Social Connection and Belonging
It sometimes takes time to build friendships when you move to a new environment. Always remember, you don't have to navigate Caltech alone. There are many ways to find community, including within your House and residential community or joining one of over a hundred recognized student clubs and organizations. There are fellow students at Caltech who share your personal interests and passions. The resources below can help you find them, whether you're an undergraduate or a graduate student.
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About Social Connection & Belonging at Caltech
Caltech's small size is one of its biggest assets for building community — most undergraduate students find their closest friendships through their residential community, and from there, through the identity-based communities and recognized student clubs and organizations that match their interests. Whether you're looking for people who share experiences, hobbies, or just want a familiar face around campus, there's a structure here to help you find it.
Residential Community
Caltech's undergraduate Houses and residential community both serve as centers of social life — most students live in and identify strongly with their residential community throughout their time here.
Undergraduate: The House System
Peer Advocates (PAs)
Trained upper-class undergraduates in every House, available to discuss personal or academic issues.
Resident Associates (RAs )
Graduate students who live in each House and provide mentorship and support
Faculty in Residence (FIR)
Faculty who live in or near the residences to build informal student-faculty relationships.
Residential Life Coordinators (RLCs)
Professional staff who oversee residential wellness and community programming.
Graduate: Catalina Apartments & Off-Campus Housing
The Catalina Apartments ("the Cats") are the center of Caltech's graduate residential community, housing up to 450 graduate students; many others live in Caltech-owned lease properties nearby. The graduate residential life team includes 1 Residential Life Coordinator, 3 Resident Associates supporting Catalina residents, and 1 Resident Associate supporting off-campus residents — running programming like game nights, DIY crafts, tea ceremonies, and fitness activities.
Identity and Affinity Groups
The Center for Inclusion & Diversity (CCID) supports community-building around shared background, identity, and experience — for undergraduates, graduate students, and postdocs alike.
Student Clubs (CCID-Advised)
Includes APIDA+, Black Ladies Association of Caltech (BLAC), Black Scientists & Engineers of Caltech (BSEC), Black Student Union (BSU), Caltech Hispanic Latino Association (CHLA), Club Latino, PRISM (LGBTQ+ students), QuestBridge, and the Caltech Society of Women Engineers (SWE).
PRISM & LGBTQ+ Resources
A student-led group for the LGBTQIA+ community and allies, plus a campus and community resource list, including the CCID Lounge & Lending Library.
Affinity Groups
Spaces designed to foster community and belonging for specific groups, including First Generation Students at Caltech.
Signature Programs
Cohort-based educational and success programs coordinated by CCID staff throughout the year, including the First-Year Success Research Institute (FSRI) and the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship (MMUF).
Graduate Summer Research Institute (GSRI)
The graduate parallel to FSRI — a pre-arrival program for incoming graduate students from underrepresented backgrounds, focused on building community, navigating campus resources, and developing the interpersonal skills to succeed in graduate school before classes even start.
International Student Programs (ISP)
Beyond immigration advising, ISP plans events that celebrate international education and cultures, support cross-cultural adjustment, and build community — including "ISP Art & Soul," a monthly affinity space for international students and allies. Caltech's graduate population includes a large international student community, making this ISP a key social-connection resource for many graduate students.
Student Government, Recognized Student Clubs & the Caltech Y
Undergraduate Student Government: ASCIT
The Associated Students of Caltech (ASCIT) represents undergraduate student interests to the Institute, oversees student clubs and student publications, and upholds the Honor System. The Interhouse Committee (IHC), which coordinates matters affecting all Houses, operates under ASCIT.
Graduate Student Government: GSC
The Graduate Student Council (GSC) is the parallel student government for graduate students — a nonprofit corporation whose Board of Directors includes elected division representatives. All enrolled graduate students are automatically members. Beyond advocacy, the GSC funds student interests and runs social programming, including the monthly GUSH social hour and quarterly term parties.
Recognized Student Clubs & Student Organizations
Over a hundred recognized student clubs and organizations spanning cultural identity, hobbies, sports, the arts, and academic interests — open to any Caltech student, undergraduate or graduate.
