Aerial view of the ASUCD Unitrans terminal at the Memorial Union (Salvatore Opipari/Aggie Studios—UC Davis)

Housing and Transportation

Housing Options

Graduate Student and Family Housing

Graduate students and their family members are eligible to live in any of the four apartment communities on the UC Davis campus. A number of facilities are family-friendly and students with families receive priority over other applicants. For more information or to request an application, please visit the Student Housing and Dining Services website. 

To learn more about the newly redeveloped Orchard Park Apartments, please visit the Orchard Park website.

Off-Campus Housing

There are many off-campus housing options in the city of Davis and surrounding areas, including apartments, rental houses, and rooms to rent. Options vary in price and proximity to campus, so be sure you consider transportation to and from campus.

Although UC Davis does not endorse the resources below, many international students and scholars have found them useful for finding off-campus housing. The University of California also created a guide to help estimate the cost of off-campus housing by UC campus.  

Transportation

UC Davis is the largest campus in the UC system with 5,300 acres, so it pays to spend a little time figuring out how to get around this beautiful and expansive campus. 

  • Bike
  • One of the primary ways that most UC Davis students, faculty and staff navigate campus is by bicycle. As one of the most bike-friendly campuses in the U.S., UC Davis has tons of bike paths, bike service stations and bike racks and lockers throughout campus, plus a map of bike commuter showers and lockers.

    Bike Barn: To buy a bike or any biking accessories, or to get your bike serviced, most students visit the ASUCD Bike Barn, which is located in the heart of campus. There also are a slew of bike shops in downtown Davis where you can buy a bike. When buying a bike, consider purchasing a bike that is durable enough to last four years, but isn't so expensive that it is tempting for thieves.

    Bike Registration: Since there are so many bikes at UC Davis, all bikes on campus must have a current California Bicycle License. You can get a bicycle license at UC Davis Transportation Services (TAPS), the Bike Barn or other locations in downtown Davis. Bicycle licenses are valid for approximately two years and for a nominal fee you can purchase a new license or renew an old one. If you lost your bike lock key or maybe it just stopped working, TAPS will cut your lock if your bike is registered.

    Bike Auction: Twice a year, usually in October and May, TAPS auctions off any abandoned or unclaimed bikes to the public.
  • Bus

  • Unitrans: UC Davis has a great, student-run campus bus system that students can use for travel around campus as well as places such as downtown Davis, West Village, the hospital, neighborhood shopping centers, medical offices, theaters and the Davis Farmers Market. Visit the Unitrans website for information about fares for graduate students, routes, general info and more. 

    Yolobus: The red Unitrans bus isn't the only bus you'll see around town; the Yolobus can take you around Yolo County and neighboring areas. If you need a ride to Davis, West Sacramento, Winters, Woodland, downtown Sacramento, Sacramento International Airport, Cache Creek Casino Resort, Esparto, Madison, Dunnigan and Knights Landing then hop on a Yolobus.

    UC Davis Medical Center Shuttle: The UC Davis/UC Davis Medical Center shuttle will take you from UC Davis' main campus in Davis over to the UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento. UC Davis students, faculty, staff, interns, volunteers, patients and visitors can take the bus for a small fare. Drivers can't take cash so you must buy tickets. (See where to buy passes.)

    They offer transportation Monday through Friday, excluding university holidays, and all shuttles are ADA accessible and can accommodate bikes. Pick up locations are at the Silo Terminal, Health Sciences Lot 56 and the Mondavi Center. View a schedule of exact departure and arrival times.

    UC Davis-UC Berkeley Intercampus Shuttle: There also is an intercampus bus service that provides transportation between the Davis and Berkeley campuses for UC Davis and UC Berkeley faculty, staff and registered students. The intercampus bus service runs year-round, seven days a week, with the exception of some holidays.

  • Walk

  • Being located in Northern California, UC Davis has wonderful weather most of the year for walking around campus. Much of the campus is closed off to through traffic, so walking to and from class can be a breeze, as long as you watch for bike traffic.

    And if you are looking to take a stroll through campus, then you should visit the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden, which is a 100-acre public garden that has a beautiful two-mile paved walking trail running through it.

  • Drive
  • Another way to navigate campus is using a car, although many students don't choose this mode of transportation since no cars are allowed in the heart of campus. If you do decide to drive, you will need a parking permit, which you can purchase at Transportation Services (TAPS). They sell parking permits in person or online for daily, quarterly or yearly parking.

    Roadside Assistance and Carpool: TAPS doesn't just sell permits and hand out parking tickets, they also offer lockout service, tire inflation, jumpstart and will even take you to the gas station. It is also the place to go if you want to register to become part of a carpool or vanpool.

    Where to Park: There are a number of parking lots located around campus, but accessibility depends on the type of permit or parking pass that you have. Be sure to view the UC Davis parking lot map to see the best place for you to park when you are on campus. You can get daily permits at kiosks located in many of the parking lots or short-term and long-term permits at TAPS.

    Go Green With Your Car: If you have an electric car, you are in luck. As one of the "greenest" campuses in the U.S., UC Davis has a number of electric car charging stations located around campus. The campus also has Zipcars available to rent if you are 18 years or older.
  • Other Services

  • Aggie Hosts Security Service: Aggie Hosts are non-sworn student security officers that will provide rides or walking escorts to students, staff and faculty. Don't hesitate to call if you don't feel safe walking alone on campus, especially since the service is free.

    Mobility Assistance Shuttle: If you need help getting around on campus, the Mobility Assistance Shuttle (MAS) gives UC Davis students, faculty and staff with documented disabilities (temporary or permanent) a ride. They only provide on-campus rides to specified locations for academic or work-related purposes year-round.

    UC Davis Safe Ride: Free and convenient, UC Davis Safe Ride will pick graduate and undergraduate students up from any on-campus location starting at 5 p.m. and take you to another on-campus location. Starting at 8 p.m., UC Davis Safe Ride will even take you from campus to your residential address in the City of Davis. Download the UC Davis Safe Ride App.

    Mobility Assistance Shuttle: If you need help getting around on campus, the Mobility Assistance Shuttle (MAS) gives UC Davis students, faculty and staff with documented disabilities (temporary or permanent) a ride. They only provide on-campus rides to specified locations for academic or work-related purposes year-round.

  • Leaving Davis

  • Amtrak: Take a mini-vacation to the Bay Area or maybe visit Sacramento for the day; either way, Amtrak can get you there.

    Davis Airporter: If you're heading to the airport, consider using the Davis Airporter. You will need to make your reservation ahead of time, but they'll pick you up at your door and drop you off at either the Sacramento or San Francisco airport.