UC Davis School of Medicine Admissions Guide (2027)

Quick facts

• Entry cycle: Fall 2027; the current AMCAS deadline is October 1 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern. Timeline
• Required tests: MCAT within 36 months of application and AAMC PREview for regular MD applicants; both have a September 30 deadline. Premedical requirements How to apply
• Secondary: by invitation, due 30 days after invitation; three to six recommendations are allowed. How to apply
• Interview: closed-file virtual MMI, usually Monday or Friday from mid-August through early April. How to apply
• Citizenship: international, undocumented and DACA applicants are eligible under published conditions. How to apply
• Physical location: the School of Medicine and Admissions Office are at 4610 X Street in Sacramento, despite the UC Davis name. Admissions

Admission requirements

Applicants need a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university, verified by AMCAS by July 1 of the matriculation year. The MCAT is required within 36 months of application, with September of the application year the latest accepted exam. Premedical requirements

Required coursework at an accredited U.S. institution, including community colleges, is one year each of biological sciences, general chemistry, organic chemistry or an acceptable biochemistry or chemistry alternative, and physics. Each one-year category equals eight units. Online coursework is accepted, labs are not required, in-person work including labs is preferred, and all prerequisites must be complete by the spring before matriculation. Premedical requirements

AAMC PREview is required for regular MD applicants and must be completed by September 30. An applicant who does not complete it is not considered further. MD/PhD applicants and Huwighurruk Scholars are exempt. How to apply Premedical requirements

The invitation-only secondary contains essays, activities, program-interest choices and three to six recommendations; a physician or clinician letter is recommended. The fee is $120. The school does not publish minimum GPA, MCAT or PREview scores on the current pages. How to apply

International applicants are eligible but must document full funding for medical education and cannot rely on U.S. financial aid. U.S. citizens, permanent residents, refugees and asylees are treated as domestic applicants. UC Davis welcomes undocumented applicants and encourages DACA recipients to apply; applicants remain responsible for confirming licensing eligibility outside California. How to apply

Important dates

For Fall 2027 entry, the current official timeline says AMCAS opens May 1, submissions begin May 26, and the primary application is due October 1 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern. Extensions are not granted. Secondary invitations begin in July and continue through December 31; the secondary is due 30 days after invitation. Timeline How to apply

MCAT and AAMC PREview scores are due September 30. Virtual interviews begin in late August and run through the first week of April. Acceptance decisions begin October 15, and the school says applicants generally receive a final decision within 30–45 days after interview. Timeline How to apply

Plan to Enroll opens in mid-February. Applicants narrow acceptances to three around April 15 and commit to one institution by April 30. Wait-list decisions run May 1 through July 15, and orientation and classes begin in July. The current official pages are live for this admissions cycle but do not print the calendar year beside every recurring timeline date. Timeline

How selection works

UC Davis describes four stages: AMCAS plus PREview, an invitation-only secondary, an invitation-only MMI and a final decision. Secondary and interview invitations are rolling. After interview, acceptance decisions run from October 15 through July 15 and wait-list decisions from May 1 through July 15. How to apply

Holistic review considers competencies, experiences, attributes and academic metrics. Published experience areas include clinical work, research, leadership, service, educational background, interprofessional teamwork and life obstacles. Attributes include geographic origin, resilience, motivation, curiosity, communication, languages, critical thinking, accountability, values, compassion, diverse perspectives and self-improvement. Metrics include grades, course load and trends, MCAT and postgraduate performance. How to apply

The MMI is closed file, so the interviewer is blinded to the application. The school does not publish numerical weights for PREview, academic metrics, mission-related geography, experiences or interview performance; nor does it publish MMI scoring, committee voting or wait-list ordering. How to apply

Interview details

Confirmed

The interview is an invitation-only Multiple Mini Interview conducted virtually. It is closed file, meaning the interviewer is blinded to the applicant's application. Sessions are typically held on Mondays and Fridays from mid-August through early April. How to apply

UC Davis says the MMI assesses experiences and attributes relevant to a career in medicine. The published holistic criteria include communication, listening and empathy, critical thinking, accountability, teamwork, compassion, appreciation of diverse perspectives and self-assessment. How to apply

Not published

The current pages do not publish station count, preparation or response time, break structure, virtual platform, scenario categories, interviewer roles, rating anchors, numerical MMI weight, committee-vote mechanics or wait-list ranking. Invitation materials control session-specific logistics.

Who this program may suit

UC Davis School of Medicine is physically based in Sacramento. Its I-EXPLORE curriculum integrates biomedical, clinical and health-systems science and includes longitudinal clinical experience, clinical skills and teamwork. The school also publishes Community Health Scholar pathways focused on California's rural, urban, Native American, Central Valley and Central Coast communities. Curriculum

Applicants should connect a specific service, clinical or community experience to the population or health-system problem they want to address. Geographic origin is one published holistic-review attribute, but the current admissions pages do not state that California residency is an eligibility requirement or publish a fixed preference tied to mission alignment.

Practice and next step

Practise for the confirmed closed-file MMI by recording one response that stands alone. Briefly identify the issue and people affected, consider competing perspectives, choose a reasonable action and explain how you would communicate it with empathy and accountability. Do not assume the interviewer knows your application.

Review whether the response is understandable without background, uses a clear decision and acknowledges tradeoffs. Choose one weakness, record the response again and compare both attempts for structure, listening-minded language and practical judgment. Repeat with a new scenario to practise resetting between stations.

Frequently asked questions

Is AAMC PREview required for UC Davis MD?

Yes for regular MD applicants, with a September 30 deadline. MD/PhD applicants and Huwighurruk Scholars are exempt. How to apply

What is the interview format?

UC Davis uses a closed-file virtual MMI, usually on Mondays and Fridays from mid-August through early April. Station count and timing are not published. How to apply

Can international or DACA applicants apply?

Yes. International applicants need a full funding plan, and undocumented and DACA applicants are welcomed under the published conditions. How to apply

Is the medical school in Davis?

The school retains the UC Davis name, but its official admissions address and medical education facilities are in Sacramento. Admissions

Sources

Verified August 11, 2026. Current official sources used:

• How to apply — application stages, PREview, secondary, holistic criteria, virtual closed-file MMI, decisions and applicant-status rules.
• Admissions timeline — current monthly deadlines, interview season, decisions and enrollment milestones.
• Premedical requirements — degree, MCAT, prerequisites, course formats, credit rules and technical standards.
• Admissions overview — Sacramento location, program identity and community focus.
• I-EXPLORE curriculum — integrated curriculum, longitudinal experiences and Community Health Scholar programs.