Information for Foreign Applicants

English Proficiency

House officer applicants must be proficient in spoken and written English to be accepted. Applicants whose native language or language of instruction is not English must take the TOEFL, unless they have earned a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree from either:

a. A regionally accredited U.S. college or university, OR

b. A foreign college or university which is listed in the International Association of Universities' World Higher Education Database (https://www.iau-aiu.net/World-Higher-Education-Database-WHED) as providing instruction solely in English (letters from universities or programs indicating that English was the sole language of instruction will not be accepted). The English language testing requirement is waived for applicants from the following countries:

Australia
Ireland
New Zealand
Tanzania
Canada (excluding Quebec)
Jamaica
Sierra Leone
United Kingdom
Ghana
Kenya
South Africa

For applicants from countries where English is not the primary language spoken, the minimum required scores on the TOEFL iBT are 25 in listening, 22 in writing, 22 in speaking, and 23 in reading; no minimum overall score is required.

The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is given by Educational Testing Service (ETS). Their website address is http://www.ets.org/toefl. Official score reports must be sent directly to us by the applicant. TOEFL scores expire after two years. Scores that are older than two years will not be accepted.

Visa Requirements

Candidates should be US citizens, US permanent residents, or foreign nationals eligible for a J1 scholar visa (and at the time of application not be subject to holds, bars or in-country rules) or Canadian/ Mexican citizens eligible for a TN visa. We will NOT pursue other visa categories. The offer of a residency may be withdrawn if written evidence of a visa is not provided by July 1, 2024.

Further information on J-1 visas can be found on the following websites:J-1 basics: https://j1visa.state.gov/basics/J-1 research scholar specifics: https://j1visa.state.gov/programs/research-scholar https://siss.ucdavis.edu/scholars_depts/j_visa/index.html

Additional information on TN visa eligibility can be found here:https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/employment/visas-canadian-mexican-nafta-professional-workers.html

Applicants are responsible for ensuring they are eligible for one of the 2 visa types we offer.

SISS (Services for International Students and Scholars)

Services for International Students and Scholars (SISS) assists incoming and current international students and scholars, and their families, with visa and immigration issues while they are at UC Davis.

Please see the SISS website to learn more about other services SISS offers to international students and scholars. https://siss.ucdavis.edu/contact-us