Spring and Summer Communication

Dear New Students,

Happy June! It's a sunny and warm day here in Pasadena (31 °C/88 °F). On campus, we are preparing for Caltech's 132nd Commencement Ceremony, which will take place this Friday, June 12. This year's Commencement address will be delivered by Kip Thorne (BS '62) -- theoretical physicist, distinguished alumnus, and Nobel laureate. The ceremony will be livestreamed here for those who would like to join us remotely.

Fun Fact of the Month: Caltech students have a long tradition of creative and elaborate pranks. One of the most famous took place in 1984, when students altered the Hollywood sign to read "Caltech." Another legendary prank involved changing the Rose Bowl scoreboard to display Caltech as the winning team - a remarkable feat considering Caltech does not compete in major college football!

Below are some announcements:

• Moving forward my letters will be sent to your Caltech email address only (instead of also to your personal email) so please ensure you have activated your Caltech email. All copies of the summer communication will also be available online.
• Add your emergency contact information through your access.caltech account. Please designate someone who is at least 18 years old and can be reliably reached in the event of an emergency. We recommend listing a parent, guardian, or another trusted adult. If possible, avoid listing siblings or other individuals who are under 18 years of age.
• As a reminder, review the new student handbook for important information about the first-year experience. Want to learn more about the Rotation process? See page 10. Have questions about when to send packages to campus? See page 47.
• Academic and Student-Services Virtual Info Sessions: Over the next three months, you are invited to join weekly Zoom sessions to learn about the many academic and student support resources available at Caltech. These sessions provide an opportunity to hear directly from campus staff, learn about the services they offer, and ask questions. A calendar of upcoming sessions can be viewed here.
  
  • The first 5 student participants at each session will receive a $15 GrubHub credit (credit will be sent to your Caltech email after the session; if there are more than 5 students, recipients will be chosen in a random draw).
  • Below are two upcoming sessions, and reminders will also be sent closer to each session:
    
    • Wednesday, June 17 at 11am-12pm (PT) | Student and Family Experience | Zoom Link here
      Overview of the first-year experience, New Student Handbook, move-in day, New Student Information Form
    • Thursday, June 25, 11am-12pm (PT) | Financial Aid & Bursar's Office | Zoom Link here
      Important deadlines, loan options, appeals, billing, and disbursements
    • This Friday, the New Student Information Form will be sent to your Caltech email address through Qualtrics. This is an important, mandatory survey for all students to complete. If there are any questions about the form, please attend the info session on June 17 or email me. The deadline to complete this form is Friday, June 26.
    • There is still time to apply for the Integrated First-year Core! Please see this link to read the details about the Integrated Core program, how it works, how to apply, and responses to frequently anticipated questions. The application is due on June 26.

Please note, the following items on the To-Do List are due by:

Friday, June 12:

• New Student Information Form Opens (Required - First Year, Transfer, 3-2, and Exchange Students.) Survey will be sent to your Caltech email address through Qualtrics.

Sunday, June 14:

• Writing Placement Test essays must be submitted by 5:00PM PDT. (Required - First Year and Transfer Students, except for 3-2 Transfers)
  The required placement test determines your fall humanities coursework. Carefully review the test information page to familiarize yourself with the test's purpose, format, and location; the page addresses FAQs.
  Contact: [email protected]

Monday, June 15:

• Foundations Assessment Due by 5:00PM PDT (Required - First Year Students)
  Contact: [email protected]

Friday, June 19:

• Deadline for incoming students to register with Caltech Accessibility Services for Students (CASS) for housing accessibility accommodations for Fall 2026-27.
  Contact: [email protected]

Monday, June 22:

• Chemistry Advanced Placement Exam Testing Window Opens - (Students who excel on the Foundations Assessment will be encouraged to take the exam.) Log into Canvas for test details.
  Due July 13, 2026.
  Contact: [email protected]

Until next time! 👋

Best wishes,

Isabel

Dear New Students,

My name is Isabel Peng, and I am the Director of New Student Transition Programs and First Year Experience. The First-Year Experience team will be supporting you during your transition as a new student, as well as being a resource throughout your first year at Caltech. We are so excited for your arrival in a few months! On a regular basis over the next months, I will send emails that highlight important deadlines and upcoming events designated for incoming students. Today's email will be sent to your personal email, as well as Caltech email. Starting in June, all emails will just be sent to your Caltech email, so be sure to check this inbox regularly. Copies of each communication will also be available online.  

