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Graduate Student Parents

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Student parents make up approximately 2% of the graduate student population at Caltech. This website includes a comprehensive list of the resources, services, policies, and programs to help student parents meet their family care obligations while pursuing their academic goals. Graduate students who experience financial difficulties due to childcare are encouraged to contact the Graduate Office.

Financial Resources

Dependent Health Care Reimbursements
Enrolled graduate students are eligible to apply for reimbursement for health insurance costs up to $140 per month (rate effective for costs as of September 1, 2020), per dependent. Complete the request form and submit with appropriate documentation. The reimbursement will be paid as a miscellaneous payment through payroll on the next available pay period following submission. Reimbursements are subject to applicable income taxes. Only enrolled graduate students are eligible, and students who are completing their studies should be sure to submit their request form at least one month prior to the end of their final term.

Pregnancy and Bonding Leave
Students who are unable to complete their coursework or other course of study for a period of time due to a pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions are eligible for a pregnancy leave. The Institute provides up to 6 weeks of pay to students during a pregnancy leave; an additional 6 weeks of pay is available through family bonding leave. Bonding leave is in addition to pregnancy leave, providing eligible students with a combined total of up to 12 weeks of paid leave.

A pregnant student who wishes to take a pregnancy leave should submit a pregnancy leave petition to the Graduate Office. An enrolled student in good academic standing who chooses to take a leave of absence because of the recent birth or adoption of his or her child may also request a bonding leave by submitting a bonding leave petition to the Graduate Office for approval.

Parent Support Program
The Parent Support Program has been established through a collaboration of the six academic Divisions. The goal of this program is to provide financial support to graduate student parents with demonstrated financial need. Interested parents are invited to fill out an application form. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis by at least two members of the Graduate Office. Selected applicants will receive an annual stipend supplement of up to $10,000 annually, to be disbursed monthly. This award is considered taxable income, and students must be enrolled to receive this benefit. For further information on selection and the funding process, please contact the Graduate Office (gradofc@caltech.edu).

Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP)
Caltech recognizes that childcare costs impose a financial burden on many members of the community. The Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) allows eligible applicants to receive up to $5,000 per year to help defray childcare provider costs. Please note, incoming students starting in the fall term can submit two CCAP applications simultaneously, that is, one for the current calendar year (when you join Caltech), and a second for the upcoming calendar year. The Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) has been substantially enhanced for 2021. The enhancement allows more graduate students to obtain the maximum annual CCAP award.

Awards are available to eligible faculty, postdoctoral scholars, graduate students, and campus staff with dependent children ages 10 and under.

Step 1 - Learn About the Program
Read the 2021 CCAP Program Guidelines

Step 2 - Submit Your Application
If you are ready to apply, download the 2021 CCAP Program Application

ARCS Scholarship – Caltech receives a generous annual gift from the ARCS Foundation to augment the stipend for up to four scholars, for a maximum of three years of tenure per scholar. ARCS Scholars are appointed each summer and are primarily based on need, with a priority towards graduate student parents. Interested candidates should submit a completed application form to the Graduate Office (gradofc@caltech.edu). All applications will be reviewed by at least two members of the Graduate Office. Although ARCS scholarships are primarily need-based, applicants must be in good academic standing and making satisfactory progress towards their degree. ARCS prefers to fund scholars up to three years, but current scholars will be expected to re-verify need and academic progress each year. Applications will be accepted from October 1 through June 30, for awards commencing in the fall. Selected candidates will be notified in the preceding summer for scholarships payable in three installments in fall, winter and spring terms. ARCS Foundation neither solicits nor accepts applications from potential ARCS Scholars. ARCS Scholars must meet the following criteria to be eligible for funding:

  • be a United States citizen;
  • be enrolled in a full-time degree-granting program, majoring in fields of science, engineering or medical research; and
  • have a GPA of 3.5 or higher.

ARCS Foundation Chapters fund ARCS Scholars through their academic partners, and each ARCS Scholar enters into an agreement with the funding Chapter prior to receiving a scholar award. Please note that scholar awards are not made to post-doctorate fellows or to post-graduate early career researchers.

For further information on ARCS Scholar selection and funding procedures, please contact the Graduate Office (gradofc@caltech.edu).

John and Ursula Kanel Charitable Trust – The Kanel Scholarship augments the stipend for up to two scholars each year. Kanel Scholars are appointed in the summer and are primarily based on need, with a priority towards graduate student parents. Interested candidates should submit a completed application form to the Graduate Office (gradofc@caltech.edu). All applications will be reviewed by at least two members of the Graduate Office. Although Kanel scholarships are primarily need-based, applicants must be in good academic standing and making satisfactory progress towards their degree. Applications will be accepted from October 1 through June 30 each year, for awards commencing in the fall. Selected candidates will be notified in the preceding summer for scholarships payable in three installments in fall, winter and spring terms. Kanel Scholars must meet the following criteria to be eligible for funding:

  • be a United States citizen;
  • be enrolled in a full-time degree-granting program, majoring in fields of science or engineering; and
  • have a GPA of 3.5 or higher.

For further information on Kanel Scholar selection and funding procedures, please contact the Graduate Office (gradofc@caltech.edu).

