How to Apply to Davidson College for a Chemistry Degree: Admission to the College, Major Chosen After Arrival, ACS-Certifiable Curriculum, Test-Optional, AP Chemistry 4 or 5 or IB Chemistry 6 or 7 Earns CHE 115 Credit; Admission and Prerequisites for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Students

Davidson College is an undergraduate college in Davidson, North Carolina, running on semesters. Its chemistry major is offered by the Chemistry Department. This guide follows the department website and the admissions office, and covers U.S. domestic, international and Chinese applicants, then transfer students. The contents of the department’s “Degree Requirements” and “Courses by Semester” tabs are not shown in the pages read, and the catalog is not covered, so please check the official requirements table on the college website; the department pages show no update date. Medicine, nursing and similar degrees are outside this guide.

1. Chemistry degree and tracks

• The chemistry major: the department says the curriculum is flexible, leaving room for study abroad, research and interdisciplinary learning. Following ACS policy recommendations it has five foundation courses (200-level, with labs) covering the five divisions of chemistry (analytical, biological, inorganic, organic and physical), followed by a selection of five in-depth courses (300- and 400-level) that can fall within one division (for example organic) or span several (for example environmental chemistry).
• Degree name: the pages read do not say whether the degree is a B.A. or a B.S.; not published.
• ACS certification: the department says it offers a chemistry degree approved by the American Chemical Society, and that students who complete the basic major with five in-depth chemistry courses, including a research experience of at least one semester or summer, meet the requirements for an ACS-certified degree.
• Honors and advanced work: see section 8.
• Related programs: the department page lists biology, physics, mathematics, environmental studies, data science and computer science as related programs; not covered here.

2. Admission: you apply to the College; declaring chemistry is not published

• At application: the first-year page read does not say whether you name a major or whether chemistry has its own admission standard; not published, so ask admissions.
• Choosing the major: the department says prospective majors should discuss their interest and course planning with a faculty member as soon as they begin considering the major. The timing and conditions for formally declaring are not on the pages read.
• Internal transfer: not published.

3. Prerequisites and course planning

• High school courses: admissions requires at least 16 high school units, including four of English, three of mathematics and two of science, and strongly recommends continuing science into the third and fourth years and mathematics through calculus (section 4). The department says the chemistry courses you took in high school will play a role in your first chemistry courses, and that physics and mathematics prerequisites are preferably taken in the first and second years.
• Entry course and placement: CHE 115 or its AP equivalent is a prerequisite for all foundation courses. The department says that with a 4 or 5 on AP or a 6 or 7 on IB you can receive credit for CHE 115 and then enroll in any foundation (200-level) course (CHE 260 has a math prerequisite); with a year of high school chemistry but no AP/IB credit, enroll in CHE 115. Whether A-Level chemistry earns credit is not published.
• Math requirement: fulfilled by credit for MAT 113 or MAT 140; the department recommends MAT 140 because its physical chemistry courses use multivariable calculus, which MAT 113 does not cover; complete it before CHE 260 or 360 (MAT 140 can be taken as a corequisite); students interested in graduate study in chemistry are encouraged to take more math. How AP/IB math maps to MAT credit is not given on the pages read.
• First-year advice: if you are considering a chemistry major, also enroll in a mathematics or physics course in your first semester.
• Competitions: the admissions and chemistry pages read do not say how chemistry olympiads or similar competitions are viewed in admission.

