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Completing the Application

Your application for admission is your one chance to show how you will contribute, academically and personally, to our campus community. Learn how to showcase your accomplishments and find out what our admissions advisers are (and aren't) looking for.

Choosing a Major

You should apply to a major that interests you, rather than the one you think gives you "the best chance" for admission. We also suggest that you include an alternate major in a different field-of-study when you apply; we may consider it if you are not admitted in your first-choice major.

Recording Coursework and Grades

Your academic record is the core of your application. It’s important to record all your UC-approved college preparatory coursework—whether taken at a high school or college—completely and accurately. Include courses in which you received D or F grades even if they were later repeated.

Honors Courses

The honors box on the UC application form is used to designate a course for which an extra grade point is awarded for a grade of C or better. There are four different types of honors courses:

• Advanced Placement (AP).
• Designated International Baccalaureate (IB) courses.
• College courses (CL); applies only to UC-transferable college courses.
• UC-approved school-designated honors-level courses (HL).

If you attend a California public high school, see your high school’s UC-approved course list for more information about honors courses. Only UC-approved courses that are listed as honors are eligible to receive an extra grade point. nonresident applicants should check the box for both AP, IB and UC-transferable college courses—you should mark the honors box (AP, IB, CL) as appropriate for all of the above.

Reporting Foreign Education

When you apply, you must report all foreign course work exactly as it would appear on your foreign academic record. Do not translate foreign grades to U.S. grades or use an evaluation done by a private evaluation company or another school on your application. Our international admission specialists will evaluate your foreign coursework and determine how many credits, if any, are transferable to UC Davis. Learn more about applying to UC Davis with foreign coursework.

Non-Letter Grades

If you are a domestic applicant and your school uses a non-letter grade system, you will need to take some additional steps in completing the application. First, check with your high school counseling office to see if there is a conversion scale to the A-B-C-D-F letter grade system. If a conversion scale does not exist, do not attempt to translate your grades yourself. List the grades exactly as they appear on your transcript, and check the box that indicates your school uses a grading system other than A-B-C-D-F. A UC adviser will review your application and translate these marks accordingly.

Letters of Recommendation and Other Material

Please do not include letters of recommendation, copies of awards, transcripts or samples of your academic or creative work with your application. They will not be reviewed or returned to you.

College Courses Taken While in High School

College courses should be listed in the appropriate academic subject area with the college name listed in parentheses next to the title of the course. Be sure to indicate "CL" in the honors box for all transferable college-level courses. Where to list it:

• If you took college courses during the school year, list the courses in the appropriate subject area under the appropriate term.
• If you took college courses during the summer session before the 9th, 10th, or 11th grade, list the courses in the column for the school year that immediately follows that summer term, using the fall term column to list the grade[s].
• Courses taken during the summer session before the 12th grade should be listed in the spring term column of 11th grade.

Do’s and Don’ts For Completing Your Application

Application Do's

• DO read and follow all instructions included with the application. Some questions (such as those relating to family size and income) are optional, but answers may be required to be considered for special programs or scholarships.
• DO report all coursework. Don't forget to include any college courses you have taken or plan to take.
• DO report all UC-required entrance examinations taken and planned.
• DO list all your honors and awards with complete explanations.
• DO review our guidelines for writing a successful personal statement.
• DO have someone (a parent, teacher or counselor is best) review and proofread your application and personal statement.
• DO report all Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) examination scores taken and planned.

Application Don'ts

• DON'T omit academic coursework because you think it doesn't matter or because you've repeated a class. Include all academic information exactly as shown on your transcripts.
• DON'T send additional supporting materials, such as poetry, photos, letters of recommendation or copies of award certificates.
• DON'T exceed 1,000 words in length when writing your personal statement.
• DON'T write any portion of your personal statement in the form of a poem, using extended metaphors or similes, or as a list of hardships.

Check Your Application Status

Once you've applied for admission, you should receive an email from UC Davis Undergraduate Admissions after a few weeks, confirming that your application has been successfully filed and including your UC Davis student ID number. To get personalized information about your application and admission status, you'll need to set up a MyAdmissions account using your UC Davis student ID number.