Admissions to University of California Davis

Last Updated on August 25, 2023

Exciting news! Let us teach you the secrets of admission to the University Of California Davis. Top ranked University Of California Davis (UCD) is a public institution that was founded in 1905. Usually, most admission essays to UCD are in comparison with other colleges and universities. In terms of increasing your chances at getting accepted into college, it is critical to have a high GPA and SAT scores if you seek admission for academic performance mostly. Get more information on Admissions To University Of California Davis, university of california davis ranking, uc davis acceptance rate, university of california davis notable alumni, uc davis admissions, uc davis applicant portal & uc davis tuition

University Of California Davis Overview

University of California-Davis–commonly known as UC Davis–is a public research university in Davis, California. The University ranks ninth in U.S. News and World Report’s 2011 list of the Best Public Universities in the nation. UC Davis is consistently ranked as one of the most ethnically and racially diverse research universities in the United States. The school hosts the country’s second-best school of veterinary medicine, the third-best ecology/evolutionary biology graduate program, and the fifth-best biological/agricultural engineering graduate program in the nation. UC Davis is widely recognized for the academic excellence of its student body, and the University’s most recent freshman class had an average incoming GPA of 4.03.

Freshman Applicants: Other Paths to Admission | UC Davis

UC Davis offers more than 360 registered student organizations, including fraternities and sororities. The campus is located in a comfortable suburban setting just 15 miles outside of Sacramento and about 72 miles away from San Francisco. Davis itself is a welcoming city for students; in 2006, it was named the second-most educated city in the nation by CNN Money Magazine.

Why Study in University of California Davis?

  • Programs: With over 100 undergraduate majors and more than 100 graduate degree programs, University of California Davis exhibits a vibrant range of academic courses.  
  • Acceptance Rate: UC Davis manifests a moderately selective admission policy with an acceptance rate of 46%. 
  • Admission Requirements: Competitive academic scores with GPA of 2.4 (~79-80%) and 3.0 (~83-86%) on a 4.0 scale are required for admissions to University of California Davis. In addition, standardized test scores, CV, LOR, SOP are also required for applying to the university.
  • Application Deadlines: The applications are accepted from August 1 of the previous year onwards until November 1-30 of the previous year.
  • Cost of Attendance: Tuition costs at University of California Davis for all resident and non-resident students is 14,646 USD. For Indian students, this cost ranges around 11 lakh INR.
  • Scholarships: The university supports its students through a variety of scholarships, grants, loans and work-study programs for international students. 
  • Placements: The university has an outstanding placement rate of 98%. UC Davis graduate students, working in Legal and Paralegal sector earn the highest average salary of 170,000 USD.

UC Davis Acceptance Rate

The University of California, Davis is a public university with an acceptance rate of 39%. Located west of Sacramento, the school’s 5,300-acre campus is the largest in the UC system. The school’s excellence in research and teaching has earned it membership in the Association of American Universities. UC Davis offers over 100 diverse undergraduate majors including arts, humanities, biological sciences, and engineering. The UC Davis Aggies compete mostly in the NCAA Division I Big West Conference.

Acceptance Rate

During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, UC Davis had an acceptance rate of 39%. This means that for every 100 students who applied, 39 students were admitted, making UC Davis’ admissions process competitive.

Admissions Statistics (2018-19)
Number of Applicants77,152
Percent Admitted39%
Percent Admitted Who Enrolled (Yield)20%
International Admission | UC Davis

University of California Davis Rankings

  • #108 in QS World University Rankings, 2022
  • #171-180 in Graduate Employability Rankings by QS World University Rankings, 2022
  • #34 in US Universities by QS World University rankings, 2021
  • #67 in World University Rankings by Times Higher Education, 2022
  • #40 in US College Rankings by Times Higher Education, 2022
  • #38 in National Universities by US News and World Report, 2022.

Highlights

Year of Establishment1908
LocationDavis, California
Type of UniversityPublic
Campus SettingSuburban
Total student enrollment39,629
International Students %15%
Number of UG majors102
Number of Graduate programs101
Campus HousingAvailable
Test Scores AcceptedTOEFL, IELTS both are accepted
Official Websiteucdavis.edu

University of California Davis Campus

The University of California Davis is located in the Northern California city of Davis. The campus has unique architecture and facilities for the students to enjoy. UC Davis has an Airport, Fire Department and their very own collection of outdoor sculptures called Eggheads.

With over 700 student organizations, the campus is always bustling with activity. To encourage and keep alive student interests, there are over 800 student-clubs, to ensure the active participation of the students. Additionally, Davis also offers 25 Division I Varsity Sports, 39 Club sports and 29 intramural programs. Students also have the facility to play soccer, football, tennis, volleyball, baseball and more at the campus athletics facilities.

