Application Procedures

Hort & Agronomy Graduate Group
APPLICATION DEADLINES FOR FALL QUARTER ARE:

Application materials to be submitted:
  • On-line application
  • Application fee
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Transcripts
  • GRE scores
  • TOEFL or IELTS score (international students only)
  • Fellowship application (if applying for fellowships)

A number of our current graduate students have volunteered to answer questions you may have about the application process, the Horticulture & Agronomy Graduate program, and life in Davis -- from a student perspective. Click here for their contact information.

On-Line Application

Students are required to apply via the web.
Statement of Purpose
The Statement of Purpose section of the on-line application is one of the most important components of your application, and is the key to helping you find a Major Professor. (Your recommenders may find it helpful, too.) Be sure to draft your Statement of Purpose as carefully and as specifically as you can. It should reflect your experience and interests in the program, it should be well-organized and concise, and most of all it should identify your own research interests. For more experienced students, the statement should also contain specific reference to your research experience.

Application Fee

The University application fee is $70 for domestic applications, $90 for international applications, and may be paid by credit card or e-check. The application fee must be paid before the application will be considered complete. A fee must be paid for each application submitted.

Letters of Recommendation

Letters of recommendation must be submitted electronically through the online application. Do not have recommenders send letters in hard copy.

Letters of recommendation may reflect a mix of backgrounds (academic or employment), but you should seek to include at least two from people who are qualified to evaluate the quality of your scholastic achievements and academic training, as well as your potential to carry out independent research. It is helpful to tell your references to address those characteristics that are important to your admission.

Transcripts

Submit only one transcript for each university/college/community college you have attended. Your transcripts will be made available to the Admissions Committees in each graduate program to which you apply, as well as to the committee(s) reviewing your fellowship application. Send transcripts to:
        Graduate Group in Horticulture & Agronomy
        Department of Plant Sciences, Mail Stop 1
        University of California
        One Shields Avenue
        Davis, CA 95616

If you are applying to more than one graduate program, send your transcripts to your first choice program, or to the program for which you first complete your application. Do not send more than one copy of your transcripts.

GRE Scores

Only the general GRE test (Verbal, Quantitative, and Analytical Writing) is required. There are no minimum required scores; the scores are just one factor used to determine admissibility, and will be considered along with GPA, academic background, letters of recommendation, and previous research experience.

To have your GRE scores sent to the Horticulture and Agronomy Graduate Group, select either Horticulture (Dept Code 0109) or Agronomy (Dept Code 0104), and specify Institution Code 4834. It is recommended that you request ETS to forward your scores electronically to this institution code.

More information about the GRE, including test dates and the location of testing centers, can be found at www.gre.org.

TOEFL or IELTS Scores

All international students whose first language is not English, or who have not studied at an institution where English is the language of instruction, must submit an official TOEFL or IELTS score. This is a Graduate Studies requirement.

The minimum acceptable TOEFL scores are:
  • 550 (paper based exam)
  • 213 (computer based exam)
  • 68 total (web based exam)
Official score reports must be sent electronically to UC Davis (4834). Please select 40 for the Department Code.

For information on the IELTS exam, consult our Graduate Studies website.

Fellowship Application

Fellowship applications are to be submitted electronically, along with your application for admission. Your application packet must be complete by January 15th in order to be considered for a fellowship. See Graduate Studies' Internal Fellowship webpage for more information.

All applicants who are US citizens, permanent residents or immigrants, and who wish to be considered for fellowships, must file a FAFSA by the end of February.

Brief Description of the Admissions Review Process

Step 1: You submit your paid application to UC Davis electronically. The Horticulture & Agronomy Graduate Group will match your application with the hard copy transcripts you submit, which will then be added to your electronic application packet. Once your application is marked complete, you will receive e-mail notification.

Step 2: Your application packet is reviewed by the Horticulture & Agronomy Admissions Committee. High scholastic ranking in an appropriate undergraduate curriculum, satisfactory performance on the GRE (and TOEFL or IELTS, if required), and positive recommendations are the key factors in admission to this program; previous research experience is beneficial.

Step 3: If the Admissions Committee recommends acceptance, you will be notified via e-mail, and we will work with you to identify a suitable Major Professor. You must have a Major Professor who is a member of the Horticulture & Agronomy Graduate Group in order to be admitted into the program. A list of Horticulture & Agronomy faculty is available on our faculty webpage. If no Major Professor is found, your application will be returned to Graduate Studies for denial of admission.

Step 4: Once a Major Professor is identified, your application will be submitted to Graduate Studies, with a recommendation for admission; if they approve, they will send an official offer of admission.

If your plans change at any time during this process, or if you accept admission at another institution, we would appreciate notification so your application can be withdrawn. Application withdrawals should be sent via e-mail to Lisa Brown (lfbrown@ucdavis.edu).

lfbrown@ucdavis.edu