caltech dorm tour

New Students

In anticipation of your arrival, we have put together some important information for you. Please read the following carefully and note any forms or deadlines that pertain to you.

First Year & Transfer Students

Incoming students are guaranteed housing and will live in one of the 8 undergraduate houses or in the Bechtel Residence. Students have the option to request a permanent assignment in Bechtel before arrival in the fall; otherwise, students will be assigned a temporary housing assignment until the end of Rotation at the beginning of fall term.

If you have a need for special housing arrangements due to a disability, please register for accommodations through Caltech Accessibility Services for Students .

General Housing Information

Housing contract.

The Housing Contract is required for all students with a housing assignment. Contracts will be sent for electronic signature via Adobe Sign in July. Please complete the electronic signature on your contract by August 1, 2024 . If you are under 18 years old, this contract will be sent to both you and your parent/guardian for signatures.

Early Arrival

If you are eligible to arrive before your designated move-in day, you must submit an early arrival request form. This form will be sent out to eligible residents.

Fall Season Athletes - Early arrival housing will be available for fall season athletes. The Athletics Department will cover early housing fees for athletes starting on the day that their particular sport begins. For more information on the dates that the Athletics Department will cover housing fees for you, please contact them directly.

International Students - Early arrival housing will be available for new students participating in International Orientation. You may arrive one day before orientation begins. Please plan to arrive on Wednesday, September 18, 2024 .

Check In Day

All students who are not arriving early due to International Orientation or Fall Season Athletics will check in on Sunday, September 22, 2024 from 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM . More information and instructions will be sent via email closer to the check in date.

Housing Assignments

Students can elect to move directly into a permanent housing location in the Bechtel Residence. Students who do not choose to move into a permanent space in Bechtel will be assigned a temporary space in one of the 8 houses or the Bechtel Residence. While living in this temporary assignment, students will participate in a process known as Rotation . Rotation begins after New Student Orientation and allows enough time for incoming first year and transfer student to gain a general impression of the accommodations, traditions, and members of each house. After you have time to visit all the houses you will be asked to prioritize the houses/residences in which you'd like to live.

Once Rotation results have been communicated to incoming students, the Housing Office and individual house leadership will work with the new students on their permanent assignments. This will happen shortly after Rotation is complete, and students will move to their permanent assignments at this time. It is recommended that students wait to unpack until they are in their permanent rooms. You may also wish to have your belongings shipped until after this point.

Holidays and Winter/Spring Breaks

For no additional charge, you are welcome to stay in your assigned room during holidays and breaks.

Residential Life

Residential life coordinators.

There are five Residential Life Coordinators (RLCs) in campus housing, situated in different buildings. An RLC is a specially trained full-time university employee, specializing in college student development, community building, counseling, and crisis intervention. The RLCs supervise the Resident Associates (RAs) on overall student wellness and community programming. The RLCs also assist Housing with the management and daily operation of the houses. They are a fantastic resource, usually just a few steps away.

Resident Associates

From time to time you may have a problem or concern that you would like to discuss with someone. You should feel free at such times to contact the Resident Associate (RA) who lives in an apartment in your house. The RAs are Caltech graduate students who are available for guidance and consultation and are familiar with the resources on campus. They have been trained to handle day-to-day challenges as well as emergency situations that may arise. They are also close, convenient, and great people to talk to!

Student Leaders

In addition to the RAs, all houses select Peer Advocates (PAs) who are undergraduates available to discuss personal and academic issues and help create connections with the Counseling Center staff. Health Advocates are also available to serve as liaisons between the students and the Health Center staff. Health Advocates are undergraduates trained to provide CPR, first aid, basic health care, health education, and peer counseling.

Each house elects officers, known as the Executive Committee , who plans an impressive array of social, cultural, and athletic programs throughout the year. The presidents of the seven houses and the Avery Chancellor form the Interhouse Committee , and along with an elected Chair and the IHC Secretary, oversee matters of common concern for all houses.

Other Information

Appliances with heating coils (toasters, popcorn poppers, and hot plates) are not allowed in student rooms for safety reasons. You are permitted to have a small refrigerator (not to exceed 5.8 cubic feet) and a small microwave in the room.

Bicycles are a good means of getting around campus and Pasadena. Cyclists will enjoy the pleasant surroundings of Caltech and the nearby community. For storage, bike racks have been installed around each building. For safety reasons, bikes cannot be stored in corridors, stairways, or other public areas inside the houses and residences. We recommend a U-Lock to secure your bike.

Medical Accommodations

Students with a medical need for housing accommodations should reach out to Caltech Accessibility Services for Students (CASS) to register any needs, including Service Animals or Emotional Support Animals (ESAs).