The ever-active campus also offers dancing, martial arts, and rock-climbing facilities. Unique to the entire UC system, they also have an equestrian center. Students are to pay a registration fee at the beginning of their program, which gives them unlimited access to all the Activities and Recreation Centers on campus, during its working hours.

University of California Davis Accommodation

UC Davis offers students with housing options that include residence halls, student housing apartments, campus apartments and cooperatives. The Student Housing Apartments are run by a partnership between the Student Housing facilities and other private apartment complexes.

To ensure that the students get along as one community, all the Student Residence facilities and buildings are located within the University campus. There are few private apartments and cooperative communities, which are located on campus, and operated by private management as per their agreements with UC Davis. Some SHA apartments may also be located off-but-near campus.

  • Residence Halls: 23 residence halls are organized in three areas: Segundo, Tercero, and Cuarto. These are located on the west side of the central campus: Segundo is on the northwest corner of central campus, Tercero is on the southwest corner of central campus, and Cuarto is one block northwest of central campus.
  • University Apartments: Solano Park is the campus apartment, handled by the Student Housing and Dining Services. Apart from the University Student housing apartment, there are several other Student Housing Apartment options, which are handled in tie-up with private apartment facilities. These apartments are located both on and off (close-by) campus.

University of California Davis Programs

The University through its courses ensures interdisciplinary studies along with a commitment to provide knowledge to the students. UC Davis offers several undergraduate and graduate programs.

With more than 100 majors to choose from, UC Davis offers students with a number of options to complete their undergraduate degree. a few popular majors include biological and biomedical sciences; social sciences; psychology; engineering; and agriculture, agriculture operations, etc. 

Undergraduate Admissions

UC Davis offers over 90 graduate programs in fields of agricultural & environmental sciences, arts and humanities, biological & life sciences, education, engineering, health sciences, physical sciences & mathematics, social sciences and management. 

UC Davis Application Process

For applying to UC Davis, the application process is fairly straight-forward. Applications are to be made through the assigned online portal and all the deadlines must be strictly adhered to.

How to Apply: Applicants are required to apply directly on the university website through the respective application portal for UG and PG applications.

Application Fee: Undergraduate applicants have to pay USD 80 per campus and USD 140 for graduate programs.

Application Requirements: The requirements below are general. Few programs may have their specific requirements and these requirements must be adhered to. Apart from the program-specific requirements, here are a few general requirements for applying.

  • Applicants must apply through the specified online portal.
  • Submit all transcripts of high school, university, etc. as applicable.
  • Any additional documents like resume, letters of recommendation, statement of purpose, etc. as required
  • Standardized exams to study in the USA
  • Submit valid passport 
  • Submit English Language scores. Both TOEFL and IELTS are accepted. A minimum score of 80 in TOEFL-iBT or a band score of 7.0 out of 9.0 scale is required in IELTS.

Admissions Information

UC Davis has a competitive admissions process, and only about 46% of its applicants are admitted. According to the University’s admissions website, a student’s secondary school record, standardized test scores, GPA, class rank, and application essay are the most important factors in the admissions process. Other important factors include an applicant’s extracurricular activities, talents/abilities, volunteer work, and whether the candidate is a first-generation college student. Admissions officials will also consider a student’s state residency and work experience.

UC Davis requires applicants to submit an essay, their SAT or ACT (with Writing) scores, as well as two SAT Subject Tests.

Freshman Admission
Admissions address:One Shields Ave
178 Mrak Hall
Davis, CA 95616
 
Phone number:(530) 752-2971 
Fax number:(530) 752-1280 
Admissions Website:https://www.ucdavis.edu/admissions/undergraduate 
Email:[email protected] 
Contact Person:Pamela Burnett, Director of Undergraduate Admissions 
Number of first-year applications received:42,374 
Percent of applicants admitted:46% 



Application Information

Regular application deadline:November 30 
Early decision/action deadline:N/A 
Accepts the Common Application?No 
Admission requirements:Essay
Standardized Test Scores
 



The University of California Davis is a Public land-grant research university founded in 1908 at Davis, California, USA. UC Davis is among the world leaders in sustainability and climate change, it covers sustainability related issues through its curriculum. More than 4,500 international students are a part of its undergraduate body, making it an extremely multi-cultural and popular place to study in the U.S.

