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New Graduate Student Information

New Student Information 

Please take the time to read through all of this important new student information to get you started.

New Student Set Up

  • Submitting your SIR (Statement of Intent to Register)
  • We ask you SIR as soon as possible (whether you are attending UC Davis or not) so that we can plan accordingly and you can complete all the steps to start here in the fall in a timely manner, and receive all the important emails throughout the summer. 
    Please submit your SIR by June 1.  If you SIR 'YES' after July 1, please contact Lauren Worrell (lkworrell@ucdavis.edu). 
    The official campus deadline to SIR is August 1. 

    To submit your SIR: Please click on the link in the email you received from the Office of Graduate Studies informing you about your formal admission offer.  If you lost this email, or if the link takes you to an error page, please contact Lauren Worrell and she will request the system re-send the email to you. 

    After you submit your SIR, you will want to complete all the steps in your checklist (you will see this after submitting your SIR). In early July, the program will send out (via email) the updated New Student Information Packet. This packet contains important information such as: orientations, dates and deadlines, tips on enrolling in classes, funding, and TA and reader appointments. Please be patient to wait for this packet to come out.
  • Request to defer admission
  • If you are interested in deferring your admission, please submit your SIR as a "yes" (by Aug. 1), but DO NOT enroll in fall courses yet (if you enroll, you can no longer defer). Requests can be submitted until September 1 by emailing the Graduate Program Coordinator with the following information (Please copy and paste the "email body" section into the email and answer all the questions):

    Email Subject:
    Deferral Request: [your name]
    Email Body:
    - Your full name:
    - Your SID (found on your admission letter):
    - Requested deferment term (example: Fall 2025):
    - The name of your major professor if you have already been in contact with a faculty member (Note: some MS students may or may not have a major professor yet): 
    - A short statement as to the reason for your deferral request:
    - Have you submitted your SIR "yes" (yes/no):
    - Have you enrolled in any fall classes (yes/no):

    NOTES: Deferral requests can be for one, two or up to three quarters (one full year maximum). Our department generally only approves one deferral request, so please be sure of the term you would like to attend prior to making the request. You will not need to submit a new application. Approval of deferred admission does not automatically approve a deferral of any financial offer you might have received. If you want to request a deferral after September 1, but before the first day of the fall quarter, please email the Graduate Program Coordinator to ask for a departmental exception. 

    Deferral Requests will be automatically denied if:
    - If the request is made after UC Davis instruction starts (Requests made after Sept. 1 and before the start of instruction are considered on a case by case basis)
    - If you have enrolled in classes
    - If you submit your Statement of Intent to Register (SIR) as a "no"
    - If you were admitted to the MS program, and you plan to attend a MS program elsewhere during the deferral period
  • Computer & E-mail Accounts
  • The department’s IT Support will give you information regarding your department access to the computer laboratories at the New Student Virtual Orientation. In the meantime, you should have already established your UC Davis computing and email account when you submitted your Statement of Intent to Register (SIR).

    If you have NOT set up your UCD computing account and email, you should do so immediately. Instructions can be found here. If you need assistance setting up your computing account and email, contact IT Express: http://itexpress.ucdavis.edu/.

    All university-related communications will be sent to your UCD email, so it’s important that you check it on a regular basis. You can also redirect your UCD email.
  • DUO
  • DUO is a multi-factor authentication system which will better protect your UC Davis accounts. Enroll now.
  • My UC Davis
  • My.ucdavis.edu is a portal you can use to access your email, your schedule, your bill, and has links to all sorts of resources. Once you log in, you can edit the tiles on the main screen to have easy access to the things that are important to you. I would recommend using myAccounting, mySchedule, and myQuicklinks.

    In the Finances tab, you will also see a link to myAwards – please note that these are awards through the Financial Aid office, and completely separate from any funding through the department or college. Academic appointments and departmental fellowship for example are not reflected in myAwards.
  • AggieCard - Student ID
  • All students will receive a student ID card called an AggieCard. Find out more here.
  • Final Transcripts
  • All students must submit their official transcripts to the Office of Graduate Studies. If you submitted your final transcripts before you graduated, you will need to order a final transcript with your degree posted, and resubmit your official transcript. The final transcript(s) should be sent directly to the Office of Graduate Studies. Find out more here.
  • Statement of Legal Residence Hold (Deadline July 1st) 
  • The Office of the University Registrar will be contacting you regarding filling out a Statement of Legal Residence form. This form is online and the deadline to complete it is July 1. If you do not meet this deadline, you will be classified as a nonresident and will be assessed the Nonresident Supplemental Tuition. Find out more here.
  • UC Davis Health Requirements 
  • Be sure to submit your immunization records. More information can be found here: https://shcs.ucdavis.edu/resources/new-students

    Please continue to check the Campus Ready site for updates or the SISS Fall Planning page for International Students. 

International Students

  • International Student Orientation Program
  • International students are required to attend the International Student Orientation Program. 

    Please be sure to read all the information on the “Newly Admitted Students” website.

