ADMISSIONS CRITERIA
The undergraduate program is open international juniors and seniors from all majors and colleges. Students must have completed 89.9 units prior to the quarter of their participation in the Washington program. Students must be registered at UC Davis as a full time student during their quarter in DC. A GPA of at least 3.0 is recommended but not absolutely required. For more information about admissions requirements click here.
Applicants are selected by the UC Davis Washington Program Admissions Committee. Admissions decisions are based on the student's full academic record, overall relevant experience, a personal essay, letters of recommendation, interpersonal and communication skills, and a personal interview. (When applicant numbers are very high, applications may be pre-screened prior to interviews. In this case, decisions may be based on the application materials only.) Those selected must be highly motivated, of good character, and able to perform well under pressure to meet the challenging demands of the Washington Program.
We strongly recommend that you schedule your TOEFL or IELTS examinations two-three quarters in advance of the program quarter deadlines so that the Testing Agency can report your scores to us by the by the deadline.
FINANCIAL AID FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
For information regarding financial aid for international students click here.
TRANSCRIPTS
International students are required to provide an official UC Davis Transcript OR a Letter of Certification. Students must also provide official Transcripts from all the undergraduate colleges/universities they attended. A transcript is considered official when it is issued and sealed in an envelope by the issuing institution or examination authority. Opened original records are NOT considered official. Records sealed or attested by notaries or other organizations other than the issuing institution are NOT considered official. For more information about the application process and click here.
Difficulty Obtaining Records
Obtaining records can take a substantial amount of time from some countries of the world. For that reason, we encourage students to begin requesting academic documents early in the admission process. When there is evidence of political upheaval or natural disaster we recognize it may not be possible to obtain records. However, these situations are rare.
English Proficiency
If you have been studying in the United States for less than two years and your native language and school language of instruction prior to your study in the United States was not English, you must demonstrate English proficiency. You may do so in one of the following ways:
1) Complete two transferable college courses (3 semester or 4-5 quarter units each) in English composition with "C" grades or better at an accredited U.S. college or university.
2) Achieve a minimum score of 550 on the paper-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or 213 on the computer-based TOEFL or iBT 79-80. TOEFL scores must be less than 2 years old. For more information, visit the
TOEFL Web site. Student must provide the original TOEFL scores.
3) Achieve a minimum score of 7 (academic module) on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). For more information see the IELTS Web site. Your IELTS score must be sent directly to the following address: UC Davis Washington Program, 1 Shields Ave. 2nd Floor South Hall, Davis, CA 95616
4) Achieve a score of 5, 6 or 7 on the International Baccalaureate (IB), Higher Level examination in English (Language A).
Achieve a minimum score of 560 on the SAT II Writing section (taken prior to March 2005).