Who can apply?
- WAVE Fellows must be current sophomores, juniors or non-graduating seniors matriculated in a degree-granting undergraduate program, with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.4.
- Fellows must be U.S. citizens, permanent residents or have DACA status, have an interest in pursuing a PhD and have prior research experience.
- Applicants must not be under any academic or disciplinary sanction.
Only non-graduating seniors may apply, and the 3.4 GPA minimum is higher than many summer programs set.
Dates, pay & program timing
Caltech says the WAVE 2027 application opens November 1 and that applications and two faculty recommendations are due on or before January 9; awards are notified on a rolling basis in early March. For 2026, WAVE ran June 15 to August 21 and paid $6,000 for ten weeks plus on-campus housing and a dining and travel supplement of about $1,000; 2027 figures were not yet published. Fellows submit two interim reports, an abstract and a final paper and present at a Seminar Day.
View the deadline calendarThese details reflect the sources at the review date. An overview is not a live job offer. Check the official page for today's application status and the selected opening's written terms.
How to apply to Caltech
- Check that you meet every requirement, including the 3.4 GPA, prior research and PhD interest.
- When the 2027 application opens on November 1, prepare the online application and your unofficial transcript.
- Ask two faculty members for recommendations, which are due with your application on or before January 9.
You leave FirstInternships to apply. We do not accept applications, offer referrals, or represent the employer.
Our editorial advice · not employer requirements
How to prepare a stronger application
Prior research is required, so describe it like a scientist: the question, your specific role, what you found and what you would do next. Reviewers can then judge how ready you are to start a Caltech project quickly.
WAVE includes weekly talks by Caltech faculty and JPL scientists and engineers. Name a Caltech research group or area whose work you would like to join; it shows you have looked beyond the program's reputation. This is our suggestion, not Caltech's process.
Your preparation, on this device
Make it a plan.
Checking an item saves this program. These are planning prompts, not a substitute for the employer's full requirements.
Add a stage & next actionOfficial sources & update notes
We reviewed these publisher pages on . They establish the program facts above; our preparation suggestions are independent editorial guidance.
- WAVE Fellows page: program, 2026 award, housing, dates and requirements
- WAVE eligibility requirements
- WAVE application information: deadline, materials, 2027 opening and notification
We do not infer deadlines, remote eligibility, or guaranteed offers from older recruiting cycles. Read our editorial process.