Admission Requirements

Applicants must meet the following admission requirements:

• Master's Degree: Completion of a minimum of a master's degree from a U.S. regionally accredited institution or foreign equivalent before the start date of the internship program.
• Recency of Coursework: The academic coursework for a Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) or a graduate nutrition degree (masters or Ph.D. level) must have been completed within three years before the date of entrance into the internship program.
• Accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics: Applicants will need to have completed or be in the process of completing an accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) or a Foreign Dietitian Education program (FDE), as specified by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). A "Verification Statement" or "Declaration of Intent" to complete form must be submitted on-line to Dietetic Internship Centralized Application Services (DICAS).
• Minimum DPD GPA of 3.0.
• Verification Statement: Must be provided by the start date of the internship.
• Official Transcript of Bachelor's and Master's Degree: Must be provided by the start date of the internship.
• New Admission Requirements Coming in 2024: Applicants participating in the Spring 2023 or later dietetic internship match at UC Davis Medical Center (i.e. beginning with the 2023-2024 DI year) will be required to complete a minimum of a Master's degree before the start of the internship, in addition to completion of the accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics. For more information on graduate degree requirements and the new eligibility requirements for registered dietitian nutritionists (RDN), please visit the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics webpage for students.

Upon acceptance to the UC Davis Dietetic Internship program, the accepted applicant must meet the following Human Resource requirements:

• California State Criminal Background Check: UC Davis Medical Center Human Resources will conduct a background check at no cost to the intern. Candidates must pass the background check in order to enter the UC Davis Medical Center Internship.
• Obtain a health clearance: Interns must arrive in Sacramento before the internship start date to complete a mandatory health screening through UC Davis Medical Center Employee Health. It is recommended that interns arrive three weeks before the official start date in order to complete the health screening process.
• Proof of visa status for non US citizens: Non U.S. citizens must provide proof of appropriate visa status. A non U.S. citizen must be approved by the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services for Optional Practice Training (OPT) to complete a dietetic internship. It is the student's responsibility to coordinate the OPT application with his/her DPD school.
• Proof of employment eligibility: Interns must complete an I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification form prior to the start of the internship to document verification of identity and employment authorization. Interns must bring appropriate documents that establish identity and authorization to work in the United States with them to the initial HR appointment in August. Please utilize the following link to view the Department of Homeland Security's list of acceptable unexpired documentation that may be used to complete the I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification form. http://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/acceptable-documents.

• Substance abuse screening: All dietetic interns are subject to UCD Medical Center’s substance abuse screening to ensure the continuing safety of our workforce, patients, constituencies and community members, and the security of University resources.  The substance abuse screening will be at no cost to the intern. Candidates must pass in order to enter the Dietetic Internship.