    For more information about requirements for international students, please contact SISS with the following:
    Website: http://siss.ucdavis.edu/
    Email: siss@ucdavis.edu
    Phone: (530) 752-0864

    You can find your advisor based on last name here.
  • English Language Courses for International Students
  • Many international students will need to take UWP 225 / UWP 226 during their first academic year. The policy regarding this requirement can be found here.

    For more information about the English Course Requirement, please visit this website.

    This course will NOT count toward your degree requirements, or units needed for the degree, but it will count towards the 12 units needed to be a full time student in any given quarter.

    It is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED to take this course in the fall, as it will help you be successful in the graduate program at UC Davis.

Domestic Non-Residents

  • Establishing California Residency for Tuition Purposes
  • If you are classified as a domestic non-resident, after one year, you can establish California Residency for Tuition Purposes, and not be charged the Non-Resident Supplemental Tuition. While it takes a year to establish residency, it is important to begin the process early (in the first month of arriving in California, and definitely before December/ the end of your first quarter) with steps such as:
    • Getting a CA driver’s license
    • Registering to vote in California
    • Registering your vehicle in California (if you have one)

    Please take the time now to understand the steps required so you can start early. More information can be found here.  Also, view our checklist on how to establish residency here.

    **Failure to take these steps EARLY can result in a denial of your in-state residence. 

    Students denied residence will continue to be charged (and responsible for paying) the Non-Resident Supplemental Tuition. 

Advising

There is a network of people in our department and across UC Davis to support your studies.  Please review our Current Graduate Student website to learn more about these faculty and staff.

Current Graduate Students

Funding

This is an breif introduction our funding resources. Visit our Student Funding page for more details. 

Visit our Student Funding Page

  • Will I get a financial offer?
  • Not all students will be funded (especially true for MS students). Many of our students will find partial funding, or full funding for select quarters once here. We highly encourage students to be proactive in seeking funding opportunities outside our department and outside campus. The offer of admission and any offer of financial support are separate processes. PhD students are more likely to receive a financial offer in advance of starting at UC Davis. If you do not receive an initial financial offer that does not mean that you won’t have funding while here.

    Because these are separate processes, financial offers are sent after admission, and on a rolling basis.  April 15 is the earliest we can ask a student to respond to a funding offer, so some students may receive an offer before this deadline, and others may receive an offer after this deadline (depending on funding availability). 
  • General Funding Information
  • Be sure to check out the CEE Student Funding Page – we are still building out resources here, so check back often!

    Look for information about the sessions available regarding funding during the campus Graduate Student Orientation. Also be sure to look through the information on the graduate studies website – they have especially good resources related to external funding. Once you have determined who will serve as your major professor, that person will also be a good resource to discuss funding opportunities.

    Funding for graduate students usually comes in the form of:

    External fellowships: You are strongly encouraged to apply for external fellowships on your own – information can be found on the Graduate Studies Website, including great search engines.  

    Internal fellowships and departmental fellowships: all new students are considered for these automatically with your application (you must apply by the priority deadline to be considered for the campus level fellowships).  A few select students will be nominated by the department for Campus fellowships, which are extremely competitive.  Then students may also receive departmental fellowships, which are decided on by our faculty in each research area.  These may be partial or full support.

    Academic appointments:
    - Graduate Student Researcher (GSR): You might be hired by a particular faculty member (your major adviser) to engage in research.  GSR positions pay a salary, and also provide full tuition and fee remission (in-state and NRST).
    - Teaching Assistant (TA), Reader, Tutor: You can be hired by our department, or apply with other departments for these positions.  For CEE, you can submit an application to be a TA or Reader on the Teaching Assistants and Readers website (I will announce when the application opens each quarter through our current student listserv email).  Your major professor can also be an advocate for you in finding these positions. TA and Reader positions pay a salary, and also provide in-state fee remission. Non-Resident Supplement Tuition (NRST) is not a benefit of TA/Reader employment. 
  • Teaching Assistant (TA), Readership, Tutor Appointments
  • Any student who wishes to be a TA during their studies at UC Davis must attend for the TA Orientation. The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering’s TA orientation is Monday Sept. 25. Please register once registration opens. *Note - if you started the canvas modules in June, it may still be last year's modules.  Check to make sure you are in the 2023-24 modules before working on completing them.

    If you are interested in being hired as a Teaching Assistant (TA) or Reader for our department, please complete the application on our website. The application link is on the “Teaching Assistant and Readers” website. Please note, that for our department, applicants will be considered when there are openings for TA and Reader positions, however filling out the form does not ensure you will be offered a TA or Reader position (as we have many more students than positions available). Order of application submission does not factor into placement decisions, as long as you meet the deadline.

    You can also contact other departments about possible TA and readership positions if you are interested. Each department will have its own process for selecting TAs and Readers – I highly recommend looking at both the department’s website, as well as checking for TA and Reader job postings on Handshake.

