How to Apply to Life Sciences and Pre-Health Study at Davidson College: Biology Major Plus Public Health, Genomics and Chemistry, Neuroscience Found Only as a Minor, Major Requirements Sit in the College Catalog We Did Not Read, a Dedicated Pre-Health Program, for US, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

Davidson College, in Davidson, North Carolina, is an undergraduate-only liberal arts college. This guide covers fall 2027 entry for U.S. applicants, international applicants (including those from China) and transfer applicants, based on Davidson’s website. One limit to state up front: Davidson’s degree requirements live in a third-party hosted college catalog, and the Biology department’s “Major Handbook” is a Google Doc; neither could be read, so this article does not have the required-course lists for each major. It reports what department, pre-health and admission pages say, and marks gaps as “not read”.

1. Relevant undergraduate majors

• Biology major: the department says its courses span the biological disciplines, with 100-level courses as the entry courses to the major and 200- and 300-level courses giving broader knowledge and technical skills; majors have faculty advisers in the department. Degree requirements are in the college catalog (not read).
• Public Health interdisciplinary major and minor: offered by the Public Health department, which describes drawing on biological, economic, ethical, psychological and sociocultural perspectives; course code PBH.
• Genomics: an interdisciplinary minor; the page also says you may apply for a genomics or bioinformatics interdisciplinary major through the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies.
• Chemistry major: the department describes an American Chemical Society (ACS) approved degree built on five 200-level foundation courses (analytical, biological, inorganic, organic and physical chemistry) followed by five in-depth courses.
• Neuroscience: the page we read describes an interdisciplinary minor, with a plan of courses submitted to the Neuroscience Advisory Committee by the end of junior year. We found no Neuroscience major in the pages we read.
• Premedicine and Allied Health Professions: not a major but an advising program (section 4).
• Undergraduate nursing, kinesiology, nutrition or pharmacy: none in the pages we read; the pre-health page lists nursing practice and pharmacy among the health professions it advises on.
• STEM designation: not stated in the pages we read; ask admissions or the departments.
• BS/MD programs: none found.

2. How admission works

• U.S. first-year applicants (including DACA recipients and undocumented applicants) may use the Common App, Coalition or QuestBridge; international applicants use the Common App or Coalition. The application pages we read have no intended-major item, so whether you name one is not published there; go by the application itself.
• When you declare a major, and whether any GPA or capacity limit applies, is in the college catalog (not read). The Public Health page says you must meet the chair before declaring a major or minor, and the chair assigns an adviser.
• Public Health’s suggested pace: for the major, PBH 110 (Introduction to Public Health) by the end of the first year, PBH 280 (Foundations of Global Health) and PBH 292 (Foundations of Epidemiology) by the end of the second year, and PBH 250 (Public Health Methods) by the end of the second or start of the third; for the minor, PBH 110 by the end of the first or second year and one of PBH 280 or 292 by the end of the second or third.
• The pre-health FAQ says there are no “weed-out” classes: prerequisites feel that way because students take them in the first two years while still building study habits, and faculty office hours, tutoring and academic coaching are available.

3. Course sequences (as far as we could read)

• Biology entry: BIO 115 (Molecules, Genes, and Cells, with lab) and BIO 116 (Evolution, Physiology, Ecology, with lab) are the required entry courses to the major and may be taken in any order; BIO 105 is for non-majors.
• Upper-level biology groups: the course planning page sorts upper-level lab courses into Group A (advanced cellular/molecular lab, for example Genetics BIO 201, Microbiology BIO 202, Cell Biology BIO 208, Biochemistry BIO 303, Immunology BIO 307) and Group B (advanced organismal/ecological lab or field, for example Conservation Biology BIO 227, Human Form and Function BIO 218, Evolutionary Biology BIO 221, Animal Behavior BIO 223, Ecology BIO 321), plus courses without labs such as Biostatistics BIO 240, Human Physiology BIO 310, Genomics BIO 309, Biology of Cancer BIO 365 and Biology of HIV BIO 360. How many are required from each group is not in the pages we read.
• Chemistry: the department says CHE 115 or its AP equivalent is the prerequisite for all foundation courses; the math requirement can be met with MAT 113 or MAT 140, and the department recommends MAT 140 because physical chemistry uses multivariable calculus; prospective majors should also take a math or physics course in the first semester.
• Neuroscience minor courses: the page gives examples such as BIO 331/PSY 303 Behavioral Neuroscience, BIO 261 Neuroscience of Exercise and PSY 280 Human Neuropsychology; the minor’s requirements are in the catalog (not read).
• Credits to graduate: the pre-health page says most prehealth students graduate with 32 credits like other students; students in non-science majors may need extra science courses unless they have pre-college credit, take summer classes or major in biology or chemistry.