Below are some announcements and reminders coming up in the next couple of weeks:  

• New Undergraduate Student Handbook: This is your go-to resource guide for learning about Caltech and how to make the most of your experience at the Institute. The handbook has been curated to provide you with important information about the first-year experience, campus policies, and an overview of the Student Affairs administrative offices and support services. We strongly encourage you to review this in its entirety prior to your arrival to campus.
• Integrated Core: Please see this link to read the details about the Integrated Core program, how it works, how to apply, and responses to frequently anticipated questions. The application is due June 26.
• Move-in Day (Saturday, September 19): Students living in Caltech Housing are expected to move-in on Saturday, September 19. Check-in hours begin 9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. (PDT). We ask that students and families plan their travel to campus accordingly. Orientation programs for all new students begin after 2PM that same day. For students who arrive early for First-Year Success Research Institute (FSRI), fall athletics, international-student orientation, and other approved academic programs, please refer to communication from the respective offices or coaches for more information.
• Orientation Week (Saturday, September 19 – Friday, September 25) is your opportunity to participate in engaging campus activities, connect with fellow classmates and upper-year students, and learn more about the many resources available to support you. Attendance at Orientation Week activities is mandatory for all new students. Additional information, including the full schedule of events, will be shared over the coming months.
  
• Academic and Student Services Virtual Info Sessions: The Caltech Library, Hixon Writing Center, Student Wellness Services, Deans' Office, and the Caltech Y are just a few of the many resources available to support your academic and personal success. Starting mid-June, you are invited to attend weekly info sessions over Zoom to hear from different office staff about how they support new students and students will have the opportunity to ask questions at each session. The info session schedule will be shared in a separate email soon.

Please note, the following items on the To-Do List are due by:

Friday, May 29:

• Deadline to register with Caltech Accessibility Services for Students (CASS) for accessibility accommodations for Foundations Assessment and placement exams. Contact: [email protected]

Monday, June 1:

• Watch Honor Code Video (Required - All New Students: First Year, Transfer, 3-2 and Exchange).
• Start using your Caltech email address!
• Please review Health Entrance Requirements. Please contact your provider for questions or immunizations. If you need assistance please visit Student Wellness Services: Student Wellness Services

Friday, June 5:

• NEW DEADLINE (formerly due on May 29): Activate your Access.Caltech Account - Instructions will be emailed to you. (Required - All New Students: First Year, Transfer, 3-2 and Exchange). Contact: [email protected]
• Writing placement test materials become available at 12:00PM PDT. (Required - First Year and Transfer Students, except for 3-2 Transfers)
  The required placement test determines your fall humanities coursework. Carefully review the test information page to familiarize yourself with the test's purpose, format, and location; the page addresses FAQs.: https://www.hss.caltech.edu/undergraduate-studies/faqs/caltech-writing-placement-test-information
  Contact: [email protected]

I look forward to connecting again soon!

Best wishes,

Isabel

P.S. – If you missed my message in Slate, view this flyer for some fun facts about me. Special shout out to any incoming students from Canada!  😊

Welcome to Caltech! We are delighted to be among the first to welcome you to this extraordinary research and learning community and look forward to meeting you and working with you in the months and years to come.  

The First-Year Experience team will continue to provide you with information about New Student Orientation throughout the summer. In the meantime, we hope the following information and resources will be helpful as you make plans to begin your time at Caltech.

You have been assigned the Caltech UID number: (Each student received a unique UID number. Please refer to the number sent to your email). This will serve as your student identification number while you are at Caltech. You will be receiving information from the Registrar's Office about activating your access.caltech account in the next few days; note that the deadline to activate this account is June 5, 2026.

The New Student Orientation Website provides lots of information for our new students, including the To-Do List. Additional information will be added in the coming weeks, so we encourage you to check back often!

We will use this email address for all updates and information from the Institute through June 1; at that point, you will have been officially assigned a Caltech email account and we will begin communicating with you via that channel. If you need to update your email address in the meantime, please email the Caltech registrar at [email protected].

