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Duke University

Durham, North Carolina, United States

  • Cost of Living$ 16,320
  • Tuition Fee From$ 27,840
  • Country Rank-
  • Batch Strength15,785
  • Global Diversity22%
  • Gender Ratio52 : 48

Overview

About

Duke University, a private research university in Durham, North Carolina, was established in 1838 and is named for James Buchanan Duke's late father, Washington Duke. The university covers over 8,600 acres across three campuses in Durham and a marine lab near Beaufort. Duke Chapel, the focal point of the main campus and home to a 5,200-pipe organ features Gothic architecture and dominates the landscape.

 

Prior to its merger into Trinity College in 1972, Duke maintained two undergraduate campuses for men and women, Trinity College and Woman's College. The university, in addition to Trinity (liberal arts), has schools of engineering, law, business, divinity, medicine, nursing, public policy, and the environment. The graduate school offers a number of master's and doctoral degree programs. Duke has become a major academic and research institution since its beginnings as Brown's Schoolhouse. The Levine Science Research Center at Duke University is the largest single-site interdisciplinary research facility of any American university. In 2014, Duke expanded its reach eastward by founding Duke Kunshan University in China, which combines a liberal arts curriculum in the United States with Chinese traditions.

 

Shopping, dining, and entertainment are all available in Durham, North Carolina, which is close to Duke University. Freshmen live together on the East Campus where they must live on campus for the first three years of their studies at Duke. The Duke Blue Devils are best known for its great men's basketball team, which is one of the top five most successful college basketball programs in the nation at all times. The Duke Blue Devils and the University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill Tar Heels have a heated rivalry that continues today. At Duke University, there are more than 700 student organizations, such as fraternities and sororities, sports teams, and clubs representing a range of different interests.

Ranking

According to U.S. News & World Report of 2024, the university was placed at a high #7 in the National Universities list. The same publication also ranked Duke at #17 in Best Value Schools. Duke was placed 50th in the world by QS World University Rankings in 2023. 

According to US News & World Report Global Universities, Duke University ranked 25th in 2023. Compared to the previous year, its global category ranking by US News & World Report Global Universities declined from 2022 to 2023. In the US News & World Report National University Ranking for 2023, Duke University's position dropped from 9th the previous year to 10th in 2023. Turning to the Times Higher Education (THE) University Ranking 2023, Duke University ranked 25th. 

 

Below are the most recent Duke University rankings below. 

  • #7 - Best Colleges List - College Factual 2024
  • #1 - Best Colleges In North Carolina - College Factual 2024
  • #57 - QS - World University Ranking 2024

 

Course-Wise Rankings: 

Duke University's MBA programme ranked 23rd in the QS Global MBA rankings. Its law programme ranked 29th in the QS Law Rankings 2023. The university also performed well in nursing, with QS Nursing Rankings 2023 placing its MSN course at 17th, an improvement from 19th the previous year. Duke maintained strong rankings across various disciplines from respected ranking organisations.

 

Year

QS Ranks

US News Ranks

2025

#61

-

2023

#50

#25

2022

#52

#25

Facilities

The purpose of the Duke University Facilities Office of the University Registrar is to support academics, staff, and students by offering a warm and supportive service environment both in-person and through various channels of communication. By supplying these important elements of the academic support framework, the Office of the University Registrar supports the university's overall educational objectives. When academics, students, and staff are pursuing the academic objectives of the university, they serve as "behind the scenes" facilitators.

 

The primary West Campus library complex is made up of the William R. Perkins Library, the Bostock Library, and the Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library. It is joined by the Lilly and Music libraries on East Campus, the Pearse Memorial Library at the Duke Marine Lab, and the independently run libraries serving the schools of Business, Divinity, Law, and Medicine. All students are given exceptional care and coaching by the caring professionals at Duke Student Wellness, who are aware of the special identities, values, and needs of our students. They are assisted in making proactive wellness decisions, attending to medical needs, and pursuing greater personal success and happiness.

Notable Alumni

Tim Cook
Tim Cook
Chief Executive Officer of Apple
Adam Silver
Adam Silver
Commissioner of the NBA
Judy Woodruff
Judy Woodruff
American Broadcaster

Courses

Admission

Acceptance Rate

Duke University acceptance rate is just 6% for international students in 2024. This is an extremely selective acceptance rate and the admission committee scrutinises each application wisely. To get here, make sure that you have over-exceeding scores and the right documents. 

 

Duke University averaged a 9.35% acceptance rate over the past decade. In 2023, it accepted 6.35% of applicants. The university's average yield stood at 51.82% during that period, while the 2023 yield was 54.98%. Duke received 313 fewer applicants in 2023, a 0.63% decrease from the prior year.

