REQUIREMENTS AND CAMPUS GUIDE
University of California, Davis
Founded in 1908, the University of California Davis, more commonly known as UC Davis, is centrally located in Northern California—a day trip away from the beach, snowy mountains, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, six national parks, and a 15-minute drive from Sacramento, California’s capital. Unofficially coined “California’s college town,” Davis is a vibrant town of 68,000 people with a student-friendly downtown right across the main campus. With over 100 undergraduate majors and countless research opportunities, the university offers a unique blend of rigorous academics and a welcoming community atmosphere. Whether you’re interested in pioneering scientific research, leading sustainability initiatives, or simply looking for a tight-knit community that values collaboration and innovation, UC Davis provides a dynamic and enriching environment for personal and academic growth.
REQUIREMENTS AND CAMPUS GUIDE
University of California,
Davis
Founded in 1908, the University of California Davis, more commonly known as UC Davis, is centrally located in Northern California—a day trip away from the beach, snowy mountains, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, six national parks, and a 15-minute drive from Sacramento, California’s capital. Unofficially coined “California’s college town,” Davis is a vibrant town of 68,000 people with a student-friendly downtown right across the main campus. With over 100 undergraduate majors and countless research opportunities, the university offers a unique blend of rigorous academics and a welcoming community atmosphere. Whether you’re interested in pioneering scientific research, leading sustainability initiatives, or simply looking for a tight-knit community that values collaboration and innovation, UC Davis provides a dynamic and enriching environment for personal and academic growth.
REQUIREMENTS AND CAMPUS GUIDE
University of California, Davis
Founded in 1908, the University of California Davis, more commonly known as UC Davis, is centrally located in Northern California—a day trip away from the beach, snowy mountains, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, six national parks, and a 15-minute drive from Sacramento, California’s capital. Unofficially coined “California’s college town,” Davis is a vibrant town of 68,000 people with a student-friendly downtown right across the main campus. With over 100 undergraduate majors and countless research opportunities, the university offers a unique blend of rigorous academics and a welcoming community atmosphere. Whether you’re interested in pioneering scientific research, leading sustainability initiatives, or simply looking for a tight-knit community that values collaboration and innovation, UC Davis provides a dynamic and enriching environment for personal and academic growth.
School Location:
BERKELEY, CA
School Type:
PUBLIC RESEARCH UNIVERSITY
Admissions Rates:
ADMITTED: 37.3%
GENERAL INFO
Dates/Deadlines:
Regular Deadline:
November 30
Regular Results: March 19
SAT/ACT Scores:
Test Blind for the 2024-2025
Admissions Cycle
School Information:
Undergraduate Population: 40,848
Faculty Ratio: 21:1
Interviews Considered: No
UC DAVIS TIPS & GUIDE
How difficult is it to get into UC Davis?
UC Davis is a moderately selective institution, with a 41.9% acceptance rate in the fall of 2023. The weighted GPA for the 50th percentile of students ranges from 4.03–4.27, with unweighted ranging from 3.82–4.00. UC Davis considers 13 holistic review factors when evaluating applications, including GPA, performance in core courses, course rigor, class rank, senior year course load, students’ engagement with school opportunities, among others.
What is the campus like at UC Davis?
The UC Davis campus is renowned for its expansive and picturesque environment, blending academic facilities with natural beauty. Spanning over 5,300 acres, the campus is one of the largest in the University of California system and is designed to foster both intellectual growth and a sense of community. Central to the campus is the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden, a 100-acre area featuring over 4,000 types of trees and plants. This space not only serves as a living museum for botanical study but also provides serene walking paths along the Putah Creek, perfect for relaxation and reflection.
Beyond its academics, UC Davis is known for its commitment to sustainability and community engagement. The university is a leader in green initiatives, often ranked among the top sustainable campuses in the nation.
Students at UC Davis benefit from a wide array of extracurricular activities, including over 800 student organizations, intramural sports, and a strong emphasis on volunteerism. There is also a robust Greek life community on campus for students considering joining a sorority or fraternity. The school’s friendly, inclusive campus culture encourages students to get involved and make a difference both locally and globally.
The Student Community Center building offers various welcoming spaces for students to connect, study, and find academic and social support. The Associated Students of UC Davis is an umbrella of campus organizations where students can make a difference while having fun, and Campus Recreation hosts a variety of programs, including aquatics, a craft center, an equestrian center, and 39 recreational sports.
What is UC Davis known for?
