Application Information

Applications for the Fall 2026 Cycle will open in September 2025 and can be submitted through the Office of Graduate Studies website. The deadline to submit applications for the Animal Behavior Graduate Group is December 1st.

Check Here for Updated Information on the 2026-2027 Application Cycle

  • UC Davis uses the online application only. No paper materials (other than transcripts) will be accepted or reviewed.
  • Apply early! Don't wait until the last day. Once the deadline passes and the application closes, it can't be reopened.

 

Graduate Studies Application Page

Applying for the Animal Behavior Graduate Group

The Animal Behavior Graduate Group (commonly referred to as ANB or ABGG) accepts applications for fall quarter admission only. ANB accepts applications for the Ph.D. program only. 

If you are interested in applying to our program, here are a few good first steps to get you started:

  • Step 1: Review the the application requirements listed below. This will help you get a sense of what documents, statements, and letters of recommendation you should start preparing to complete your application.
  • Step 2: Review the Degrees Offered page on the website to review more about the program and required pre-requisite coursework for entering the program. While it isn't required to have all pre-requisite courses complete at the time of admission, the more areas of discourse that you have covered, the stronger your application is. If you aren't sure if your previous coursework will count towards the pre-requisite requirements, work with your home institutions academic advisor to cross reference course descriptions of the coursework you have completed with the descriptions of the UC Davis Catalog course descriptions.  
  • Step 3: Research potential faculty advisors and current research projects via the faculty profile page. Students who enter the program must be paired with faculty mentor. Often, students will join the faculty mentors lab as a graduate student. The best way to learn more about if your research interest aligns with a faculty member's current research objectives is to reach out to them directly!
  • Step 4: Check out our Application FAQ page to review frequently asked questions about the admission process, degrees offered, financial support, and recruitment timelines.
  • Step 5: If you still have questions that aren't answered in the resources above, you can reach out! The Graduate Studies Admission team can answer general questions regarding application materials and requirements. The programs graduate program coordinator can ask more specific questions about the program and the program's requirements. Note: These support teams receive hundreds of emails each year from applicants requesting information. Due to this volume of interest, admission team members and the graduate program coordinator may not be able to meet with you directly. The best mode of contact is to send an email with your specific questions. 

Admission Prerequisites

ANB accepts applications for the Ph.D. program only.

Applicants for admission to the Animal Behavior Graduate Group must meet the University of California minimum GPA requirement for admission. In addition, candidates must complete the following entrance requirements:

A Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in a discipline relevant to the biology of behavior.

*The equivalent of at least one course from each of the following subject areas (UCD Courses by Subject Code):

  • Ecology: Upper division (e.g. Ecology and Evolution 101, Environmental Science and
    Policy 100)
  • Genetics: Upper division (e.g. Biological Sciences 101)
  • Statistics: Upper division (e.g. Psychology 103, Statistics 100)
  • Evolution: Upper division (e.g. Evolution and Ecology 100)
  • Animal Behavior: Upper division (e.g. Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior 102)
  • Physiology: Upper division (e.g. Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior 101)

 

Note: At UC Davis, courses numbered 1-99 are lower division and may be taken at community college, while courses 100-199 are upper division and should be taken at a four-year institution. Please consult your home institutions course catalog to determine which of your coursework is considered lower division, and which is considered upper division.

If the subject area courses have not been completed prior to admission, then they must be completed by the end of the first year in the program either by (1) taking courses as approved by the Graduate Advisor, or (2) by being a Teaching Assistant in the courses listed above or their equivalents, and by attending the course lectures.

Application Elements

Your application will not be considered complete until ANB receives all of the following items. The Admissions Committee starts reviewing applications immediately after the December 1st application deadline. It is to your benefit if all items are received by the deadline or as close to the deadline as possible.

  • Application fee
  • The fee may be paid by credit card or e-check. The fee must be paid before your application will be considered complete, and the fee must be paid for each application you submit.

  • Letters of Recommendation

  • Three letters of recommendation must be submitted electronically through the online application's letter submission system.

    • UC Davis does not have the ability to accept letters through Interfolio or other electronic letter services. Hard copy letters will not be reviewed.
    • Have your recommenders' contact information ready while you're filling out the online application. You will be prompted to input this information while completing the application. Once you enter this information, the online application system will send your recommenders an email invitation to upload your letters.
    • If they do not receive it, ask them to check their spam folder. You may also resend the invitation through the online application system.
    • To avoid delays, set-up your recommenders in the online application system and send the letter submission invitations well in advance of the December 1 application deadline.
    • It takes two to three days business days after your recommenders submit your letters for the letters to load into UC Davis' application review database.
    • Many letter writers are very busy as fall semesters/quarters end and during the holiday season. As the application deadline approaches, follow up with any letter writers that haven't submitted your letters before your institution closes for the holidays.
    • A Confirmed Major Professor: Prior to admission, an ABGG faculty member in good standing must confirm that he/she is willing to act as the student’s faculty mentor.

  • Transcripts

  • UC Davis requires academic records from each college-level institution you have attended.  You will be instructed to upload scanned copies of your transcripts after you have submitted your online application.  For more details visit https://gradstudies.ucdavis.edu/submit-transcripts.
  • GRE scores
  • As of May 2022, GRE test scores are no longer required to apply for the Animal Behavior Graduate Group.
  • TOEFL or IELTS scores (International students only)
  • Please refer to the university requirements regarding language testing scores and submittal on the "Test Score Requirement" section of Office of Graduate Studies website.
  • Personal History and Statement of Purpose
  • Include your full statement of purpose and personal history in the appropriate fields on the online application.
    • The ANB cannot accept these items on paper so please include both of these essays on the online application.

  • Curriculum Vitae/Resume

  • Please upload your current curriculum vitae or resume when prompted to do so by the online application.

Application Review

Application review is performed by an Admissions Committee composed of three to four ABGG faculty members (volunteers appointed by the Chair of the ABGG) and at least one graduate student (elected by the ABGG graduate students). Shortly after the deadline for applications, files are reviewed and ranked by the Admissions Committee. Based on academic accomplishment and potential, this committee determines which of the applicants can be admitted into the group. Simultaneously, faculty members examine the files to identify students whom they are willing to sponsor. No student will be admitted to the group unless at least one faculty member in good standing indicates that they are willing to act as that student's major professor. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you contact potential major professors to discuss joining their lab before you apply to the program.

Additional Information

The students of the Animal Behavior Graduate Group (ANB, sometimes called the ABGG) have written a helpful blog post in The Ethogram about the overall process of applying to graduate school. This includes information that is not included in the official application instructions, like how to contact potential mentors before you apply. This is highly-recommended reading:  So, you want to go to grad school?  

Additionally, the Principles of Community Committee with the help of ABGG faculty developed the guide "Applying to Graduate School" that provides an overview of the steps involved in the graduate school application process. This document includes advice specific to applying to the Animal Behavior Graduate Group at UC Davis.