duke phd application timeline

Application Components

Many applications for graduate programs are accomplished on-line. You can register at the institutions to view or print the application forms. Components of an application to a graduate program in the arts and sciences include:

Personal statement. Describing academic interests and independent scholarly work, the personal statement serves as an intellectual autobiography. The applicant is expected to address his or her specific intellectual interest within a field, to describe how that interest developed and how it has been sustained with a description of any research or special study already accomplished. The applicant's career goals need to be included in this statement which must be well written. Because it will be read and evaluated by faculty within a discipline, it must be focused in that area. All specific questions and issues stated in the application materials must also be addressed. The personal statement is not an appropriate place to list extracurricular activities unrelated to the applicant’s intellectual pursuits. Graduate programs in the arts and sciences are generally less interested in such information although it is perfectly acceptable to give the statement some personality by including individual interests so long as they are not emphasized. A good idea is to ask a faculty mentor, one who has advised you about graduate school throughout the process, to read and comment on the statement.

Official transcripts. Transcripts present a complete academic record of enrollments and performance. DukeHub has a link to facilitate your request to the registrar's office to mail your Duke transcript to admissions offices. There is no cost for this service because Duke students pay a one-time transcript fee at the time of matriculation. Most admissions processes require that you provide transcripts for all college course work, no matter where it was completed. Typically, official transcripts are required which means you must make the request to the institution’s registrar to send the document directly. Plan ahead since most university registrar offices do not respond to requests as quickly as the Duke Registrar which often sends transcripts within 24 hours of receiving a request.

Recommendations. Typically three letters of recommendation from faculty documenting and evaluating the candidate’s academic ability and research performance are required. Letters from faculty must be detailed and convincing, evaluating the applicant’s academic ability and promise for original scholarly work in the chosen field of study. These abilities are difficult, actually impossible, to judge from performance in large survey courses. Authors of recommendations are expected to know the applicant’s work and to provide an evaluation of it in comparison with other students, including their own graduate students. Typically written by professors of seminars, small lecture courses, and independent research experiences (whether or not for academic credit), the letters might describe specific term papers, class debates, and/or research results. It should be obvious from the above that applicants to graduate school should make it a point to enroll in small classes in their major or related area and to maintain intellectual discourse with professors outside of class.

Graduate Record Examination scores. GREs are discussed below.

Additional items. Writing samples may be required by graduate programs in the humanities and social sciences, but do not send such materials unless specifically requested.

Communicating with Prospective Graduate Programs and Faculty. It is perfectly acceptable to write to professors you are considering as graduate advisors. In some cases, this is the only way you will learn whether that individual is planning a location change that might make you alter your application plans. Emailing is acceptable if you are certain that the recipient uses email (not everyone does). Include information on your background and training so the professor can determine whether your interests are suited to his or her current research thrusts. Such a communication should include more intellectual ideas than a list of extracurricular activities. Your message will probably be added to your admissions file and will show that you are more than mildly interested in that department’s program.

Selecting a Graduate Program

Choosing a graduate program goes well beyond knowledge of the institution; students should seek departments and programs with faculty who are good matches with their intellectual objectives and who represent good prospects for advising on a suitable doctoral thesis project. If you have selected or been assigned to a major advisor who contributes regularly to the specific field of study you have selected, you are very fortunate since this person will be an excellent source of advice about the best graduate programs for you. You should also seek a diversity of opinions from your professors and graduate student acquaintances. Talk with as many people as possible to learn the current status of the programs of interest to you, and be certain that there are faculty in those programs whose research interests match yours.

Departments and programs at Duke have named a faculty member to serve as a Ph.D. advisor for Duke undergraduates who are interested in pursuing an advanced degree within the broad subject area of the major. Advisors’ and professors’ guidance about selecting specific graduate programs can be supplemented with information from guides and directories, which are widely available online. Examples include:

• GradSchools.com
• Peterson’s Guides

Graduate Record Examination

Scores from the GRE General Test are required elements for most applications to graduate programs in the arts and sciences as well as to many scholarship and fellowship programs. The results of the GRE General Test carry great weight with Ph.D. programs because they help to evaluate one’s overall promise as a graduate student. Senior applicants should schedule the GRE during the summer before or during the fall of their senior year. Spring testing dates are most often used by seniors who plan to apply after receiving their baccalaureate degrees and who should take the test while their skills and knowledge are still “fresh”.

The General Test is composed of three sections: verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning and analytical writing. In addition, certain graduate programs require scores from a GRE Subject Test, intended to assess an applicant’s background in topics pertinent to the prospective study area. These tests are offered in eight disciplines: Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology; Biology; Chemistry; Computer Science; Literature in English; Mathematics; Physics; and Psychology.