    English Proficiency Requirements for TAs:
    Depending on your Undergraduate Degree, TOEFL, and/or IELTS scores, you may be required to pass the TOEP test here at UC Davis prior to being employed as a TA (receiving a waiver for the TOEFL at time of admission does not automatically qualify you for a waiver of this requirement). Please be sure to read the policy on Language Proficiency Requirements for Appointment of Students to Teaching Assistant and Associate In_ Titles.
  • Graduate Student Researcher
  • If you are interested in being actively involved with research, you should speak to a faculty member about GSR opportunities. 
  • FAFSA
  • All students eligible to fill out the FAFSA or the California Dream Act Application should fill it out EVERY YEAR. There are a few awards each year—as well as work/study opportunities—that require these applications.  More information can be found here.
  • Funding Questions
  • The Graduate Program Coordinator, Lauren Worrell, is a good first point of contact for most questions related to funding rules/policy, funding and payment issues, what you see on your bill, fee remission policies, etc. 

Insurance and Health Services

*If this is an emergency, Dial: 911 – This website only provides information on non-emergency services

Other Important Information

  • UC Davis Calendars and Important Dates
  • Take a moment to review the Registrar's Calendars and put important dates on your personal calendar.

    There are important deadlines on the 10th, 12th, 20th, and 25th days of instruction you should become familiar with.

    Fee Payment Deadline: the "student fee payment deadline" is relevant for our Undergraduate Students.  As a Graduate Student, please pay attention to the "Graduate Student Final Fee Payment Deadline" each quarter, and make sure you have a zero balance on your account by this later graduate student deadline. For these dates, check out the Graduate Studies Calendar! Even if you are fully funded, it is your responsibility to make sure your fees are paid by the deadline.
  • Graduate Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP)
  • All registered graduate students are eligible for, and automatically enrolled in, the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP); it is included in the quarterly student fees. As long as you are registered and your fees are paid each quarter (whether that be individually or via an academic appointment such as a GSR or Teaching Assistant), you have student health coverage through SHIP. 

    For more information on the Student Health Insurance Plan, visit this link. If you plan to continue to carry private insurance, you may submit the 2023-24 SHIP Waiver application online. The deadline to submit the waiver online is September 1 (to be effective in Fall quarter).
  • Housing Information Web Sites
  • Here are a few housing resources/websites to help you get started.  Most leases in Davis will be for the full academic year, so be sure to do your research before signing a lease.
    • Student Housing Office (Official UC Davis information)
    • Community Housing Listing, operated by Associated Students of UCD. This site is especially helpful if you are interested in renting a room in a larger house.
    • Graduate Studies Resource Page: Lots of links and helpful information here!
    • Graduate Studies student facebook page: This page is managed by Graduate Studies, and invites all incoming students to join. Students frequently post housing info, roommate opportunities, and upcoming vacancies
    • Graduate/Profession Housing Facebook Group: This page is managed by students, and can be tricky to join. See instructions here.
    • Davis Enterprise annual Housing Day insert (not affiliated with UC Davis): Features individual listings and contact information for local rental management companies
    • The California Aggie: The campus student-run newspaper often carries classifieds and ads for housing.
    • Craigslist.org (not affiliated with UC Davis). Some apartments, and room leases will be listed here.
    • Uloop.com (not affiliated with UC Davis). Like craigslist, has individual postings
    • Yelp.com (not affiliated with UC Davis). Includes reviews of apartments near Davis.
    • Note: Always be cautious of scams or misleading information when searching for housing online.
  • Academic Calendar
  • Please make sure to look at the “Fees and Billing”, “Quarter Dates and Deadlines”, and “Graduate Student Deadlines” calendars, all linked on the left hand side of this page. Take some time to copy these important dates into your personal calendar for the year (especially add/drop deadlines, and the graduate student final fee payment deadline).
  • Campus Map and Transportation
  • The online Campus Map available via this link.
    Please note that the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering is housed in Ghausi Hall. TAPS is the UC Davis Transportation Services. Parking permits (yes – campus does ticket!), driving, and bicycling information can be found on their website.
    Graduate Studies also has some transportation information as well.
    The UC Davis Bus System is called Unitrans. It has routes throughout Davis, and cost $1.25 for a one ride fare. Discounted passes are available.
  • Get a Free Bike Helmet!
  • You are in graduate school and investing a lot of time, money, and energy into your brain.  Protect it!  Take a short training and sign a pledge with Helmet Hair Don't Care! and get a FREE helmet
  • 2022 Orientation Recordings
  • Welcome and Program Overview
    MS Degree Requirements
    PhD Degree Requirements

    Computing, IT, Safety and Administrative Office:
    Recording
    Slides
    Welcome Pamphlet

Still have questions?

Please contact the Graduate Program Coordinator for CEE, Lauren Worrell, at lkworrell@ucdavis.edu or make an appointment.

If the direct link doesn’t work, you can visit: https://appointments.ucdavis.edu/default.aspx then select “Civil and Environmental Engineering” from “All Offices” Then click on "Graduate Civil and Env. Eng. Advising"

Lauren’s other contact information is:
Email: lkworrell@ucdavis.edu
Office phone: 530-752-1441 (NOTE: Will not be answered during remote office hours)
Office: 2007 Ghausi Hall (in office/remote days will vary)
Walk-ins also available if door is open.