About Us - Program Outreach

Davidson Institute & Davidson Academy - Summary of Programs

Both the Davidson Institute and Davidson Academy are dedicated to supporting profoundly gifted students in the United States. Below you will find information about our summer programs, scholarships and accredited online school. Please visit the Davidson Institute's social media pages (links at the bottom of this page) for the most up-to-date information about our programs or email communications@davidsongifted.org. If you have any questions about our online learning options listed below, please email online@davidsongifted.org.

Davidson Academy

The Davidson Academy offers two accredited educational options specifically designed to meet the needs of profoundly gifted students – an online campus for those living anywhere in the U.S. and Canada, and a school on the University of Nevada, Reno campus for local residents. The online school, offering both full-time and single course enrollments, further strengthens the Davidson Academy’s commitment to the profoundly gifted population by bringing the Davidson Academy experience to students whose families are unable to relocate to Reno. Both options are centered on a rigorous academic environment where students thrive among their intellectual peers. Classes are grouped by ability level, rather than by age, thereby providing profoundly gifted young people an educational opportunity matched to their abilities, strengths and interests.

National, Accredited Online Campus
Davidson Academy Online is a school for profoundly gifted students living anywhere in the United States and Canada. Applicants must submit appropriate test scores according to the Qualification Criteria. Please visit the How to Apply page for details. The 2020-2021 application deadline has passed. The 2021-2022 application will be available in the fall.

Reno, Nevada Campus
The Academy's free, public day school is located on the University of Nevada, Reno campus for profoundly gifted middle and high school students living in the Reno area. To attend the Davidson Academy in Reno, students must be at the middle or high school level across all subject areas and score in the 99.9th percentile on IQ or college entrance tests, such as the ACT or SAT. Please visit the Qualification Criteria and How to Apply pages for details. The 2020-2021 application deadline has passed. The 2021-2022 application will be available in the fall.

Davidson Institute

Davidson Fellows $50,000, $25,000 and $10,000 Scholarships
The Davidson Institute for Talent Development offers high-achieving young people across the country the opportunity to be named a 2020 Davidson Fellow, an honor accompanied by a $50,000, $25,000 or $10,000 scholarship in recognition of a significant piece of work in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Music, Literature, Philosophy or Outside the Box. Applicants must submit an original piece of work that is recognized as significant by experts in the field and that has the potential to make a positive contribution to society. The scholarship may be used at any accredited college or university. The 2021 application will be available in the fall.

THINK Summer Institute – Three-Week Academic Residential Program
The Davidson Institute is seeking gifted teens to attend the Davidson THINK Summer Institute. THINK is a three-week residential summer program on the campus of the University of Nevada, Reno where students can earn up to six college credits by completing two university courses. The 2020 THINK Summer Institute will run from July 13 through August 3. Tuition is $3,800 and covers course credits, books and materials, room and board, and the cost of planned activities. Need-based scholarships are available. To qualify, students must be 13 to 16 years old during THINK and must submit a SAT or an ACT score report. The 2021 application will be available in the fall.

Davidson Young Scholars Program
The national Davidson Young Scholars program provides FREE services designed to nurture the intellectual, social, emotional, and academic development of profoundly intelligent young people. Families can choose from a range of opportunities and services available exclusively to Young Scholars and their parents. Collaborate with a team of knowledgeable Family Consultants who provide individualized support based on each family’s unique needs, in the areas of educational advocacy and planning, social and emotional development, and identifying opportunities to nurture the Young Scholar’s talents and interests. Connect with other Young Scholar families online through a dynamic private website offering discussion forums, personal profiles, online seminars, and more! Meet other families in-person through parent-planned regional events or the annual conference-style event hosted by the Davidson Institute. Encourage your Young Scholar to participate in programs designed specifically for them, such as online middle school courses taught by Davidson Academy faculty, the STARS summer program for 8 to 12 year olds, or the Ambassador Program, which fosters learning and civic engagement through community service, volunteerism and leadership. Apply for the Young Scholars program today! The application for Davidson Young Scholars is always open for students between the ages of 5 and 16, with a rolling deadline of the first of each month.