We're Excited to Meet You!
The faculty and students of the Animal Behavior Graduate Group (ABGG) are looking forward to your visit! During your visit, you will have an opportunity to learn more about us—the people, the interdisciplinary research, the extensive research facilities, and the collaborative academic environment that make UC Davis a great place to undertake graduate studies. We hope this event will help you ascertain whether study at UC Davis is a good fit for you, and vice versa.
This page contains a lot of information. Please read fully and carefully to ensure you are prepared for your visit!
Summary of Events
February 13th
Please plan to arrive in Davis by 3pm (hotel check-in begins at 2pm; if you need an earlier check-in time please contact Amanda). Student meeting and student hosted social.
February 14th
Program orientation. Faculty mentor and student host lead activities (i.e. interviews, lab tours, facility tours. Walking tour of campus. Lunch and dinner with current students and faculty.
February 15th
Walking tour of Farmers Market (optional). Depart from Davis or stay extra day at own expense.
Travel Information
It is your responsibility to arrange all travel between your home to/from UC Davis. Depending on your current physical address, the program may be able to reimburse your lodging and travel expenses. Please check your email for specific reimbursement limits.
If you are booking travel, it is recommend you select tickets with some flexibility. UC Davis is unable to reimburse incomplete travel (i.e. cannot reimburse flight if student cannot attend event due to illness).
Please complete the Travel Information Form by February 5th!
Hotel
Students travelling from beyond Sacramento, Solano, or Yolo County will be provided a hotel room at the Aggie Inn for the nights of February 13th and 14th. Hotel rooms will be shared with another visiting PBGG student of the same stated gender.
Getting to Campus
UC Davis policy requires students to select the most cost-effective method to getting to campus. You will find some travel options below:
- Ground transportation (driving, train, bus): This is usually the most cost-effective option for students travelling from the Bay Area, Northern California, or Reno, NV. The current mileage reimbursement rate is $0.67 per mile* for people driving a personal vehicle to campus. Amtrak is another popular option, with a station conveniently located in Downtown Davis.
- Non-reimbursable: gas receipts (if driving); train points/redeemed miles/gift cards; business and first-class train tickets
- Reimbursable (with receipts)*: tolls, parking, and mileage (if driving); train/bus tickets paid for with credit/debit card
- Flying: This is usually the most cost-effective option for students travelling from Southern California or other states. SMF is the closest airport. Ride share services and taxis are available between SMF and Davis. All events for this trip are within walking distance from your hotel, so rental cars are not recommended and will not be reimbursed, if purchased.
- Non-reimbursable: airline points/redeemed miles/gift cards; business and first-class airlines tickets; flight upgrades (priority boarding, additional leg room, etc.)
- Reimbursable (with receipts)*: flights paid for with credit/debit card; baggage fees; airport parking
Travel Reimbursements*
All reimbursements are up to the limit stated in your personal invitation email. Costs beyond the stated reimbursement limit are non-reimbursable. Receipts are required for all reimbursable expenses EXCEPT gas.
After your travel has concluded, please uploaded all receipts below:
Reimbursement checks will be mailed to the address you provided in your original RSVP. Checks may take up to 6 weeks to arrive after the recruitment event. Please let your graduate program coordinator know as soon as possible if this is a significant financial burden to you.
Other Details
Dress
This event is business casual. There will be considerable walking, so bring comfortable shoes.
Weather
In early February, rain is always a possibility, so bring an umbrella or rain jacket. Day-time temperatures are usually in the mid-50s to low-60s.
Interviews and Tours
Visiting students will be paired with a faculty mentor and student host prior to the event. Faculty mentor's will oversee the scheduling of additional faculty interviews, lab and facility tours, and student interviews. You will receive your interview schedule ~3 days before your visit. These interviews are designed to gauge your preparation for graduate education and, specifically, for the ABGG program. Therefore, you can expect questions related to your interests in the program and your previous research/academic experience.