diff --git a/lib/helpers/document/applyVirtuals.js b/lib/helpers/document/applyVirtuals.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..5fbe7ca82ba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/helpers/document/applyVirtuals.js
@@ -0,0 +1,146 @@
+'use strict';
+
+const mpath = require('mpath');
+
+module.exports = applyVirtuals;
+
+/**
+ * Apply a given schema's virtuals to a given POJO
+ *
+ * @param {Schema} schema
+ * @param {Object} obj
+ * @param {Array<string>} [virtuals] optional whitelist of virtuals to apply
+ * @returns
+ */
+
+function applyVirtuals(schema, obj, virtuals) {
+  if (obj == null) {
+    return obj;
+  }
+
+  let virtualsForChildren = virtuals;
+  let toApply = null;
+
+  if (Array.isArray(virtuals)) {
+    virtualsForChildren = [];
+    toApply = [];
+    for (const virtual of virtuals) {
+      if (virtual.length === 1) {
+        toApply.push(virtual[0]);
+      } else {
+        virtualsForChildren.push(virtual);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  applyVirtualsToChildren(schema, obj, virtualsForChildren);
+  return applyVirtualsToDoc(schema, obj, toApply);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Apply virtuals to any subdocuments
+ *
+ * @param {Schema} schema subdocument schema
+ * @param {Object} res subdocument
+ * @param {Array<String>} [virtuals] optional whitelist of virtuals to apply
+ */
+
+function applyVirtualsToChildren(schema, res, virtuals) {
+  let attachedVirtuals = false;
+  for (const childSchema of schema.childSchemas) {
+    const _path = childSchema.model.path;
+    const _schema = childSchema.schema;
+    if (!_path) {
+      continue;
+    }
+    const _obj = mpath.get(_path, res);
+    if (_obj == null || (Array.isArray(_obj) && _obj.flat(Infinity).length === 0)) {
+      continue;
+    }
+
+    let virtualsForChild = null;
+    if (Array.isArray(virtuals)) {
+      virtualsForChild = [];
+      for (const virtual of virtuals) {
+        if (virtual[0] == _path) {
+          virtualsForChild.push(virtual.slice(1));
+        }
+      }
+
+      if (virtualsForChild.length === 0) {
+        continue;
+      }
+    }
+
+    applyVirtuals(_schema, _obj, virtualsForChild);
+    attachedVirtuals = true;
+  }
+
+  if (virtuals && virtuals.length && !attachedVirtuals) {
+    applyVirtualsToDoc(schema, res, virtuals);
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Apply virtuals to a given document. Does not apply virtuals to subdocuments: use `applyVirtualsToChildren` instead
+ *
+ * @param {Schema} schema
+ * @param {Object} doc
+ * @param {Array<String>} [virtuals] optional whitelist of virtuals to apply
+ * @returns
+ */
+
+function applyVirtualsToDoc(schema, obj, virtuals) {
+  if (obj == null || typeof obj !== 'object') {
+    return;
+  }
+  if (Array.isArray(obj)) {
+    for (const el of obj) {
+      applyVirtualsToDoc(schema, el, virtuals);
+    }
+    return;
+  }
+
+  if (schema.discriminators && Object.keys(schema.discriminators).length > 0) {
+    for (const discriminatorKey of Object.keys(schema.discriminators)) {
+      const discriminator = schema.discriminators[discriminatorKey];
+      const key = discriminator.discriminatorMapping.key;
+      const value = discriminator.discriminatorMapping.value;
+      if (obj[key] == value) {
+        schema = discriminator;
+        break;
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  if (virtuals == null) {
+    virtuals = Object.keys(schema.virtuals);
+  }
+  for (const virtual of virtuals) {
+    if (schema.virtuals[virtual] == null) {
+      continue;
+    }
+    const virtualType = schema.virtuals[virtual];
+    const sp = Array.isArray(virtual)
+      ? virtual
+      : virtual.indexOf('.') === -1
+        ? [virtual]
+        : virtual.split('.');
+    let cur = obj;
+    for (let i = 0; i < sp.length - 1; ++i) {
+      cur[sp[i]] = sp[i] in cur ? cur[sp[i]] : {};
+      cur = cur[sp[i]];
+    }
+    let val = virtualType.applyGetters(cur[sp[sp.length - 1]], obj);
+    const isPopulateVirtual =
+      virtualType.options && (virtualType.options.ref || virtualType.options.refPath);
+    if (isPopulateVirtual && val === undefined) {
+      if (virtualType.options.justOne) {
+        val = null;
+      } else {
+        val = [];
+      }
+    }
+    cur[sp[sp.length - 1]] = val;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/lib/model.js b/lib/model.js
index 6d9458b5d77..1c361bcb495 100644
--- a/lib/model.js
+++ b/lib/model.js
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ const applySchemaCollation = require('./helpers/indexes/applySchemaCollation');
 const applyStaticHooks = require('./helpers/model/applyStaticHooks');
 const applyStatics = require('./helpers/model/applyStatics');
 const applyWriteConcern = require('./helpers/schema/applyWriteConcern');
+const applyVirtualsHelper = require('./helpers/document/applyVirtuals');
 const assignVals = require('./helpers/populate/assignVals');
 const castBulkWrite = require('./helpers/model/castBulkWrite');
 const clone = require('./helpers/clone');
@@ -3488,6 +3489,9 @@ function handleSuccessfulWrite(document) {
  */
 
