Fellows Scholarship: Rules and Regulations
All projects submitted must follow the rules and procedures outlined below. Fellows Projects that do not meet these requirements may be disqualified.
Considerations for all applicants:
- All applications must be submitted on time.
- Incomplete applications will be disqualified.
- Each applicant may submit only one application.
- Applications may not be sent via e-mail.
- The Davidson Fellows program runs all applications through plagiarism detection software.
- Applicants cannot use AI tools, like ChatGPT, to draft responses to attachment questions or category requirements.
Considerations for all applicants in STEM Categories:
Applications involving human subjects or live vertebrates are NOT eligible.
Projects involving the following live invertebrates are eligible: C. elegans, Drosophila, Hydra. Additionally, projects involving zebrafish no older than 168 hours post-fertilization are eligible.
Tissue-related projects are eligible, if the applicant can demonstrate:
- the materials were collected for other purposes;
- no embryos were sacrificed;
- the student is collaborating with a qualified lead scientist; and
- the lead scientist provides to the Institute documented approval from a recognized Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Scientific Review Committee (SRC).
Please submit documentation with the preliminary portion of the application which will be reviewed by the Davidson Fellows program, who, at its sole discretion, will determine eligibility. The Davidson Fellows program may, in its sole discretion, also require that other conditions be met before tissue-related projects will be further considered.
Davidson Fellows Scholarship Conditions
Each scholarship may be used only for qualified tuition and related expenses, as defined in the Internal Revenue Code §117(b) and related regulations. The Davidson Institute shall determine the time and conditions of payment of scholarships at its sole discretion. The Davidson Institute may specify the documentation required to ensure that the recipient is following an appropriate course of study. If the Davidson Fellow withdraws from school – or his or her progress is unsatisfactory and the Fellow makes no alternate arrangements to pursue courses at the same or another educational institution – then, at its sole discretion, the Davidson Institute may terminate the scholarship.
Davidson Fellows Disqualification
. . of an Applicant
The Davidson Institute or its judges may decide to disqualify an application if it or they are of the opinion that there has been no timely and proper submission of the application, there is a lack of sufficient merit, or if there is a violation of any portion of the rules or regulations. If an application contains materials that appear to violate any of these rules, the Davidson Institute or the judges may, at its or their sole discretion, disqualify the application in its entirety or withdraw a scholarship that has not been previously paid out to the applicant.
Disqualification may also occur if an application that is submitted on time contains any omissions or errors. However, the Davidson Institute or the judges may, at its or their sole discretion, contact the applicant to point out the violation and provide the applicant a designated period of time to complete or correct the application.
. . . of a Judge
In order to avoid an actual or apparent conflict of interest, a judge must not be closely related to applicants that the judge is screening, evaluating or judging. Accordingly, no one may act as a judge with respect to an application if he or she is related to any applicant, or otherwise feels that he or she might be, or appear to be, biased. All decisions by the Davidson Institute and its judges are final. Employees, Trustees (and other immediate family members) of the Davidson Institute; and the Judges (and their immediate family members) are not eligible to apply for or be recognized as a Davidson Fellow.
Davidson Fellows Policies
Any intellectual property contained within the Davidson Fellows applications remains the property of the applicant.
If an individual would like to report a grievance or a suspected violation of Davidson Fellows Scholarship rules, eligibility criteria, or research-related guidelines, they should email their concerns to DavidsonFellows@DavidsonGifted.org. Please note that the Davidson Fellows staff cannot investigate anonymous complaints, but will endeavor to maintain confidentiality if possible.
Discretion of Institute; Binding Nature of Decisions. By submitting an application, we acknowledge and agree that all decisions of the Davidson Institute regarding the award program and the grant and use of scholarships and other awards may be made by it in its sole and absolute discretion, subject only to compliance with applicable laws, rules and regulations. As such, all decisions of the Davidson Institute and its committees and judges shall be final and binding and are not subject to challenge by entrants in any manner. The number of scholarships to be awarded shall be determined by the Davidson Institute in its sole discretion.
Termination and Amendment of Program. The Davidson Institute reserves the right in its sole discretion to terminate this Fellows Scholarship program at any time and for any reason and to change any or all of the rules regarding the grant or use of any scholarships. No such termination of the award program shall apply so as to terminate a scholarship winner’s right to an award previously granted unless such termination is required in the reasonable opinion of the Davidson Institute to comply with applicable laws or to assure the Davidson Institute that its tax exempt status will not be affected negatively or unless the continued payment of such scholarship will result in any form of tax being imposed upon the Davidson Institute or any of its affiliates, officers, directors, employees or representatives. In addition, amendments to the program may affect the terms and conditions of use of awards previously granted.