“Since day one, studying on a year abroad at Caltech has been an incredible experience, in many ways. There is no doubt that the education quality is worthy of its reputation, but there is also much more to take away from the Californian experience. 

Even tough Pasadena is close to Los Angeles, Caltech’s campus is very peaceful. Walking around is always very enjoyable, at any time of the day (also, it’s always sunny and warm). Caltech regularly organises various weekend activities, which are always great opportunities to get off campus and have some fun! The trips I went to include an LA Galaxy football game and a camping weekend in the Death Valley National Park. 

California has so many places to discover and things to do, that there’s absolutely no time to get bored! Some other adventures I’ve had since getting here include a 3-day backpacking trip in Yosemite National Park (with Javi Montoya, another Edinburgh exchange student abroad at UCSD), a skydiving trip near San Diego, a road trip from Los Angeles to San Francisco on the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) along the coast, a 3-day ski trip with my house in the Mammoth Mountain and several beach trips. And many more to come!”- Robin Henry, Caltech 18/19

“Within the first few weeks alone, joining Caltech for a year abroad had already proved it would be an invaluable, unforgettable experience.

After only a few hours on campus, we had already met the other handful of exchange students with whom we immediately became good friends. We then got to meet the incoming freshmen with whom we went through a plethora of welcoming events and initiations, as we started to grasp the esoteric and unique student culture.

Through the many hours of hard work Caltech undoubtedly proves to be an institution of excellence, as one takes pride in working where many of the best have gone through. We have enjoyed both the quirky traditions such as the kick-off lighting of the cannon and amazing opportunities such as a Death Valley camping trip, while making many friends along the way.”- Leopold Thebault, Caltech 18/19