GRE Prep Guide

The GRE General Test

Note that the General GRE test is not administered as a paper and pencil test. It is a computer based, individually administered and individually scheduled examination. (Subject Tests, however, will be administered two or three times each year by paper and pencil until further notice.) The centers fill to capacity quite quickly, thus, you should register early rather than using the GRE registration deadlines as a guide if you wish to test in the Triangle area of North Carolina. Registration for the GRE is on-line for those paying the test fee by credit card and by mail for those paying the test fee by check. See the deadlines and instructions at http://www.gre.org where students may also register. Duke students may schedule their GRE General Test in Durham or another convenient site as explained on the GRE web site or in the registration materials. The local testing center is at North Carolina Central University at the following address: 1801 Fayetteville St., University Testing Center, C-304 LT Walker Complex, Durham, North Carolina 27707; (919) 530-7490.

The GRE General Test is designed to measure basic skills needed for advanced study in a research oriented discipline. A full description of the content and format of these sections is beyond the scope of this handbook, but students may learn about them and the skills they assess from the GRE Web site.

Prospective graduate school applicants should stay up to date with changes in the general GRE test format . The Educational Testing Service has recently implemented several new question formats. These are described in detail on the GRE website.

Subject Tests

GRE subject tests are intended to assess an applicant’s background in topics pertinent to the prospective study area and should reflect the level of preparation of the applicant in the discipline. Performance on the subject test may be weighted less than that on the general GRE if it can be determined that any deficiencies can be addressed with course work after entering graduate school. Check carefully to determine whether the program's application requirements will be met with scores from the General Test alone or whether scores from a Subject test are needed as well. Again, these tests are offered in eight disciplines: Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology; Biology; Chemistry; Computer Science; Literature in English; Mathematics; Physics; and Psychology.

Timeline: Planning Ahead

• Students who expect to attend graduate school should seriously consider declaring their majors before or early in their sophomore year so that they may receive the benefit of advice within their major departments as early as possible.
• Explore research opportunities with faculty, especially for the summer; summer programs have application deadlines beginning in January.

Sophomore Year

• If not done previously, declare your major in the fall.
• Collect information about graduate school and the graduate school experience. Discuss your interest in graduate study with your major advisor and/or with the Ph.D. advisor in the department or area of interest; seek help planning electives and skills courses to meet the expectations of graduate programs for breadth and depth of study.
• Discuss the graduate school experience with your graduate teaching assistants and other graduate students in the department.
• Look for opportunities to help with research projects on campus and/or during the summer. Stay up to date with opportunities announced by the Undergraduate Research Support Office .

Junior Year

• This is a good time to familiarize yourself with general features of PhD programs, statistics on admission and degree completion, etc. Duke's Graduate School maintains a web site with statistics for the institution and individual departments .
• Discuss prospective graduate programs with your faculty advisor and the Ph.D. advisor in your department. Your choices should be guided by the vigor of the prospective graduate program at an institution, the intellectual strength of its faculty and the liklihood of your identifying an appropriate doctoral mentor there.
• If you will be applying for national/international graduate fellowships that require an institutional endorsement (e.g., Rhodes, Marshall, Fulbright), register your intention with the Office of University Scholars and Fellows, and attend the spring information meeting. The deadlines for these and national fellowships (e.g., NSF) will need to be integrated into your calendar for applications for admission.
• Become familiar with the application process for each school of interest. Visit their web sites, register as a prospective applicant and view or download the applications forms. You do not need to complete the forms at the time of registration.
• Summer.  To ensure your preferred testing date and location for the General Test, register for an individual appointment well before the publicized registration deadline. Subject Tests, if needed, will be offered on two designated Saturdays in the fall. If you will be taking a Subject Test, register as early as possible if the preferred testing site is in the Triangle area. Duke is not a GRE testing site. 

Timeline: the Application Year

August-september.

• Finalize the list of programs to which you will apply. Make sure you have established an account at each school that uses an on-line application. (Important note: do not establish multiple accounts for any application since this can and has resulted in mismatched recommendations when letters are electronically submitted.)
• If not done earlier, register for GRE testing .
• Select the individuals you will ask for recommendations and visit each one to make your request and to discuss your plans. If the schools give a choice, ask whether the recommender prefers paper or electronic format for submitting recommendations, and let him or her know you will be returning later in the fall with more information.  (If you will be applying for national scholarships such as the Marshall and Rhodes, you will be asking for recommendations during the summer.)
• Begin drafting your personal statement. The final document should be the core of your submission for each application but will need slight modification for each program.

