Duke University, located in Durham, North Carolina, is a world-renowned institution known for its exceptional academic programs and innovative research. With more than 50 majors and 52 minors offered through 10 schools and colleges, Duke University provides students with a wide range of academic opportunities. Students can choose from up to about 437,989 combination programs at Duke University.

Duke University acceptance rate revolves around 8% and showcases a strict admission policy. Students are recommended to submit GPA scores of 3.7/4 (92%) or higher for a higher chance of selection. In Spring 2022, more than 16,500 students got selected by the university, along with 24.07% international students. Out of all, 9% of students secure admission UG program and 26% to PG programs at Duke University.

Duke University Alumni network is of over 170,000 alumni and represents a community of excellence and impact. Duke University has produced notable alumni, including Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, Amy Gravitt, Executive Vice President of Comedy, HBO, Dr. William Kaelin Jr., a 2019 Nobel Prize winner in Physiology or Medicine, and Brian Kobilka, a postdoc and co-winner of the 2012 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

Duke University Rankings

Duke University is ranked #16 in Best Value Schools, highlighting its exceptional educational quality and affordability. It has also been ranked #13 in Most Innovative Schools, showcasing its commitment to providing unique and cutting-edge learning opportunities.

Ranking Agency Ranking 2023
QS World University Rankings #50
Best Global Universities US News #25
World University Rankings THE #25
Best Colleges is National Universities,US News #10

Duke University: Rankings Comparison

Duke university is often compared to UT Austin and Cornell University. The top-ranking programs of Duke University are compared with other universities in the below-mentioned table.

Program Duke University UT Autin Cornell university
Medicine 17 151-200 -
Nursing 19 51-100 -
Management 46 55 39
Engineering 154 26 48
Computer Science 79 - 14
Accounting and Finance 38 - 32

Dukeis often compared with the following universities as well.

Duke University Admissions

For the class of 2024, Duke University admission received 39,774 applications. With an acceptance rate of 8%, the university selected only 3,181 students. To secure 2023 admission at Duke University, international students must follow the below-mentioned process.

Duke University UG Admission

To be considered for undergraduate admission at Duke University, applicants must submit an application fee of 85 USD or 6,749 INR. It is recommended that applicants have a GPA of 3.7/4 or 92% in their previous academic qualifications. However, standardized exam scores are optional for applicants, and they have the choice to not submit them.

Category Requirement
Application Portal Common Application
Application Fee 85 USD (6,749INR)
Academic Requirement Recommended: GPA of 3.7/4 (92%)
English proficiency test scores TOEFL iBT: 100 | IELTS- 7.0
Standardized Exam Scores Test-Optional
Additional Requirement Personal essay | Personal statement | 3 Letters of Recommendation |Interview (By invite)

Duke University PG Admission

To be eligible for admission to the PG program at Duke University, students must have a GPA of 3.0, equivalent to 85%. Additionally, applicants must submit their English proficiency test scores, which include a TOEFL iBT score of 90. Apart from these standard requirements, students must also provide a written sample, a resume, and three letters of recommendation.

Category Requirement
Application Portal Graduate Application
Application Fee 95 USD (7,543INR)
GPA Requirement PG: GPA of 3.0 (85%) | MBA: GPA of 3.5/4 or (~90%)
English proficiency test scores IELTS- 7 | TOEFL iBT- 90
Standardized Exam Scores GMAT: 710 | GRE: 317
Additional Requirement 3 Letter of Recommendation | Written Sample | Resume | Documentation for financial support | Work Experience (2023 class average: 5.9 years)

Duke University Acceptance Rate

Duke University has an acceptance rate of 8% with a stringent selection policy. In 2022 Spring semester, Duke University admission recorded 16,656 enrollments split into undergraduate and postgraduate programs. This recorded a 10% increase from last Spring enrollment. 9,175 admissions were for graduate or professional studies and 6,849 were for undergraduate courses. Out of the total, 24.07%of enrollments came from international students. This also represents a growth of 4%.

Duke University International Students

Source: Duke University

Duke University Campus

Duke University main campus is divided into east and west. The university is located in the beautiful Duke Forest. Duke University campus has over 400 student clubs and organizations. Duke encourages interdisciplinary learning and research, with many programs that span multiple departments and schools.

  • The university also offers free group fitness courses, personal trainers, aquatics centers, physical education as well as outdoor adventure opportunities.
  • Brodie and Wilson Recreation Centers are two recreational centers on the Duke campus.
  • University Chapel, Sarah P. Duke Gardens, Bull City Escape, and Wallace Wade Stadium are some places to explore near campus.
  • Juju Durham, Nosh, and The Loop Restaurant are some of the on-campus restaurants.

Duke University Accommodation

The university offers both on-campus and off-campus accommodation in the USA. Undergraduates are required to stay on campus for 3 years at least. Further information for on-campus and off-campus housing is mentioned below.

