Duke University is a private university located in Durham, North Carolina. Founded in 1838 in Trinity, the school shifted to Durham in 1890’s. In 1924, James Buchanan Duke, an industrialist, set up The Duke Endowment and changed the institution’s name after his father, Washington Duke.
The campus is spread over 8,650 acres on three adjoining sub-campuses in Durham, in addition to a marine lab. Duke University houses 256 buildings. The main campus is divided into four main areas: Central East, and West campuses and the Medical Center, all of which are connected through free bus service.
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More than 18,200 students are enrolled in the university in both undergraduate and graduate programs. The most popular graduate courses for international students at Duke University are in the disciplines of engineering, management, and nursing.
Most of the foreign students of this university hail from China, India, and South Korea. The acceptance rate of Duke University is about 8%.
Students who wish to register for this university must have a GPA score of at least 3.7 out of 4, which is equivalent to 92%. In Spring 2022, of the 16,500 students enrolled in the university Out of all the students, 26% got admitted to PG programs and 9% to UG programs. More than 24% of them were foreign nationals.
The cost of studying at this university is around $43,981, which is said to be reasonable when compared to other top US universities. Duke University offers financial assistance to foreign students at an average amount of $51,787.
The university recruits students under assistantship for work-study programs. They can work for up to 19.2 hours per week and earn between $15 per hour and $16 per hour.
According to QS World University Rankings, 2023, the university was ranked #50 and in Times Higher Education (THE), it was ranked #23 in World College Rankings, 2022.
Duke University’s 10 schools and colleges offer 50 major and 52 minor programs. The most popular courses at Duke University are biology, computer science, economics, and public policy. Students, here, can combine major and minor subjects of their choice to undertake more than a possible 430,000 programs.
Name of Course |
Annual Fees (USD) |
MBA Finance |
69,877 |
MS Computer Science |
58,648 |
MSc Quantitative Financial Economics |
27,119 |
MSc Biomedical Engineering |
28,201 |
MEng Mechanical Engineering |
56,671 |
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Duke University has an acceptance rate of 8%. To gain admission to Duke University, foreign students need to get ready with the following.
Application Portal: Common Application | Online Graduate Application
Application Fees: For the UG program ($85) | For the PG program, $95
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The acceptance rate of Duke University is 8%. In the 2022 Spring semester, Duke University witnessed more than 16,600 registrations both in undergraduate and postgraduate programs.
Duke University’s main campus is categorized into east and west. It is home to more than 400 student clubs and organizations.
The university offers on-campus as well as off-campus accommodations. Undergraduate students need to stay on campus for a minimum of three.
On-campus accommodations are offered on the university’s East Campus as well as West Campus.
The cost of accommodation for students of Duke University’s UG and PG programs is as follows:
Type of Accommodation |
Cost per semester (USD) |
Cost per semester (USD) |
All room types |
4,276 |
8,564 |
All apartment types |
4,276 |
8,564 |
All satellite locations |
4,276 |
8,564 |
Most of the students choose to stay in on-campus housing. However, for students who are the on the lookout for off-campus accommodation, the list is as follows.
Residence |
Cost (INR) |
605 West End |
$1,123- $2,282 |
1313 S Alston Ave |
$1,208 |
Cortland Bull City |
$1,465 to $2,722 |
Atlas Durham |
$1,184- 2,797 |
The average cost to study at Duke University for undergraduates is $36,621 while for graduates it is $73,242. Besides the tuition fees, students have to pay for their living costs.
The expected cost of living for students of undergraduate and postgraduate programs at Duke University is as follows:
Type of Expense |
UG Cost per year (USD) |
PG Cost per year (USD) |
Tuition Fees |
28,242 |
61,410 |
Housing |
8,560 |
9,659 |
Books & Supplies |
3,187 |
623 |
Board |
7,768 |
3,383 |
Transportation |
916 |
1,661 |
More than 50% of students at Duke University receive financial aid in one form or the other. Most of it is provided as need-based scholarships and grants. The mean need-based grant that students got in 2022-2023 was $51,787.
Some of the details of the top scholarships that students at Duke University are offered are as follows:
Scholarships |
Eligibility |
Grants (USD) |
University Scholars Program |
Registered in multidisciplinary research |
variable |
A.B. Duke Scholars Program |
Merit-based |
Up to $304,093 |
Karsh International Scholars Program |
Merit-based |
Full tuition fees + accommodation costs + up to $6,766 towards research |
Duke University has a huge alumni network – employed in various countries in top positions. The university offers its alumni various benefits like events, educational opportunities, travel, etc. They can also access Duke Lemur Center, Duke Rec Center, and Nasher Museum of Art, among others. The other benefits that they can avail of are as follows.
Duke University has a placement rate of 94% after two years of study. Its graduates, who seek jobs in the US, can get a mean base salary of $112,538. The top verticals that employ Duke University’s graduates are e-commerce, financial services, and technology.
About 98% of MS graduates of Duke University get job offers within three months of graduating. The average yearly salary that Duke MS graduates get is more than $140,000.
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