Access & Belonging
We welcome you.
Differences are grounds for exploration. Not only do our students accept differences—they are driven to explore them.
Students have the opportunity to live with, learn from, and share experiences with students of different backgrounds, beliefs, and perspectives.
This work begins with the Office of Admission and Financial Aid, where we strive to enrich our community by attracting and supporting students of diverse backgrounds and perspectives through their college search and application process.
Access Davidson
Access Davidson is a selective college visit program designed for high school seniors who will be the first in their family to attend college, students from rural or low-income backgrounds, and/or students who do not have the means to visit campus on their own (either because of geographic distance or financial stress). This year's programming will be held virtually.
Community-Based Organizations (CBOs)
Davidson partners with many talent search and community-based organizations to identify, enroll and support students who can thrive at Davidson, regardless of their circumstances. Over the past decade, our relationships with CBOs have expanded. Partners like QuestBridge, among others, have helped us recruit students across all backgrounds and life experiences. If you are a counselor with a CBO, we encourage you to connect with your regional Davidson admission counselor.
Applying to Davidson
For students utilizing the QuestBridge application or those attending high school outside of the United States and Puerto Rico, there is no application fee.
For domestic students, if the application fee poses a financial hardship, please contact us at admission@davidson.edu to request a fee waiver.
Requesting a fee waiver does not disadvantage your application for admission in any way.
During the week of October 19-25, 2026, North Carolina residents may submit the Common Application to Davidson for free.
Students may obtain the waiver by choosing "North Carolina College Application Week" on the dropdown menu of school-specific fee waivers on the Common Application. Please contact us at admission@davidson.edu with questions and to learn more about the NC Countdown to College.
We encourage interested students to apply for admission regardless of their immigration status. At Davidson, undocumented students are considered domestic applicants. Please contact Marlene Arellano at maarellano@davidson.edu with questions about the admission and financial aid process.
As a proud QuestBridge partner institution, every year we admit and enroll high-achieving low-income students through the National College Match program and QuestBridge Regular Decision.
Posse Scholars have been an integral part of Davidson’s campus for the past ten years, with the first cohort enrolling from Miami in 2015. We expanded our partnership by adding a Virtual Posse Scholar program in 2021. Our partnership with the Posse program will wind down with the Class of 2029 that enrolls in August. We remain solidly committed to the Posse Scholars currently on campus and those arriving for the first time this fall. These Scholars will continue to receive the scholarship funding, mentorship, and resources of Davidson College.
Davidson students reflect on their decision to come to Davidson, ways they've gotten involved with disability advocacy on campus, resources that support their experience and advice for prospective students with disabilities going through the college process.
Disability Resources & Student Experience
Navigating Disability in the College Process
International Student Engagement not only helps international students prepare for and thrive while at Davidson, it also helps the entire Davidson community be more globally aware and supportive of the needs of students from around the world
