Master of Science in Astrophysics 

at Caltech, Pasadena

Caltech has 12 minors and 28 majors in all six academic divisions. Applied Physics, Biochemistry, Bioengineering, Computation and Neural Systems, Control and Dynamical Systems, Environmental Science and Engineering, Geobiology and Astrobiology, Geochemistry, and Planetary Astronomy are among the other multidisciplinary programs that Caltech provides.

Yes, the Caltech acceptance rate stands at 3%. while the Massachusetts Institute of Technology acceptance rate is 4.52% giving students a marginally better chance of admission.

Interested applicants must stand out among their peers both academically and non-academically, across every level of studies and submit a standout application to have the best possible chance of admission.

Yes, Caltech provides all-round support to all its international students, as part of its International Student Program (ISP). 

The Caltech ISP program provides guidance on visa acquirement, employment authorization, travel guidance, visa delay assistance, community building & support with taxes in the US among other things.

International students can contact university officials via its official website for the same.

Caltech is not an Ivy League school but it tends to enjoy a similar reputation and social status. In regards to Math / Science / Engineering education, Caltech is one of the best institutes to attend. In terms of the quality of the student body and the raw IQ, then also Caltech is a top institute for studies. According to unofficial sources, Caltech trumps every other college in the nation including MIT and Harvard. The sources also claim that students must be smart and clever enough in Math / Science to survive at Caltech.

The acceptance rate of Stanford and California Institute of Technology is too low compared to the Georgia Institute of Technology which shows it is quite difficult to enter both universities than the latter. However, all three universities follow certain admission criteria that include academic performance, reference, participation in activities, and more. International students can check the comparison table to get more clearity:

TEDx, Science Tuesdays at KML, Founding & Investing in the Technologies of Tommorrow, Stargazing & Americana Music Nights are among the popular student events at Caltech.

These events aim to bring together students to understand the complexities of today & tommorrow & develop the skills necessary to deal with them, with experts of different fields guiding them over this journey.

Also, a great opportunity to grow your network & build meaningful connections.

Since, Caltech is a very popular and tempting choice for Engineering enthusiasts worldwide, it can be considered a little expensive. Division of Engineering and Applied Sciences (Caltech) upholds its reputation as the world's best Engineering schools. The Caltech Engineering tuition fee 2025-26 is USD 63,402 (INR 54.4 L) a year, which international students are required to pay. Please note that the mentioned fee is only the first-year tuition fee without including living expenses and other fee components. The total cost of a degree for the first year, as an international student, can be USD 90,822 on-campus and USD 94,380 off-campus. 

On the other hand, the PG tuition fee is USD 65,706 (INR 56.4 L) for the first year at Caltech USA.

According to the Quacquarelli Symonds  World rankings, the Engineering and Technology domain is ranked #13 among the best in the world which is a downgrade from #9 in 2024. 

On the other hand, Engineering courses at Caltech are ranked at #5 by the US World and News ranking 2025 body among the best Engineering programs worldwide.  According to the rankings released by Shiskha Popularity, this school ranks at #3 in Aerospace Engineering, at #9 in BE/BTech, and #7 in Engineering.

The university does not conduct an entrance exam of its own; however, it does consider valid scores in the SAT or ACT for admission to undergraduate courses. 

Students seeking admission to STEM courses are required to have completed their secondary school studies in the relevant fields. 

Source: California Institute of Technology Official Website

The following exemptions apply for Caltech admissions and non submission of ELP scores:

• English is the primary language of instruction in the secondary school
• Applicants with a degree from a college or university whose primary instruction is in English