October-November

• Deliver recommendation details/forms to each of your recommenders noting deadlines for their attention.
• Complete the biographical information section for each application and upload your personal statement.
• Submit requests for transcripts to the Registrar’s Office at each undergraduate school at which you have taken courses.
• Stay alert for communications and/or use the on-line checklist to confirm that documents have been received.

Early December

• Continue to check on each institution’s application web page to make sure your applications have been completed.
• Follow up with recommenders and registrar offices as needed.

February and March

• Respond to communications from the admissions offices and departments.
• Attend recruiting events if offered an invitation. 

Notifications

Applicants are typically notified of admission and fellowship decisions in February, March or April through an electronic communication. April 15 is the common date to notify the schools about your decision unless your notification comes after that time.

With respect to admissions interviews, doctoral graduate programs fall somewhat between medical schools that require formal interviews of their candidates and law schools that have no interview component at all.   

Rather than requiring interviews as part of admissions decisions by doctoral programs, research intensive universities are much more likely to hold recruiting weekends for candidates who have been or are likely to be admitted. It the recruiting event is held prior to final decisions, an applicant's behavior can influence the outcome, but the true intention of the department is to present and emphasize the intellectual strengths of its faculty and quality of resources, as well as to give applicants an impression of its academic and social environment. The weekend will include social events, presentations of research and the opportunity to speak with multiple faculty. Your goal at such a weekend is to confirm the perceptions that led you to apply to the department, to establish contacts with current graduate students for later assistance with questions and to make yourself known to and to assess your prospective doctoral thesis advisors. You should be prepared to have natural conversations about your undergraduate academic experience as well as the successes and/or frustrations of your individual research and writing projects and to convey a sense of the breadth of your training and experience in the field.

Applicants and prospective applicants for admission to Ph.D. programs are generally welcome to arrange their own visits to the department and to schedule an appointment with one or more prospective faculty mentors. You might make such visits early enough to inform your decision making about where to apply. Note that undergraduates who travel to professional society meetings to present papers or posters have an opportunity to meet faculty from other institutions, a perfect time to discuss their interest in those programs.

Whether you plan your own trip to visit a graduate program or are invited to a weekend arranged for applicants, you should know that such events are much less formal than interviews for professional schools or for employment. The dress code for campus visits is upper end of everyday college attire - neat pants/skirt and shirt/sweater, no suits. The graduate teaching assistants in related Duke departments provide good models for expected dress. However, if you are invited for an interview for a distinguished scholarship or a combined degree program, consider it to be more formal, probably requiring business dress.

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Applications to the Duke ECE PhD program are made through the Duke Graduate School.  Visit the links below for detailed information and to start your application

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Apply to PhD

Are you looking for help with the application process?

Duke Engineering Graduate Ambassadors offers assistance from a current Duke graduate student mentor to help navigate your application process and offer perspectives on general graduate student life.

More information herE 

How to Apply

Applicants to Duke’s Department of Psychology and Neuroscience apply to one of five graduate training areas. On Item 9 of the application form, complete "the Proposed Department/Program" with Psychology and Neuroscience. Complete the space following "Special Field" with one of the five graduate training areas: Clinical Psychology , Cognition & the Brain , Developmental Psychology , Social Psychology , and Systems and Integrative Neuroscience.   When selecting your area, please consider the faculty who admit in each of the areas.

Applications

To be considered for Fall 2024 admission, applications must be received by November 30, 2023 regardless of training area.

The list of application materials required by the Duke Graduate School can be found on their Admissions website. For an application to be considered complete, the Graduate School requires ALL of the following:

• Graduate Record Examination  (GRE) scores – general test is currently optional.  The GRE Psychology Subject Test is not required, but is recommended for Clinical Applicants who were not psychology majors. NOTE: GRE scores cannot be more than 5 years old.
• A completed Duke Graduate School electronic application for admission
• The application fee ($95 USD)
• Three (3) or more letters of recommendation
• Transcripts from all undergraduate institutions you attended, including any exchange student study. NOTE: You can send in unofficial transcripts with your application, but if accepted you will need to supply official transcripts.
• For international students, TOEFL exams scores. (see Duke's English language proficiency requirements ). TOEFL scores can only be 2 years old at the time the application is submitted.
• To be eligible for a TOEFL waiver, you must have studied full time for two years or more at a college or university where the sole language of instruction is English. The two years of study must be completed prior to application submission.
• 5156 – Duke University's institution code

Application materials must be sent directly to the Duke Graduate School . Make sure to plan your GRE test dates so that your scores will be reported in time to make the December deadlines.

