Please check this page for answers to your questions before
using the contact form.
I am interested in applying.
When will applications open for this year?
The application period for the UC Davis Young Scholars Program
opens on January 15th and closes at 11:59 PM on March 15th.
Students wishing to apply for the coming summer must create a
user account before beginning the application process. User
accounts may be created beginning on January 15th.
Do I have to be a resident of California to attend the Young
Scholars Program?
No, you don’t have to be a resident of California to apply to and
attend the Young Scholars Program. We accept out-of-state
students who will be rising juniors or rising seniors during the
summer program. International students should refer to the
“International Students” page for additional information
that applies to international students only.
What is the cost of the program and what does the
cost include?
The program fee covers room and board for six weeks, field trips,
program activities, and five (5) units of university Group Study
credit. The anticipated cost for the 2024 summer program is
$6750, plus a fully refundable $200 security deposit.
Are scholarships available? If so, how much?
Significant fee reductions are available on a sliding scale
based on need, the number of students requesting reductions, and
the amount of money available. We cannot give estimates of
possible fee reductions prior to the application deadline because
there are too many variables.
To be considered for a fee reduction, you must submit your
request for consideration at the time of application.
These requests are not considered in the selection
process and are only reviewed after the selections have been
made.
To request a fee reduction, share a cover letter describing your
family’s financial obligations to the Program Director by March
15th:
Megan Bettis, Director
UC Davis Young Scholars Program
School of Education
One Shields Avenue
Davis, CA 95616
What is the application deadline?
Application deadline is March 15th at 11:59 PM. The online
application must be submitted by the deadline, as well as any
requests for fee reduction. Applicants will be notified of
the review committee’s decisions on or before April 15th.
Can I participate if I won’t be 16 years old by the start of the
program?
The UC Davis Young Scholars Program requires all participants to
be at least 16 years of age by the first day of the program
but not 18 years of age before the end of the program. No
exceptions are made and inquiries regarding exceptions will not
receive a reply.
How can I begin my application for the UC Davis Young Scholars
Program?
To begin your online application, you must create a new
account including a User Name and Password. Refer
to the “Application” page to begin. Please be sure that
cookies are enabled in your browser before beginning your
application.
If I’m accepted when will I be notified what my project will
be?
If accepted you will be notified of your project when you
arrive on the first day of the program. The available research
projects vary year-to-year but you can visit the “Research
Projects” page to see overviews of projects students
have worked on in the past. We anticipate projects that are
similar in scope and subject area this year.
Can I go home on the weekends?
Program participation includes Saturday field trips, including
one possible overnight field trip. Students are welcome to go
home after returning from the weekend field trips if they are
signed out by a parent or guardian and return by building curfew
on Sunday evening.
Requests to be absent for Saturday field trips for special
occasions will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Please use
the Contact form to email the Director with special
requests.
What is your acceptance rate?
UC Davis Young Scholars Program has an acceptance rate of about
10-15%. We accept 40 students per year.
Can I have a counselor or previous research mentor fill out a
recommendation for me?
Recommendation forms should be filled out
by teachers. At least one of the recommendations must
come from a science teacher. Recommendations completed by
counselors are discouraged.
My teacher didn’t get the recommendation – what should I do?
Requests for recommendations are emailed to your teachers when
you click the “Request Recommendation” button in the application.
If you teacher did not receive a recommendation request:
- Check that you correctly entered your teachers’ email
addresses
- Ask your teacher to check their SPAM or Junk mail folders for
email from mmckenzie@ucdavis.edu
- Have teachers’ add the email address mmckenzie@ucdavis.edu
- Resend the recommendation request
- If teachers’ have still not received your request, contact
the Director at mmckenzie@ucdavis.edu
Are students required to live in the dorms or can I live with a
family member in Davis?
The UC Davis Young Scholars Program is a residential program.
Participants are required to live in the dorm and can only be
checked out of the dorms for extended periods of time on a
temporary basis by a parent or guardian.
Do you accept supplemental application materials?
Supplemental application materials are not required and will not
be reviewed by the application committee.
Do you use a rolling admissions process?
No, all applications are reviewed at the same time after the
submission deadline.
Do citations in the essay questions count toward the total word
count?
Yes.
Can you tell me in advance how much of a fee reduction I can get?
No, we do not pre-determine the level of fee reductions any
applicant might qualify for. What we can say is that every year
the UC Davis Young Scholars Program awards up to $25,000 in
fee reductions. In recent years we’ve been able to award even
more fee reduction thanks to the generous support of the
Boroditsky Family Fund. These reductions are provided to
applicants who request consideration for the fee reduction at the
time of application. The amount of the fee reduction is based on
the family’s income, their specific financial circumstances, the
number of students requesting fee reductions and the amount of
funding available.
I have submitted an application.
What is my Applicant ID #?
In the acceptance package forms, it asks for my Applicant ID
#. Where can I find that number?
Your Applicant ID# is the same as your User ID#. You should be
able to find that number in your application submission
confirmation email. If you cannot find it there, simply insert
your home zip code/postal code number in its place.
Will UCD-YSP notify me when my application is received?
Unfortunately due to the volume of applications we
receive UCD-YSP is not able to confirm application
submission beyond the email that is sent upon submission. If you
do not receive an email confirmation, please check your Junk mail
folder or your SPAM folder.