UC Davis (UCD) Acceptance Rate

Summary:
UC Davis’s acceptance rate is 45.8% for the 2026 admissions cycle, admitting 48,015 of the 104,850 applicants. UC Davis's in-state (34.7%), out-of-state (49.5%), international (66.6%), and in-state transfer (58.1%) acceptance rates all speak to how different a student's odds of admission are depending on the route they take to UC Davis. With a mid-to-low acceptance rate, UC Davis is considered a moderately selective college.

Quick Snapshot (2026 Data):

Overall

45.8%

In-State

34.7%

Out-of-State

49.5%

In-State Transfer

58.1%

UC Davis’s year-over-year acceptance rate

UC Davis has seen interest and applications grow steadily over the last few years, setting a new record of 104,850 applications for the 2026 application cycle. In response, the college has admitted the largest class of students in history.

	Applications Received	Students Admitted	Acceptance Rate
2026	104,850	48,015	45.8%
2025	102,988	45,673	44.3%
2024	98,864	41,353	41.8%
2023	94,634	39,400	41.6%
Table 1: UC Davis overall acceptance rate by year, 2023–2026. Source: UCOP Preliminary Fall 2026 Admissions Data.

What is UC Davis’s in-state acceptance rate?

UC Davis's in-state acceptance rate is 34.7%, up 0.5% from the previous year. California residents make up the majority of the applicant pool for the University of California system, making the competition high and the admission rate considerably lower than out-of-state rates.

	In-State Applications Received	In-State Students Admitted	In-State Acceptance Rate
2026	70,354	24,445	34.7%
2025	68,959	25,641	37.1%
2024	67,963	24,878	36.6%
2023	65,156	23,657	35.3%
Table 2: UC Davis in-state acceptance rate by year, 2023–2026. Source: UCOP Preliminary Fall 2026 Admissions Data.

As a public, state-funded system, the University of California serves California residents first, as mandated by policy. In addition, its link to the Eligibility in the Local Context (ELC) program—set to identify top-performing California residents and guarantee admission to one of the campuses—contributes to the ongoing increase in student interest. With applications exploding at flagship campuses such as UCLA and UC Berkeley, the overflow of California applicants typically ends up at campuses with more space, such as UC Merced and UC Riverside. As a result, this is driving up the volume and the competition at campuses like UC Davis.

For more information on the timeline to apply to UC Davis as an in-state applicant, read our guide to UC application deadlines.

Is it easier to get into UC Davis as an out-of-state student?

At first glance, yes. UC Davis’s out-of-state acceptance rate is 71%, considerably higher than the 34.7% California rate. However, the difference speaks more to student candidacy than it does to admissions generosity. With no ELC guarantee and higher expected tuition fees, out-of-state students tend to be stronger, more strategic applicants. In other words, the pool is much smaller, but more competitive.

	Out-of-State Applications Received	Out-of-State Students Admitted	Out-of-State Acceptance Rate
2026	13,472	9,561	71%
2025	13,149	8,342	62.1%
2024	12,267	7,081	57.7%
2023	11,402	6,913	60.6%
Table 3: UC Davis out-of-state acceptance rate by year, 2023–2026. Source: UCOP Preliminary Fall 2026 Admissions Data.

What is UC Davis’s transfer acceptance rate?

Transfer students have a clearer pathway to UC Davis. UC Davis's transfer acceptance rate for in-state students is 58.1% and 23.3% for out-of-state transfers.

	Applications Received (2026)	Students Admitted (2026)	Admit Rate (2026)
In-State Transfers	15,176	8,824	58.1%
Out-of-State Transfers	330	77	23.3%
Table 4: UC Davis in-state and out-of-state transfer acceptance rate, 2026. Source: UCOP Preliminary Fall 2026 Admissions Data.

What does a strong UC Davis application look like?

Admitted students at UC Davis typically hold grade-point averages (GPA) between 4.00 and 4.26 (weighted). Students maintaining a GPA within that range demonstrate a strong candidacy for the campus, but are not guaranteed admission. The differentiating factors are found in other aspects of the student's college application. UC Davis’s holistic review process weighs:

Responses to personal insight questions (PIQs). The UC’s unique blend of college essays and short-answer questions is required for all applicants
Course rigor and A-G requirements
Extracurricular leadership and academic achievements
Local context: a student’s residency and school source are all taken into consideration

Frequently asked questions

Is UC Davis hard to get into?

UC Davis is moderately selective with a 44.3% general acceptance rate. It is considerably more accessible than UCLA or UC Berkeley, but students are still expected to maintain strong academic profiles and college applications.

What is UC Davis known for?

UC Davis is renowned for its STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) programs and research facilities. UC Davis offers hands-on learning opportunities and flexible learning across 107 academic disciplines, even offering students an opportunity to identify a potential major before applying.

Does UC Davis accept more out-of-state students?

No, UC Davis does not accept more out-of-state students despite having a higher out-of-state acceptance rate (58.8%). In the 2025 admissions cycle, UC Davis admitted 25,641 California residents and 20,032 out-of-state applicants. The in-state acceptance rate is considerably lower due to the majority of overall applications (67%) coming from California students.

What GPA do you need to get into UC Davis?

Most admitted students have a weighted GPA between 4.00 and 4.26, as reported by UC Davis. Unweighted, this typically translates to a 3.7-3.9 GPA. Even so, this would be considered a minimum requirement to ensure admission to UC Davis. Students are still expected to submit well-rounded college applications, considering other application components as well.

Is UC Davis a good school?

Yes, UC Davis is a good school for students interested in pursuing a STEM degree. It sits in the middle of the UC system in terms of selectivity, meaning it is selective, but still accessible.

Does UC Davis look at personal essays?

Yes, UC Davis requires personal insight questions. Applicants must submit responses to four of the eight questions. Without these, a student will automatically be disqualified, regardless of how strong the rest of their college application is.

UC Davis, though competitive, is achievable for well-prepared students. Ensuring a well-crafted college application is key to maintaining a strong candidacy among the growing competition.

Collegewise has proudly supported 3,500+ students through the University of California admissions process, offering end-to-end college application support, essay coaching, extracurricular mentoring, and UC application deadline management. Our counselors include former UC admissions officers and experts who understand exactly what UC Davis looks for. Schedule a free consultation today.

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