What if I want to apply but cannot afford to pay the fee? Does The Graduate School ever waive application fees?

The Graduate School offers an application fee waiver option to support prospective students from various populations, including those who may be experiencing economic stresses. There are a limited number of application fee waivers each cycle. As such, fee waiver requests are “first-come, first-serviced.” We strongly encourage you to apply early, regardless of the application deadline for the program.  More information about how to apply can be found here .

For questions about or issues with the application procedure, you can contact the Assistant to the Director of Graduate Students, Wendy Stocum, at [email protected] .

For general admissions questions or questions about the university requirements, you may also contact the Duke Graduate School at  [email protected] .

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Graduate School Application Prep

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Are you thinking about attending graduate school after Duke? It’s never too early to start looking or thinking about what you would like to study. If you are thinking about going to graduate school, whether it’s right after Duke or you decide to take a gap year, this guide will help you get started!

Decide on an area of focus

If you know what you would like to study when you attend graduate school, then you are ahead of the curve! However, if you’re not quite sure what you would like to study, take some time to reflect on your interests, skills, who you would like to become, and how your answers align with a potential graduate school program. Graduate school can be very expensive so take some time to think it through before you make a decision!

Research schools and programs

If you know what you would like to study, researching schools and potential programs of interest can help you narrow down your search of schools. You may also want to take other factors into consideration such as tuition, curriculum, and geographical location. Your research can consist of visiting the school’s website, speaking with current students or recent alums, and scheduling an informational interview with a staff or faculty member of the program. As you are conducting your research, you can use the Graduate School’s “ Things to Consider ” table to help you keep notes!

Pay attention to the application

While you are researching potential schools and programs, make sure that you pay close attention to the application for the program. This will provide you with the application requirements and deadlines. Paying close attention to this information will inform you on what is needed to be accepted into the program and how you will need to prepare yourself to become ready to apply.

Prepare for letters of Recommendation

Throughout your time in undergraduate school, do not overlook the importance of building relationships. Connecting with faculty and staff members and maintaining contact with previous supervisors can be extremely helpful, as most graduate school programs typically ask for 2-4 letters or recommendations. Having these established relationships will make it easier for you to decide who to reach out to and provide an opportunity for the individual you have asked to write a personalized letter of recommendation.

Pay attention to deadlines

Deadlines are extremely important. While you are looking at the application requirements pay close attention to the application deadlines. Doing so will help you plan out when to take required tests (if applicable), request for transcripts, ask for letters of recommendation to be written, and complete additional application materials.

Additional Resource

Duke Graduate School has an amazing resource, “ How to Choose the Right Graduate School ”, which includes tips and tools to guide you through your grad school prep and decision-making process. This resource can assist you with both Duke and non-Duke graduate school application prep.

• How to Apply

The Duke Mathematics Graduate Program offers admission to students interested in obtaining a PhD in many research areas spanning pure and applied mathematics.  

Application Instructions

Applications for Fall 2024 admission are due by Wednesday,  December 13, 2023 .  Submission of the General and Math Subject GRE exams are both optional.

• For questions about the application process and requirements (including the GRE and TOEFL), or the online application, consult the The Graduate School's list of  Frequently Asked Questions .  If your answer is not addressed there, you can contact The Graduate School from the FAQ page.
• Applications to the program are administered by the Graduate School (not the Math Department) and all logistical questions should be directed there (eg: whether or not materials have been received and added to your file). See the Graduate School's  Admissions FAQs , especially "Can I update my application after I submit it?" and send email to grad-admissions-center at duke edu if appropriate.
• The Math Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) can answer questions about academic aspects of the program.  (You will find answers to many common questions on the math department website.)  Email [email protected] .
• An application fee waiver may be available to you if you meet certain criteria set out by The Graduate School. To request a fee waiver for your Duke Graduate School application, you will first need to have an application in progress. The fee waiver option is built into the application system. For more information about fee waivers please visit the Graduate School webpage . Please be aware that the Mathematics Department does not have fee waivers and all waiver requests should be through the application portal. 

Please note that the department has neither a Masters program, nor a separate track for students primarily interested in teaching.

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Ph.D. in Chemistry

General info.