Packing List

It would be impossible to provide a comprehensive list of everything that you should bring to Caltech. Here are some suggestions from Caltech students:

Wardrobe/Linen

• Bed sheets (twin extra-long)
• Pillow/pillowcase
• Mattress pad
• Bath robe/pajamas
• Bathing suit
• Clothes for special occasions
• Clothes for inclement weather

Desk Supplies

• Pens/pencils
• Scissors, staplers, etc
• Notebooks/paper
• Surge protectors

Health and Grooming Supplies

• Personal care items (soap, deodorant, etc.)
• Plastic carrying case (for shower)
• Shower shoes

Kitchen Equipment

• Few dishes (bowl, mug, plate)
• Few pots and pans
• One or two sets of silverware

Miscellaneous

• Storage containers
• Pictures of family and friends
• Posters or framed pictures
• Small portable musical instrument
• Clothes hangers
• Laundry bag or basket
• First aid kit

Students are permitted to park on campus. Parking and Commuter Services manages parking regulations and passes.

Pets are not permitted in Caltech housing.

Renters Insurance

Caltech does not insure the personal property of students. You may wish to check your parents' homeowners insurance to see if your belongings are covered under their policy or you may secure your own personal coverage .

Undergraduate Admissions

• Posted December 27, 2022

• in Archive: Culture

Depending on the house and style of room that you choose, rooms can look pretty different at Caltech. Generally, the south houses (Blacker, Dabney, Fleming, Ricketts) have similar options, and the north houses (Lloyd, Page, Venerable) are similar in their room styles as well. Rooms in Bechtel and Avery tend to look different from the north and south house rooms as well. In this blog post, I’ll be sharing an example of what a Fleming (south house) single generally looks like, and how I’ve chosen to decorate mine.

Here is the view of my room from my door. I have included images of the different sections of my room from left to right.

This is my desk area. As you can see, I have a desk large enough to accommodate a monitor along with my laptop and some other essentials. I’ve also chosen to store some things underneath my desk against the wall. I am a big fan of colorful decorations, and I’m also a tennis player as you may be able to tell by the tiny tennis racket hanging above my desk!

Here is my stuffed animal hammock. Last year I stored them all on a shelf in my room, but this year I opted for this method because it is not only pretty cute, but also allowed me to use that shelf space to store other things. The general policy for mounting things to the walls on campus is that as long as what you are doing doesn’t damage the paint or wall itself, it is okay. While you cannot drill into the walls or stick things using a strong adhesive, command strips and hooks are often a good way to get the job done. As you can see here, I have used command hooks to mount my hammock.

Here is my bed/futon area. The provided beds at Caltech, like most college dorms, are twin XL-sized, and when I first moved in, my bed was at about half this height. One thing you can do to increase the amount of usable space in your room is to loft your bed. I chose to do this so that I could put my futon underneath. This futon is great for having friends over to hang out or work, or even for when I don’t feel like making it up to the bed to sleep.

To the right of my bed you can see my fridge. Many Caltech students choose to have mini fridges in their rooms to provide a place to store any groceries you may have or just leftovers from previous meals.

My mini fridge also serves as my shelf for all of my plants. I recently began adopting plants, but as of now they are all succulents, as I want to be sure I don’t accidentally kill any higher maintenance ones. I hope that my window will provide enough sunlight for them to thrive this year.

Here is my sink. I believe that every Caltech dorm room comes equipped with a sink, and it is a feature that many Caltech students really appreciate. It makes it so much easier to brush your teeth and wash your hands, as you don’t have to constantly leave your room to do these things. The mirror also has storage for toiletry products, and the cabinet underneath the sink has a larger storage space for other things.

To the right of my sink are my display shelves. Here I have a lot of my books and other mementos. Being able to display some of my things has allowed me to add lots of personality to my room and make it feel homey.

Under these shelves, the room has a set of drawers in which I store some of my clothes and other things. I also bought a little rolling cart to hold some of my eating utensils and snacks.

And finally, here is my closet. I’ve printed many photos of my favorite memories and people to add some more color to my room and make the room feel even more homey. Inside the closet, there are a couple rows of high shelves and a rod for hanging clothes. One thing I have not shown in my room tour are two dressers that come standard with every room. In order to fit my couch and fridge into my room, I chose to store these dressers in my closet.

I hope you enjoyed my room tour! I’ve really enjoyed decorating it over the summer months and have created a space that I love. No matter where you end up for college, my advice would be to take the time and effort to make your dorm room your own! Being able to have a space that you feel excited to come back to every day is really important, and I have definitely seen a shift in my relationship with my own room this year versus my first year on campus, when I decorated a lot less. It doesn’t have to be expensive or extensive, just do what feels right for you.

Athena Kolli '24

Hi! I am a senior from Buffalo Grove, Illinois. At Caltech I am a member of the varsity women's tennis team, and I do research with the Daraio Lab. I am also a full member and peer advocate for Fleming House and a social member of Lloyd House. In my free time I enjoy working out, reading, and just about anything creative!

Made with <3 by Juni and Michael, Class of 2025

1200 East California Boulevard Pasadena, California 91125

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