The California Institute of Technology has released its supplemental essay prompts for the 2026-2027 admissions cycle, which ask applicants to respond to several required and an optional essay. These essays are, of course, in addition to The Common Application’s Personal Statement. So, what are this year’s Caltech essays and how should they be approached? Let’s dive in!

2026-2027 California Institute of Technology Essay Topics and Questions

Required Essay Prompts

Your STEM Future: STEM Academic Interests

Caltech has a rigorous core curriculum and students don’t declare a major until the end of their first year. However, some students arrive knowing which academic fields and areas already most excite them, or which novel fields and areas they most want to explore.

If you had to choose an area of interest or two today, what would you choose? Why did you choose your proposed area of interest? If you selected ’other’, what topics are you interested in pursuing? (Min: 100 / Max: 200 words)

This essay prompt is a straight-up-the-middle Why Major essay. Caltech’s admissions committee wants to understand the origin story of an applicant’s interest in the discipline they wish to study at Caltech. Yet, students should be sure to set that origin story during their high school years. Too often, students share stories about how they developed their academic interests as children. Admissions officers want to hear how students think now, not then.

Scholarly Character

Applicants must choose one of the following two prompts to respond to in 200 words or less:

1. Collaboration: STEM as shared learning

Tell us about a time your learning in STEM was shaped by another person or group — either because you needed help, offered help, changed your thinking through collaboration, or contributed to someone else’s understanding. What did that experience teach you about learning and working with others? (200 words)

A great affinity for or skill with a discipline means nothing if you can’t play well with others and work as a team to develop something greater than the sum of its parts. Caltech here is probing how well students can do just this: work towards a shared goal with other people. And yes, they want you to describe a specific instance from no earlier than high school!

2. Process: The thought behind the outcome

Tell us about a time your approach to a STEM problem, concept, or project mattered as much as the outcome. How did you work through uncertainty or persist creatively in tackling the problem? What would you still defend about your process, regardless of the outcome? (200 words)

In your response to this prompt, you should seek to emphasize how a setback didn’t result in a dead end. Instead, Caltech wants to see that you had a capacity to persevere, that your thirst for knowledge was stronger than any challenge thrown your way. And once again, experiences from prior to high school should be avoided at all costs!

Scientific Drive

Applicants must choose two of the following three prompts to respond to in 200 words or less:

1. Learning: STEM as a never-ending rabbit hole. 

Regardless of your STEM interest listed above, take this opportunity to nerd out and talk to us about whatever STEM rabbit hole you have found yourself falling into. Be as specific or broad as you would like. (200 words)

Caltech’s admissions committee wants to discern if an applicant’s brain is overflowing with interests in STEM-related fields. This prompt is an opportunity for an applicant to show rather than tell that their cup runneth over!

2. Pursuing: STEM as sustained intellectual engagement. 

Tell us about a STEM question, problem, idea, or project that has held your attention over time. What drew you to it, how have you pursued it, and what do you still want to understand? (200 words)

If the first of these prompts probes depth of engagement with a field, this prompt seeks to understand how this engagement manifests as a specific pursuit, whether that be a research project, an experiment, or any other applied form of scientific inquiry.

3. Making: STEM as creation

Tell us about something you created, tested, repaired, modeled, coded, built, or redesigned. What problem were you trying to solve and what did the process reveal to you?

In this case, applicants should get into the weeds of a prototype, invention, patent, or otherwise physical manifestation of their interest in STEM. Yes, Caltech wants to hear about all of the granular specifics!

Just for Fun

Applicants must respond to the following prompt to respond to in 200 words or less:

Caltech students bring more than academic ability to the communities they join. What is something you would be excited to do, share, teach, make, start, or contribute as part of the Caltech community?

In the midst of a hyper-STEM-oriented supplement, this prompt is Caltech’s attempt to ensure they don’t just admit one-track students who have no personality behind their studies. It’s not often that we at Ivy Coach say this, but this prompt should actually not contain any mention of the singular hook. Instead, it should be used to demonstrate that you have interests outside of your hook. There is ample opportunity to express the depth of your passion elsewhere in the supplement. Here, heed Caltech’s advice: have fun with it!

Optional Academic Short Answer Question

Caltech cares about context. Is there anything about your academic preparation, coursework, school context, or learning experiences that would help us better understand your readiness for Caltech?

Believe us when we say only students who have encountered significant academic setbacks (A.K.A. from attending schools that do not offer advanced courses, from family emergencies that took precedence over studies, from natural disasters that set you off your course, etc.) should consider responding to this additional question.

Ivy Coach’s Assistance with California Institute of Technology Essays

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