Incoming Student Information

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Incoming Students

Incoming Student Information

Congratulations! You are now officially a member of UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine family! Please contact the Office of Professional Education at csteam@ucdavis.edu if you have any questions or concerns. We want to support you as you prepare to start the DVM program. In that effort, all incoming DVM students receive regular emails and Canvas announcements from our student support staff during the summer before enrollment. These emails and announcements contain information, resources, and tasks to be completed before the first day of the program. While the emails and announcements will have detailed instructions and deadlines, this page provides an overview of some of the most important tasks to complete.  

  • Submit your Statement of Intent to Registrar

  • Log in to the DVM applicant portal with the link provided to you via email.  Select the “Accept or Decline Your Admission” button on the home screen in the applicant portal.  Formally accepting your offer of admission lets us know that you plan to enroll in the UCD DVM program and is required before we can provide you with new student services and information.

  • Submit your Statement of Legal Residence

  • The Statement of Legal Residence (SLR) determines student fees. Even if you have lived in California all your life, you must still provide evidence of your residency.  The statement must be filed with the Office of the Registrar before the SVM can place you into DVM classes.  More information about the SLR is available at  https://registrar.ucdavis.edu/tuition/residence/processes/slr-basics.

  • Set up your UC Davis Computing Account and UC Davis Email

  • All new students must establish campus computing and UC Davis e-mail accounts. It may take up to 48 hours after submitting the Statement of Intent to Register (SIR) before you can access this function. These tasks must be completed to access instructional materials in Canvas, our online learning management system.  Detailed instructions about setting up a computing account are provided by the DVM Admissions staff in January; guidance regarding email accounts will be distributed by May. 

  • Complete the UC and SVM New Student Health Requirements

  • DVM students are required to complete the UC system-wide student health requirements before the start of the DVM program. These requirements include submitting a TB Risk Screening Questionnaire, evidence of COVID-19 vaccination, and immunization records to UCD Student Health and Counseling Services (SHCS). These immunization requirements include two MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) vaccines, two Varicella vaccines, one adult TDAP, and one meningococcal vaccine (Menactra, Menomune, or Menveo).

    In addition to system-wide health entrance requirements, DVM students must also demonstrate sufficient rabies titers, defined as equal to or above 0.5 IU/mL (~1:50). During the summer, detailed information will be provided to incoming students about how to meet this requirement by either submitting documentation to SHCS, or participating in an SHCS clinic that is organized by the SVM during the first term of enrollment.

    Finally, all incoming DVM students submit a release of health information (ROI) form.  This release allows the SHCS to share with the SVM specific health information that may affect our community, including incidents of animal bites and injuries, notification of zoonotic diseases, and the coordination of medical clearances for N95 mask fittings. The SVM does not gain access to an individual student’s confidential, medical record.

    More information about UC health requirements for new students can be found at https://shcs.ucdavis.edu/new-students. Additional information about rabies titers and the health information release will be provided by DVM support staff by May. 

  • Waive Enrollment in the UC Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) (optional)

  • All UC Davis students are required to have health insurance. You are automatically enrolled and charged for UC SHIP unless you waive it. You can read more about the UC SHIP dates and costs at https://shcs.ucdavis.edu/insurance. If you intend to waive UC SHIP and its associated costs, submit a waiver request by August 1.  Please note that if you want to waive UC SHIP, you must have your Computing Account set up to log into the online waiver application. More information about the waiver process is available at https://shcs.ucdavis.edu/uc-ship-waiver-information. 

  • Request Academic Accommodations (optional)

  • DVM students are responsible for contacting the Student Disability Center (SDC) before each semester to have accommodations for the academic term.  As it can take approximately two weeks to put accommodations into place, incoming students are encouraged to contact the SDC in July. To speak to a staff member at the Student Disability Center about services and the accommodation process, call (530) 752-3184 or email sdc@ucdavis.edu.

    For more information, visit the SDC website at https://sdc.ucdavis.edu/students. Please note that the website encourages students who receive accommodations to share that information with their instructors.  At the SVM, Dr. Watson, Associate Dean for Professional Education, implements your accommodations. To clarify, the SDC confirms your eligibility and makes accommodation recommendations; the Associate Dean implements those accommodations within the DVM curriculum. 

  • Pay Your Fees

  • Please refer to the UC Davis Budget and Institutional Analysis website for DVM fee information at https://budget.ucdavis.edu/student-resources/tuition-fees/professional/dvm.  Fees for the fall semester are assessed in early August.  Financial aid will automatically disburse to your student account to pay fees by the payment deadline of September 15. Students who prefer not to pay all of their fees by September 15 can sign up for a payment plan (“Deferred Payment Plan”). More information and instructions are available at  https://financeandbusiness.ucdavis.edu/student-resources/accounting/mybill/dpp 

  • Save the date for the White Coat Ceremony

  • You will work with patients and gain clinical skills at UC Davis in your first year. Therefore, you will take the School of Veterinary Medicine student oath, receive your white coat, and be welcomed into the veterinary profession by the dean in this ceremony that begins your professional education. The White Coat Ceremony is held the Friday evening of the first week of the fall semester.  More information about this year’s ceremony can be found at https://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/admissions/white-coat-ceremony.

  • Confirm Enrollment and Academic Participation

  • The SVM places you into your courses each term. Still, a university requirement is that you proactively confirm your schedule and your intent to participate in those courses in adherence to the UCD Code of Academic Conduct. Students will be notified by email and Canvas each term when it is time to confirm enrollment and academic participation.  More information about the academic participation requirement is available at https://participate.ucdavis.edu/students.

  • Complete Sexual Assault Prevention (SAP) Training

  • UC Davis requires that all professional students complete mandatory sexual assault prevention (SAP) training within the first six weeks of beginning classes at UC Davis.  To complete the SAP requirement, students will receive an email invite in which they will need to access and complete the online Sexual Assault Prevention module via Everfi. Additional information about deadlines and instructions will be provided by the DVM student support staff.

  • Get Fitted for an N95 Mask  

  • Although an N95 mask fitting is not required before enrollment, DVM students should know wearing an N95 mask is required to participate in some parts of the DVM curriculum.  In conjunction with UCD Student Health and Counseling Services and UCD Occupational Health, the SVM facilitates the medical clearances needed to wear an N95 mask. More information about the SVM/VMTH Respiratory Protection Program can be found at https://safety.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/vmth/respiratory-protection-program/.