 Model.applyDefaults = function applyDefaults(doc) {
+  if (doc == null) {
+    return doc;
+  }
   if (doc.$__ != null) {
     applyDefaultsHelper(doc, doc.$__.fields, doc.$__.exclude);
 
@@ -3503,6 +3507,40 @@ Model.applyDefaults = function applyDefaults(doc) {
   return doc;
 };
 
+/**
+ * Apply this model's virtuals to a given POJO. Virtuals execute with the POJO as the context `this`.
+ *
+ * #### Example:
+ *
+ *     const userSchema = new Schema({ name: String });
+ *     userSchema.virtual('upper').get(function() { return this.name.toUpperCase(); });
+ *     const User = mongoose.model('User', userSchema);
+ *
+ *     const obj = { name: 'John' };
+ *     User.applyVirtuals(obj);
+ *     obj.name; // 'John'
+ *     obj.upper; // 'JOHN', Mongoose applied the return value of the virtual to the given object
+ *
+ * @param {Object} obj object or document to apply virtuals on
+ * @param {Array<string>} [virtualsToApply] optional whitelist of virtuals to apply
+ * @returns {Object} obj
+ * @api public
+ */
+
+Model.applyVirtuals = function applyVirtuals(obj, virtualsToApply) {
+  if (obj == null) {
+    return obj;
+  }
+  // Nothing to do if this is already a hydrated document - it should already have virtuals
+  if (obj.$__ != null) {
+    return obj;
+  }
+
+  applyVirtualsHelper(this.schema, obj, virtualsToApply);
+
+  return obj;
+};
+
 /**
  * Cast the given POJO to the model's schema
  *
diff --git a/test/model.test.js b/test/model.test.js
index 1e531c097b5..8921bf9cd80 100644
--- a/test/model.test.js
+++ b/test/model.test.js
@@ -7781,6 +7781,165 @@ describe('Model', function() {
     docs = await User.find();
     assert.deepStrictEqual(docs.map(doc => doc.age), [12, 12]);
   });
+
+  describe('applyVirtuals', function() {
+    it('handles basic top-level virtuals', async function() {
+      const userSchema = new Schema({
+        name: String
+      });
+      userSchema.virtual('lowercase').get(function() {
+        return this.name.toLowerCase();
+      });
+      userSchema.virtual('uppercase').get(function() {
+        return this.name.toUpperCase();
+      });
+      const User = db.model('User', userSchema);
+
+      const res = User.applyVirtuals({ name: 'Taco' });
+      assert.equal(res.name, 'Taco');
+      assert.equal(res.lowercase, 'taco');
+      assert.equal(res.uppercase, 'TACO');
+    });
+
+    it('handles virtuals in subdocuments', async function() {
+      const userSchema = new Schema({
+        name: String
+      });
+      userSchema.virtual('lowercase').get(function() {
+        return this.name.toLowerCase();
+      });
+      userSchema.virtual('uppercase').get(function() {
+        return this.name.toUpperCase();
+      });
+      const groupSchema = new Schema({
+        name: String,
+        leader: userSchema,
+        members: [userSchema]
+      });
+      const Group = db.model('Group', groupSchema);
+
+      const res = Group.applyVirtuals({
+        name: 'Microsoft',
+        leader: { name: 'Bill' },
+        members: [{ name: 'John' }, { name: 'Steve' }]
+      });
+      assert.equal(res.name, 'Microsoft');
+      assert.equal(res.leader.name, 'Bill');
+      assert.equal(res.leader.uppercase, 'BILL');
+      assert.equal(res.leader.lowercase, 'bill');
+      assert.equal(res.members[0].name, 'John');
+      assert.equal(res.members[0].uppercase, 'JOHN');
+      assert.equal(res.members[0].lowercase, 'john');
+      assert.equal(res.members[1].name, 'Steve');
+      assert.equal(res.members[1].uppercase, 'STEVE');
+      assert.equal(res.members[1].lowercase, 'steve');
+    });
+
+    it('handles virtuals on nested paths', async function() {
+      const userSchema = new Schema({
+        name: {
+          first: String,
