Admissions

Graduate Admissions

Welcome! The Graduate Program in Biological Systems Engineering (GBSE) at UC Davis provides a setting in which students can become leaders in biological, agricultural and natural resources, and food engineering research. We are a highly-ranked program where students develop knowledge through partnerships with faculty, industry and other students in various areas of engineering. Our program values diversity and inclusion as integral components of academic excellence. Learn more about our program by reading the GBSE overview.

We encourage prospective students to reach out to faculty members they are interested in potentially working with before the application deadline to learn more about their research and to ensure the faculty member is accepting new students. 

Visit the Graduate Studies Website to Apply

Application Deadlines

Priority: Jan 15, 2023
General: Apr 1, 2023
Space Available: Jun 1, 2023
Prospective Student Fellowship: Jan 15, 2023
Continuing Student Fellowship: Jan 15, 2023

Additional Requirements

For students that do not hold a bachelor's of science in engineering, there are additional requirements that must be met. Please see the Additional Requirements (PDF) for more information. Prerequisites need to be met prior to admittance and deficiencies can be made up during the program.

Prospective Student Informational Videos

Equity Fee Waivers

COE Equity Program Fee Waiver Eligibility

• Applicants must seek Fall 2023 admission to a PhD program administered by the College of Engineering. Applicants for MS programs are not eligible for a fee waiver through this program.
• Only US citizens or current permanent residents are eligible to receive a fee waiver through this program.
• Outstanding international students with financial hardship interested in a fee waiver should email BAEAdvising@ucdavis.edu. 
• Applicants who have participated in other Graduate Preparation Programs listed here already qualify for a fee waiver through that program.

Details About the Request Form

• Please visit this webpage to access the fee waiver request form: https://engineering.ucdavis.edu/graduate-students/admissions/coe-equity-program
• Applicants will need to provide brief contact information, as well as provide short responses to two questions.
• Those who qualify for a fee waiver will receive an email with directions on how to use the waiver. (NOTE: waivers will be sent daily Monday-Friday only)

Application and Admission Requirements

To submit your application and be considered for admission, you will need the following:

• Unofficial transcripts from all past institutions
• If applicable, proof of earned degree (Learn More)
• Three letters of recommendation
• If applicable, TOEFL or IELTS scores (Learn More)
• Application Fee (Waiver Information and FAQ)

Complete information on application requirements can be found of the Office of Graduate Studies website.

In addition, the following are required for admission to our graduate program:

• Bachelor's degree at the time of enrollment
  • Students with a non-engineering bachelor's degree must complete pre-requisites prior to admission.
• 3.0 minimum undergraduate GPA on a 4.0 scale
  • Under exceptional circumstances, students who only hold an undergraduate degree with a GPA below 3.0 may be conditionally admitted with a coursework only option for the purposes of demonstrating the ability to maintain a qualifying GPA at the graduate level prior to full admission.
• Fully submitted application

Applicants are highly encouraged to reach out to potential faculty advisors prior to applying to the program, though this is not a requirement. 

Complete information on admission requirements can be found of the Office of Graduate Studies website.

Apply Today: Priority Deadline is  January 15th