  • UC Davis has 39,629 students out of that 30,982 are undergraduate students enrolled in more than 100 undergraduate majors with an undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 20:1 and 8,647 are graduate or professional students enrolled in 102 graduate programs.
  • It also welcomes over 10,000 international students, researchers, and scholar’s faculty from more than 140 countries.
  • Around 50% of undergraduate students beyond their classroom indulge in some kind of research and creative work with faculty, graduate students and postdoctoral researchers.
  • Around 58% of undergraduate students cover their tuition fees with various kinds of financial aids.
  • As per the 2019 class profile, students admitted at UC Davis typically have an average GPA of 3.76- 4.00 whereas they scored between 1260-1480/28-34 in SAT and ACT.
  • The median annual salary of a UC Davis recent alumni is 56,300 USD whereas experiences alumni earn 94,600 USD
  • University of California, Davis is considered to be at #35 and #58 in the US for having ‘best value’ and affordability
  • Students can apply through the online application portal of the college.
  • Health insurance is mandatory for all students.
  • The University of California Davis has an acceptance rate of 46.6% for freshman applicants while 55.7% for transfer applicants.

Highlights

Application PortalOnline
Application FeeDomestic students – 70USD
International students – 80USD
Acceptance Rate46.6%
GPA Range3.96 to 4.25.
SAT Range1260-1470
ACT Range28-34
Academic CalendarSemester-based
Financial aidAvailable
InterviewRequired for some programs
Degrees AvailableBachelor’s, Master’s Doctoral,
Undergraduate Tuition14490 USD
International AdmissionsUC Davis Admissions
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UC Davis Admission Deadlines

TypeDeadline
Freshmen applicantNovember 30
Transfer applicantSeptember 30
Scholarship applicationNovember 30
FAFSA submissionMarch 2
SIR and SLR submissionMay 1
Deadline for admitted students to submit a statement of intent to registerFreshmen- May 1
Transfer- June 1
Final, official transcripts submission deadlineJuly 1
Test scores submission deadline (SAT, ACT)July 15

University of California Davis International Student Admissions

UC Davis has more than 4,500 international students enrolled in several undergraduate courses.

Application portal: online

Application fee: 80USD

All international applicants must complete the same application requirements as U.S. applicants.

  • Academic documents (including transcripts of all college work)
  • Supporting documents like a statement of purpose, and a personal history statement.
  • Some programs have GRE scores or other program specific standardized exams scores
  • Additional requirements such as examples of written work, or resume.
  • Compulsory administrative fee

A foreign degree is assessed based on the characteristics of the national system of education, the type of institution attended, and the level of studies completed.

Country-specific requirements

UC Davis has additional application requirements for different international students according to the country of their previous education.

Requirements for Indian students: 4 years bachelor’s degree (BS.Agr., BS.Hort., B.Tech., B.Engr., B.Med., B.Vet. Med., B.Arch., BFA.), a 3-year bachelor’s degree with a postgraduate diploma or master’s degree, or a higher degree.

CountryAcademic requirements
India and PakistanMust have completed 12 years of school education and also class 10th and 12th from recognized central or state board.
MalaysiaCompleted SPM and STPM or A Levels.
Sri LankaMust have completed either Sri Lankan GCE O and A-Level exams or O and A-Levels through Examination Authority affiliated by Joint Qualifications Authority.
New ZealandCompleted year 13 with at least 42 credits at NCEA Level 3. You should submit your NCEA Levels 1-3 exam results in the section of International External Exams on the application.

Application process

Every applicant must follow the application process mentioned below:

  • Select the course and semester in which you want to apply.
  • Create an account at UC application
  • Submit all the required documents
  • After submitting the application, you will see a confirmation page with some important reminders and your UC Application ID Number.

English Language Requirements for International Students

It is compulsory for international applicants to submit official TOEFL or IELTS examination scores. They can apply without these scores if they have earned or will be earning a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree from either a regionally accredited U.S. college or university or a foreign college or university which provides instruction only in English.

English Proficiency TestMinimum score for UndergraduateMinimum score for Graduate
TOEFLiBT8080
TOEFL PBT550
TOEFL CBT213
IELTS6.57.0
Contact Undergraduate Admissions | UC Davis

Student Visa Requirements

To apply for a visa, students have to take their passport and certificate of eligibility, plus proof of adequate financial resources for their studies and living expenses to a U.S. consulate or embassy. The types of US visas available to international students are the F-1 student visa and the J-1 exchange visitor visa.

Before the U.S. Consul will grant a visa, students must prove that they will have sufficient financial resources to meet all their expenses while studying in the United States. They must show documented evidence of the source of their funds and guarantee that they will receive them while at UC Davis. Unless they show written evidence of having resources for their entire degree program, they will not be granted a student visa.

