Associates Graduate Fellowships

In order to recruit talented and imaginative students, many of whom are being sought after by other top universities around the world, Caltech must be able to promise support that allows these young people to follow their dreams. Fellowships help deliver on that promise. Without a fellowship, graduate students often must seek financial assistance that could come with restrictions on a scholar's research focus or time—conditions that can stand in the way of top candidates choosing Caltech.

Faculty take pride in training the scientists who go on to make a substantial impact on academia, business, and industry. A body of exceptional graduate students makes the Institute more attractive to exceptional faculty, who choose institutions based upon the quality of students who can help support their research. These faculty-student partnerships hold the potential to transform science, technology, and society.

In 2015, we set a goal of raising $500,000 among the Associates community to establish the Caltech Associates Endowed Graduate Fellowship, which was further motivated by the promise of receiving the Gordon and Betty Moore Graduate Fellowship Match that provided an additional $1 for every $2 raised for Caltech graduate fellowship endowments. With the match applied, the $750,000 raised would fully support one graduate fellow per year—in perpetuity.

Thanks to the generosity of 102 member families, the Associates exceeded this goal in 2021 by raising $504,161 to establish the Associates Endowed Graduate Fellowship, triggering a $250,000+ match by the Moore Graduate Fellowship Match. We are grateful to the Moores for their generous partnership, and to our community of Associates who passionately support and invest in discovery at Caltech.