1. What is the application deadline?
2. Will my application still be considered if my application is not complete by January 15?
3. What are the minimum requirements for admission?
4. Do I need a Master's degree to be accepted in the PhD program?
5. Can I upload my transcripts?
6. If I apply to more than one program do I need to send multiple transcripts?
7. What if my transcript is missing my final grades?
8. Can I waive the GRE?
9. Which GRE and TOEFL codes should I use?
10. What is the minimum GRE and TOEFL scores acceptable?
11. Can I submit an IELTS instead of the TOEFL?
12. Can I get a TOEFL waiver?
13. How many letters of recommendation is required?
14. How many students do you accept each year?
15. How many international students do you admit?
16. Does the program offer financial support?
17. Can I apply for fellowships?
18. What should I write about in my Personal History Statement?
19. What should I write about in my Statement of Purpose?
20. Should I indicate the Area of Interest in the online application?
21. Should I list the courses in the Prerequisite History?
22. Should I contact faculty directly about research opportunities before applying?

1. What is the application deadline?

PhD applicants should submit by the priority deadline, January 15. The fellowship application deadline is January 15.

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2. Will my application still be considered if my application is not complete by January 15?

Yes, but your application will not be considered for University Fellowships. The admissions committee begins reviewing PhD applications shortly after January 15. The committee makes first round admission decisions in February. If your application is incomplete in February, it is unlikely to be reviewed.

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3. What are the minimum requirements for admission?

A minimum GPA of 3.3 is required for admissions.

Prior to enrollment, students are expected to have completed the equivalent of (UC Davis courses):

• Calculus-based Intermediate Microeconomics (ARE 100A & 100B)
• Statistics (STA 103, STA 103A or STA 103B)
• Econometrics (ARE 106)
• One year of Calculus, including the study of partial derivatives (MAT 21A, 21B, 21C)
• One course in Linear Algebra (MAT 22A)
• Additional upper-division courses in Economics, Applied Economics, or Agricultural and Resource Economics, as well as Mathematics and Statistics are strongly encouraged.

For more details see Admissions Criteria.

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4. Do I need a Master's degree to be accepted in the PhD program?

No

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5. Can I upload my transcripts?

Yes, UC Davis requires academic records from each college-level institution you have attended. You will be instructed to upload scanned copies of your transcripts. For more details visit https://grad.ucdavis.edu/admissions/admission-requirements/submitting-your-transcripts.

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6. If I apply to more than one program do I need to send multiple transcripts?

Yes, each program requires all material.

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7. What if my transcript is missing my final grades?

Many students apply before completing a bachelors or master’s degree thus many transcripts are incomplete. Submit your transcript as is, and if you are admitted you will be required to submit a final degree transcript.

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8. Can I waive the GRE?

No, the Agricultural & Resource Economics program requires the GRE for all applicants.

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9. Which GRE and TOEFL codes should I use?

GRE scores should be sent electronically to Institution code 4834 and Department code 0101. TOEFL scores should be sent electronically to Institution code 4834 and Department code 67. 

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10. What is the minimum GRE and TOEFL scores acceptable?

There is no minimum GRE score. The minimum TOEFL score is 80.

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11. Can I submit an IELTS instead of the TOEFL?

Yes, the minimum score is 7.

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12. Can I get a TOEFL waiver?

Applicants whose native language or language of instruction is not English must take the TOEFL or IELTS.  However, if you have earned or will be earning a degree from a U.S. university, you are not required to take the TOEFL or IELTS. 

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13. How many letters of recommendation is required?

Three letters of recommendation are required. 

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14. How many students do you accept each year?

Although it varies from year to year, our PhD cohorts tend to include 15-18 students. 

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15. How many international students do you admit?

Although it varies from year to year, we typically admit 7-10 international PhD students.

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16. Does the program offer financial support?

We offer full funding to our PhD students for a minimum of five years. This occurs through a combination of fellowships, readerships, teaching assistant positions, and research assistant positions. Position descriptions can be found here.

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17. Can I apply for fellowships?

Yes, to be considered for university fellowships, you will need to complete both the program and fellowship applications by January 15

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18. What should I write about in my Personal History Statement?

The purpose of this essay is to get to know you as an individual and potential graduate student. Please describe how your personal background informs your decision to pursue a graduate degree.

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19. What should I write about in my Statement of Purpose?

This statement should describe why the student wants to pursue a graduate degree in ARE at UC Davis

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20. Should I indicate the Area of Interest in the online application?

Yes.

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21. Should I list the courses in the Prerequisite History?

Yes.

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29. What should I write about in Future Interest or Goals?

This may overlap a bit with your Statement of Purpose, but you should describe what you plan to do with your degree.

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22. Should I contact faculty directly about research opportunities before applying?

Students typically do not begin working on research with faculty until after their first few quarters of coursework. As a result, there is no need to contact faculty to seek research positions before arriving.

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