Students riding bicycles on west quad UC Davis
About Us
Blue graphic of a kneeling person reaching toward a flowering plant

We grow California

UC Davis was founded in 1908 to serve the state of California. More than a century later, that mission still drives us in our classrooms, our labs and the communities we serve. What started as a place to study the land is now a university that helps shape its future.

Where is UC Davis?

Our main campus is located in Davis, California, a lush green college town just 15 miles west of Sacramento.

Check out California's College Town

Locations

An aerial view of the UC Davis Medical Center

Directions & Parking

A female student rides her bike in a bike lane next to a passing automobile

Campus Tours

A UCD tour guide takes his group through the Memorial Union

Virtual Tour

A tour group walks through campus with a digital arrow superimposed over them.

Visit UC Davis

An obelisk made of bicycle parts in downtown Davis, ca

UC Davis at a glance

39,414
Students
107
Academic Majors
101
Graduate Degrees
6
Professional Schools
21:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
625
Bed Teaching Hospital
25
Division I Sports
5
Campus Museums
Modern outdoor plaza with white circular canopy, striped paving, and orange-umbrella food cart

What sets UC Davis apart?

Our talented students are more likely to collaborate than compete. This friendly approach has led to an incredibly rich campus community that turns big ideas into real solutions.

Unique to UC Davis

A researcher adjusts some lab machinery

Undergraduate research

Male student studying in a room

Flexible majors

A crowded Davis street

College town atmosphere

Sustainability

Woman takes sample from shark while another woman holds the shark

Teamwork and humility

Photo of Jeff Bruchez among many bicycles.

Bicycles, bicycles everywere!

Two white oval sculptures, one blank and one with a serene face, on a grassy mound.
Torn brown paper label with vertical list of printed plant names

Land Acknowledgement

We should take a moment to acknowledge the land on which UC Davis is located. For thousands of years, this land has been the home of Patwin people. Today, there are three federally recognized Patwin tribes: Cachil DeHe Band of Wintun Indians of the Colusa Indian Community, Kletsel Dehe Wintun Nation, and Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation. The Patwin people have remained committed to the stewardship of this land over many centuries. It has been cherished and protected, as elders have instructed the young through generations. We are honored and grateful to be here today on their traditional lands.

Learn more about Land Acknowledgment

UC davis quad covered in haystacks circa 1910
UC Davis history
We first opened our doors in 1908 as the University Farm, the research and science-based instruction extension of UC Berkeley. As the century evolved, our mission expanded beyond agriculture to match a larger understanding of how we should be serving the public.
Students participate in the Picnic Day parade
1909: After University Farm School opens in January with 18 students, more than 2,200 people attend the first Picnic Day in May.
A UC Davis student walks a cow through campus in the early 20th century
1916: Animals from the University Farm herd sweep championships at the Chicago International Livestock Show.
A group of UC Davis farmworkers gather in the early 20th century
1938: The campus is renamed the College of Agriculture at Davis. One hundred and six courses are taught by 76 faculty.
A group of students enjoy an outdoor chemistry class on Mrak Mall
1940: The Division of Chemistry acquires the first patents for the entire University of California.
A student and her mother walk through the UC Davis campus in the late 1960s
1959: The regents designate UC Davis and UC Riverside general campuses.
1969: A picture of the first whole earth day at UC Davis
1969: Begun as an “art happening”, the Whole Earth Festival attracts 30,000 folks for eclectic music, henna tattoos, vegan food and regional crafts.
Two veterinary researchers pose in their lab in the 1980s
1975: The veterinary school is ranked first in the nation by a national survey of deans.
A UC Davis quarterback throws the ball in a 1980 football game
1990: The football team wins its 20th consecutive league championship, a national record.
Two UC Davis staff pose next to the worlds first full body PET scanner that they invented
2018: UC Davis scientists unveil images from the world’s first total body scanner.