4. Pre-med: what the program says

The Premedicine and Allied Health Professions program is led by program director Prof. Naila Mamoon and assistant director Prof. Valentina Botero. It covers allopathic, osteopathic, dental and veterinary medicine, nursing practice, physician assistant studies, pharmacy, optometry, physical and occupational therapy, and public health; the page says more students seek allopathic medicine than all the other fields combined.

• Major: prehealth students major in everything from Neuroscience to Africana Studies to Art History; choose the discipline that excites you and suits you, while planning one or two prerequisite courses each semester.
• Getting started: first-year and sophomore students should attend the September director’s meeting (third Wednesday), then email prehealth@davidson.edu to book a small group meeting, followed by individual meetings. For the first semester, start with one BIO or CHE course with lab plus the writing requirement.
• Recommended courses (the page calls this a broad outline only): two semesters of introductory biology with lab (BIO 115, 116); four semesters of chemistry with lab (CHE 115, CHE 220 or 240, CHE 250, and CHE 350 or, for many schools, CHE 230 Biochemistry as the fourth); biochemistry (BIO 303 or CHE 230); two semesters of physics with lab; two semesters of English (WRI 101 counts as one); and recommended mathematics (MAT 110–113), statistics, introductory psychology and sociology or public health courses. Laboratories must be in person.
• Requirements by profession: the page says biochemistry, regardless of department, is a prerequisite for graduate health professional school admission; veterinary schools emphasize genetics, microbiology and animal nutrition; nursing and physician assistant programs require anatomy, physiology and microbiology; some dental schools require anatomy, physiology, microbiology and histology. It says courses not offered at Davidson, such as Human Anatomy, may be taken elsewhere.
• AP/IB: AP/IB credit for calculus, chemistry, psychology and statistics is accepted among the prerequisites, but the program recommends taking an upper-level course in that discipline; students with AP Chemistry 4 or 5 may opt out of CHE 115 in consultation with the Chemistry Department.
• Grading and transfer: a prerequisite may be taken pass/fail only if you retake it, and the page advises keeping the grade; transferred courses need Registrar pre-approval and at least a C-; the page says most schools do not recommend online courses, especially those with labs.
• Prehealth Advisory Committee (PAC): students may request a committee evaluation of academic ability, commitment to medicine and personal competencies, with ratings of outstanding, highly recommended, recommended with confidence and recommended. It includes a narrative letter from the director and letters from up to six evaluators you choose. You must take 75% of your science prerequisites at Davidson to receive PAC endorsement. The 2026-27 application is due 1 November 2026, 11:59 p.m. ET, for rising juniors and seniors and recent alumni; there are no summer or fall evaluations; and it is not open to alumni who take more than 50% of their prerequisites elsewhere in a career-changer program.
• Timing and outcomes (the program’s figures): about 13–15% of each class applies to medical, dental or veterinary school each year; an average of 79% of first-time applicants from the last three graduating classes were admitted to at least one medical, dental, nursing or veterinary school; many students take a bridge year. MCAT/DAT preparation is usually in the spring of junior year, when students ahead of normal progress may take three courses, but only once.
• Application services: AMCAS (MD), TMDSAS, AACOMAS (DO), AADSAS (dental), CASPA (PA), VMCAS (veterinary) and AACPMAS (podiatry); the page recommends submitting the primary application by 15 July if you are applying that cycle.
• International students: the pre-health pages we read do not discuss the limits on international applicants to U.S. medical schools; not published there. Email prehealth@davidson.edu.

