Duke Financial Aid Guiding Principles

Duke University views its financial aid program as an investment in students and their futures. We seek a diverse student body and are committed to ensuring that aided students can take full advantage of the Duke experience. To that end, Duke admits U.S. citizens, permanent residents and a limited number of foreign students without regard to financial circumstance or aid eligibility and meets 100 percent of each admitted student's demonstrated need throughout their nine semesters of potential undergraduate enrollment.

Duke, like many similar institutions, uses the 568 Presidents' Group Consensus Approach to Needs Analysis to determine each student's family contribution. This formula, whose guiding principles are articulated under Bulletin Board/Tips on this page, is designed to ensure that families with similar circumstances contribute similar amounts while families with different financial circumstances contribute proportionally different amounts toward a student's annual attendance costs. Duke does not "negotiate" financial aid, but does consider extenuating circumstances that may affect a family's ability to support educational expenses. Applicants are encouraged to submit dollar-specific details relative to any extenuating or unusual circumstances that affect their ability to support educational expenses.

In addition to need-based scholarships, grants and loans, merit scholarships are integral to Duke's financial aid program. Although all merit scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic distinction, other factors -- such as leadership, musical talent and other unique characteristics -- are considered. Several of these programs are awarded without regard to a student's demonstrated need. Recipients who meet the specified academic standards will retain their merit scholarship for the four years they are enrolled at Duke. Applicants for admission are considered for all available merit scholarships. No specific scholarship application is available or required.