Graduate Studies Eliminates the Student Candidacy Fee

Effective Sept. 15, 2025, Graduate Studies has eliminated the student candidacy fee.

Both master’s and doctoral students were previously charged the candidacy fee as part of their advancement to candidacy. The candidacy fee has now been eliminated as part of recent modifications to the advancement process. This adjustment reflects Graduate Studies’ ongoing efforts to evolve our processes in conjunction with our university’s and community’s needs.

About Graduate Studies

For 100 years, graduate ​education has been a major feature on this campus. In 1925, the first 12 graduate students enrolled in the College of Agriculture. Since then, graduate education in Davis has expanded to offer over 100 graduate and professional degree programs and boast a community of roughly 7,000 graduate students, 1,000 postdoctoral scholars and more than 80,000 graduate alumni. As a central hub to guide and support this community across all aspects of graduate education and postdoctoral scholarship, Graduate Studies boosts the state-of-the-art research facilities and collaborative spirit that establishes UC Davis as a global leader in education, scholarship and innovation.