UC Davis campus quad

New Student Information

Welcome to the Graduate Group in Epidemiology!

Please take the time to read through the following information, and don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions. 

Orientations

  • Graduate Group in Epidemiology Orientation
  • The Epidemiology Graduate Group Orientation for new students will be held on Friday, September 19, 2025, in 1105 Vet Med 3B (VM3B). Attendance is mandatory. An agenda with more information will be emailed to you later this summer.
  • Aggie 201 Graduate Student Orientation
  • The campus-wide graduate student orientation called "Aggie 201" is designed to guide you through helpful information and resources you may access during your time at UC Davis. More information about Aggie 201 can be found here.
  • Register for the Teaching Assistant (TA) Orientation

  • All students who are hired as Teaching Assistants (TAs) are required to attend the Campus TA Orientation. All students are highly encouraged to attend the TA Orientation during their first quarter in case they become a TA later in the year. More information and registration can be found on the TA Orientation website. TA Orientation for Epidemiology students will be on Tuesday, September 23, 2025. Please register by September 5, 2025.

    It is recommended that you read the TA's Guide to Effective Teaching at UC Davis over the summer prior to the TA Orientation. 

  • Mandatory Sexual Assault Prevention (SAP) Training
  • All students are required to complete the mandatory Sexual Assault Prevention (SAP) training within the first six weeks of beginning classes at UC Davis. Please be advised that if you do not attend it, your course registration will be blocked. You will get an email invitation to complete this training over the summer. 

To Do Before Arriving

  • Office of Graduate Studies Checklist
  • Check the Graduate Studies Admitted Students page for important to-do items.
  • Computer & Email Accounts

  • You should have already established your UC Davis computing and email account when you submitted your Statement of Intent to Register (SIR).

    If you have NOT set up your UCD computing account and email, you should do so immediately. Instructions can be found here. If you need assistance setting up your computing account and email, contact IT Express. 

    All university-related communications will be sent to your UCD email, so it's important that you check it on a regular basis. Instructions to redirect your UCD email. 

  • DUO
  • DUO is a multi-factor authentication system which will better protect your UC Davis accounts. Enroll now.
  • My UC Davis

  • my.ucdavis.edu is a portal you can use to access your email, your schedule, your bill, and has links to various resources. Once you log in, you can edit the tiles on the main screen to have easy access to the things that you important to you, such as myAccounting, mySchedule, and myQuicklinks. 

    In the "Finances" tab, you will see a link to myAwards. Please note that these are awards through the Financial Aid Office and completely separate from any funding through the graduate program. For example, academic appointments and departmental fellowships are not reflected in myAwards.

  • AggieCard - Student ID
  • All students will receive a student ID card called an AggieCard.
  • Final Transcripts
  • All students must submit their official transcripts to Graduate Studies. If you submitted your final transcripts before you graduated, you will need to order a final transcript with your degree posted, and resubmit your official transcript to Graduate Studies.
  • Statement of Legal Resident Hold
  • The Office of the University Registrar will be contacting you regarding filling out a Statement of Legal Residence form. This form is online and the deadline to complete it is July 1st. If you do not meet the deadline, you will be classified as a nonresident and will be assessed the Non-Resident Supplemental Tuition.
  • UC Davis Health Requirements
  • Be sure to submit your immunization records. 

International Students

Domestic Non-Residents

  • Establishing California Residency for Tuition Purposes

  • If you are classified as a domestic non-resident, after one year, you can establish California Residency for Tuition Purposes, and not be charged the Non-Resident Supplemental Tuition. While it takes a year to establish residency, it is important to begin the process early (in the first month of arriving in California and before the end of your first quarter) with steps such as: 

    • Getting a CA driver’s license
    • Registering to vote in California
    • Registering your vehicle in California (if you have one)

    Please take the time now to understand the steps required so you can start early. Here's a checklist on how to establish residency. 

    Failure to take these steps early can result in a denial of your in-state residence. Students denied residence will continue to be charged (and responsible for paying) the Non-Resident Supplemental Tuition.

Course Registration

  • Course Registration

  • You must be enrolled in at least 12 units every quarter for employment and fellowship eligibility. You can register for courses via Schedule Builder. Schedule Builder can be used to search and enroll in classes, view class details, find course materials, check for registration holds, and adjust and view class schedules. 

    Courses numbered 200-299 are graduate level courses, and 100-199 are upper division undergraduate level courses. Courses numbered 1-99 are lower division undergraduate classes, and will not count towards your graduate record. 

    The Fall Quarter 2025 course schedule can be found on the GGE Course Schedules & Registration webpage. You may need to add one or more courses from the GGE Area of Interest Approved Electives. Please consult with your assigned Graduate Advisor if you have any questions about coursework.

    Registration deadlines are available on the Office of the University Registrar's Academic Calendar. Be sure to note if any of your classes have a 10 or 20 day drop deadline. 

