About University of California-Davis

Founded in 1908, University of California-Davis. is a Public college. Located in California, which is a city setting in California, the campus itself is Suburban. The campus is home to 29,379 full time undergraduate students, and 7,081 full time graduate students.

The University of California-Davis Academic calendar runs on a Quarter basis. In the school year the student to faculty ratio was 20:1. There are 1587 full time instructional teachers. Degrees awarded at University of California-Davis include: Bachelor's Degree, Masters Degree, Post-master's certificate, Doctor's degree.

Quick Facts

Acceptance Rate42%
Application Deadline
Application Fee70
SAT Range1050-1330
ACT Range25-31

Admissions at UCD are considered More Selective, with ,162% of all applicants being admitted.

In the school year, of the students who applied to the school, only 8 of those who were admitted eventually ended up enrolling.

100% of incoming freshmen are in the top half of their high school class. 100% were in the top quarter, and 100% were in the top tenth. You can apply online.

STUDENT LIFE

We asked, and students answered these important questions about student life at University of California-Davis.

University of California-Davis REVIEWS

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  • How would you rate on-campus housing?

    370 Students rated on-campus housing 3.6 stars. 20 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate off-campus housing?

    322 Students rated off-campus housing 3.5 stars. 0 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate campus food?

    414 Students rated campus food 3.8 stars. 26 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate campus facilities?

    423 Students rated campus facilities 4.2 stars. 36 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate class size?

    423 Students rated class size 3.5 stars. 14 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate school activities?

    422 Students rated school activities 4.1 stars. 38 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate local services?

    423 Students rated local services 4.1 stars. 42 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate academics?

    423 Students rated academics 4 stars. 37 % gave the school a 5.0.

What's your overall opinion of University of California-Davis?

190 Students rated University of California-Davis

Sangini - 12/30/2023

As a current freshman at UC Davis, I grew to love everything about the school so much more than I ever anticipated. In the very beginning while applying to this school, it was hard to overlook just how many majors options were available for students. Every new friend I have made has refreshingly unique ambitions and interests, all of which are supported by the vast collection of opportunities presented through clubs, professors, and local internships. Now onto the real juicy matter, the dining hall food is amazing, the food trucks are delicious, and the Peet's coffee's scattered around campus fuel my true academic. The campus is beautifully green and the gym is larger than I have ever seen before (although I do come from a small town). My professors have never turned down a call for help, and there are many free websites and tutors available to help with those challenging classes. I truly feel supported in every way possible as a student here.

angel - 08/20/2023

Campus is big yet easy to navigate. With its dedicated bike trails and paths and its flat terrain, it is bike and pedestrian friendly. If you like the sound of racing your friends to class on bikes, nice California weather, a welcoming college town, great school culture, and excellent academics, UC Davis might be the right fit for you.

Alfredo - 01/02/2023

So far the University of California-Davis has proven to be an enjoyable and valuable school. It has a big campus with facilities available for numerous activities, from studying to physical activities, socializing, and eating. Located near downtown gives students plenty of things to do. The academics and staff are great and valuable to students. It has a great atmosphere overall, from an enjoyable campus, friendly peers, and helpful staff and faculty.

Chiyou - 01/01/2023

The University of California at Davis tries its best to provide for all its students. The school is ranked in the top 40's in the nation but like all Universities it is no stranger to the notion that professors are researchers who are required to teach, meaning most of the time you will be searching for the best professors or be left with some that do not care about your learning and you will be spending your days in a textbook.

University of California-Davis FAQS

  1. What is the Acceptance Rate at University of California-Davis?

    The fall 2020 acceptance rate for University of California-Davis is 42%. That means, out of _____ applications received in 2020 , _____ students were offered admission. The number of males who applied was _____ vs the number of females which was _____.

  2. What should every freshman at your school know before they start?

    As you transition from a high school senior to a college novice, EMBRACE THE CHANGES; this is your chance to discover who you are as an individual, your chance to determine what impact YOU want to make on society. Don’t let the fear of failure keep you from exploring. In college, there no mistakes made, just lessons learned. Try everything and anything you could potentially like because this is the one time you have the freedom to do so. Never miss an opportunity to join an intramural inner-tube water polo team or take that photography class you’ve always wanted to take. Challenge your dorm mates to an all-you-can-eat contest in the dining commons. Get to know your professors and fellow classmates, you’ll learn just as much outside of class as you will during lecture. Lastly, live in the moment because these are the moments where you’ll find your passion for life.