On-Campus Housing

On-campus accommodations are offered across - East Campus and West Campus of the university. West campus is for upper-class students and seniors. Upperclassmen living has HollowsQuad, which is the newest residence hall with suite-style rooms. East Campus is for all the 1st year students and has residence halls, lawns, tennis courts, labs, dining hall, café, library, and other facilities.

The semester and academic costs for Duke University accommodation types are tabulated below:

Accommodation Type Semester Cost in USD Semester Cost in INR
Single - A/C 6,271 5.19 lakhs
Double - A/C 4,747 3.93lakhs
Triple - A/C 4,233 3.50 lakhs
Edens Private Bedrooms (4 students) 7,795 6.45 lakhs

Off-Campus Housing

Most of the students choose to stay in on-campus housing. However, students looking for off-campus accommodation can check the below-mentioned list.

Residence Monthly Cost in USD Monthly Cost in INR
605 West End 1,110-2,258 0.92 lakhs- 1.87 lakhs
1313 S Alston Ave 1,195 0.99 lakhs
Cortland Bull City 1,449-2,692 1.20 lakhs- 2.23 lakhs
Atlas Durham 1,172-2,765 0.97 lakhs- 2.29 lakhs

Duke University Cost of Attendance

The average Duke University cost to study for undergraduates is 30 lakhs whereas for graduates it is 60 lakhs. Along with the tuition fees, students have to budget their living costs for USA. In total, Duke University international student fees tend to be around 63 lakhs for PG programs. An estimated budget for the US is given below.

Duke University Tuition Fee

Duke University courses are offered across 50 majors and 52 minors through 10 schools and colleges. The most popular majors are Computer Science, Public Policy, Biology, and Economics. Duke students have the opportunity to combine majors and minors of their choice in up to about 437,989 combination programs.

Duke University Cost of Living

Category Annual Cost in USD Annual Cost in INR
Books & Supplies 310 25 thousand
Housing 7,240 5.99 lakhs
Board 2,270 1.87 lakhs
Local Transportation 1,090 90thousand
Personal & Misc 2,290 1.89lakhs
Total 13,200 10.93 lakhs

Duke University Scholarships

52% of students receive some form of Duke University financial aid. The majority of the aid is offered as need-based scholarships and grants. The average need-based grant offered to students in 2022-2023 is 51,787 USD. Some of the top scholarships offered to students are mentioned below.

Scholarships Eligibility Grants (INR)
University Scholars Program Enrolled in Interdisciplinary research variable
A.B. Duke Scholars Program Merit-based Up to 2.49 cr
Karsh International Scholars Program Merit-based Full tuition fees + housing cost + up to 5.54 lakhs for research

Duke University Alumni

Duke University has a wide network of alumni working in various countries. The university offers various benefits like alumni events, travel, and educational opportunities, etc. Alumni can also access Duke Lemur Center, Duke Rec Center, and Nasher Museum of Art. More of the benefits are listed below.

  • Access to Duke Magazine
  • Access to the global network of DAA alumni chapters
  • Educational opportunities for further study
  • Exclusive discount in Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club
  • Also, discount in JB Duke Hotel
  • Access to alumni insurance program by the Duke Alumni Association

Notable Alumni

Alumni Name Profession Achievement
Richard Nixon 37th President of USA Opened U.S. relations with China
Kevin Martin Chairman of FCC Led FCC efforts to promote digital TV transition
John Feinstein Sportswriter Bestselling author and sports commentator
William Styron Novelist Pulitzer Prize winner and author of "Sophie's Choice"
Tim Cook CEO of Apple Inc. Promoted workplace diversity and social activism

Duke University Placements

Duke University has an excellent career center that helps students prepare and look for employment post-graduation. Duke University has a placement rate of 94% after 2 years of graduation. The graduates looking for jobs in USA, can get an average base salary of 112,538 USD (89.18 lakhs). The top 5 industries employing Duke graduates are in the field of Financial Services, Technology, and E-commerce industries.
Explore More: Duke University Placement Opportunities!

Duke University Graduate Employment by Industry

Duke University Graduate Employment by Industry
Source: Duke University

Duke University MBA Placements

98% of MBA graduates of the university receive job offers within 3 months of graduation. Top industries include –Consulting, Technology and Financial Services. Mean annual salary received by Duke MBA graduates is around 141,109 USD (1.12 cr). The top hiring companies include –Amazon, Dell, Deloitte, Citi, Google, Microsoft, Meta, Pepsico, Accenture and many more.