+          last: String
+        }
+      });
+      userSchema.virtual('name.firstUpper').get(function() {
+        return this.name.first.toUpperCase();
+      });
+      userSchema.virtual('name.lastLower').get(function() {
+        return this.name.last.toLowerCase();
+      });
+      const User = db.model('User', userSchema);
+
+      const res = User.applyVirtuals({
+        name: {
+          first: 'Bill',
+          last: 'Gates'
+        }
+      });
+      assert.equal(res.name.first, 'Bill');
+      assert.equal(res.name.last, 'Gates');
+      assert.equal(res.name.firstUpper, 'BILL');
+      assert.equal(res.name.lastLower, 'gates');
+    });
+
+    it('supports passing an array of virtuals to apply', async function() {
+      const userSchema = new Schema({
+        name: {
+          first: String,
+          last: String
+        }
+      });
+      userSchema.virtual('fullName').get(function() {
+        return `${this.name.first} ${this.name.last}`;
+      });
+      userSchema.virtual('name.firstUpper').get(function() {
+        return this.name.first.toUpperCase();
+      });
+      userSchema.virtual('name.lastLower').get(function() {
+        return this.name.last.toLowerCase();
+      });
+      const User = db.model('User', userSchema);
+
+      let res = User.applyVirtuals({
+        name: {
+          first: 'Bill',
+          last: 'Gates'
+        }
+      }, ['fullName', 'name.firstUpper']);
+      assert.strictEqual(res.name.first, 'Bill');
+      assert.strictEqual(res.name.last, 'Gates');
+      assert.strictEqual(res.fullName, 'Bill Gates');
+      assert.strictEqual(res.name.firstUpper, 'BILL');
+      assert.strictEqual(res.name.lastLower, undefined);
+
+      res = User.applyVirtuals({
+        name: {
+          first: 'Bill',
+          last: 'Gates'
+        }
+      }, ['name.lastLower']);
+      assert.strictEqual(res.name.first, 'Bill');
+      assert.strictEqual(res.name.last, 'Gates');
+      assert.strictEqual(res.fullName, undefined);
+      assert.strictEqual(res.name.firstUpper, undefined);
+      assert.strictEqual(res.name.lastLower, 'gates');
+    });
+
+    it('sets populate virtuals to `null` if `justOne`', async function() {
+      const userSchema = new Schema({
+        name: {
+          first: String,
+          last: String
+        },
+        friendId: {
+          type: 'ObjectId'
+        }
+      });
+      userSchema.virtual('fullName').get(function() {
+        return `${this.name.first} ${this.name.last}`;
+      });
+      userSchema.virtual('friend', {
+        ref: 'User',
+        localField: 'friendId',
+        foreignField: '_id',
+        justOne: true
+      });
+      const User = db.model('User', userSchema);
+
+      const friendId = new mongoose.Types.ObjectId();
+      const res = User.applyVirtuals({
+        name: {
+          first: 'Bill',
+          last: 'Gates'
+        },
+        friendId
+      });
+      assert.strictEqual(res.name.first, 'Bill');
+      assert.strictEqual(res.name.last, 'Gates');
+      assert.strictEqual(res.fullName, 'Bill Gates');
+      assert.strictEqual(res.friend, null);
+    });
+  });
 });
 
 
diff --git a/types/models.d.ts b/types/models.d.ts
index 4c2403fd51b..0a5e6e3a585 100644
--- a/types/models.d.ts
+++ b/types/models.d.ts
@@ -290,6 +290,9 @@ declare module 'mongoose' {
     applyDefaults(obj: AnyObject): AnyObject;
     applyDefaults(obj: TRawDocType): TRawDocType;
 
+    /* Apply virtuals to the given POJO. */
+    applyVirtuals(obj: AnyObject, virtalsToApply?: string[]): AnyObject;
+
     /**
      * Sends multiple `insertOne`, `updateOne`, `updateMany`, `replaceOne`,
      * `deleteOne`, and/or `deleteMany` operations to the MongoDB server in one