Finding Your Global Community

Welcome!

Whether you are a continuing or incoming international student, a current scholar, or new to UC Davis, we are here to support you and help you find your Global Aggies community, so you feel as at home as possible.

You are a part of a vibrant global community of students, scholars, faculty, and staff from more than 140 countries. There are countless ways for you to learn from expert faculty, take your interests and skills to the next level, and form lifelong friendships. See below for programs, events, and resources.

Upcoming Programs and Events

Event and Save-the-Date Information

Scholar Coffee Breaks

Connect with other international scholars at the monthly SISS Scholar Coffee Break. Whether you are new to campus or have been here for several months, international scholars are invited to join SISS in this welcoming and virtual space.

September 1, 2022, 9-10 a.m.: Register in advance
October 6, 2022, 9-10 a.m.: Register in advance
November 3, 2022, 9-10 a.m.: Register in advance
December 1, 2022, 9-10 a.m.: Register in advance
January 5, 2023, 9-10 a.m.: Register in advance
February 2, 2023, 9-10 a.m.: Register in advance
Future events to be announced

Center for Student Involvement

Find student organizations and clubs, and discover a community of support and friendship. The UC Davis Center for Student Involvement (CSI) empowers students to get involved and develop a sense of belonging while discovering their passion. Find student organizations that share your interests (or discover new interests) and learn about their events. Find an organization and get involved.

Campus Recreation at Home and on Campus

Campus Recreation staff help keep you fit in body and mind wherever you are. Check out upcoming events, both virtual and on campus, that will help connect you to other Aggies!

Center for Leadership Learning

The Center for Leadership Learning Leadership Essentials Workshop Series (LEWS) is an opportunity to strengthen your leadership skills and knowledge and build peer and mentor connections. Open and free of charge to all undergraduate students, LEWS workshops are held throughout the quarter. Visit their upcoming events page for the most up-to-date information.

Campus Community Book Project

In support of our featured theme and selection, the Campus Community Book Project organizes a year-long program of lectures, panels, workshops, book discussions, film screenings, exhibits, performances, and more at UC Davis, UC Davis Health, and in our local Davis and Sacramento communities. Check out the Campus Community Book Project website for upcoming events that will connect you to the campus community.

Global Ambassadors Mentorship Program Events

Global Ambassador Mentorship Program events return in the fall to welcome new and transfer international students. Check back for event details.

Learn more about mentorship

First-Year Aggie Connections

First Year Aggie Connections groups up to 25 first-year and transfer students together based on shared purpose, interest, or theme. Connections meet regularly for one academic quarter and are led by staff or faculty facilitators who are passionate about the themed topics. Most connections are social opportunities and do not bear academic credit; a few connections offer one unit of academic credit for participation.

International Student and Scholar Handbook

Discover student organizations, get to know more about campus and academic resources, find opportunities to match your interests, and get a feel for your home away from home through our UC Davis International Student and Scholar Handbook.

SISS Handbook

Sign Up for Mentorship

Apply to receive mentorship through the Global Ambassador Mentorship Program! Applications are now open for 2022-23.

Global Affairs' Global Ambassador Mentorship Program is designed to help first-year and transfer international undergraduate students successfully adjust to life at UC Davis as well as to support continuing students in serving as mentors. We match new international students (mentees) with current students (mentor fellows) based on similar academic and social interests to connect them with a community of support and friends.

Examples of Global Ambassador Mentorship Program activities might include:

One-on-one chats and interactions with your mentor through whatever online channels work best for you both
Virtual game night for all international students
Virtual mindful drawing session with all mentors and mentees
Language learning and exchange
Craft nights

Learn more about our program and how you can get involved.

New Student Orientation

International Student Orientation

Congratulations and welcome to our UC Davis community! All orientation events for new international students and scholars for the fall will be virtual. Visit our international student orientation webpages for all the details to complete orientation requirements, to find resources to help adjust to life in the U.S., and to access campus resources remotely.

Resource Videos

Learn more about City of Davis and UC Davis campus resources:

Safety: the City of Davis Police Department and UC Davis Police Department explain about safety in the City of Davis and on campus.
Unitrans Bus System: learn how to use the Unitrans bus system in Davis, including where to catch the bus and how much the fare will be.
Biking: Davis is a bike-friendly city and campus. Learn about the importance of bike safety, what kind of bike to get, and how to get around campus and the city.
UC Student Health Insurance Plan (UC SHIP): if you have the UC SHIP health insurance policy, this video provides more details on how to access these services and their associated costs.
U.S. Healthcare 101: get an overview of the U.S. health care system and how to access health services in Davis.

See the full YouTube playlist for SISS videos. Trouble watching the videos? Don't forget to sign into the UC Davis VPN through the Library.

Watch the Event for Families of New Undergraduate Students

Family members of new undergraduate students can view a recording of the virtual Q&A event, How to Support Your Student. Hear from a panel of advisors about how parents and family members can help support their student during their studies, whether at Davis or in their home country. This session was designed for parents and family members of new undergraduate students.

Campus Orientation for All New Students

Undergraduates can visit the UC Davis Orientation page for more details about the comprehensive orientation experience for all new UC Davis undergraduate students.

Graduate students can learn more about the Graduate Student Orientation event from Graduate Studies, an intensive social and academic overview for new graduate students.

More Information

As always, Services for International Students and Scholars (SISS) is dedicated to helping you obtain and maintain the appropriate legal status. SISS Advisors are assigned by the first letter of your surname, can be found online, and are available by video and phone.

Stay up to date on the latest news and upcoming remote programs and events for our international community:

sign up for our international student and scholar newsletter
request to join our international student Facebook Group
join Global Affairs on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter

About Community at UC Davis

Welcome, Aggies!

Learn how UC Davis embraces its global community and creates connections for international students and scholars.

Watch the video about communities at UC Davis, and learn about community resources.

More Resources

There are many campus and community resources available to our international students and scholars. Read our International Student and Scholar Handbook and visit the resources section of our website to help with arriving, getting settled, and enjoying your time at UC Davis, including:

Global Aggies: Finding Community By Volunteering at the Knights Landing One Health Center

Singapore-native Jonathan Ho, a biochemistry and molecular biology student in the College of Biological Sciences, put his passions for food, nutrition, and volunteering into action in Knights Landing, a community 25 miles from campus.

Engage with Global Student Organizations

More than 50 UC Davis student organizations are globally-focused or serve international students, for example:

Project Rishi: Provides students with opportunities to face global challenges by enabling participation in community-based learning.
Engineers without Borders: Engages students in learning about and solving key global challenges related to water provision in a variety of communities.
HOPE at UC Davis: Connects students to challenges individuals in the local community face who are struggling with living without housing.
Student-led health clinics: Give students an opportunity to engage in direct health service provision and learn about health inequities in local clinics around the region.
Other Collective: Offers opportunities to explore the cultural and historical realities of students from South and Southwest Asia and North Africa.
Aggie Mentors: Pairs first year and transfer students with returning UC Davis students to ease the transition to university life.

Check out the Center for Student Involvement’s Involvement Calculator, which you can use to find student clubs and organizations that are a good fit for you.