 

Entry Requirements

The number of majors, minors, and certificates available at Duke University is over 53. Transcripts must be sent directly from the institution to the university within the specified date exclusively for overseas applicants. Below mentioned are the Duke University entry requirements for UG & PG -

 

Undergraduate Admissions Requirements

  • Online Application
  • Application fee of $85
  • Academic Transcripts
  • LOR for USA
  • Portfolio
  • Official high school transcripts
  • Proof for financial support
  • English Proficiency Test Scores 

 

Graduate Admissions Requirements

  • Online Application
  • Application fee of $95
  • Essay
  • Work Experience
  • CV/Resume
  • GMAT/GRE (for some courses)
  • Letter of Recommendation (3 LOR)
  • Admission Interview

 

English Proficiency Test Scores

Below table shows the different types of English tests like TOEFL, IELTS, and PTE and their minimum UG and PG scores. 

 

Test Name 

UG Minimum Score 

PG Minimum Score

TOEFL iBT

100 

90

IELTS

7

7

PTE Academic

70

-

 

Fees

The average Duke University fees after aid $32,459 which can be a little on the higher end as it is a renowned university. However; students are advised to seek financial aid during their time at Duke. Financial aid comes as grants and scholarships that can marginally cut your tuition as well as living expenses. Similarly, if students wish to cover their entire cost while studying abroad; they can look for education loans that come with full cost coverage. This allows students to not worry about any financial constraints during their time in university. To help you get an estimate, we have listed some of the popular courses and their fees in the list below. 

 

  • M.B.A: $62,620 /Yr
  • B.S.E / M.Eng Mechanical Engineering: $63,450 /Yr
  • B.S.E / M.S Electrical & Computer Engineering: $63,450 /Yr
  • B.S.E / M.Eng Electrical & Computer Engineering: $63,450 /Yr
  • B.S.E / M.Eng Biomedical Engineering: $63,450 /Yr
  • B.S.E / M.Eng Civil Engineering: $63,450 /Yr

 

Placement

When it comes to Duke University placements; THE rankings place DU at #12 for US graduate employability. 94% of graduates and alumni find work within two years of graduation, and 93% find work within six years. A DU graduate typically makes 76,300 USD annually. Graduates and former employees are employed by prestigious businesses like Leidos, Premier, Inc., Abbott Laboratories, Medtronic, Inc., Amazon, and Google.

 

The university has a dedicated career center that supports its students and graduates by assisting them in expanding their job alternatives, and professional networks, developing their resumes and CVs and finding new employment. The university's career center's job board, Handshake, allows alumni to sign up using a OneLink account and browse a variety of career opportunities and areas that are suited to their needs.

Scholarship

Duke University funds up to 149 million USD (12 billion INR) each year in the form of grants and scholarships. The university meets 100% of the demonstrated needs of undergraduate students. Nearly 51% of first-year applicants pay less than the total cost of attendance at Duke University. 

 

Name Of The Scholarship

Amount

Thomas F. Keller Scholarship

Full Tuition Cost

The Manning Scholarships

Full Tuition Cost

David and Elizabeth Roderick Scholarship (MFA)

Varies

Funding for Diversity and Inclusion Events

Varies

Professional Development Grant

Varies

 

With a commitment to levelling the playing field for students in higher education, UniScholars curates a diverse array of scholarships catered to various fields and backgrounds. By offering this support, UniScholars empowers students to follow their academic pursuits without the burden of financial constraints.

 

Finances

Most international students are obligated to show proof of sufficient funds in order to obtain a visa. While some students may have the opportunity to make use of scholarships, not all students cut the eligibility to get a scholarship or a grant. Moreover, not all scholarships cover 100% of your study abroad expenses. At such times, most students resort to acquiring education loans to avoid the financial hassles associated with studying at the university. For Indian students, UniCreds is the ideal education loan marketplace if you’re looking for low-interest rates and free consultation services!

Accommodation

There are several student housing options available for students planning to attend Duke University. You may select from a wide choice of affordable yet elegant student flats, halls of residence, studios, ensuites, and more! You have the option of staying on campus in the university halls of residence or in a private residence. Because of their proximity to the university, on-campus housing options may be ideal; nevertheless, they tend to fill up fast and are more expensive.

 

UniAcco simplifies the process of finding student housing and offers a variety of options. As a result, students can select from a wide range of available student accommodation near the Duke University, such as luxury studios, en-suites, and shared apartments that are more inexpensive and student-friendly.

Cost of Living

The cost of living in Durham is far more affordable than that in New York or New Jersey. Students can easily manage their costs if they budget their expenses every month. To make it easier; we have listed all the major items and their costs in the table below. 

 

Items

Cost (Monthly)

Off-Campus Accommodation 

$721

On-Campus Accommodation

$888

Transportation

$84

Food Cost

$341

Utility Cost

$134

Entertainment

$48

Groceries

$50

Clothes

$116

Health Insurance

$80

Total Cost of Living with Off Campus Accommodation 

$1,574

Total Cost of Living with On Campus Accommodation 

$1,741

Annual Cost of Living

$18,888

FAQs