Source@https://www.fuqua.duke.edu/sites/www1.fuqua.duke.edu/files/media/programs/daytime/duke-mba-employment-2022.pdf

Duke University is one of the highly selective institutions in the USA and provides outstanding quality of education. The university has produced several successful personalities including US presidents. Along with modern academic infrastructure, the university provides a wide range of sports and recreation opportunities for prospective students. Students with low budgets are offered numerous scholarships and financial assistance from the university. Furthermore, the institution is headstrong in providing excellent placement to its students to some of the leading hirers in the world. The aforesaid factors are the key reasons for attracting international students to study in Duke University.

Looking for expert insights on Duke University? Collegedunia did the work for you. Mentioned below are sometips by our study abroad counselor,for students planning to study at Duke University.

FAQ’s

Ques. What is Duke University famous for?

Ans. Duke University is highly known for its academic curriculum, scholarship facilities, campus, and placements. Students have to go through a rigorous admission process but it is all worth it.

Ques. What kind of people get into Duke?

Ans. In the 2022 Spring semester, Duke University received 9,175 admissions for graduate or professional studies and 6,849 for undergraduate courses. Out of the total, 24.07% of enrollments came from international students. Duke students tend to be open-minded, and academically focused with a high work ethic.

Ques. How hard is it to go to Duke?

Ans. The acceptance rate for Duke University is 8.2%. The admission process at Duke University is highly selective and students need competitive scores. To get selected at the university, students need a GPA of 3.5/4 (90%) or higher academic scores.

Ques. What class rank do you need for Duke?

Ans. To get selected at Duke, students will need straight A’s in all of their classes. Duke admits the top students of their respective institutions.

Ques. Is Duke a Tier 1 school?

Ans. Yes. Duke University is considered as a Tier 1 school along with the University of Pennsylvania, Harvard University, Stanford University, etc. DU excels not only in academics but also in faculty, placements, and infrastructure.

Ques. What is Duke's acceptance rate?

Ans. Duke University has an acceptance rate of only 8%. The low acceptance rate shows a strict admission policy. Students have to put up their best scores to get selected at the university.

Ques. What are the courses in Duke University?

Ans. In undergraduate courses, DU offers 50 majors and 52 minors. Under graduate-level programs, the university has 80 departments in total. These courses are offered across 10 schools an colleges of Duke University.

Ques. Is Duke a hard school?

Ans. Duke University is a hard school. Though not cut-through competitive, the university is enough challenging with rigorous programs. However, the faculty members are helpful and there are facilities of group studies too.

Ques. How much does Duke cost for 4 years?

Ans. Duke charges around 23 lakhs per year for undergraduate courses. For graduate courses, DU tuition fees tend to be around 50 lakhs. If calculated for 4 years, the tuition cost can go up to 92 lakhs for ug programs.

Ques. Does Duke give scholarships?

Ans. Duke University provides many scholarships to its students. Around 52% of students receive some kind of financial aid. The DU need-based scholarships grant 51,787 USD (41.38 lakhs). The merit-based scholarship of Duke grants up to 2.49 cr.

Ques. How much is Duke tuition a year?

Ans. For the undergraduate program, Duke tuition is 23 lakhs per year. For postgraduate programs, DU tuition fees tend to be around 50.29 lakhs. In total, Duke University's international student cost of attendance is around 63 lakhs.

Ques. Is Duke 100% need-based?

Ans. Yes. Duke University will provide scholarships with the maximum grants to students who are in financial need. The university meets 100% of students' needs. 51% of undergraduate students pay less than the actual tuition costs.

Ques. Does Duke have dorms?

Ans. Yes. Duke has accommodation facilities on the East Campus and West Campus of the university. West campus is for upper-class students and seniors whereas East Campus is for all the 1st year students.

Ques. Where do most students live at Duke University?

Ans. A lot of Duke undergraduate and graduate students live at Belmont. This place is located within a walking distance from the university. There are also buses available from near Belmont for the university.

Ques. Is Duke University good for Indian students?

Ans. Duke University is known as the Ivy of the South since it is a prestigious private university. Duke is very much popular among Indian students for strong academics. Along with that, the weather of Durham city is much like the Indian climate. Most of the Duke international students hail from China, India, and Korea.

Ques. How much do Duke graduates make?

Ans. The Duke graduates can get a base salary of 112,538 USD (89.18 lakhs) on average. The top 5 preferred industries among DU students are Financial Services, Technology, and E-commerce industries. Overall, the university has a placement rate of 94% within 2 years of graduation.

Ques. Is Duke an Ivy League?

Ans. No, though Duke University has a prestigious ranking in the world and the US but is not an Ivy-League School. Students who are not interested in attending an Ivy league can surely opt for Duke as it is ranked #50 in QS World Rankings in 2023.

Ques. What GPA do you need to get into Duke?

Ans. Students need a 4.0 GPA (95-100%) to get admission in Duke. Duke admission is tough because of it’s low acceptance rate. Students with high academic scores have stronger chance at selection.