment offers, only choosing this option for students we are very interested in learning more about and considering them in the wider Regular Decision pool.
Deny – a student is denied admission to Caltech. All deny decisions are final and a student cannot appeal the decision, nor can they apply to Caltech in the Regular Decision round of that cycle. Students are welcome to apply for admissions again the following fall.
At Caltech, a student who is deferred to Regular Decision can only receive one of two admissions decisions in mid-March: admit or deny. We do not waitlist students who were deferred admission from REA.
Why shouldn't I apply Restrictive Early Action?
Great question. Caltech reserves most of our admissions offers for Regular Decision, so please do not feel compelled to apply REA to improve your chances of admission. As stated above, admission to Caltech is highly selective in both Early Action and Regular Decision, and there is a negligible difference in admission rates between the two. So what does this actually mean?
Possible Admissions Decisions from Restrictive Early Action
There are 3 admissions decision outcomes when students are notified in mid-December:
Admit: a student is admitted and has until May 1, 2023 to accept or decline their offer.
Defer: a student is deferred to Regular Decision. Caltech is very judicious with our deferment offers, only choosing this option for students we are very interested in learning more about and considering them in the wider Regular Decision pool.
Deny: a student is denied admission to Caltech. All deny decisions are final and a student cannot appeal the decision, nor can they apply to Caltech in the Regular Decision round of that cycle. Students are welcome to apply for admissions again the following fall.
At Caltech, a student who is deferred to Regular Decision can only receive one of two admissions decisions in mid-March: admit or deny. We do not waitlist students who were deferred admission from REA.
Regular Decision
Regular Decision is the most common admissions process at Caltech; additionally, the majority of students admitted to Caltech will have applied in Regular Decision.
Possible Admissions Decisions from Regular Decision
Potential admission decision outcomes when students are notified in mid-March:
Admit: a student is admitted and has until May 1, 2023 to accept or decline their offer.
Waitlist: a student is waitlisted to Caltech and has until mid-April to opt-in for reconsideration should space become available in the class after May 1. Students are strongly encouraged to send in supplemental materials to support their application.
Deny: a student is denied admission to Caltech. All deny decisions are final and a student cannot appeal the decision. You may reapply for the next fall entry term if you wish.
If space is available in the class after May 1, we will review the applications of students who opted-in for reconsideration. The waitlist does not have a ranking system. We will communicate with students accordingly and waitlist activity concludes by mid-July.
Academic Requirements
The following examinations and certificates can substitute for the course requirements for calculus, chemistry, and/or physics:
A score of 5 on AP exams in AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, AP Chemistry, AP Physics 1, AP Physics 2, or AP Physics C
The AP exam must be taken by application deadline.
A score of 6 or 7 on the IB Mathematics HL; Chemistry SL or HL; or Physics SL or HL examinations.
The IB exam must be taken by application deadline.
A certification from Schoolhouse.world in one of the following courses: AP/College Calculus BC; AP/College Chemistry; High School Physics - NGSS
Proof of certification from Schoolhouse.world is required within one week of the application deadline.
For Fall 2024, these are the only avenues for substituting course requirements in calculus, chemistry, and/or physics at Caltech. There will be no exceptions.
What if I haven't taken calculus, chemistry, or physics?
Caltech will accept examination scores or certification showing proof of knowledge in the subject in lieu of a calculus, chemistry, and/or physics course, provided both the student and their counselor must document the underlying unresolvable issue(s).
The following examinations and certificates can substitute for the course requirements or calculus, chemistry, and/or physics:
A score of 5 on AP exams in AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, AP Chemistry, AP Physics 1, AP Physics 2, or AP Physics C
The AP exam must be taken by application deadline.
A score of 6 or 7 on the IB Mathematics HL; Chemistry SL or HL; or Physics SL or HL examinations.
The IB exam must be taken by application deadline.
A certification from Schoolhouse.world in one of the following courses: AP/College Calculus BC; AP/College Chemistry; High School Physics - NGSS
Proof of certification from Schoolhouse.world is required within one week of the application deadline.
Can I take calculus, chemistry, and/or physics for the first time senior year?
Many students take one of these subjects for the first time during their senior year and that's OK. We must be able to review semester or in-progress grades for first-time courses by the application deadline. We will request grades directly from your school, if needed.
What free courses are available for certification?
The completion of the following certifications from Schoolhouse.world [link], based on coursework provided by Khan Academy [link], demonstrate the subject area mastery required for the Caltech core curriculum
Khan Academy courses are available in Calculus, Chemistry, and Physics.
Schoolhouse.world Certification is available in AP/College Calculus BC, AP/College Chemistry, High school physics - NGSS
More extensive information is available on our Free Resources for Calculus, Chemistry, and/or Physics page.
Will you accept other examination scores or certifications, e.g. Coursera, edX?
No, only online certification from Schoolhouse.world in one of the following courses: AP/College Calculus BC; AP/College Chemistry; High School Physics - NGSS will be accepted. For Fall 2024, AP exam scores, IB exam scores, and Schoolhouse.world certification are the only avenues for substituting course requirements in calculus, chemistry, and/or physics at Caltech.
Applicants may submit additional transcripts on the application portal, Beaver Breakroom, if they have taken a calculus, chemistry, and/or physics course from a college or university where they earned a grade.
What qualifies as an unresolvable course conflict?