UC Davis is the nation’s sixth best public university and the eleventh best university in America by value, and is ranked #1 in the nation in agriculture and forestry as well as veterinary medicine. The College of Engineering at UC Davis is also known for its innovation and research in fields such as biomedical engineering, civil engineering, and computer science. The university’s emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration enhances the impact of its engineering programs.
Located in California’s wine country, UC Davis has a prominent Viticulture and Enology program, making it a key player in the science of winemaking. The Food Science and Technology department is also well-respected for its contributions to food safety and innovation.
How diverse is UC Davis?
UC Davis is a diverse and multicultural campus community. In 2022, Asian students made up 40% of the undergraduate population, white students 29.9%, Hispanic students 10.8%, and Black students 3.16%. The largest populations of international students hail from Mexico, the Philippines, and China.
How do I apply to UC Davis?
UC Davis’ application is part of the UC application system which is its own unique portal separate from the Common App or Coalition App. You will fill out one application that can be used for all 9 of the UC campuses, but each UC will be unaware of the other UCs you apply to.
For UC Davis, you will apply to the one college that offers the major or majors you’re interested in (transferring once admitted is possible), with the following information:
- Responses to 4 of the 8 personal insight questions.
- Two letters of recommendation (only select students invited to submit; due January 3rd)
- UC Davis and the other UC schools are entirely test-free, and do not consider standardized test scores in their admissions processes.
- Applications open August 1 and are due November 30th. UC Davis does not offer Early Action or Early Decision.
Does UC Davis have a good athletic department?
With 23 varsity Division 1 sports teams, 40+ sports clubs, and 39 intramural sports, there is something for everyone to explore regardless of fitness level. The Activities and Recreation Center (ARC) is a state-of-the-art recreation facility with the best equipment and low-cost access to fitness and exercise programs, a rock wall, a rec pool, games area, and gunrock gaming. Every fall, the UC Davis campus partakes in Aggie Spirit Week to celebrate Homecoming and Parent & Family Weekend with various festivities across campus. UC Davis also honors school traditions, such as the First-Year Field Storm! Before kickoff at the first home football game, the Gunrock (school mascot) leads first-year students out onto the football field.
Berkeley also has a variety of competitive sports clubs in which students can participate in sports including archery, lacrosse, squash, figure skating, cycling, and more!
What are UC Davis’s core curriculum and programs?
UC Davis offers 107 majors and 101 minors through its 4 colleges. Nearly half of all UC Davis undergraduates enroll in the College of Letters and Science, known for its liberal arts studies, with academic programs ranging from the humanities, arts, social sciences, and mathematical and physical sciences. The other three colleges include: College of Engineering, College of Biological Sciences, and College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
Each college (besides the College of Engineering) has undeclared majors options if you are unsure when you enroll at UC Davis. These programs are designed to help you sample a wide range of courses to make progress on your general education requirements while clarifying your interests to declare your major. Students are responsible for completing 52 units in Topical Breadth and 35 units in Core Literacies.
UC Davis has an abundance of academic advising resources, as well as specialized advising centers for each college and undeclared students. For example, undeclared students are encouraged to check out the Career Discovery Groups program to assist in career planning.
As a research university with top-notch faculty mentors, UC Davis offers hands-on research experience through various opportunities, whether campus internships, the UC Davis Medical Center, with local industry, or under a professor’s guidance. The Undergraduate Research Center (URC) offers a variety of opportunities for students to get involved in research in all majors and class levels. In addition, more than 700 students present their research at the annual Undergraduate Research, Scholarship and Creative Activities Conference.
Through the Global Learning Hub, each and every student at UC Davis can find global learning and exploration opportunities, whether on campus, virtually, or abroad. The UC Education Abroad Program (UCEAP) is one of the oldest and most reputable study abroad programs in the nation, offering opportunities in 40+ countries, 140+ international partner universities, and 165 program options. Learn more about UC Davis’ study abroad programs here!
Can I afford UC Davis?
For the 2024-2025 school year, the cost of attendance for in-state students living on campus in resident halls is $44,796 and $40,394 for those living off campus. The cost for out-of-state students living on campus in resident halls is $78,996 and $74,594 for those living off-campus. Starting in fall 2022, the UC system will keep student tuition and fees at a flat rate up to six years from when a student enrolls. UC Davis offers various forms of financial aid for students, including financial aid and scholarships, loans, grants, work study, and the blue and gold opportunity program. The recently implemented UC Davis Aggie Grant Plan was created specifically to provide financial aid to students from middle-income families. Learn more about the types of financial aid available at UC Davis here.
