Admissions

The Graduate Group in Horticulture and Agronomy (GGHA) offers PhD and MSc degrees for students interested in the science and management of agricultural crops, including rangelands, and their ecology, physiology, genetics, and post-harvest management, as well as the interaction of crops with the environment.  This program is structured to meet the needs of a diverse student body interested in the application of biological principles to tackle critical challenges in crop production and resource management. Two primary objectives of the curriculum are to foster a sense of community among the students and to provide a rigorous interdisciplinary coursework supported by diverse learning experiences.  Our students go on to successful careers in academia, industry, extension, and government and non-governmental organizations. As a GGHA student, you will make scholarly contributions to the vast field of Horticulture and Agronomy by focusing on one of five areas of emphasis: agroecology, crop improvement/plant breeding, crop production systems, plant physiology, and post-harvest biology/physiology.  Research may be conducted within these areas with an applied and/or fundamental lens.

Entering graduate studies and choosing a graduate group is a big commitment. This website is developed to help students better understand the application process. The content provided here is for informational purposes only; this is not an official guide. 

How to Apply?

Applications Instructions

Students are required to apply through the Graduate Studies portal.  Current UC Davis graduate students should not apply online; instead, they should contact the Graduate Program Coordinator, Kelly Paglia (kpaglia@ucdavis.edu), for information on the application process.
The application comprises several sections, including the Research Interest Statement, the Personal History and Diversity Statement, Course History, and others. We recommend you look through the application early, section by section, so you will know what to prepare and what the character limits are for each of the essay/statement sections.

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.

Admission prerequisites

Admission prerequisites

The primary requirement for admission to this program is evidence of intellectual achievement and potential for successful graduate study. Admission to the program requires a bachelor's (or equivalent) degree (with a minimum GPA of 3.0), with prior coursework substantively equivalent to courses offered at UCD General Catalog. Applicants for admission should complete most of these courses before enrolling at UC Davis; no more than two remaining is recommended. Admitted students can work with a faculty advisor to plan to complete any remaining prerequisites. Note that these make-up courses do not count toward the graduate degree unit requirement. Early completion of these courses allows students to focus on their graduate studies and to expedite the completion of their graduate degrees.

  • General Chemistry

  • Organic Chemistry

  • General Biology (should include cells, genes, evolution, ecology, and plant biology)

  • Physics

  • Statistics

  • Genetics

  • Plant Physiology

  • Soil Science

Application package

Statements

The statements are limited to 4000 characters; we recommend you prepare in a word processing program, and then copy and paste it to the application. Statements must be written in your own words, i.e., not by AI or another person. Statements with vague AI generated text and ideas will be viewed very negatively and poorly graded. Instead, invest a significant amount of time writing each, developing it through several iterations. Use of generative AI tools in the next steps of your graduate program is considered plagiarism and constitutes severe academic misconduct. We expect you to develop strong critical thinking and writing skills while at UCD so please get used to not using these tools. Be honest, coherent and specific (ie. avoid broad statements and platitudes and give examples). More information on statements can be found on the Office of Graduate Studies website and below.

  • Research Essay

  • The Research Essay is a key part of your application as the Admission Committee uses it to gauge how well your interests fit within the program and your depth of understanding of the field. The essay should explain what research topics you are most interested in, and most importantly, why you are interested in those research topics. Your statement should be specific to GGHA and describe how your classwork and experiences converge to make you a good candidate for your field of study. You should articulate clear research interests and highlight your preparation and motivations, including your academic and/or community experiences. This statement should be brief but well thought-through. You will be asked what faculty members you would like to work with and whether you have been in contact with them. It is suggested that you proactively contact and identify multiple faculty members you would like to work with and include a clear and coherent justification for each.

  • Statement of Purpose

  • The Statement of Purpose of the online application is an important component of your application as we attempt to assess how well-prepared you are for the program. It should expand on your motivation for applying, your preparation for graduate school, and how your research interests fit the program. This is the place to expand on research ideas, questions, and hypotheses you may want to test. It also provides a context for your personal motivation. Make sure you address some deficiencies and how you might make up for missing prerequisites.

  • Personal History and Diversity Statement

  • The Personal History and Diversity statement is where you can provide more information related to your motivation for going to graduate school (and GGHA in particular) based upon your life experience(s), cultural background, socioeconomic status, gender, etc., and describe ways in which you would contribute to the social, intellectual or cultural diversity of our graduate community.  The purpose of this essay is to get to know you as an individual and potential graduate student and describe how your personal background informs your decision to pursue a graduate degree. The personal history section can also be used to:

    Fill in the gaps about inconsistencies in your application, describe why you will succeed in graduate school even if earlier academic experiences were a struggle

    Give examples of leadership, service, teaching and tutoring relevant to your academic goals.

