Graduate Studies

From the Graduate and Admissions Advisors

Welcome!  If you have decided to apply for graduate admission to the department, then we thank you for your interest in our program, and we look forward to hearing from you.  In the paragraphs that follow, we have summarized some information that you will find useful as you make your way through the application process. 

Application Process

All applicants must indicate an area of specialization on the application from among:  Environmental Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering,  Structural Engineering and Structural Mechanics, Water Resources, and Transportation Engineering. 

 

Required Application Materials for Fall 2008:  

1. Graduate Application and Statement of Purpose

2.  Application Fee:  $60 Domestic, $80 International

3.  GRE Scores

4.  Certified Transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended (whether or not a degree was granted)

5.  Three Letters of Recommendation

6.  TOEFL or IELTS score (for nationals of non-English-speaking countries)

Application Guidelines

  • The application fee is $60 for the domestic application and $80 for the international. The fee may be paid by credit card or e-check. The fee must be paid before the application will be considered as complete, and the fee must be paid for each application submitted.
  • Please send transcripts directly to the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering at the following address:

    Graduate Program Coordinator
    Civil & Environmental Engineering
    Room 2007, EUIII
    University of California , Davis
    One Shields Avenue
    Davis , CA 95616-5294

  • Transcripts should be sent only after the application has been marked as completed and submitted online. This allows for more efficient and effective matching of transcripts to applicants. Please submit only one transcript for each university or college attended.

  • GRE scores must be sent electronically to Institution code 4834 and Department code 1102.

  • TOEFL scores must be sent electronically to Institution code 4834 and Department code 65.

  • Letters of Recommendation must be submitted electronically by the referee through the online application. Please do not have recommenders send letters in hard copy, but rather to submit all recommendations online through the online service. The online application will automatically notify the referee and provide instructions on how to submit the letter.

Domestic applicants are strongly urged to submit a completed FAFSA during the application process.  This form is used to assess your eligibility for financial assistance from  federal sources.  It should be submitted even if you are not applying for any federal grants yourself, as the department sometimes has fellowship aid from federal sources that you might be eligible for. Failure to file the FAFSA by its deadline automatically disqualifies you from receiving any federal aid. 

Please refer questions to our Graduate Coordinator , by e-mail (benoonan@ucdavis.edu) or telephone 530-752-1441.

Deadlines and Admission Schedule

It is the policy of UC Davis to only admit graduate students for first enrollment in the Fall Quarter.  Early application is encouraged; initial admission decisions begin in January and admissions are limited.
Application deadlines:

Fellowship Candidates: 15 January 
Teaching Assistant Candidates: 1 March 
International Students: 1 March 
Domestic Students: 1 April 

After gaining admission for the Fall, it is sometimes possible to request a deferment of enrollment until the Winter or Spring Quarter, if circumstances prevent you from starting in the Fall.  Approval is not automatic; a sound reason must be given. Under rare circumstances, the department will accept applications after the deadlines. Your chances for late admission increase if a faculty member in the department has expressed an interest in you joining the program or their research group. 

Admission Criteria

Admission is competitive. Your undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or better, graduating institution, your GRE scores, and your letters of recommendation will all be evaluated by a committee of faculty in the department, including at least one professor from your area of specialization.  While all of these components of your application are important, there is no substitute for a strong undergraduate GPA. 

Occasionally, the admissions committee will recommend admission for an applicant whose GPA and/or GRE scores would not normally warrant admission.  This may happen if other aspects of the applicant's  background which are not reflected in the GPA and/or GRE scores  strongly indicate a potential for success in our graduate program. A typical example is extensive and relevant work experience with excellent performance.  Under these circumstances, the student may be admitted on a "Course Work Only" (CWO) basis initially. While in CWO status, the student may not hold an academic appointment (i.e. a Teaching Assistantship or a Research Assistantship).  During the quarters spent in CWO status, the student must fulfill an agreement with the department that is made upon admission. This agreement usually involves a specified level of performance in a list of courses. 

Applicants who already have an MS degree in engineering from another  institution are admitted to pursue a PhD degree.  Applicants in this category are strongly encouraged to contact prospective research advisors early in the application process. The department has a  policy of admitting only those PhD applicants for whom a member of the faculty has agreed to serve as research advisor. 

Financial Support

All graduate applicants who are US citizens, permanent residents or immigrants should file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as early as possible. This form, submitted directly to the Federal Student Aid Program Office, Iowa City, Iowa, is used to determine financial need only, a component of the eligibility criteria for many fellowships, and for all forms of financial aid.  The FAFSA can be obtained from the Financial Aid Office or by accessing the free FASFA Express Web Site . 

Financial support for first-year graduate students may take one or more of four forms:  Fellowships, Research Assistantships (RA), Teaching Assistantships (TA), and Readerships. 

Fellowships are normally quite competitive, and vary widely with regard to stipend and/or tuition support they offer.  In addition, UC Davis offers a special graduate opportunity programs for qualified minority and/or economically disadvantaged students that offers a twelve month stipend based on financial need, as determined by the Financial Aid Office.  

Research Assistantships are based on research grant funding, and are arranged with individual faculty members. Applicants interested in an RA position should make early contact with individual faculty members in their areas of interest (see faculty web pages) to discuss possible research funding opportunities.  Research Assistantships provide full remission of the in-state fees.  Teaching Assistant positions are allocated by the department, include partial remission of instate fees, and are normally awarded only to domestic students.  Readerships involve marking homework solutions submitted by students, and are arranged with individual instructors at the beginning of each quarter.  Readerships are hourly positions, but include partial fee remissions for work more than 40 hours/month.  Readership positions should not be considered as a sole means of support. 

For international and non-California students, non-resident tuition often poses the greatest financial difficulties.  RAs, TAs, and regular fellowships do not necessarily include support for out-of-state tuition.  Full or partial Non-Resident Tuition Fellowships (NRTF) may be offered by the department. The NRTF covers non-resident tuition (about $4898 per quarter), but does not cover the in-state fees (about $3320 per quarter).  US citizens and permanent residents often become California residents after one year of study.  For international students there is a a waiver of the non-resident tuition for three years following advancement to candidacy for the PhD degree (after completing the qualifying exam).

The Graduate Coordinator can be reached by e-mail (benoonan@ucdavis.edu) or telephone 530-752-1441.