Davidson Fellows Scholarship: Eligibility and Application Guide

The Davidson Fellows Scholarship is a prestigious award that recognizes and supports exceptionally talented students who have demonstrated extraordinary achievements. Named after the Davidson Institute, the scholarship aims to encourage and reward young innovators and creators who have the potential to make significant contributions to society. The scholarship provides substantial financial support to help recipients pursue their academic and professional goals.

Overview

The Davidson Fellows Scholarship is awarded to gifted and high-achieving students, 18 years old or younger, who have completed a significant project or body of work. This prestigious scholarship provides a unique opportunity for gifted students to receive substantial financial support and recognition for their outstanding work.

Who is Eligible?

To be eligible for the Davidson Fellows Scholarship, applicants must meet several criteria:

Age: Be 18 years old or younger. There is no minimum age for eligibility.
Citizenship: Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident residing in the United States, or be stationed overseas due to active U. S. military duty.
Significant Work: Have completed a significant piece of work in one of the submission categories. Significant work is an accomplishment that experts in the field recognize as meaningful and has the potential to make a positive contribution to society. The Davidson Institute is looking for students whose projects are at, or close to, the college graduate level with a depth of knowledge in their particular area of study. This scholarship is not geared toward students at the novice level.
Originality: Be able to demonstrate that the work is his or her own creation. All intellectual property contained within the application remains that of the applicant. Application contents are only shared with Davidson Fellows staff and judges. Davidson Fellows judges sign confidentiality agreements.
Attendance: Be available to attend an in-person event, with at least one parent or guardian, or virtual awards ceremony. Davidson Fellows must be available to attend, with one parent or guardian, the awards reception and other recognition events to be held in September in Washington, DC. (Travel expenses and lodging will be provided by the Institute.)
Team Submissions: Teams of two are eligible. Both team members must meet eligibility requirements. If it is a team submission, one parent form is required per team member.

Submission Categories

The Davidson Fellows Scholarship recognizes exceptional work in several categories:

Science
Technology
Engineering
Mathematics
Literature
Music
Philosophy
Outside the Box

Each category has different requirements. Every applicant must submit the required elements outlined within their category of choice, plus two nominator forms and all of the Attachments. Carefully review the category requirement checklists below.

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Project Criteria

Scholarships are awarded on the basis of significant work. Significant work is an accomplishment that experts in the field recognize as meaningful and has the potential to make a positive contribution to society. The Davidson Institute is looking for students whose projects are at, or close to, the college graduate level with a depth of knowledge in their particular area of study. This scholarship is not geared toward students at the novice level.

What Kind of Projects Are NOT Accepted?

Community service projects are not accepted. IMPORTANT: The Davidson Fellows Scholarship does NOT accept community service projects.
Describing a future major or occupation is NOT an eligible submission. Additionally, describing a future major or occupation is NOT an eligible submission.
Projects in the arts including photography, sculpture, film, visual, etc. Please note: Projects in the arts including photography, sculpture, film, visual, etc. are not eligible for consideration.
Projects involving live vertebrates are not eligible.
Projects involving the following live invertebrates like C. elegans, Drosophila, Hydra, Mosquitoes are eligible. Additionally, projects involving zebrafish no older than 168 hours post-fertilization are eligible.
Projects using human subjects are eligible - IRB paperwork must be submitted with the initial portion of the application.
Projects using commercially available cell lines are eligible.
Tissue-related projects are eligible if: the materials were collected for other purposes; no embryos were sacrificed; the student is collaborating with a qualified lead scientist; and the applicant provides approval from a recognized Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Scientific Review Committee (SRC). Please submit documentation (ISEF forms are accepted) with the initial portion of the application for review by the Davidson Fellows program to ensure eligibility.

Application Procedure

The application for The Davidson Fellows Scholarship is a Two-Part Application Process:

Application Process Part 1: Submit a brief project/portfolio description through the online application to confirm eligibility. Approval takes 1-2 business days.
Application Process Part 2: Upon approval, provide your nominator’s details and send them their forms. Input parent information for approval forms (one per applicant; team members each require a form).

Important Details:

Deadline: February 12, 2025, 11:59 PM PT. The 2026 application will open November 3 and the deadline is February 11, 2026.
Only one project per student is allowed. Students can apply with one project only
Google products (e.g., Google Docs, Google Videos) are not allowed.
Intellectual property remains solely with the applicant. All intellectual property contained within the application remains that of the applicant.
Applicants must follow the stated directions. The instructions have been developed by past judges and are designed to allow the applicant the best opportunity to demonstrate his or her work.

Application Tips

Carefully read the project category requirements on this webpage.
Submit Part 1 early to allow more time for completing forms and requirements. Please submit the initial portion of the application as soon as possible.
Carefully select nominators using the SAMPLE Nominating Form (PDF). Are two nominators required? Yes, two different nominators are required.
Watch the "How to Apply" video for tips.

Selection Process

Each application is examined for completeness and accuracy. Qualified entries are sorted and evaluated by category and reviewed by an independent team of judges comprised of professionals with expertise in related domain areas. The judges may, at their sole discretion, consult with additional experts to assist in evaluating the merits of any of the submissions. Based on the criteria specified, the independent team of judges selects the most extraordinary applicants to be named Davidson Fellows and determines the level of scholarship to be awarded: $100,000, $50,000 or $25,000. The independent team of judges will identify which applicants will be named Davidson Fellows and decide whether they will receive a $10,000, $25,000 or $50,000 scholarship. Judges’ Project Selection Scale (PDF).

The selection of Davidson Fellows is based on the following:

The scope and quality of the work submitted.
The level of significance of the work submitted, as deemed by experts in the domain area (or a related domain area).
The applicant’s depth of knowledge and understanding of the work and the related domain area.

Scholarship Restrictions

Each scholarship may be used only for qualified tuition and related expenses, as defined in the Internal Revenue Code §117(b) and related regulations. The Davidson Institute shall determine the time and conditions of payment of scholarships at its sole discretion. The Davidson Institute may specify the documentation required to assure the Davidson Institute that the recipient is following an appropriate course of study. If the recipient withdraws from school or the recipient's progress is unsatisfactory, and the recipient makes no alternate arrangements to pursue courses at the same or another educational institution, then, at its sole discretion, the Davidson Institute may terminate the scholarship. Scholarship money will be available for 10 years from the date of the award.

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The Davidson Fellows scholarship must be used to further the recipient's education through attendance at an accredited institution of learning. The list of accredited institutions can be found at the Regional Accreditation Board based on the school's geographic area. Do scholarship recipients have to major in the same subject category in which they applied for the Davidson Fellows scholarship? No.

Additional Opportunities

The Davidson Fellows Honorable Mention is intended to recognize applicants who have displayed notable potential in their field of study and strongly encourage them to continue pursuing their efforts and talents.

Read also: Davidson College Deadlines

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