University of California Davis Transfer Admission Requirements

Applicants must ensure that they meet UC transfer admission requirements and any UC Davis major-specific requirements.

  • Transfer acceptance rate: 55.4%
  • Required GPA: 3.34-3.81
  • Applicants must be college juniors, with 60 semesters (90 quarter) units.
  • Applicants must complete the UC requirements in English and math with grades of C or better.
  • Applicants must have two transferable college courses in English composition and one transferable college course in mathematical concepts or quantitative reasoning.
  • Applicants also have to complete four transferable courses with grades of C or better from at least two of the following subject areas:
    • arts and humanities
    • social and behavioral sciences
    • physical and biological sciences
  • Applicants must earn at least a 2.40 GPA in their UC-transferable classes to meet UC requirements; California non-residents must earn at least a 2.80 GPA.

UC Davis Undergraduate Admissions

UC Davis offers more than 100 undergraduate courses including Agricultural and Environmental Education, Animal Biology, American Studies, Applied Chemistry, etc.

Application portal: online

Application fee: 70 USD

Academic requirements:

  • High school diploma or equivalent
  • A-G course requirements
  • Standardized test scores (The University of California has suspended the requirement of Standardized test scores for all freshmen applicants till Fall,2024)
  • The Minimum GPA required for admission is 3.96 to 4.25

University of California Davis Graduate Admissions

A range of graduate and professional degrees are offered by the University of California Davis across hundred different areas of study. In total it has 101 different graduate programs to offer.

Application Portal: UC Davis Graduate Application Portal

Application Fee: 140 USD, may vary for some programs

  • The applicants require a minimum 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale (or equivalent) from the institution where they have earned or will earn their bachelor’s degree to be eligible for a graduate program in UC Davis.
  • Other requirements include, graduate record examination (GRE), other relevant ability or achievement tests, letters of recommendation, a GPA and/or English language testing score higher than the university minimum, and/or other program-specific material.

Students can apply to multiple graduate programs during a single admissions period. A complete application has to be filed for each program, which includes a new online application and application fee. It is advised to thoroughly check the application before submission as no changes or additions will be made after the application has been submitted.

Popular graduate programs at UC Davis

The application deadlines and international admission requirements for some of the most popular graduate courses at UC Davis are tabulated below.

Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Admission Requirements

Interviews will be held after the applicant has been selected.

Application DeadlineSeptember 15
Application PortalOnline
Application Fee140 USD
Academic RequirementsTranscripts; GRE; A minimum GPA of 2.50 is required for all completed science courses and cumulative college coursework;180 hours of veterinary experience
Supporting DocumentsThree Letters of recommendations (eLORS) as a part of their VMCAS application. At least one eLOR must be from a veterinarian.
Additional Requirements for International StudentsThe foreign transcripts must be evaluated by the World Education Service.
The minimum acceptable TOEFL iBT score is 105.
Before an I-20 can be granted, international students have to provide evidence of the first year of living and tuition expenses.

UC Davis MBA Admissions

Selected candidates will be invited to an on-campus or virtual Zoom interview.

Application DeadlineRound 1: Oct 28; Round 2: Jan 6;
Round 3: Feb 24; Round 4: Apr 13;
Round 5: June 15
Application PortalOnline through UC Davis portal
Application Fee125 USD
Academic RequirementsA bachelor’s degree A minimum GPA of 3.0 GMAT or GRE scores
Supporting DocumentsCurrent resume, four essays, official transcripts, two letters of recommendation
Additional Requirements for International StudentsTOEFL or IELTS TOEFL paper: 600;
computer: 250; or internet: 100 A minimum IELTS score of 7.0

UC Davis Animal Biology Admissions

Application DeadlinePriority: January 15
General: May 1
Space Available: June 1
Application PortalOnline
Academic RequirementsA bachelor’s degree or equivalent; A minimum grade average of B in upper-division coursework taken as an undergraduate
Supporting DocumentsThree letters of recommendation Academic records from each college-level institution ; GRE scores

Admission Requirements for Plant Biology

Application DeadlineFall: December 1
Application PortalOnline
Academic RequirementsA bachelor’s degree in biological sciences;
Minimum 3.0 GPA;
One official transcript for each school attended
Supporting DocumentsThree letters of recommendation ;
A curriculum vitae Official GRE scores;
Statement of purpose; Personal history
Additional Requirements for International StudentsA TOEFL score of 550 for the paper test and 80 for the internet-based test is required For IELTS, a score of 7 or higher is essential

