How to Apply to Public Health at Davidson College: Public Health Is an Interdisciplinary Major and Minor Run by the Public Health Department, You Apply to the College Rather Than to a Major, and the Path for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

Davidson College is an undergraduate liberal arts college. Unlike our general life-sciences guide for Davidson, this one covers public health only. First, a fact: the website lists an interdisciplinary Public Health major and minor, run by the Public Health department (course code PBH), so the college does have a program named Public Health. However, the college catalog (collegecatalog.davidson.edu) is a third-party hosted Acalog catalog that we do not access, so the credit count, required courses and degree type of the major are not covered here (not read); check the catalog and the department. The guide below covers fall 2027 entry for U.S. applicants, international applicants and applicants from China, followed by transfer students.

1. Degrees and programs

• Public Health interdisciplinary major and minor: the page says it promotes a holistic, interdisciplinary understanding of public health, drawing on theoretical and methodological frameworks from several disciplines and highlighting biological, economic, ethical, psychological and sociocultural dimensions of public health problems and the strategies to address them. The department home page calls Davidson an innovative leader in undergraduate public health education grounded in the liberal arts, focused on structural inequality and the social, political and behavioral determinants of health.
• Five learning objectives: describe major public health problems, actors, systems and institutions, and the role of advocacy, programs, research and policy; explain how theories and empirical methods are used in public health programs, research and policy; analyze how structural inequalities and other factors shape public health challenges and evaluate ethical approaches; evaluate sources of public health information, identify misinformation and communicate accurate information to diverse audiences; apply public health knowledge to real-world problems.
• Example courses (“Courses You Might Take”): PBH 251 Health Disparities US & Beyond; PBH 280 / SOC 280 Introduction to Global Health (cross-listed); PSY 354 Medical Rehab & Disability. The suggested sequence is in the next section.
• Beyond the classroom: the department says students pursue research, community-based learning, education abroad and internships in public health; funding is in section 6.
• Degree type (BA or BS), honors, 4+1 or 3+2 combined programs, STEM designation, and internship or practicum hours: not stated on the pages we read. Check the college catalog or contact the department (publichealth@davidson.edu, 704-894-2658).
• Related programs listed on the department page include biology, chemistry, environmental studies, psychology, sociology, educational studies and mathematics, as well as Premedicine and Allied Health Professions and Pre-veterinary Medicine.

2. How you enter the major and what it takes

• The first-year application page we read has no step for choosing a major: it says applicants use the Common App, Coalition or QuestBridge. The pages also do not mention any enrollment cap or minimum GPA for Public Health. Any such rules would be in the catalog, which we did not read.
• Declaring the major or minor: the department page says students must meet with the chair first (the page names Prof. Lauren Stutts), sharing the courses they have taken and plan to take each semester; the chair also assigns an adviser before the student completes the major/minor form.
• Suggested pace: for the major, take 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 year or start of the junior year. For the minor, PBH 110 by the end of the first or second year and one of PBH 280 or PBH 292 by the end of the second or third year.
• Credit limits to declare and any GPA threshold: not stated (catalog not read).

3. Prerequisites and courses

• High school units (first-year page): at least 16 units (barring exceptional circumstances), though the average admitted student has taken 20: four English, three mathematics, the second level of a language other than English (American Sign Language counts), two science and two history and/or social studies. To be most competitive the page strongly recommends continuing science and the same language into the third and fourth years, mathematics through calculus, and more history. No extra high school prerequisites are listed for Public Health.
• PBH courses: besides PBH 110, 250, 280, 292 and 251 above, the required and elective lists are in the catalog (not read). Per the course descriptions, PBH 280 treats global health as transnational challenges needing multi-level, community-based solutions (global health inequities, communicable disease control, the rise of non-communicable disease, social structures and the distribution of disease, health as a human right); PBH 251 links race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status and U.S. social policy with health disparities.
• Pre-college credit (Registrar page): at most four course credits in total from AP, IB, AS/A-Levels and joint-enrollment courses, with no more than two applied to the Ways of Knowing requirements; AP needs a 4 or 5 (3 in Calculus, 5 in History), IB a 6 or 7, and Cambridge AS/A-Level grades A*, A, B or C earn credit. Whether such credit can replace a particular Public Health course is not stated.

