California Institute of Technology (Caltech) is a world-renowned independent research university located in Pasadena, California, United States. Caltech has six academic divisions with strong emphasis on science and engineering. Its 124-acre (50 ha) campus is home to approximately 2,200 faculty members and 300 postdoctoral scholars, and over 2,000 graduate students. The school’s primary mission is to “expand human knowledge and benefit society” through research integrated with education. It is one of the few institutions in the world that operates on a no-tuition policy for undergraduate students.
The institute was founded as a preparatory and vocational school by Amos G. Throop in 1891 and began offering college courses in 1910. The vocational school was disbanded after World War I in 1918, but Throop College reopened as an technical institute in 1921 under its current name; it became Caltech two years later when it received a gift from businessman George Ellery Hale. He had always hoped the college would become the educational equal of MIT or Harvard University, but it never quite attained that goal despite Hale’s considerable financial support. During World War II Caltech was one of 131 colleges and universities nationally that took part in the V-12 Navy College Training Program which offered students a path to an accelerated naval commission. After the war ended Caltech began to expand rapidly adding programs including biology, geology, astronomy and applied physics
Caltech’s faculty and alumni include 33 Nobel laureates, four Fields Medalists, 70 National Academy members, nine National Medal of Science recipients Many professors are leaders in their fields—among them 28 have been elected into either the National Academy of Sciences or National Academy of Engineering since 1960. As of 2018 eleven alumni have won Pulitzer Prizes for their accomplishments in literature or journalism. Additionally 118 alumni or former students have received nominations for Emmy Awards while 26 have won them outright.’s basketball team achieved national prominence under head coach Tex Winter during his 29 seasons at Caltech from 1957–1986.’s football program reached intercollegiate competitiveness under head coach Clark Shaughnessy from 1909–1916 winning 3 Rose Bowls prior to becoming defunct following World War I.”