4. Timeline and materials (first-year applicants)

• Deadlines: the admissions timeline lists dates under “2026” and “2027” and does not state which entry year they belong to; read in sequence they correspond to fall 2027 entry (this is an inference, so check). The application opens 1 August; Early Decision I is due 15 November with notification by 12 December; Early Decision II is due 4 January with notification by 30 January; Regular Decision is due 11 January with notification on 1 April and a 1 May deposit date. Financial aid decisions are released with admission decisions for applicants who meet the deadlines. ED is binding: you say Davidson is your first choice, will enroll if admitted and will withdraw other applications immediately; students denied under ED may not reapply for Regular Decision in the same year.
• How to apply: domestic applicants may use the Common App, Coalition or QuestBridge; international applicants use the Common App or Coalition.
• Academic prerequisites: complete secondary school graduation requirements, with at least 16 high school units (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 or social studies. The page strongly recommends continuing science into the third and fourth years and mathematics through calculus. Neither the department nor admissions says what high school courses the major needs; not published.
• Materials: official high school transcript; a personal statement (250–650 words); two supplemental questions (250–300 words each: what interests you about Davidson, and a topic that excites you); counselor recommendation (Secondary School Report and Mid-Year Report); two recommendations from two different high school academic instructors, at least one in a core subject (English, math, science, history/social science or a second language); a peer recommendation; and extracurricular involvement. The pages do not say a science teacher is required; not published.
• Testing: optional: Davidson has been test-optional since 2020 and about 50% of admitted students submit scores; the SAT and ACT are superscored and the writing sections are not considered. Middle 50% of those who submit: SAT ERW 700–750, Math 690–760, ACT composite 31–34. Scores can be self-reported; enrolling students must submit official scores (at enrollment, not application). Codes: SAT 5150, ACT 3086.
• Interviews and interest: no interviews are offered; Davidson tracks demonstrated interest but says engagement is not required.
• Application fee: the first-year page read does not state the fee for U.S. citizens; not published there. The fee is waived for non-U.S. citizens.

5. U.S. domestic applicants

• Costs (2026-27, first-year, US dollars): tuition $73,090; required fees $650; orientation fee $250; housing $9,220; food $9,560; total billed costs $92,770; non-billed costs: books $825, transportation $200–600, miscellaneous $1,400; the page’s estimated total cost of attendance (without the college’s health insurance) is $95,195–95,595; health insurance $2,800. The page does not distinguish in-state from out-of-state tuition (a private college). Costs for 2027-28 are not published.
• Aid: the cost page says Davidson is one of only two dozen U.S. schools that admit students independent of their family’s ability to pay, meet 100 percent of calculated need, and do so without loans in the aid package. The full aid application needs the CSS Profile and FAFSA and signed student and parent federal tax returns through the College Board’s IDOC service; Early Decision I students may submit the FAFSA after enrolling.
• Scholarships: the international aid page and FAQ say there are no general merit scholarships, only a small number of scholarships; the site groups them as partnership-based, nomination, competition and application scholarships, with details on the university website.
• In-state preference: not published on the pages read.

6. International applicants

• How to apply: the same process as first-year domestic applicants, plus the English proficiency requirement, an optional application video and the financial verification form; the application fee is waived for non-U.S. citizens (automatically after you select your citizenship). More than 3,500 students from over 80 countries apply each year, and 12% of the community comes from more than 50 countries.
• English proficiency: students whose first language is not English submit TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo English Test results; the SAT and ACT do not satisfy it. Waived for students from a country where English is an official language, taking English A in the IB diploma, or who spent four years of high school in the United States. The page says students who score in the following ranges or higher are best prepared: DET 130, IELTS 7, TOEFL iBT 5.0 (1–6 scale) / 100 (0–120 scale). The DET must be shared from the Duolingo dashboard; IELTS and TOEFL must come from the testing agency or the high school counselor, and scores submitted or self-reported by students are not accepted.
• Interview video: the page strongly recommends InitialView or Vericant materials (no fee waivers); the FAQ calls them an optional supplement.
• Aid: need-based, limited to first-year students who have not enrolled at another college, and not available to international transfer students; available to ED and RD applicants who apply for aid at the time of application by the same deadline, and not accepted after admission. Davidson is need-aware for non-U.S. citizens but meets 100% of calculated need for those admitted. All international students, even those not seeking aid, complete the Financial Verification Form; if the family contribution will be under $5,000 per year an alternative expanded form replaces the CSS Profile, and above that the CSS Profile ($25, no waiver) is required. The Alvarez Scholars Program considers all international students who apply for aid, with no additional application.
• Visa and proof of funds: beyond the financial verification form, the pages read give no details; not published.

7. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: the pages read do not mention the Gaokao or say how it is used; not published there, so contact admissions.
• Transcripts and Huikao materials: the pages say transcripts are read in the context of the applicant’s school; how Huikao materials are submitted is not published.
• English scores: see section 6. Testing: SAT and ACT are optional and cannot replace an English score.

8. Costs, scholarships, research and honors

• Costs: see section 5. The pages read do not mention a chemistry-department entrance scholarship; not published.
• Research: the department says students can do research during the academic year and/or the summer (talk to a professor by the mid-term of the spring semester for summer research); most students doing summer research receive stipends or scholarships; students often co-author papers with professors and present at meetings such as those of the American Chemical Society. Academic-year research is taken as an independent study with a professor.
• Independent study courses: CHE 395 (Literature Investigation), 396 and 397 (Laboratory Research I and II, for non-seniors), 496 and 497 (Senior Research I and II, for senior chemistry majors) and 498 (Thesis Research, for seniors pursuing Honors). Secure a faculty sponsor, complete the Independent Study Course Contract from the Registrar (with a proposal, budget and timeline) and submit it by the end of the first week of the semester; the time commitment equals a regular chemistry course, about 150 hours.
• Honors: the department says graduation with Honors can be awarded to a major who meets the college criteria (3.2 overall and at least 3.5 in chemistry courses), fulfills the degree requirements and demonstrates outstanding mastery of CHE 498; a faculty committee evaluates and a colloquium presentation near the end of senior spring is typical.
• Education abroad: the department says chemistry students have studied on semester programs and traveled to conduct research, take internships and complete service; one example is collaborative research in Germany with a professor’s glycoscience lab.
• Outcomes: the department says chemistry majors consistently perform well on a comprehensive national assessment and regularly gain admission into top graduate and medical programs; the contents of its internships, careers and graduate school page are not given on the pages read, and no figures are published on the pages read.

9. 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 at least two academic years (16 courses). Students who have enrolled in a degree-seeking program and earned credits cannot apply as first-year students and must apply as transfers.
• Deadlines (years as printed): spring semester 1 November 2026, notification by early December; fall semester 1 April 2027, notification by early June.
• Materials: Common App or Coalition application; personal statement and two supplemental questions; final high school transcript; a transcript from each college attended; a Statement of Good Standing; two recommendations from college faculty; a peer recommendation is optional; SAT/ACT optional.
• Aid: need-based aid is available for domestic transfer students; financial aid and scholarships are not available for international transfer students, who may enroll mid-year or in the fall; non-native English speakers are strongly encouraged to take the TOEFL.
• Credit: the detailed transfer-credit rules are not on the pages read.
• Transferring into chemistry: the chemistry pages read set out no special GPA, prerequisite or credit-conversion rule for transfer students; not published.

Checklist

US domestic applicants:

• Apply by 15 November (ED I), 4 January (ED II) or 11 January (RD) through the Common App, Coalition or QuestBridge; personal statement plus two supplemental questions; two high school academic teacher recommendations plus a peer recommendation; testing optional
• AP Chemistry 4 or 5 (or IB 6 or 7) earns CHE 115 credit; prefer MAT 140; take a math or physics course in the first semester too

International applicants (including China):

• TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo (sent by the testing agency or counselor, not self-reported); the Financial Verification Form; request aid at application, since requests after admission are not accepted; ask admissions how the Gaokao is used

Transfer students:

• 1 November (spring) or 1 April (fall); two college faculty recommendations and a Statement of Good Standing; no aid for international transfers

Sources: Davidson College, Chemistry department; Chemistry: the major; Chemistry: independent study; Chemistry: research; Chemistry: education abroad; First-year applicants; International applicants; Transfer applicants; Early Decision; Testing policy; Admission and aid timeline; Cost of attendance; Aid for international students; International admission and aid FAQs; Academic departments. The chemistry department pages show no update date; the admissions timeline lists dates for 2026 and 2027, so check that they apply to fall 2027 entry; costs are for 2026-27. See Davidson’s website for the latest.