4. Rounds, fees and materials (first-year)

• Dates (timeline page, listed under “2026” and “2027”): application opens August 1; Early Decision I closes November 15 with notification December 12; Early Decision II closes January 4, 2027 with notification January 30; Regular Decision closes January 11, 2027, notification April 1, enrollment deposit May 1. Aid decisions are released with admission decisions for on-time applicants. Applicants seeking aid submit the CSS Profile and FAFSA by the same deadline (Early Decision I students may submit the FAFSA after enrolling).
• Platforms: Common App, Coalition or QuestBridge (domestic applicants).
• Application fee: the pages we read do not give an amount for domestic applicants (not stated); the fee is waived for non-U.S. citizens.
• Essays: a personal statement (250–650 words) and two supplemental questions of 250–300 words each (what interests you most about Davidson; a topic, activity or idea that excites you).
• Recommendations: counselor materials through the Secondary School Report and Mid-Year Report; two recommendations from two different high school academic teachers (at least one in English, math, science, history/social science or a second language); and a peer recommendation.
• Interviews: the international FAQ says Davidson does not offer interviews; an InitialView or Vericant interview may be submitted as an optional supplement, with no fee waivers.
• Testing: optional (test-optional since 2020). The testing page says about 50% of admitted students submit scores; Davidson superscores the SAT and ACT, ignores the writing sections, and accepts self-reported scores, with official scores required at enrollment. The page lists a middle 50% of 700–750 SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing, 690–760 SAT Math and 31–34 ACT Composite (it does not say which class).
• The international FAQ adds that review is holistic, with emphasis on course difficulty and depth and breadth of extracurriculars, and that Davidson tracks demonstrated interest without requiring it.

5. Three kinds of readers

U.S. applicants

• In-state versus out-of-state tuition: the cost page uses one tuition figure for domestic and international students and does not distinguish by state; it does not mention in-state preference.
• Aid: need-based. The cost page says Davidson admits students independent of their ability to pay, meets 100% of calculated need and does so without loans; the FAQ says it does not offer general merit scholarships, only a small number of nomination or application scholarships.

International applicants

• English: applicants whose first language is not English must submit TOEFL, IELTS or the Duolingo English Test (DET); SAT and ACT do not satisfy this. The page says students scoring at or above these ranges are best prepared: DET 130, IELTS 7, TOEFL iBT 5.0 (1–6 scale) / 100 (0–120 scale). Scores must come from the testing agency or the school counselor (DET shared from the Duolingo dashboard); self-reported English scores are not accepted. Waivers: country where English is an official language; IB English A; or four years of high school in the United States.
• Optional video: the international page “strongly recommends” an InitialView or Vericant interview to show communication skills, while the international FAQ calls it an optional supplement; no fee waivers.
• Application fee and numbers: no fee for non-U.S. citizens. The page says more than 3,500 students apply each year from over 80 countries outside the United States and that 12% of the community comes from more than 50 countries.
• Proof of funds: all international students must submit the Financial Verification Form, even if not applying for aid; it appears in the application portal after you submit the Common App or Coalition application.
• Aid: for international students it is need-based, limited and competitive, and you must apply for it at the time of applying for admission; requests made after admission are not accepted, and are not accepted during enrollment. The pages also say Davidson is need-aware for non-U.S. citizens yet meets 100% of calculated need for admitted students (recruited athletes have dedicated athletic funding). If the family contribution will be under $5,000 a year, an alternative form in the portal replaces the CSS Profile; above $5,000 the CSS Profile is required (no waivers; the page lists the fee as $25). All international students who apply for aid are considered for the Alvarez Scholars scholarship without a separate application; international applicants other than international transfers may be nominated for or apply to the other scholarships.
• Limits on internships or work for international students in public health, and whether international students can use the department’s funds: not stated on the pages we read. Ask the international student office or the department.