    Read all  391 answers
  3. Describe the students at your school.

    People here are friendly, open-minded, and academically centered.

    Read all  121 answers
  4. Here's your chance: Say anything about your college!

    UC Davis is mainly managed by students and offers lots of helpful resources to students.

    Read all  89 answers
  5. Describe how your school looks to someone who's never seen it.

    UC Davis is one of the nation's top public research universities and is part of the world's pre-eminent public university system.

    Read all  80 answers
  6. What's unique about your campus?

    When I brag about UC Davis, I talk about how rural the town and the campus are. Both are so small that I can bike from one side of campus to the other side of town in ten minuets. Plus, all of Davis is flat and very bike friendly, with bike trails everywhere. As for education, it's engineering and veterinarian programs are some of the top in the state. All in all, a great campus.

    Read all  77 answers
  7. What is your overall opinion of this school?

    Davis is a great community. There is ample opportunity to get involved and explore your interests. There should be more opportunity for specialization though.

    Read all  71 answers
  8. What are the academics like at your school?

    There's a good relationship available if you seek it with professors. The expectations don't seem to get increasingly harder as years go by, and it's not too hard to figure out how to succeed in college.

    Read all  71 answers
  9. What's the one thing you wish someone had told you about freshman year?

    I wish that I would have had a better feel for the fast paced quarter system and been more familiar with campus resources.

    Read all  68 answers
  10. What do you consider the worst thing about your school? Why?

    It is a smaller college town, so you have to put in a little bit of extra effort to find fun things to do around Davis.

    Read all  67 answers
  11. What kind of person should attend this school?

    A quiet, studious student who doesn't like going out much.

    Read all  65 answers
  12. What kind of person should not attend this school?

    If you are looking for a big time university. A person who drinks and parties a lot. Who don't care about the environment.

    Read all  60 answers
  13. What do you brag about most when you tell your friends about your school?

    I enjoy to brag about all the extra curicular activites that are available for students to participate in at UC Davis. There are plenty of clubs, intramural sports, research opportunities and ways to get involved on campus from basically every avenue.

    Read all  57 answers
  14. Describe your favorite campus traditions.

    My school is best known for it's academic programs and it's percentage of students who enroll in a major in Biological Sciences, typically entering Veterinary or Medical school.

    Read all  56 answers
  15. What's the most frustrating thing about your school?

    The campus is too big and roads are really intricate. It is super easy to be lost there.

    Read all  55 answers
  16. What are the most popular student activities/groups?

    This is the area that I am still struggling with, but it's getting better. I just need to open up more and branch out to different things on campus. I know that alot of people are in fraternities and or sororities, but I wasn't interested in joining into that scene. Although alot of my friends are in sororities and it's an excellent way to make friends for life and really get immersed into the school activities and raise money through fund raisers and communitiy service events, joinging a sorority just isn't something that I really wanted to join. Well I was sick last weekend, but this Saturday is Picnic Day and 5 friends are coming in from all over CA to spend the weekend with me and participate in this annual event at Davis. I entered my puppy in the Doxie Derby and after that I will walk around campus and enjoy all the events and bands playing. What can you do on a Saturday night that doesn't invovle drinking? Well you can go to the movies downtown, go out to dinner down town, go to the ARC and get a great workout, or rent a movie and watch it with a bunch of friends.

    Read all  54 answers
  17. What is the stereotype of students at your school?

    they are very green and love cows

    Read all  52 answers
  18. Is the stereotype of students at your school accurate?

    Only a little

    Read all  51 answers
  19. What is the stereotype of students at your school? Is this stereotype accurate?

    When people think of UC Davis, they usually think we are all anti-social, stuck up people who only care about farming and cows and plants. This couldn't be farther from the truth. There is one word that I can use to describe UC Davis: eclectic. UC Davis, the 3rd largest of the UC's in term of enrollment and 1st in terms of physical size, has a huge range of groups that make up our student population. Just by strolling through the Coho (Coffee House) you can see Aggie band members, fraternity and sorority members, people with their heads deep in books, hippies, skaters, and almost any other group sitting down at tables right next to each other. If there is a group you are looking for because it is one you already belong to, or a new group you are trying to join you will be able to find them at Davis!

