#137 in the world · QS 2027

University of California, Davis

The UC system's largest campus, ranked No. 1 in the U.S. for agriculture and veterinary medicine, and fully test-free.

Davis, California, United States Public land-grant research university Founded 1908 Official website

See my chances at UC Davis Admissions office

Acceptance rate: 44%; First-years who entered in fall 2025 (2025-26 Common Data Set)
Students: 39,414; 31,695 undergraduates
Student–faculty: 22:1; ratio
Tuition: $57,348; 2026-27
Founded: 1908

About UC Davis

UC Davis began in 1908 as the University Farm of the University of California and opened in 1909 with 18 students. Today it has 39,414 students, the largest enrollment in the UC system, including 31,695 undergraduates. Undergraduates study in four colleges: Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Biological Sciences, Engineering, and Letters and Science. The university also has six professional schools, including law, medicine, nursing and veterinary medicine.

Its farm roots still define it. UC Davis ranks No. 1 in the U.S. for agriculture and forestry and for veterinary medicine, and ShanghaiRanking places it 5th in the world for veterinary sciences and 7th for ecology. It is also a major life-sciences and engineering school, with biological and agricultural engineering tied at No. 2 nationally in U.S. News' 2027 undergraduate rankings, and it runs a 625-bed teaching hospital in Sacramento.

Admission is through the University of California application and is test-free. UC Davis admitted 45,674 of 102,988 first-year applicants for fall 2025, and admitted students' high school GPAs averaged 4.03. It suits students drawn to biology, animal science, environmental science, food and agriculture or engineering who want a big research university in a relaxed college town.

Fiat lux

“Let there be light” — university motto

Why students choose UC Davis

UC Davis ranks No. 1 in the U.S. for agriculture and forestry and for veterinary medicine.

U.S. News 2027 ranks it 8th among U.S. public universities, its sixth straight year in the top 10.

68% of undergraduates receive financial aid and 69% graduate debt-free; most California families earning up to $100,000 pay no UC tuition.

With 107 majors and 25 NCAA Division I sports, the UC system's largest campus has an unusually wide choice.

Admissions

First-years who entered in fall 2025 (2025-26 Common Data Set)

About 1 in 2 applicants is admitted

45,674 admitted from 102,988 applicants

Admit rates differ by residency: 37% for California residents (25,473 of 68,593), 63% for out-of-state applicants (8,315 of 13,149) and 56% for international applicants (11,886 of 21,246).

Testing Test-free: SAT and ACT scores are not used in admission decisions (CDS 2025-26, fall 2027 policy).

Grades Average high school GPA of enrolled first-years was 4.03 (weighted, CDS). The UC minimum is a 3.0 GPA in A-G courses for California residents and 3.4 for nonresidents.

Typical entry requirements

UC A-G subject requirements	At least 15 A-G college-preparatory courses with a grade of C or better, 11 of them completed before the last year of high school; minimum A-G GPA 3.0 (California residents) or 3.4 (nonresidents)
English language	IELTS 6.5 · TOEFL iBT 80 UC minimums: TOEFL iBT 80 (before January 2026) or 4.5 on the new scale; IELTS 6.5; Duolingo 115; or ACT English Language Arts 24 or SAT Writing and Language 31.

Deadlines

UC application filing period (fall 2027) Non-binding Next deadline · In 55 days

November 30, 2026

Submission window October 1 to November 30, 2026; the application opens August 1. Decisions are released March 1-31, 2027, and admitted students must submit their Statement of Intent to Register by May 1.

UC has a single filing period with no early rounds. UC's official dates page lists the fall 2027 filing period as October 1 to November 30, 2026. FAFSA and California Dream Act applications are due March 2, 2027.

How to apply

University of California application (one application for all UC campuses); answer 4 of 8 personal insight questions (350 words each); self-reported academic record; activities and awards. SAT and ACT scores are not used.

What admissions looks for

Your GPA in all completed A-G courses, with extra points for UC-certified honors courses.
The number of courses and your performance beyond the minimum A-G requirements, including AP, IB Higher Level and transferable college courses.
Academic achievement in the context of the opportunities available at your school and your life circumstances.
Outstanding work in specific subjects or special projects, and recent marked improvement in grades.
Special talents, achievements, awards, leadership and volunteer service, as described in your personal insight answers; the 2025-26 Common Data Set rates rigor and GPA very important, and essays, extracurriculars, talent, character and volunteer work important (recommendations, interviews and test scores are not considered).

Tips for applying to UC Davis

1 Submit between October 1 and November 30, 2026; there is no early round, so aim to finish well before the last day.
2 Skip the SAT: UC Davis does not consider scores, so put the effort into your A-G grades, senior-year schedule and personal insight answers.
3 Use the personal insight questions to show the factors UC Davis weighs, such as special projects, marked improvement or talents, with concrete examples.
4 Out-of-state and international applicants need at least a 3.4 A-G GPA, and only AP and IB courses get honors weight in that calculation.