    List any successes you achieved and what you learned from them

    Show how you have turned a negative into a positive and are able to persevere and excel academically in spite of any economic or social challenges you may have faced.

 

Application fee

The graduate application fee is $135 for domestic applications, $155 for international applications. The application fee must be paid before the application will be considered complete. More information can be found on Graduate Studies' application information website. A fee must be paid for each application submitted. Information about fee waivers is on the Graduate Studies website.

 

Letters of Recommendations

Letters of recommendation must be submitted electronically through the online application. Do not have recommenders send letters in hard copy. There is a section of the application for you to enter the names and e-mail addresses of your three recommenders. When you submit these, the application system sends them an official request for their recommendations, along with information on how to submit them. You do not need to wait until you complete your application to submit the names of your recommenders.
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

UC Davis requires academic records from each college-level institution you have attended. You will be instructed to upload scanned copies of your transcripts after you have submitted your online application. For more details visit Graduate Studies' Submitting Your Transcripts and Academic Records webpage.

 

TOEFL, IELTS Scores or Duolingo English Test

All international students whose first language is not English, or who have not completed a degree (preferably a four-year degree) at an institution where English is the sole official language of instruction, must submit an official TOEFL, IELTS Duolingo English scores. For more information visit the English Requirement Test section and consult Graduate Studies' International Applicants webpage.

 

Fellowship Application

Fellowship applications are submitted electronically, along with your application for admission. Your admissions/fellowship application packet -- application, fee, transcripts, letters, and TOEFL (if required) -- must be completed by January 5th to be considered for a campus fellowship.
All applicants who are US citizens, permanent residents or immigrants, and who wish to be considered for fellowships, should file a FAFSA by the end of February.

Fellowship and their scope information can be found here

Application review

Application review

This is not a checklist that determines acceptance. The factors controlling admissibility are complex and do not follow a strict formula.

Your application will be evaluated holistically by a committee of faculty and students from the GGHA for (1) fit within and potential contribution to the GGHA group, (2) ability to succeed academically and (3) ability to succeed in research. Good academic grades and solid research experience are important, as they may indicate your scholastic aptitude and potential for scientific research, but the Admissions Committee will consider all the parts of your application in deciding. Here are a few things that the Admissions Committee considers when assessing your application:

  • Your Undergraduate and Graduate GPA: Rarely will you be accepted with a GPA of less than 3.0. Performance in prerequisite courses and/or the number of prerequisites that are still missing is also important. Deficiencies and extenuating circumstances can be outlined in your statements.

  • Potential for success in research based on indications of intellectual curiosity and/or problem solving, persistence and ability to work effectively as a team and independently. Clear understanding of GGHA and well-articulated motivation for the proposed study/research program are critical.

  • Indicators of research experience and potential academic success through evaluations of your letters of recommendation and essays. It is important that you seek individuals who can comment on your research such as a Research supervisor (preferred) and academic ability e.g. a course Professor. Evidence of publication and previous presentation of research data would enhance your application but will not be a decisive factor in acceptance.

  • Diversity and equity contributions to the program through background, engagement with DEI initiatives and/or community volunteering.

  • Initiative in contacting appropriate major professors and indications that you have a good chance to find a major professor in the proposed area of study 

International Students

International Students

International applicants are strongly encouraged to review the website for International Applicants of the Office of Graduate Studies for important and helpful information, including student visas, health insurance, housing, etc. Thoroughly check the International Students requirements.  All International student applicants must demonstrate a minimum English language proficiency when applying to any graduate program. This can be demonstrated by meeting the following minimum scores in the accepted English Language tests:

TOEFL iBT
Minimum Score: 80 
Institution Code: 4834
No department code.

IELTS
Minimum Score: 7.0 on a 9-point scale

Duolingo English Test (Fall 2024)
Minimum Score: 115*

For more information about each test, please visit the English Requirement webpage.

Exemption Eligibility

Applicants are exempt from the English language examination requirement if they have:

  • a TOEFL (iBT) score of 105 or higher or IELTS score of 7.5 or higher; or

  • The student scored 24 or higher on the TOEFL (iBT) writing and 23 or higher on the TOEFL (iBT) speaking.

  • A regionally accredited U.S. college or university where English is the sole language of instruction, or

  • A foreign college or university which provides instruction solely in English. UC Davis Graduate Studies will only approve waivers for foreign colleges and universities which list English as the sole language of instruction in the IAU World Higher Education Database (WHED). If English is not the sole language of instruction listed (or if no language is listed at all), or if the institution does not appear on the WHED website, the waiver will not be approved. No other documentation (e.g. letters, language certificates, school websites) will be reviewed or accepted.

Applicants who do not meet one of the criteria above are required to submit scores from one of the tests above