# 2025-2026 General Catalog

**Source**: https://catalog.ucdavis.edu/undergraduate-education/university-degree-requirements/entry-level-writing/
**Parent**: https://catalog.ucdavis.edu/

The Entry Level Writing Requirement (ELWR) is a University of California requirement. Every first-year student in the UC system must demonstrate their college-level proficiency in writing by fulfilling the ELWR. University-level writing requires students to read carefully, analyze readings with understanding, and draw conclusions about what is read. For more information, see [Entry Level Writing Requirement](https://elw.ucdavis.edu).

Students must fulfill ELWR by the end of their third quarter of enrollment; students who do not fulfill ELWR by the end of their third quarter of enrollment face disenrollment from the university.

## Before enrolling at UC Davis, students can fulfill ELWR two ways:

1. Earning one threshold score on one of the following exams:¹
   - 30 or better on the ACT, English Language Arts.
   - 63 or better on the ACT English exam + the ACT Reading exam.
   - 680 or better on the SAT, Evidence-Based Reading and Writing.\
     Note: *The digital SAT Reading & Writing section score is not approved to meet the ELWR.*
   - 3 or above on either Advanced Placement (AP) Examination in English (Language and Composition or Literature and Composition).
   - 3 or above on [Advanced Placement Seminar](https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-seminar) exam.
   - 3 or above on [Advanced Placement Research](https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-research).
   - 5 or above on an International Baccalaureate (IB) Higher Level English A: Literature exam (formerly known as Higher Level English A1 exam).
   - 6 or above on an International Baccalaureate (IB) Standard Level English A: Literature exam (formerly known as Standard Level English A1 exam).
   - 5 or above on an International Baccalaureate (IB) Higher Level English A: Language and Literature exam.
   - 6 or above on an International Baccalaureate (IB) Standard Level English A: Language and Literature exam.
2. Earning a passing grade in a transferable college writing course. For more information about transferable college writing courses, see [Assist.org](https://assist.org).\
   \
   NOTE: Official [score reports/transcripts must be sent to UC Davis](https://www.ucdavis.edu/admissions/undergraduate/transcripts-test-scores) for ELWR fulfillment.

## After enrolling at UC Davis, students can fulfill ELWR three ways:

1. **UC Davis Writing Placement System.** Writing Placement Survey can be taken only once and is only available to incoming first-year undergraduate students. For more information, see [Entry Level Writing Requirement](https://elw.ucdavis.edu).
2. **UC Davis ELWR fulfilling course.** Earning a C or higher in a designated, credit-bearing writing course fulfills ELWR:
   - UWP 007, a face-to-face 4 unit writing course.
   - UWP 007Y, a hybrid 4 unit writing course with weekly in-person, synchronous meetings and asynchronous components.
   - UWP 007V, a fully online 4 unit writing course with some synchronous and asynchronous components.
   - UWP 007M, a face-to-face 4 unit writing course that offers additional academic English language development instruction and support for non-native English speakers.
   - UWP 001A, a face-to-face 2 unit writing co-course that must be taken concurrently with UWP 001, UWP 1Y, or UWP 001V.
   - ENL 003A, a face-to-face 2 unit writing co-course that must be taken concurrently with ENL 003.
   - NAS 005A, a face-to-face 2 unit writing co-course that must be taken concurrently with NAS 005.\
     \
     NOTE: Currently, P/NP grade mode is not permitted if the course is used for ELWR fulfillment.
3. **UC Online ELWR fulfilling course.**Earning a C or higher in a designated, credit-bearing writing course offered by UC Online/Cross Campus Enrollment (listed below) that fulfills ELWR.
   - WR 040, a fully online 4 unit writing course offered through [Cross-Campus enrollment](https://registrar.ucdavis.edu/registration/special-programs/uc-online) and taught by UC Irvine.\
     \
     NOTE: Students must meet certain eligibility criteria to enroll through Cross-Campus enrollment and should check in with the advisors in their Dean's Office prior to enrollment.

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