Caltech Y
An independent, student-driven nonprofit affiliated with Caltech since 1916, organizing programming across five pillars — Leadership, Service, Adventure, Civic Engagement, and Perspective. Social activities, cultural events, and service projects offer another way to meet people outside your House, lab, or major — open to undergraduates and graduate students alike.
Performance and Visual Arts (PVA)
Beyond recognized student clubs and student government, Caltech's Performing and Visual Arts (PVA) program offers another deeply social way to build community — weekly rehearsals and public performances with the same group of people all year, most of it available for academic credit.
Music Ensembles
The Wind Orchestra, Jazz Band, Glee Club, Chamber Singers, and roughly 30 chamber music trios, quartets, and quintets rehearse weekly and perform at Ramo Auditorium, Thorne Hall, and campus events. Auditions are described as "friendly, low stress" — you can sign up for a meet-and-greet even without prepared material or your own instrument.
Theater (TACIT)
Theater Arts at Caltech (TACIT) prepares and performs two or three full productions each year — recent shows include Rent, Avenue Q, and the Star Trek parody Boldly Go! Roles go far beyond acting: stage crew, set construction, costume, lighting and sound, properties, house management, and publicity are all open to any Caltech community member, hands-on rather than classroom based.
Visual and Studio Arts
For-credit studio courses include ceramics and silkscreen/silk painting, among others, with work regularly displayed at campus events and the annual PVA Showcase.
Rehearsal Space & the PVA Showcase
Most PVA groups rehearse in a dedicated rehearsal room and recording studio in the Hameetman Center, reserved exclusively for PVA use. The annual PVA Showcase brings the music ensembles, TACIT, and visual artists together for one combined event.
Community Events
Recurring, open programming for building relationships across campus — with parallel entry points for undergraduates and graduate students.
For New Undergraduates: First-Year Caltech Connector (FCC)
A program specifically designed to help incoming undergraduates build community and social connections in their first year.
For New Graduate Students
Educational and social programs designed for incoming graduate students, run in parallel to the undergraduate FCC.
CCID Signature Events
Recurring events including the STEMinar Series, Dine and Dialogue, Affinity Spaces, and the Celebration of Excellence.
ASCIT Social Programming
ASCIT throws events open to the entire undergraduate student body every term — Midnight Donuts (a termly tradition), Movie Nights, Pi Day, Techfest (marking the end of Rotation), and ASCIT Formal, the biggest ASCIT-sponsored event of the year. The Interhouse Committee, which operates under ASCIT, also coordinates each House's annual Interhouse party and Ditch Day.
GSC Social Programming
GUSH (a monthly social hour) and quarterly term parties, plus a calendar of other GSC-promoted social events for graduate students.
Caltech Library Programming, Workshops & Signature Events
The Caltech Library hosts a variety of events, workshops, and other activities to encourage exploration and access to its shared resources, including Outdoor Movie Nights, Three-Minute Thesis (3MT), drop-in workshops at the TechHub makerspace, and extended weekend hours with free soup, warm drinks, and snacks during finals and midterms.
Who to Contact for Support
First-Year Caltech Connector (FCC), Resident Associate, Residence Life Coordinator, or your House Peer Advocate: Built specifically to help incoming undergraduates find community early.
First-Year Graduate Students programming, your Resident Associate, or the GSC: Parallel orientation and social programming for incoming graduate students.
Center for Inclusion & Diversity (CCID): Affinity groups, signature programs, and identity-based student clubs — open to grad and undergrad.
Student and Family Engagement (SFE) — Recognized Student Clubs and Organizations: Browse the directory or register a new club.
Your Residential Life Coordinator (RLC)
Separate undergraduate and graduate RLCs oversee residential wellness and programming.
ASCIT (Associated Students of Caltech)
Student government for all undergraduates — advocacy, clubs, and events like ASCIT Formal and Midnight Donuts.
Graduate Student Council (GSC)
Student government for all graduate students — advocacy, funding, and events like GUSH.
CCID, or the Equity and Title IX Office
CCID for education and support; Title IX for formal reporting.
Performing and Visual Arts (PVA)
Music, theater, and visual arts, open to the whole Caltech community — for credit or not.