Emergency Fund
The Student Emergency Fund was established to provide financial assistance to students who are faced with an emergency that impacts their ability to effectively continue their studies. Some examples of events that may qualify include:

  • Onerous medical or dental expenses not covered by insurance
  • Bereavement travel; travel for an urgent family matter
  • Temporary emergency housing
  • Loss due to theft or fire

Requests for funding are made through an online request form and are reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the graduate deans. Sufficient documentation is required to evaluate the expense; for medical and dental reimbursements we ask for a billing statement and proof of payment and any applicable insurance applied, but we do not need a detailed disclosure of private medical information. For medical or dental expenses, we suggest students first consult with Kevin Lee, Student Benefits Specialist in HR, to discuss coverage and make sure that the insurance has been fully applied.

Our goal for non-urgent requests is to make a decision within ~2 weeks. If you require immediate assistance please contact the Graduate Office to set up an appointment with a Dean. If approved, the reimbursement will be applied to the next available payroll and applicable taxes may apply. Direct payment via P-Card is also possible for unpaid, approved costs.

Short-term Emergency Loan
A non-interest-bearing loan for the first 90 days after disbursement for up to $2,000 may be obtained by graduate students for unexpected emergencies. If the loan is not paid within the 90 days after disbursement, interest at 5% will begin to accrue. For additional information, please contact the Assistant Dean of Graduate Studies.

Institute and Federal Loans

Children's Center at Caltech Tuition Assistance

Child Educational Center (JPL) Tuition Assistance

Family and Childbearing Policies

Pregnancy and Bonding Leave

Dependent Care Leave
Graduate students may take an unpaid leave for the purpose of full-time dependent care due to COVID-related child care, school closings, and other dependent needs that require students to take a break from their studies. Students planning on taking this leave should first schedule a meeting with one of the Graduate Deans. Under this leave, students are eligible to retain existing benefits, including health and dental. If in Caltech housing, students may remain for up to one term while on dependent care leave. Please note that students with dependent care needs may instead request a reduced course load by submitting an underload petition.

Nursing Mothers (Lactation Support)

Lactation Rooms
Lactation Rooms and Lounges are located throughout the Caltech Campus and are available to all Caltech affiliates. Rooms vary from private enclosures to a room on campus with new equipment and a refrigerator.

COVID-19 and Breastfeeding - CDC Guidelines

Child Care Resources

Campus Child Care Centers

Caltech and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory have three different facilities on their campuses.

Local Child Care Centers

Options for Learning
Options for Learning provides a list of community resources that includes listings of licensed local childcare providers (both privately managed facilities and public programs), and at-home learning resources. Please note, international students who are on a visa should not use state or federal subsidy programs as foreign nationals who use these programs for living expenses can have their visas declined, or in future years, their application for citizenship or work authorization declined for using federal or state aide.

Infants and Toddlers (some accept children from a few weeks old)

24 months and older (consider also the daycares above)

Family Daycare - Privately operated under a state license in a private home

  • Little Bohemians • Altadena
  • Paulett's Daycare (no website – just reviews) • 2737 Tola Avenue, Altadena. Tel: (626) 794 5191
  • Sherrie Thues • 984 N. Chester Avenue, Pasadena. Tel: (626) 798 3878

Co-op Nursery

Privately operated under a state license, for children aged 2.5 – 5 years old. Most co-op nurseries offer two, three, and five half-day programs. A half day is either three hours in the morning or three hours in the afternoon. Parents in a co-op nursery take turns on a regular weekly basis to assist the teachers and/or do minor maintenance chores around the school. This mandatory parent participation helps to defray the school's operating expenses and to lower the tuition. The California Council of Parent Participation Nursery Schools can help you locate local co-op nursery schools. For the Pasadena area, select San Gabriel Valley Council.

Co-op nurseries in the Pasadena area:

For a comprehensive choice of daycare facilities and family day care, you can read the parent reviews on Yelp and also consult Options.

Babysitting and Nannies

  • Babysitting co-op is run by the Caltech Women's Club, but it's on hiatus at the moment (looking for a volunteer to maintain the babysitting co-op)
  • SitterCity allows parents to post advertisements for babysitters (you can also read information about average hourly rates for babysitting).
  • A Better Nanny Agency offers both live-in and live-out nannies.
  • Nanny Classifieds
  • Nanny Verify
  • Meredith

Preschool Play Groups at Caltech

Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD)

If you need more information, visit Options which offers a free, comprehensive list of child care (daycare and preschool) centers in and around Pasadena. For the Pasadena area, choose "San Gabriel Valley Council" as the regional council.

International Offices Child Care Information

Other Resources

Caltech Women's Club Playgroup*

CWC Casita Exchange*
The Caltech Women's Club hosts exchanges of books/toys, strollers, high chairs, cribs, and other items useful for young families and provide a location to meet and build friendships.

The Pregnant Scholar

Taking Advantage of Tax Breaks

Graduate Student Parents Mailing List
Topics include finding childcare, clothing swaps, and general discussions about parenting at Caltech. If you are interested, you can subscribe to the mailing list by using the "Subscribing to GSP" section at https://lists.caltech.edu/listinfo/gsp (Caltech WiFi/VPN required).

*Temporarily closed due to COVID-19

DISCLAIMER: The information provided on this website is for general information only. Caltech does not endorse or recommend any of the organizations listed.