    Read all  32 answers
  20. What are your classes like?

    It really depends on the class. Some classes, I can get by cramming just the night before and easily ace the exam. But others... I would study all week and still barely pass. Who you get as your professor is also crucial. I would advise asking upperclassmen for advice when you pick classes, as some websites with ratings of professors/classes may not always end up being reliable...

    Read all  9 answers
  21. Why did you decide to go to this school?

    UC Davis was not my first choice. i'm going to be honest. after not getting in to Cal (where pretty much all of my family has gone) my top 3 colleges were davis, uc santa barbara, and new york university. at first this was a really difficult decision because i was choosing between "country" (cows), beach, and city, all completely different environments. when i visited ucsb in the fall, i fell in love, and in the back of my mind i thought that sb would be the school for me. but then i visited in the spring during their open house. i made a complete 180 and discovered that this was definitely NOT the kind of school i wanted because of various reasons. then i visited nyu. i must say that this time, i truly fell in love. i was so happy; i had found my dream school. but then the issue of money and cost of tuition came into play. without getting into much personal detail, i had to let nyu go. so i'm sure it sounds like i just settled on uc davis, and while some aspects of that might be true, with a full quarter under my belt i can honestly say choosing uc davis was a very very good decision. with nyu crowding my mind, i pushed aside all of the wonderful qualities of uc davis. first of all, while there is pressure to do well at davis, it is not a cutthroat kind of pressure that will bring you to tears every time you are told you are wrong in a small discussion. the students and TAs, while letting you know that your answer wasn't exactly what they were looking for, work with you to find the correct answer, to see the possibility of other perspectives and answers. because, sometimes, people brush uc davis off as a friendly school that isn't as intellectual as another uc such as berkeley or los angeles, there is a sense of unity among the students to prove others wrong, to show them that we are just as smart, outgoing, and driven as any other school. this is not to say that every single person at uc davis is uber friendly, however the majority and main feel of the school and campus is such. this is why i like and chose uc davis. while there is diversity here, there is also a common happy vibe that exists. the town is small, but certainly friendly to college students. you can feel the closeness of the families who live around the campus and feel safe in this warm environment. i love how active the students are, participating in either team sports or working out at the gym, which is very nice. i also chose uc davis because it was far enough from home where i could feel like i am actually living on my own, but it is also close enough so that i can come home for the weekend if i need a break or want to see my dog and cat (and parents, of course). uc davis focuses on not only helping a student grow academically, but also personally. while grades and gaining knowledge are very important here at uc davis, extracurriculars, internships, community service, sports, and social growth are just as important. uc davis encourages being well-rounded.

    Read all  8 answers

Student Body

Students

59%

female

41%

male

29,379

Total Undergrad Enrollment

7,081

Total Grad Students

4%

Out-Of-State

81%

In-State

15%

International

Organizations

452

Student Organizations

28

Fraternities

25

Sororities

Housing

Yes

On-Campus Housing

19%

of students living on campus

Student Diversity

% American Indian/Alaskan Native
N/A
% Asian/Pacific Islander
30%
% Black or African-American
2%
% Hispanic/Latino
20%
% White or Caucasian
27%

TUITION & AID

All students must apply yearly for financial aid. This process starts with the FAFSA. Though financial aid deadlines vary by school, it is a good idea to apply as soon as possible. For the upcoming school year, you can apply as early as October 1 for the FAFSA. Additional school aid will be dependent on the FAFSA results.

70% of students attending University of California-Davis receive some sort of financial aid. 34% were awarded federal grants. While 38% received federal loans. Many students do also need to apply for additional private student loans.

Cost Out of State

$40,728

Tuition and fees(Out of state)

$1,601

Books and Supplies

$14,838

Room and Board

57,167

Total On Campus

Actual Cost By Income Level(W/Financial Aid)

Family Income
Cost
$0 - $30K
$10,048
$30 - $48K
$10,813
$48 - $75K
$14,186
$75 - $110K
$20,416
$110K & UP
$29,890

We use student reviews and the most current publicly available data on our school pages. As such, we don't typically remove or edit college information. Sources for school statistics and data include the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics and the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. Portions of college data include copyrighted material, which is reproduced on this website by permission of Wintergreen Orchard House, a division of Carnegie Communications. © 2009-2016 by Wintergreen Orchard House. All rights reserved.

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