The following elements are required for your application to be considered complete and to be reviewed by the Admissions Committee. Supporting materials should be submitted within one week after the deadline by which you are applying.
- Statement of Purpose
- The Statement of Purpose should be a maximum 4,000 characters, including spaces. Your statement of purpose is one of the most important components of your application—it should be well-organized and concise. Your statement should reflect: your preparation and motivation for the program; interests, career goals; and overall fit for the program. Please also briefly discuss any current and expected topical specialization (e.g., freshwater, marine, terrestrial, law, policy, economics, etc.). See the “Statement of Purpose” prompt in the online application for further details.
- Personal History/Diversity Statement
- The Personal History/Diversity Statement should be maximum 4,000 characters, including spaces. The purpose of this essay is to get know you as an individual and potential graduate student. Your statement should describe how your personal background informs your decision to pursue a graduate degree. You may include any educational, familial, cultural, economic, or social experiences, challenges, community service, outreach activities, residency and citizenship, first generation college status, or opportunities relevant to your academic journey; how your life experiences contribute to the social, intellectual, or cultural diversity within a campus community and your chosen field; and how you might serve educationally underrepresented and underserved segments of society with your graduate education. This essay should compliment but not duplicate the content in the Statement of Purpose. Students may find helpful UC Berkeley’s Graduate Division guidance on writing a personal statement.
- Academic records
- Academic records are required 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. If your official records are not issued in English, you must submit those records in their original language with the authorized complete and exact English translations. For more details visit https://gradstudies.ucdavis.edu/submit-transcripts. If you are admitted into the program, you will receive instructions from the Office of Graduate Studies on how to submit official transcripts. Do not send official transcripts to the Institute for the Environment.
- Letters of recommendation
- We require three Letters of Recommendation that must be submitted online through the application system by a recommender. Writers of recommendation letters may reflect a mix of backgrounds (academic or employment). Three letters of recommendation are required, but you should seek to include at least two who are qualified to evaluate the quality of your scholastic achievements, academic training and experience. It is helpful to tell your references to address those characteristics that are important to your admission.
- Resume of Curriculum Vitae
- Include all relevant academic, volunteer, leadership and (in particular) work experience. The document might also include any relevant information such as internship experiences, exhibitions, publications, travel or study abroad. There is no required formatting style.
- Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
- TOEFL scores are required if your native language is not English or if your instruction has not been in English. TOEFL scores should be sent electronically to Institution code 4834 and Department code 67. TOEFL scores expire after two years. Most successful applicants have a TOEFL score of 100 or higher, above the university minimum of 80. As an alternative, you may submit scores from the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or Duolingo.
If you are interested in learning about exemptions from the English language examination requirement, please visit the Graduate Studies website for more information. - Prerequisite Course History Form (non-STEM majors only)
- If you have a non-STEM degree, you are required to submit the Prerequisite Course History Form that is available in the online application. The form demonstrates the applicant has taken and passed the equivalent of the following UC Davis courses:
(1) One upper-division course in environmental science or ecology (ESP 110 Principles of Environmental Science)
(2) One upper-division course in microeconomics or policy analysis (ESP 162 Policy Analysis)
(3) One upper-division course in statistics of mathematical modeling (POL 114 Quantitative Analysis of Political Data) - Writing Sample
Submit a sample of academic or professional work. Ideally, this will be a qualitative or quantitative analysis of an environmental issue, showcasing your ability to engage with complex topics and present coherent arguments. However, if necessary, you may submit a writing sample on a non-environmental topic. Submission of a piece of group work is acceptable, but should be clearly labeled as such.
There is no length requirement.
- Application fee
- $135 Domestic, $155 International. The application fee is non-refundable upon submission of the application. The fee must be paid by credit card. The fee must be paid before the application will be considered as complete.
Waivers: You may be eligible for a fee waiver through the Office of Graduate Studies if you have participated in or are affiliated with certain graduate preparation programs. For a list of the eligible preparation programs, please visit the Graduate Studies website.
If you do not qualify for a waiver through the Office of Graduate Studies, you may qualify for a fee fellowship through the Graduate Program of Environmental Policy and Management. You can see eligibility requirements and the application here.