5. High school preparation and credit

• High school units: at least 16 (the average admitted student has 20), including four of English, three of mathematics, the second level of a language other than English, two of science and two of history and/or social studies. To be most competitive, Davidson strongly recommends continuing science into third and fourth years and mathematics through calculus. No extra requirement for the life sciences is stated.
• AP/IB/A-Level: the Registrar’s page allows a maximum of four course credits in total from AP, IB, AS/A-Levels and joint enrollment; AP needs 4 or 5 (3 in Calculus, 5 in History), IB 6 or 7, and A*, A, B or C on AS/A-Levels earn credit; no more than two may count toward Ways of Knowing; joint enrollment needs at least a C- and cannot have been used for high school graduation.
• Chemistry placement: AP 4/5 or IB 6/7 earns CHE 115 credit and entry to 200-level foundation courses; students with a year of high school chemistry but no AP/IB credit start at CHE 115.

6. Rounds, deadlines and materials

• Early Decision I: 15 November 2026, decisions 12 December.
• Early Decision II: 4 January 2027, decisions 30 January.
• Regular Decision: 11 January 2027, decisions 1 April. Aid materials share the admission deadline, and aid decisions are released with admission decisions.
• Materials: Common App or Coalition; an official high school transcript including this year’s courses; a personal statement (250–650 words) and two short supplements (250–300 words each); counselor recommendation (Secondary School Report and Mid-Year Report); two recommendations from two different high school academic teachers, at least one in a core subject; a peer recommendation; extracurriculars.
• Testing: SAT or ACT is optional (test-optional since 2020; about half of admitted students submit); scores are superscored, may be self-reported, and enrolling students send official scores. Davidson’s stated middle 50%: SAT ERW 700–750, Math 690–760; ACT composite 31–34.
• Interviews: no evaluative interviews. Davidson tracks demonstrated interest but does not require any activity.
• Application fee: waived for international applicants; the fee for U.S. applicants is not stated in the pages we read.
• Davidson sets no separate deadline or materials for life-science interests.

7. U.S. applicants

• The cost page lists a single tuition figure with no in-state or out-of-state distinction, and says nothing about in-state preference.
• Davidson says it is one of about two dozen U.S. schools that admit students independent of their family’s ability to pay, meet 100% of calculated need and do so without loans in the aid package.
• Domestic transfer students can apply for need-based aid.

8. International applicants

• More than 3,500 students from over 80 countries apply each year, and 12% of the community comes from more than 50 countries. International applicants follow the first-year process, adding the English requirement, an optional video and the financial verification form. There is no application fee for non-U.S. citizens (waived automatically once you select citizenship).
• English: required for applicants whose first language is not English, through TOEFL, IELTS or the Duolingo English Test (DET); SAT and ACT do not satisfy it. Waived if you are from a country where English is an official language, take English A in the IB diploma, or spent four years of high school in the U.S.; email admission@davidson.edu with the subject “English Proficiency Waiver” and your name, date of birth and reason. Davidson says students at or above DET 130, IELTS 7 or TOEFL iBT 100 (5.0 on the 1–6 scale) are best prepared. TOEFL and IELTS must come from the testing agency or your school counselor, and student-submitted or self-reported scores are not accepted; DET scores must be shared from the Duolingo dashboard.
• Video (optional): an InitialView or Vericant interview is strongly recommended; no fee waivers.
• Financial aid: you must apply when you apply for admission; requests after admission are not accepted. Aid is limited and competitive, only for first-year students who have not enrolled at another college. Davidson is need-aware for non-U.S. citizens but meets 100% of calculated need for those admitted; it has no general merit scholarships, though international applicants can be nominated for or apply to a few. All international students, even those not seeking aid, must submit the Financial Verification Form (it appears in your applicant portal). Aid applicants complete it before the CSS Profile ($25, no waivers); if your family’s contribution would be under $5,000 a year, an expanded version of the form is accepted in place of the CSS Profile. All international aid applicants are considered for the Alvarez Scholars Program with no extra application.
• Medical school in the U.S.: the pre-health pages do not discuss it; not published there. Whether international students face limits on laboratory or clinical placements in these majors is not stated in the pages we read.
• Other: no second bachelor’s or master’s programs; Davidson is a residential undergraduate college whose students are mostly 18–23.