  • Taking Graduate Courses in Other Departments
  • Please note that some graduate and upper division undergraduate level courses will have registration restrictions for students outside of that department. If you'd like to register for a graduate course and Schedule Builder restricts you from adding it, please contact the faculty instructor for the course to express your interest and to ask to be added. 

Funding

  • External Fellowships

  • External fellowships are those offered by private foundations, government agencies, and corporations. A variety of support is given, from one-time awards to multi-year support. You are strongly encouraged the apply for external fellowships on your own. 

    Graduate Studies lists several search engines that can be useful in finding external fellowships. 

  • Internal Fellowships
  • Internal fellowships are funds that are intended to support you as a student for you to fully engage in your academics and research. Fellowships may be in the form of tuition payments (funds paid directly toward tuition costs) or a stipend payments (funds paid out to the student). There are campus-level as well as program fellowships. Students must meet eligibility requirements to receive a fellowship.
  • Teaching Assistant (TA) Appointments

  • TA positions pay a salary and provide in-state tuition and fee remission. TA positions do not cover Non-Resident Supplemental Tuition. 

    The Graduate Group in Epidemiology has a limited number of TA positions each quarter. Applicants must have completed the TA Orientation, taken the course to which they are applying for, and received a passing grade. More information about TA positions within the GGE can be found here. 

    You can also contact other departments about possible TA positions if you are interested. Each department will have its own process for selecting TAs. Please reach out to departments directly for more information about their process, and check Handshake for job postings. 

    English Proficiency Requirements for TAs:

    Depending on your undergraduate degree, TOEFL and/or IELTS score, you may be required to complete this requirement. Information on the TA/AI Language Proficiency Requirement can be found here. 

  • Graduate Student Research (GSR) Appointments

  • GSR positions pay a salary and provide full tuition and fee remission (in-state and Non-Resident Supplemental Tuition). 

    As a GSR, you may be hired by a particular faculty member, such as your major professor, to engage in research. 

  • FAFSA
  • All domestic students are expected to complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) every year. Having a FAFSA on file is a requirement for many federal loans, plus all domestic graduate students must file a FAFSA to receive internal fellowships and work-study opportunities. If you have not already done so for the following year, please visit http://fafsa.gov to complete yours.
 

Other Important Information

  • Graduate Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP)

  • All registered graduate students are eligible for, and automatically enrolled in, the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP); it is included in the quarterly student fees. As long as you are registered and your fees are paid each quarter (whether that be individually or via an academic appointment such as a GSR or Teaching Assistant), you have student health coverage through SHIP.

    Your health insurance will become effective the first day of the quarter. If you plan to continue to carry private insurance, you may submit the 2025-2026 SHIP Waiver application online. The deadline to submit the waiver online is September 1 (to be effective in Fall Quarter). 

  • Housing Information Websites 

  • You are encouraged to start the search for housing as soon as possible. Most leases in Davis are for the full academic year, so be sure to do your research before signing a lease. Here are a few housing resources/websites to help you get started.

    • UC Davis Graduate and Professional Student Housing
    • Community Housing Listing, operated by Associated Students of UCD. This site is especially helpful if you are interested in renting a room in a larger house.
    • UC Davis Graduate Studies Housing Options: Lots of links and helpful information here!
    • UC Davis Graduate/Professional Housing Facebook Group
    • UC Davis Housing/sublets/Rentals Facebook group
    • UC Davis Housing Facebook group
    • Davis Ecology-Social listserv. This email listserv is open to all UC Davis community members and is an effective way to find housing and even furniture and other items for sale. See full instructions for joining and participating in the listserv.
    • SISS Housing Resources (for international students)
    • The California Aggie: The campus student-run newspaper often carries classifieds and ads for housing.
    • Davis Enterprise annual Housing Day insert (not affiliated with UC Davis): Features individual listings and contact information for local rental management companies
    • Craigslist.org (not affiliated with UC Davis). Some apartments, and room leases will be listed here.
    • Uloop.com (not affiliated with UC Davis). Like craigslist, has individual postings
    • Yelp.com (not affiliated with UC Davis). Includes reviews of apartments near Davis.

    Note: Always be cautious of scams or misleading information when searching for housing online.

  • Academic Calendar
  • Please make sure to look at the “Fees and Billing”, “Quarter Dates and Deadlines”, and “Graduate Student Deadlines” calendars, all linked on the left hand side of this page. Take some time to copy these important dates into your personal calendar for the year (especially add/drop deadlines, and the graduate student final fee payment deadline).
  • Campus Map and Transportation

  • The online Campus Map. 

    The GGE administrative office is located in 1020 Vet Med Admin Building. 

    TAPS is the UC Davis Transportation Services. Parking permits, driving, and bicycling information can be found on their website.

    The UC Davis Bus System is called Unitrans. It has routes throughout Davis, and cost $1.25 for a one ride fare. Discounted passes are available.

  • Get a Free Bike Helmet!
  • You are in graduate school and investing a lot of time, money, and energy into your brain. Protect it! Take a short training and sign a pledge with Helmet Hair Don't Care! and get a FREE helmet.