College is possible for everyone, and a variety of financial aid options are available to help with the costs.  As you consider the value of a college education, the U.S. Department of Education has developed a very useful and informative website, Federal Student Aid, to help you plot your road to college. 

Start looking into financial aid during your junior year of high school. Read the How to Apply section published by the California Student Aid Commission to get started.

At UC Davis Financial Aid and Scholarships, our staff will do their best to help you get the financial aid you need to meet your educational goals. Here's what you will need to know when applying for financial aid:

Timeline for High School Senior and Community College Transfer Students

• August 1: Begin working on your UC Application.
• November 1-30: Submit your admissions application to the University 
• December to March/April: Complete your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California Dream Act Application (CADAA) online. You must submit your application by the priority deadline each year for maximum aid consideration. Be sure to also list UC Davis school code 001313.
• If you filed a FAFSA, you will receive a FAFSA Summary Report from the federal processor. To check the status of your application, visit FAFSA. If you do not receive an email confirmation, you may not have completed the application.
• If you filed a CADAA, you will need to log in to CADAA to view your Student Aid Report (SAR) or to check the status of your application.
• All students should also apply for a Cal Grant by submitting a GPA Verification Form to the California Student Aid Commission before the priority filing date. More information about GPA verification is available on our applying for aid page, or through your high school, community college, or financial aid office.
• Mid-March to April: If admitted to UC Davis, you will be able to log in to MyAwards to review your aid and requirements.
• After being admitted to UC Davis, if your family has experienced a loss of income you can pursue a Preliminary Family Contribution appeal to have your aid eligibility re-evaluated.

Scholarships

• When you submit the UC Application for Undergraduate Admission and Scholarships from November 1-30, your application also serves as the application for scholarships offered through UC Davis.
• If you are transferring from a junior college, submit one letter of recommendation directly to UC Davis. Refer to the instruction section of the Undergraduate Application for Admission to the University of California for further guidance.
• Throughout the year, many outside organizations contact Undergraduate and Prestigious Scholarships to publicize their scholarship opportunities. To help our students access the many available scholarships, we maintain the Outside Scholarships webpage. The selection criteria, application process, and deadlines for these external scholarships vary, so please review the listings and associated websites for more detailed information.

UC Davis Affordability

UC Davis costs much less than comparable private universities for the same world-class education. UC Davis proudly enrolls students from all income levels, despite increases in fees and other costs. As published in the 2023-24 IPEDS data collection, 31% of UC Davis undergraduates received a Pell Grant, as compared to 19% at the private Northern California University used in the comparison table below.

With the UC Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan, undergraduates with a family income of up to $80,000 who meet other eligibility requirements receive grants and/or scholarships to cover in-state base tuition and fees. Numerous students receive grants to help cover costs in addition to the systemwide tuition and fees, and many students with family incomes above $80,000 also qualify for financial aid. 

2025-26 Estimated Cost of Attendance at UC Davis Compared to a Major Private University in Northern California

UC Davis student budgets are determined using a combination of known institutional expenses. These figures are obtained using a systemwide Cost of Attendance Survey (COAS) conducted every three years, which provides the most comprehensive data available for non-fee expenses anticipated for UC undergraduates. The survey provides a standardized basis for calculating student budgets at each campus that reflect local economic conditions and student spending patterns.

*Source: Stanford University Financial Aid Undergraduate Student Budget

** Transportation costs vary at the comparison campus and therefore are not included in their published total expenses.

Admissions Resources

• Undergraduate Admissions for Freshmen Students
• Undergraduate Admissions for Transfer Students