9. Applicants from China

• The pages we read do not say whether the Gaokao is considered and give no China-specific admission requirement; not published there. Ask admission@davidson.edu or use the international virtual sessions.
• Rules that apply: the English requirement and waiver conditions (section 8). Requirements for translating or certifying transcripts are not stated in the pages we read.
• Note the strict source rule for English scores: TOEFL and IELTS must be sent by the agency or your school counselor.

10. Cost and research

• 2026-27, first year (USD): tuition $73,090, required fees $650, orientation fee $250, housing $9,220, food $9,560, total billed $92,770; estimated books $825 and personal expenses $1,400, and transportation $200–600 for domestic students or $1,000 for new international students. Estimated cost of attendance: $95,195–95,595 domestic and $95,995 international, not including the college health insurance at $2,800. No extra surcharge for the life sciences is listed.
• Biology research and internships: besides research projects inside lab courses, students can design independent research courses, do thesis projects and join paid summer research internships. The department lists recent student internships at the National Institutes of Health, shadowing at OrthoCarolina, the Pediatric Oncology Education program at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and field research with Operation Wallacea. Honors in Biology requires a proposal, public preview, thesis and public defense, at least two semesters of independent research (or one plus a summer), a final GPA of 3.2 or higher, and one biology course beyond the major requirements; High Honors needs 3.6 or higher, nomination by the mentor and a vote of the biology faculty.
• Limits on these opportunities for international students are not stated in the pages we read.
• Other resources: the Public Health department mentions grants and an annual symposium on ethics in the healthcare professions; the pre-health page’s student story mentions a Summer Internship Grant from the Matthews Center for Career Development.

11. Transfer

• Eligibility: at least one full year of acceptable college coursework by enrollment; you must plan to be at Davidson for at least two academic years (16 courses).
• Deadlines: spring entry 1 November 2026 (decisions early December); fall entry 1 April 2027 (decisions early June).
• Materials: Common App or Coalition (the transfer page lists only these two); a personal statement and two supplements; final high school transcript; transcripts from each college; a statement of good standing; two recommendations from college faculty; an optional peer recommendation; testing optional.
• International transfer applicants: eligible for mid-year and fall entry; Davidson calls the process highly competitive and says no financial aid or scholarships are available; non-native English speakers are strongly encouraged to take the TOEFL, sent directly by the testing agency. Domestic transfer students can apply for need-based aid.
• Specific GPA, required sequences or credit rules for moving into Biology and other life-science majors: not published in the pages we read. The pre-health pages say outside prerequisites need Registrar approval and a C- or better, and that PAC endorsement requires 75% of the science prerequisites to be taken at Davidson, so transfer students should plan early.

Checklist

U.S. applicants:

• ED I 15 November 2026, ED II 4 January 2027, RD 11 January 2027; testing optional
• In the first semester start with a BIO or CHE course with lab plus writing, attend the September pre-health meeting and book a small group meeting

International applicants (including China):

• No application fee; TOEFL, IELTS or DET (SAT and ACT cannot substitute unless you qualify for a waiver); apply for aid at the same time as admission
• Everyone submits the Financial Verification Form; ask the pre-health office directly about U.S. medical school

Transfer students:

• Fall 1 April 2027; at least one full year of college work, and 16 courses at Davidson
• International transfer students receive no aid

Sources: Davidson College, Biology; Biology major; Biology course planning; Biology honors; Biology internships and graduate school; Neuroscience minor; Public Health major and minor; Genomics; Chemistry major; Premedicine and Allied Health Professions; Prehealth requirements and courses; Course sequencing; Prehealth FAQ for first-year students; Prehealth Advisory Committee; First-year applicants; International applicants; Transfer applicants; Admission and aid timeline; Cost of attendance; International student aid; Pre-college credit. Degree requirements for each major sit in the college catalog, which this article did not read; costs are 2026-27 figures. Check Davidson for the latest details.