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About Us

A transformative experience for profoundly gifted youth and their families

After piloting a support program for 15 profoundly gifted youth and their families in 1999, former educational software entrepreneurs, the Davidsons, formally founded the Davidson Institute for Talent Development in the year 2000. Since the pilot program was launched in 1999, we have helped our nation's most gifted youth reach their highest potential. We strive to recognize and support these profoundly gifted students academically, socially and emotionally. Our vision is to ensure there are no limits to what our brightest youth can achieve.

Who We Serve

We guide profoundly gifted young people 18 and under. Profoundly gifted students score in the 99.9th percentile on IQ and achievement tests, and think and learn differently than other students.

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What We Do

We offer programs, resources, scholarships, and opportunities for gifted young learners that are driven by their natural talent and abilities, not by their age, socioeconomic status or location.

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Our Founders

After piloting a support program for 15 profoundly gifted youth and their families in 1999, former educational software entrepreneurs, the Davidsons, formally founded the Davidson Institute for Talent Development a year later. In 2000, the Davidsons established the Davidson Institute out of a concern that our nation's most gifted young people were largely underserved. That passion to serve gifted students continues today.

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Latest Davidson Institute News & Updates

See the latest news from the Davidson Institute and the greater gifted education community. Learn about program deadlines and developments, as well as gifted opportunities and events.

In the News

2025-2026 Davidson Explore application now available

Designed to be different than other online courses, Explore offers rigorous, advanced,…

Explore applications available

Davidson Fellows Increasing Scholarship Amounts

The 2025 Davidson Fellows application is now available, with big…

2014 Fellows

Davidson Young Scholar Publishes Chemistories, a Collection of Works About Chemical Elements

Maya M., a Davidson Young Scholar, recently published a book,…

chemistories book cover

2025 Davidson Fellows Application Now Available

The 2025 Fellows Scholarship application is now available online. Young…