If you have a disability and require housing or academic accommodations in the fall, please register with Caltech Accessibility Services for Students (CASS) by June 19 (for housing) or September 1 (for academic services). If you require accommodations for the Foundations Assessment or other placement testing, you should register and send your materials by May 29.

As we finalize plans for Fall programs and activities, the First-Year Experience team will share updates with you. As part of New Student Orientation Week, your family members will also be invited to some orientation events, hosted by the Office of Student and Family Engagement (SFE), that are dedicated for family members. In order for SFE to connect appropriately with your family, please email [email protected] if your family contact information changes.  

We look forward to meeting you at New Student Orientation, beginning on Saturday, September 19.

Sincerely,

The Undergraduate Deans' Office Team

Jennifer Jahner
Dean of Undergraduate Studies
Professor of English

Lesley Nye
Senior Associate Dean of Undergraduate Students

Kristin Weyman
Associate Dean of Undergraduate Students
Dean of First and Second Year Students

Maura McDinger
Director of Conduct and Community Standards

Chris Barragan
Student Affairs Case Manager

Therese Bagsit
Operations Lead, Undergraduate Deans' Office

Sara Loredo
Office Assistant, Undergraduate Deans' Office

Dear Caltech Class of 2030,

I am delighted to be among the first to welcome you to this extraordinary research and learning community and look forward to meeting and working with you in the months and years to come. With the May 1 decision deadline behind us, we are looking towards fall when we will be officially welcoming you and the rest of your new classmates to campus. At the same time, we are aware that you may still have a month or more left in your current schoolyear – as do we! The information below is designed to help you get started with your summer learning and preparation, but it is just the beginning.

Here are a few items to which I'd like to draw your attention:

• The summer To-Do List is now live on the New Student Orientation website. The information and deadlines in the following bullets will appear on that list, so you don't have to keep track of all of them right now.
• You have already heard from Dean Jahner about the mandatory Foundations Assessment. Comprised of three tests (one each in math, physics, and chemistry), which can be taken independently, the assessment will be available later in May and will be due June 15. You'll receive feedback in early July to help you brush up on specific skills that will be essential to the Core curriculum.
• The Writing Placement test, also required, will be available June 5 through June 14. This exam determines whether you must take Writing 2 in fall term and successfully complete the course before you enroll in your first-year humanities coursework.
• Later in May you will be enrolled in the Class of 2030 Canvas course, which is designed to provide you with information that will assist you as you navigate your first year at Caltech. This is where you will find some assignments, such as the Letter to Your Advisor, as well as details about each of the Core STEM courses and helpful academic resources.
• If you have a disability and require housing or academic accommodations in the fall, please register with Caltech Accessibility Services for Students (CASS) by June 19 (for housing) or September 1 (for academic services). If you require accommodations for placement testing, you should register and send your materials by May 29.
• Caltech will be sending information to your families soon and we would like to make sure we have their correct contact information. If you have questions about our communications or your family members' email addresses, please reach out to the Office of Student and Family Engagement at [email protected].
• You will receive additional information about New Student Orientation – as well as reminders about items on the To-Do List – throughout the summer from First Year Programs. Please be sure to keep an eye on your email (primarily your Caltech email, once you set it up later this month) and check back with the To-Do List periodically for updates.

As I look forward to the start of my ninth year at Caltech, I can genuinely say that my favorite part of the Caltech community is you, our students. Getting to know you, seeing you learn and grow and explore new passions, hearing about your research and what you're studying – it's truly awe

inspiring, and Caltech is an amazing place. But I'll be honest with you: Caltech is also hard. You will struggle. And that's ok! As your First Year Dean, I'm here to support and encourage you in your academic, personal, and social development. If you ever have a concern – whether it's something in the classroom, or a problem with family back home – please be in touch. If you don't know where to go or who to ask, you can find a lot of answers, as well as the link to book an appointment with me or another of the deans, at deans.caltech.edu.

On a personal note, I love travel and the outdoors. If your hometown is in a beautiful place with good hiking or good food, let's talk! I live near campus and you're likely to see me walking my dog, Daisy, in the evenings. You're always welcome to come up to us and say hello.

I look forward to seeing you on campus soon.

