Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are the application deadlines?
2. How will I know when my application is complete?
3. How many letters of recommendation do I need?
4. When will I find out if I’ve been accepted or denied?
5. What if I am on the Wait List?
6. Does the department offer financial support?
7. If my background is not in Math or Statistics, should I apply?
8. Does the department offer part-time programs?
9. Do I need to apply for the MS before I can apply for the PhD?
10. Which GRE do I need to take?
11. Can I get a TOEFL waiver?
12. Which GRE and TOEFL codes should I use?
13. Can I send photocopies?
14. Does the program admit international students?
15. Which factor is most important when considering an application?
16. Do the courses I've taken satisfy admissions requirements?
17. Can I enter the program in any quarter?
18. Am I qualified to be a Teaching Assistant?
19. Who will be my major advisor?
20. If my application is unsuccessful, what should I do?
More Admissions FAQs on the Graduate Studies Admissions site!
1. What are the application deadlines?
DECEMBER 15th is the deadline for PhD applicants to be considered for financial support.
MARCH 15th is the deadline for MS applications.
All applications submitted by the March 15th deadline will be reviewed, though PhD applications received after December 15th will not be considered for financial support.
2. How will I know when my application is complete?
When your application is complete, you will see in the online application system that everything has been received. If you have items missing, you will be notified around the time of the admissions deadline. The admissions committee will begin its review shortly after the deadline, so please be sure to have your materials in by then.
3. How many letters of recommendation do I need?
You need to electronically submit three letters of recommendation. These must be submitted online via the Office of Graduate Studies admissions site. When you enter your recommender's name and email address into your application, they will receive an automated email with a password and URL instructing them how to upload the letter. Please do not send hard copies nor emailed copies of letters of recommendation to the program.
4. When will I find out if I’ve been accepted or denied?
Ph.D. applicants: The Admissions Committee usually makes its preliminary offers of admission and financial support by late February, however the process often takes longer. If you are accepted or denied, the Office of Graduate Studies will send an official email. Those who have been offered admission and/or financial support have until April 15th to respond and submit their Statement of Intent to Register.
M.S. applicants: the admissions committee will start its initial review around January 15th, and make its first admissions offers in March. However the committee will continue to review new applications and make decisions up to May 15th. Ph.D applicants who are denied may be reconsidered for the M.S. at the discretion of the committee.
5. What if I am on the Wait List?
The Admissions Committee sometimes selects certain applicants to be placed on the Wait List. Those on the Wait List will be notified by mail by Graduate Studies and via email by the department. Decisions about whether to admit or deny wait-listed applicants are usually made by April 15; waitlisted applicants who have been offered admission have until May 15 to respond.
6. Does the program offer financial support?
Ph.D applicants: The Graduate Group in Biostatistics offers financial support to the best ranked admitted Ph.D. applicants, usually in the form of fellowship stipends or as employment within the Biostatistics Graduate Group as a Teaching Assistant or Graduate Student Researcher. TAs receive fee remissions that cover most of their in-state tuition. Students can also find employment as a Graduate Student Researcher, though these positions are usually taken by more advanced students. For internationals or non-CA residents, the graduate group also has a limited number of Non-Resident Tuition Fellowships, which cover in full the non-resident supplemental tuition.
M.S. applicants: we do not offer funding for M.S. students. However you are welcome to apply for fellowships through Graduate Studies.
We also encourage applicants to apply for the Internal Fellowships offered by Graduate Studies; details can be found here: https://gradstudies.ucdavis.edu/prospective-students/financial-support/about-internal-fellowships
7. If my background is not in Math or Statistics, can I apply for the program?
Yes. A strong background in these areas is important, but it is not the only determining factor for admission. Students without a strong mathematical / statistical background, if accepted, would be expected to build up these areas in the first year.
8. Does the program offer part-time programs?
No, we only accept full-time students (registering for 12 units per quarter).
9. Do I need to apply for the MS before I can apply for the PhD?
No, you can apply directly for the PhD without an MS; students intending on PhD study should apply directly for the PhD. You can obtain an MS while you undertake the PhD. However, those entering with an MS degree do not need to take the lower level graduate courses.
10. Which GRE do I need to take?
We require that applicants take the General GRE test, and not the subject-specific test. It is important that your test scores are no more than five years old; if they were taken more than five years ago, you will be required to take the GRE again before you will be allowed to enter the program. Please note, we can review your application with self-reported scores if your GRE score cannot be sent in time for the deadline.
Please use institution code 4834 for UC Davis. No department code is required.
11. Can I get a TOEFL waiver?
If you earned a bachelor's or higher degree from a university where English is the sole language of instruction, you are entitled to a waiver of the TOEFL/IELTS examination. In most cases this waiver is processed automatically. However, if you believe you may be eligible for a waiver and the English proficiency examination requirement currently appears in your application, please contact our office. For information about English Language Requirements please see this Graduate Studies page.
12. Which GRE and TOEFL codes should I use?
Please use institution code 4834 for UC Davis. No department code is required.
13. Can I send photocopies?
For GRE and TOEFL scores, please refer to the Graduate Studies page. For transcripts, you can upload unofficial copies into the system yourself. If admitted, you'll need to request that official transcripts from your university be sent directly to UC Davis.
14. Does the program admit international students?
Yes; the program has many international students. Those in the PhD are generally offered full support.
15. Which factor is most important when considering an application?
Everything is considered important. We look for a strong overall application. That said, we want to see that you have performed well in the relevant courses on your undergraduate transcript.
16. Do the courses I've taken satisfy admissions requirements?
The admissions committee will review your application holistically once it has been submitted (after the application deadline). Application materials are not evaluated prior to committee review and, unfortunately, we cannot provide feedback on specific application materials. Please take a look at the Minimum Requirements needed for the program you are interested in on our Admissions page.
17. Can I enter the program in any quarter?
No, we only accept applications for Fall quarter entry from new applicants. However, internal applications to double-major in the MS program are accepted quarterly from current UC Davis graduate students.
18. What qualifications do I need to be a Teaching Assistant?
New Teaching Assistants must attend the T.A. Orientation held by the Center for Educational Effectiveness. International students must also take the Test of Oral English Proficiency (TOEP). A strong score in your TOEFL speaking subset is also required (minimum of 26 on iBT TOEFL).
19. Who will be my major advisor?
Please see the Advisors page for updated advisor information. All new students are assigned a faculty advisor. PhD students will be given the opportunity to approach faculty to work with as your major professor.
20. If my application is unsuccessful, what should I do?
If you are not admitted to the program this year, you are still welcome to apply for the following year. However, you will be required to submit a new set of application materials. Please note, the admissions committee reserves the right not to comment on why an application has been denied. Often even strong applicants are not admitted, sometimes due to not enough spaces in the program, or a greater degree of competition in that particular year.