Computer Science Admission Requirements

Application DeadlineJanuary 15
Application PortalOnline
Application FeeInternational- 140 USD
Academic RequirementsOfficial transcripts;
GRE scores ;
A bachelor’s degree. Proficiency at the undergraduate level in fundamental areas of computer science & mathematics.
3.0 minimum GPA.
Supporting DocumentsThree letters of recommendation; statement of purpose; A personal history statement

University of California Davis Document Submission and Assessment

  • Students must upload a transcript for each institution they listed in the academic history section of their application.
  • Scanned copies of original paper transcripts, unofficial advising transcripts, or web portal-based transcripts will be accepted by UC Davis.
  • The uploaded PDFs do not need to be “official” electronic transcripts issued by their institutions. However, the uploaded documents must include all of the same information that would appear on an official transcript (applicant’s name, the institution name, and all of the courses, grades, units, terms, etc.).
  • It must be ensured that the PDF is not password protected or encrypted before uploading.
  • Unless the back of the transcript is completely blank (no stamps, signatures, grade or course information, etc.), students must scan the front as well as the back of their transcript.

UC Davis does not accept paper transcripts as a part of the application process. Instead, all applicants must upload PDF versions of their transcripts or academic records directly to the university’s system.

If the transcripts or academic records are in a language other than English, students are required to upload a PDF which includes both the original language documents and English translations.

The English translation must be performed by the college or university which has issued the documents or a transcript evaluation service or a government certified translator. The college is highly ranked and gives its students tremendous future prospects. It is one of the best universities globally for pursuing Veterinary sciences.

University of California Davis Cost of Attendance

Since the university is located in the prime of California, the cost of living can be high if finances are not planned well. But the university provides a lot of facilities which can be availed of, thereby making the cost of living considerably less. The room and board expenses include food and dining expenses. The estimated cost of studying in USA including staying on-campus or off-campus has been tabulated below. 

UG Cost of Attendance

ExpensesAnnual fee for international student on-campus (in USD)
Tuition and Fees44,244
Books and Supplies1,159
Room and Board15,863
Personal Expenses1,399
Transportation487
Health Insurance2,628
Total65,780

Graduate Cost of Attendance

ExpensesAnnual fee for international student off-campus (in USD)
Tuition and Fees28,699
Books and Supplies384
Room and Board15,038
Personal Expenses1,830
Transportation2,214
Health Insurance4,917
Total53,082

Note: This is just an estimate cost and may be liable to change. Also the graduate cost of attendance differs for each program and therefore, students are required to visit the university website for the details.

University of California Davis Scholarships

The UC Davis Financial Aid Office is the primary source of information on financial resources to support studies in the USA at UC Davis. Listed below is a summary of available financial support for international students.

  • Fellowships, Scholarships, and Grants: UC Davis offers various fellowships and scholarships that also includes awards administered by the campus, the University of California and private agencies. Undergraduate scholarships offered at UC Davis are awarded based on merit. The scholarship award ranges from 100 USD to 13,000 USD per academic year. 
  • Outside Scholarships: International students can apply for various outside international scholarships to study in the USA that are awarded by various private agencies or organizations or the government in respective home countries. A few examples of outside international scholarships are:
    • Loreen Arbus Foundation & AWMF Scholarship- This scholarship is for women in journalism and mass communication. The scholarship offers USD 2,500 which is payable directly to the institute.
    • Ford Empowering America Scholarship- This scholarship is also for women in journalism and media. The scholarship offers USD 3,000 to the winning student a USD 2,000 to the runner-up and the money is sent directly to the university.
    • American Muscle’s Student Scholarships- This scholarship program offers 2,500 USD to any student pursuing an automotive-themed major.
  • Graduate Student Funding: Financial support for graduate study at UC Davis is available in several forms: teaching and research assistantships; financial aid; and fellowships. Students are required to contact the Office of Graduate Studies for further information. Early applications for financial support are encouraged. 
  • Education Loans: International students can apply for various education loans through private lenders. It is suggested that the student must research available options and look for the one that is best suited to them.

University of California Davis Placement

The university is one of those universities in the USA providing excellent placement opportunity to the international students. MBA graduates of UC Davis earns an average annual salary of 120,000 USD. Doctoral students secure an average annual salary of 97,000 USD. Following are the highest paying professions of UC Davis graduates and the average annual salaries:  

ProfessionAverage Salary in USD
Legal and Paralegal170,000
Financial Services126,000
IT and Software Development115,000
Finance Control and Strategy90,000
Logistics, Operation and Purchasing82,000
Marketing, Product and Communications77,000

The cost of attendance at UC Davis is different for in-state California students and international students, which is justified by the quality of education and excellent placement opportunities. With an average admission requirement and moderate acceptance rate, it is indeed a place of comfort for meritorious students willing to study in USA.

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