Back to Internship Guide
    Competition Prep Guide

    Davidson Fellows Scholarship

    $10K / $25K / $50K scholarships for significant original work. ~20 winners selected annually.

    Eligibility

    • Under 18 as of Oct 1 of award year
    • U.S. citizen or permanent resident residing in the U.S.
    • Original work in STEM, Literature, Music, Philosophy, or Outside the Box
    • Work must demonstrate graduate-level depth and significance

    Annual Timeline

    1. Year prior

      Develop project to substantial depth — multi-year work strongly preferred

    2. Sep–Jan

      Draft application materials: project description, significance statement, recommendations

    3. February

      Submit application (online portal closes mid-February)

    4. Apr–Jul

      Semifinalist interviews and reviews

    5. September

      Davidson Fellows announced; awards ceremony in Washington, D.C.

    Preparation Strategy

    1

    Treat this as a portfolio, not a project

    Davidson rewards sustained excellence — most Fellows have 2+ years of work culminating in a defining piece (paper, composition, software system, philosophical thesis).

    2

    Significance statement is the differentiator

    The 'Why does this matter?' essay separates Fellows from semifinalists. Connect your work to a real question or community in a specific, non-grandiose way.

    3

    Choose recommenders who know your work deeply

    Generic 'great student' letters fail. Pick mentors who can speak to your independent thinking and original contributions over time.

    Common Pitfalls

    • Submitting a school-class project rather than independent work.
    • Vague significance claims ('this could change the world').
    • Underestimating the philosophical/literature categories — they expect peer-review-ready writing.

    Official Resources

    Book Strategy Session

    Get a personalized prep plan for Davidson Fellows Scholarship from a senior counselor.

    Other Competition Prep Guides

    Regeneron Science Talent Search
    America's oldest and most prestigious pre-college science research competition.
    Regeneron International Science & Engineering Fair
    World's largest pre-college STEM competition. ~1,800 finalists from 75+ countries.
    USA Computing Olympiad
    Tiered algorithmic programming competition. Platinum-division qualification is a top-tier CS credential.
    Congressional App Challenge
    Build an app, win recognition from your member of Congress, get displayed in the U.S. Capitol.
    AMC → AIME → USAMO Pathway
    The canonical US math competition pathway. USAMO qualification is among the strongest STEM admissions signals.
    Federal Reserve High School Essay Competition
    Federal Reserve System's flagship economics writing competition for high school students.