The Davidson Fellows Scholarship program recognizes that the COVID-19 pandemic has affected opportunities for students to pursue their projects/portfolios, whether at school, university lab, performance venue or at home.
Please read our COVID-19 Statement for additional information on changes and updates made to the application process.
To be eligible for consideration as a Davidson Fellow, applicants must:
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. See specific Category Requirements below.
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 Cambridge, Massachusetts. (Travel expenses and lodging will be provided by the Institute.)
Category Requirements (Please click on the category link and carefully review before proceeding to application)
STEM Categories - Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics
Humanities Categories - Literature, Music, Philosophy Outside the Box
Project CriteriaScholarships 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. Such work may be:
Please note: Projects in the arts including photography, sculpture, film, visual, etc. are not eligible for consideration.
The 2021 application is now open. Apply Here
The deadline is March 10, 2021, 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time.
Please submit the initial portion of the application as soon as possible. This initial portion will ask you for your project title and description, as well as your nominators’ names and email addresses, if you leave any of these items blank, your application will be sent back to you for completion.
SAMPLE Nominating Form (PDF)
Each submission is examined for completeness and accuracy. Qualified entries are then sorted by category and evaluated by an independent team of judges comprised of professionals with expertise in related domain areas. The team of judges may, at their sole discretion, consult with additional experts to assist in evaluating the merits of each submission.
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)
All applicants are notified on or before July 15 each year.
Read the Scholarship Rules and Regulations. If you have any questions, please email DavidsonFellows@DavidsonGifted.org. The Davidson Fellows Scholarship Program does not discriminate based on race, gender, religion, ethnicity or disability. Frequently Asked Questions about the Davidson Fellows Scholarship
The following disclosure is provided pursuant to Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) 598.1305:The Davidson Institute for Talent Development is a Nevada non-profit corporation which is recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)3 tax-exempt private operating foundation. We are dedicated to supporting the intellectual and social development of profoundly gifted students age 18 and under through a variety of programs. Contributions are tax deductible. Profoundly gifted students are those who score in the 99.9th percentile on IQ and achievement tests. Read more about this population in this article.