Applicants from China

• The pages we read have no China-specific guidance; they do not say whether the Gaokao is considered and do not list transcript or Huikao requirements by country (not stated). Contact admission@davidson.edu or see the international applicants page and the international admission and aid FAQs.
• What applies to all international applicants: the same process as U.S. first-year applicants, plus proof of English proficiency, the optional video and the Financial Verification Form.
• One of the examples on the department’s Winfrey Grant list is “SIT China: Community Health and Traditional Chinese Medicine,” showing the grant can fund overseas programs; whether international students can apply is not stated.

6. Costs and funding

• 2026–2027 first-year student (cost page; the same for domestic and international students): tuition $73,090; required fees $650; orientation fee $250; housing $9,220; food $9,560; total billed costs $92,770. Estimated non-billed costs: books and supplies $825, miscellaneous $1,400, transportation $200–600 for domestic students and $1,000 for international students; the page gives a total estimated cost of attendance (without the college’s health insurance) of $95,195–95,595 for domestic and $95,995 for international students; the college health insurance is $2,800. All students must have medical insurance, through the college plan or a private plan. No Public Health program surcharge is listed.
• Department funding (grants and endowments page): the Gyves Fund for Public Health and Ethics (student research and participation in global health, public health, bioethics and medicine, with examples such as American Public Health Association conferences); the Public Health Discretionary Fund (conferences, research expenses, professional memberships); the Public Health Experiential Learning Grant (unpaid or low-paid experiences in public health policy, programs or research); the Donald Winfrey Memorial Grant for Public Health Research (internships, certifications such as doula, EMT or CNA, health-industry prep programs and research; administered by the Matthews Center for Career Development); and the Speas Memorial Colloquium in Medical Humanities (an annual symposium on ethics in the healthcare professions). Eligibility and amounts are not given; the page points to the chair or to the application procedures.

7. Transfer students

• Eligibility: you must have successfully completed at least one full year of acceptable college coursework upon enrolling and plan to be enrolled at Davidson for at least two academic years (16 courses).
• Deadlines: spring semester November 1, 2026 (notification early December); fall semester April 1, 2027 (notification early June).
• Materials: Common App or Coalition; personal statement and two supplemental essays; final high school transcript and all college transcripts; a statement of good standing; two college faculty recommendations (a peer recommendation is optional); SAT/ACT optional.
• International transfers: the page says international transfer students are eligible for mid-year and fall enrollment, that admission is highly competitive, and that financial aid and scholarships are not available to international transfer students; non-native English speakers are strongly encouraged to take the TOEFL, with scores sent directly by the testing agency.
• Requirements for transferring into the Public Health major (prerequisites, GPA, credit transfer): not stated (catalog not read).

8. Pre-health and graduate school

Davidson has no pre-med major; for pre-med and health-professions advising, see our general life-sciences guide for Davidson. The pages we read do not describe a master of public health pathway (not stated).

Checklist

U.S. applicants:

• At least 16 high school units; Early Decision I November 15, Early Decision II January 4, Regular Decision January 11; testing optional; two teacher recommendations and a peer recommendation
• After enrolling, meet the Public Health chair before declaring; PBH 110 in the first year is suggested

International applicants (including China):

• No application fee; English proof (DET 130 / IELTS 7 / TOEFL iBT 5.0 or 100, or a waiver); Financial Verification Form; apply for aid at the same time as admission
• Gaokao use and transcript requirements: not stated; contact admission@davidson.edu

Transfer students:

• At least one full year of college work; spring November 1, fall April 1; no aid for international transfers

Sources: Davidson College, Public Health department; Public Health interdisciplinary major and minor; Public Health grants and endowments; First-year applicants; International applicants; Transfer applicants; Admission and aid timeline; Testing policy; International admission and aid FAQs; International student financial aid; Cost of attendance; Pre-college credit. The timeline page is split into “2026 dates” and “2027 dates”; the deadlines shown are for the application season leading to fall 2027 entry, and the transfer page gives the fall transfer deadline as April 1, 2027. Costs are for 2026-2027. The college catalog (collegecatalog.davidson.edu) is a third-party hosted catalog that we did not read, so the major’s credit and course requirements should be checked in the official catalog.