Unresolvable course conflicts include:
The required class was not available at a student's high school.
The student was tracked to take the course, but too few students registered, and the course was canceled.
The student was not tracked to take calculus by graduation and school policy does not allow the student to take calculus.
The student attends high school in an educational desert where no college or university exists for a student to take additional coursework.
The courses were offered at the same time and the student could not complete all of Caltech's requirements in high school.
The course was not a graduation requirement for high school in the student's district or state, therefore the student did not know they needed it for Caltech and student now does not have time or opportunity to enroll in the class before applying.
How do I submit proof of examinations or certifications?
Once your application has been submitted, you will be required to submit examination scores or certification via the application portal, Beaver Breakroom. Further instructions will be provided via email within 72 hours.
More extensive information about how this process works is available for both Common App and QuestBridge applicants.
What if I won't have 4 years of math because I will max out before then?
We understand that not all students have access to the same math curriculum and resources. It is okay if students who exhaust their math curriculum before their senior year of high school to not have four years of math. To be eligible for first-year admissions, Caltech expects that all students have taken as much math as possible, including one year of calculus, to be prepared for the core curriculum. Some students who have run the course of their high school curriculum and would like to take more math, for example, consider taking online or local college classes but that is not a requirement. We certainly don't want you to get bored in high school. And don't worry – we will never run out of classes for you at Caltech.
Restrictive Early Action deadline: November 1, 2023
Restrictive Early Action decision notifications: Mid-December, 2023
Regular Decision deadline: January 3, 2024
Regular Decision notifications: Mid-March, 2024
Restrictive Early Action and Regular Decision admit reply deadline: May 1, 2024
FAQs
1. What if I haven't taken calculus, chemistry, or physics?
Caltech will accept examination scores or certification showing proof of knowledge in the subject in lieu of a calculus, chemistry, and/or physics course, provided both the student and their counselor must document the underlying unresolvable issue(s). The following examinations and certificates can substitute for the course requirements or calculus, chemistry, and/or physics: A score of 5 on AP exams in AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, AP Chemistry, AP Physics 1, AP Physics 2, or AP Physics C
The AP exam must be taken by application deadline.
A score of 6 or 7 on the IB Mathematics HL; Chemistry SL or HL; or Physics SL or HL examinations.
The IB exam must be taken by application deadline.
A certification from Schoolhouse.world in one of the following courses: AP/College Calculus BC; AP/College Chemistry; High School Physics - NGSS
Proof of certification from Schoolhouse.world is required within one week of the application deadline.
Can I take calculus, chemistry, and/or physics for the first time senior year?
Many students take one of these subjects for the first time during their senior year and that's OK. We must be able to review semester or in-progress grades for first-time courses by the application deadline. We will request grades directly from your school, if needed.
Why did Caltech make this change?
Caltech operates from a set of mission-based values, and we recognize that not all applicants have equal access to the calculus, chemistry, and/or physics courses required to apply to the Institute. We are determined to provide alternative opportunities by which prospective students can demonstrate their preparedness.
What free courses are available for certification?
The completion of the following certifications from Schoolhouse.world [link], based on coursework provided by Khan Academy [link], demonstrate the subject area mastery required for the Caltech core curriculum
Khan Academy courses are available in Calculus, Chemistry, and Physics.
Schoolhouse.world Certification is available in AP/College Calculus BC, AP/College Chemistry, High school physics - NGSS
More extensive information is available on our Free Resources for Calculus, Chemistry, and/or Physics page.
Will you accept other examination scores or certifications, e.g. Coursera, edX?
No, only online certification from Schoolhouse.world in one of the following courses: AP/College Calculus BC; AP/College Chemistry; High School Physics - NGSS will be accepted. For Fall 2024, AP exam scores, IB exam scores, and Schoolhouse.world certification are the only avenues for substituting course requirements in calculus, chemistry, and/or physics at Caltech.
Applicants may submit additional transcripts on the application portal, Beaver Breakroom, if they have taken a calculus, chemistry, and/or physics course from a college or university where they earned a grade.
What qualifies as an unresolvable course conflict?
Unresolvable course conflicts include:
The required class was not available at a student's high school. The student was tracked to take the course, but too few students registered, and the course was canceled. The student was not tracked to take calculus by graduation and school policy does not allow the student to take calculus. The student attends high school in an educational desert where no college or university exists for a student to take additional coursework.
The courses were offered at the same time and the student could not complete all of Caltech's requirements in high school. The course was not a graduation requirement for high school in the student's district or state, therefore the student did not know they needed it for Caltech and student now does not have time or opportunity to enroll in the class before applying.
How do I submit proof of examinations or certifications?
Once your application has been submitted, you will be required to submit examination scores or certification via the application portal, Beaver Breakroom. Further instructions will be provided via email within 72 hours.
More extensive information about how this process works is available for both Common App and QuestBridge applicants.
What if I won't have 4 years of math because I will max out before then?
We understand that not all students have access to the same math curriculum and resources. It is okay if students who exhaust their math curriculum before their senior year of high school to not have four years of math. To be eligible for first-year admissions, Caltech expects that all students have taken as much math as possible, including one year of calculus, to be prepared for the core curriculum. Some students who have run the course of their high school curriculum and would like to take more math, for example, consider taking online or local college classes but that is not a requirement. We certainly don't want you to get bored in high school. And don't worry – we will never run out of classes for you at Caltech.