Costs & financial aid

2026-27 · figures in USD

California residents: systemwide tuition and fees $15,588 plus campus-based fees $2,490 Tuition $18,078

+ room and board in a residence hall (2026-27 estimate) $22,252 ≈ $40,330 per year

Nonresidents and international students: resident tuition and fees plus $39,270 nonresident supplemental tuition Tuition $57,348

+ room and board in a residence hall (2026-27 estimate) $22,252 ≈ $79,600 per year

Tuition Room and board in a residence hall (2026-27 estimate)

Official cost of attendance $49,009

Financial aid

Under the Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan, most California families earning up to $100,000 get enough grant and scholarship aid to cover full UC tuition. 68% of undergraduates receive financial aid, averaging $29,560, and tuition stays flat for up to six years under UC's Tuition Stability Plan. Need-based aid is aimed at California residents; international students should plan to fund the full nonresident cost.

$49,009 California resident; $88,279 nonresident
Total cost 2026-27, residence hall: 68% (average award $29,560)
Undergraduates receiving financial aid: 69%
Undergraduates graduating debt-free: Most receive enough aid to cover full UC tuition (Blue and Gold)
California families earning up to $100,000

Academics

Academic calendar: Quarters

Animal Science and pre-veterinary study

UC Davis ranks No. 1 in the U.S. for veterinary medicine and 5th in the world for veterinary sciences (ShanghaiRanking).

Agricultural and environmental sciences

Ranked No. 1 in the U.S. for agriculture and forestry, rooted in the campus's origins as the University Farm.

Biological and Agricultural Engineering

Tied at No. 2 among U.S. undergraduate programs in U.S. News 2027.

Psychology

Undergraduate program tied at No. 8 in U.S. News 2027.

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Civil engineering tied at No. 14 and environmental engineering tied at No. 17 in U.S. News 2027.

Research

ShanghaiRanking ranks 42 UC Davis subjects globally, three of them in the world top 10: veterinary sciences (5th), ecology (7th) and water resources (10th).
UC Davis Health runs a 625-bed teaching hospital, described as Sacramento's No. 1 hospital.
UC Davis ranks No. 1 nationally in campus sustainability.

Schools & faculties

College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
College of Biological Sciences
College of Engineering
College of Letters and Science
School of Veterinary Medicine
School of Medicine
Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing
School of Law
School of Education
Graduate School of Management

Graduation rate

83%

First-year students who return

93%

College Scorecard: median earnings of $80,838 ten years after entry (and $58,461 six years after entry) for federally aided students. UC Davis also cites a No. 2 national ranking for graduate financial success.

Student life

UC Davis combines the scale of a big UC campus with a small-town setting. First-years mostly live in university residence halls; after that most students move into apartments and houses in Davis. The Aggies field 25 NCAA Division I sports, and the campus has five museums. The best-known tradition is Picnic Day, first held in May 1909, when the campus opens to the public; the first one drew more than 2,200 people.

Picnic Day, the campus open house held since 1909
25 NCAA Division I sports as the UC Davis Aggies
5 campus museums and the UC Davis Arboretum with Lake Spafford
No. 1 nationally in campus sustainability

Housing. About 90% of first-year students live in college-owned housing (CDS 2025-26); most continuing students live off campus in Davis.

Location

Davis is a college town in California's Central Valley, a short drive west of Sacramento, where UC Davis Health and its 625-bed teaching hospital are based. The university dominates the town, and cycling is a common way to get around campus. Life is quieter than in the big coastal UC cities, with hot, dry summers.

Nearest airport: Sacramento International Airport (SMF)

Notable alumni

AV
Ann Veneman

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and executive director of UNICEF; political science degree from UC Davis
JS
Jackie Speier

Former U.S. Congresswoman from California; BA from UC Davis
HM
Hasan Minhaj

Comedian and host of Patriot Act
KS
Kim Schrier

U.S. Congresswoman from Washington; MD from the UC Davis School of Medicine
DS
Dave Scott

Six-time Ironman World Champion triathlete; UC Davis water polo player
CP
Chris Petersen

Head football coach at Boise State and the University of Washington
MP
Mike Pondsmith

Game designer, creator of the Cyberpunk tabletop role-playing game

Frequently asked questions

What is UC Davis's acceptance rate?

UC Davis admitted 45,674 of 102,988 first-year applicants for fall 2025, about 44%. The rate was about 37% for California residents.

Does UC Davis require the SAT or ACT for fall 2027?

No. UC campuses are test-free: SAT and ACT scores are not used in admission decisions, even if you have them.

When is the UC Davis application deadline for fall 2027?

You apply through the UC application between October 1 and November 30, 2026. There is no early action or early decision, and decisions come out in March 2027.

How much does UC Davis cost for out-of-state and international students?

For 2026-27, nonresidents pay $39,270 in supplemental tuition on top of about $18,078 in tuition and fees, and the total cost of attendance in a residence hall is $88,279, compared with $49,009 for California residents.

What GPA do you need to get into UC Davis?

The UC minimum is a 3.0 A-G GPA for Californians and 3.4 for nonresidents, but admitted students are far above that: enrolled first-years averaged a 4.03 weighted GPA in fall 2025.

Sources & methodology

Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.