Your dean,

Kristin

Kristin Weyman

Associate Dean of Undergraduate Students

Dean of First and Second Year Student

Dear Families,

Congratulations on your student's commitment to the California Institute of Technology! Caltech is a truly special community, and we are excited to welcome such an exceptional group of incoming students this fall.

The Office of Student and Family Engagement looks forward to getting to know both your student and your family in the months ahead. One of the most rewarding aspects of our work is supporting students during this important transition and helping them develop as future leaders, innovators, and researchers. Families and support networks play an essential role in students' success, and we hope to serve as a trusted resource and partner throughout your student's Caltech journey.

Over the coming months, and continuing throughout their academic careers, most Caltech communications will be sent directly to students. For convenience, all official communications to incoming students will also be posted online for reference.

Today, we are pleased to share the New Student Handbook, which was recently sent to students. We encourage families to review this comprehensive guide with important information, timelines, and campus resources related to the first-year student experience.

In addition, throughout the summer, we will host a series of informational Zoom sessions covering topics designed to help students and families prepare for the year ahead. This summer's session schedule can be viewed here. All sessions will be recorded and shared online so students and families may access the information even if they are unable to attend live.

Planning for Your Students' Arrival

Arrival Dates

• International students should plan to arrive on September 17, 2026.
• Incoming students should plan to arrive on campus on September 19, 2026.

Some students may be required to arrive earlier due to participation in Institute-sponsored programs, including:

• First-Year Success Research Institute (FSRI)
• NCAA Division III athletics
• Other approved pre-orientation programs

Because arrival timelines vary by program, students and families should refer directly to communications from the staff overseeing those programs regarding move-in dates, housing transitions, and pre-arrival requirements.

Housing Assignments

Student housing assignments will be provided upon arrival to campus.

Mail and Packages

Students' Mail Service Center (MSC) codes will be emailed prior to their arrival on campus. Mail Services can begin receiving packages up to two weeks before move-in. Please refer to the package shipping guidelines on page 47 of the Handbook.

Move-In Support

On the official move-in day, Saturday, September 19, student and staff volunteers will be available to assist new students, whether they are arriving independently or with family members.

2026–27 Academic Year Dates to Note

• New Family Orientation: Saturday, September 19, 2026
• New Student Orientation Week: September 19–25, 2026 (students only)
• Rotation: September 23–30, 2026
• Thanksgiving Holiday: November 26–27, 2026
• Winter Break: December 12, 2026 – January 3, 2027
• Family Weekend: January 29–31, 2027

Finally, we invite you to a virtual session designed specifically for new family members on Wednesday, June 24, at 11:00 a.m. (PT). During this Zoom session, we'll discuss what to expect throughout the summer and how to prepare for your student's arrival in the fall. The session will also provide an opportunity to learn more about important timelines, upcoming communications, and campus resources. A recording will be made available for those who are unable to attend live.

Please use this Zoom link: https://caltech.zoom.us/j/84519315124 to join the session at the scheduled start time.

Your support, encouragement, and involvement are invaluable, and we are committed to partnering with you to help ensure your student has a successful and enriching first-year experience. We encourage you to review the Orientation website throughout the summer for the latest updates and information. If you have any questions, please contact us at [email protected], and a staff member will respond within 1–2 business days.

Sincerely,

Student and Family Engagement

Welcome to the Caltech community! We are excited that your student is joining us as part of the Class of 2030.

Each academic year, a new cohort of talented and enthusiastic scholars arrives to campus with the drive to grow and change the world for the better. Whether they explore the far reaches of the universe, the mysteries of the brain, the fundamental principles of mathematics and chemistry, or the development of sustainable materials and technologies, they will have the opportunity to learn from leading scholars at one of the great universities of the world and contribute their own ideas to conversations taking place across disciplines. Time and again, Caltech students, faculty, and alumni remind us of what can be accomplished when they collaborate to address society's challenges. We look forward to seeing how this year's incoming class will build on the Institute's legacy of pathbreaking discovery.

I look forward to connecting with you and your student soon. If there is anything we can do to help during the transition, please connect with the Office of Student and Family Engagement at [email protected]. The Student and Family Engagement team is available to assist throughout your and your student's Caltech experience.

President Thomas F. Rosenbaum