• Faculty working with students: 30
• Students: 130
• Students receiving Financial Aid: 100%
• Part time study available: No
• Application Terms: Fall
• Application Deadline: December 4

Kevin Welsher Director of Graduate Studies Department of Chemistry Duke University Box 90347 Durham, NC 27708-0347

Phone: (919) 660-1503

Email: [email protected]

Website:  http://www.chem.duke.edu

Program Description

The following areas of specialization are available: analytical, biological, inorganic, physical, theoretical, and organic. A wide range of interdisciplinary research programs (e.g., toxicology, biological chemistry, cell and molecular biology) involve chemistry students with those in medical sciences, engineering, the Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences, and occasionally with local industry. The French Family Science Center, totaling over 275,000 square feet, is a shared research facility with groups from Biology, Physics, Mathematics and the Medical Center occupying space, with additional research space in the adjacent Levine Science Research Center. This well-equipped chemical laboratory provides conditions conducive to research in many areas of current interest. Major shared instruments, including those for nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectrometry, are housed in the departmental instrumentation facility and a wide array of more specialized instrumentation is available in the various research laboratories.

The doctoral program in chemistry features research programs that span the “traditional” sub-disciplines of chemistry, including analytical, biological, inorganic, organic, physical and theoretical chemistry. However, many, if not most of the research programs are interdisciplinary, either overlapping the traditional boundaries of chemistry or the boundaries between chemistry and the other sciences, for example biological, materials, and environmental sciences. Many chemistry faculty and students participate in university-wide interdisciplinary training programs and centers, including those in biological chemistry, toxicology, pharmacology, molecular biophysics, biologically inspired materials, and cellular and biosurface engineering. Research in all fields is supported by state-of-the-art equipment and facilities. Competitive stipends are provided through research and teaching assistantships, and fellowships are available for outstanding candidates.

• Chemistry: PhD Admissions and Enrollment Statistics
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Application Information

Application Terms Available:  Fall

Application Deadline:  December 4

Graduate School Application Requirements See the Application Instructions page for important details about each Graduate School requirement.

• Transcripts: Unofficial transcripts required with application submission; official transcripts required upon admission
• Letters of Recommendation: 3 Required
• Statement of Purpose: Required (see departmental guidance below)
• Résumé: Required
• GRE General: Optional
• GRE Subject - Chemistry: Optional
• English Language Exam: TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test required* for applicants whose first language is not English *test waiver may apply for some applicants
• GPA: Undergraduate GPA calculated on 4.0 scale required

Department-Specific Application Requirements (submitted through online application)

Statement of Purpose Guidelines: This is one of the most important components of your application and is the key to helping the admissions committee determine if Duke Chemistry is a good fit for your Ph.D. studies. Your statement should be well-organized and concise. It should provide clear evidence of your maturity, persistence, resilience, and motivation for pursuing a chemistry Ph.D. It should also provide evidence of how you will contribute to a diverse and inclusive community of scholars. Most of all, it should clearly articulate your research interests and explain how they overlap with faculty in the department.

Writing Sample None required

We strongly encourage you to review additional department-specific application guidance from the program to which you are applying: Departmental Application Guidance

List of Graduate School Programs and Degrees

Ph.D. Requirements

We attempt to make each stage of the progress towards the doctoral degree less an obstacle race, with each stage a step to be got through before the "real work" can begin, than an integral and component part of the making of an intellectual.

Course Requirements

At Duke, the doctoral candidate must be enrolled for six semesters of full tuition. Students must successfully complete eleven graduate courses for credit in their first two years, but they may, of course, take more than the minimum number of courses, either as audits or for credit: typically students take between twelve and fourteen courses in their first three years of study. All courses at the 500-800 levels in both the English department and the Program in Literature may be counted toward the eleven-course requirement and courses in other departments for which students have an intellectual rationale can also be counted. At the discretion of the Director of Graduate Studies, up to three courses of the eleven normally required may be remitted for a student who has completed an MA degree at another university.

Foreign Language Requirement

Our program requires foreign language proficiency in at least one language. We ask that the student establish this proficiency within the first two years of the program, either by certifying a grade of "B" or better in a literature course conducted in the language at another college or university within two years of matriculating at Duke, or by successfully completing one of the departmentally approved modes of satisfying the requirement listed in the Handbook.

Areas of Concentration

Beginning in the second year of the program, the student selects one major and two minor fields of concentration that will form the basis of the preliminary examination on a major area of concentration. The student should also select a preliminary examining committee, consisting of a major-field faculty advisor and three other faculty members, by the end of the second year. A summer reading list is due to the Director of Graduate Study before the summer of the student's third year. For a helpful list of questions to ask as you assemble a committee and prepare for exams, please see the Graduate English Association Best Practices Sheet for Exams and Reading lists .  

Portfolio Review

At the end of the Fall semester of the second year, the student selects three papers that they have written for coursework to make a portfolio.  They write a brief reflective statement about the portfolio and select two faculty members—usually one of these the prospective committee chair and one a possible committee member—who, along with the DGS, read the three papers and discuss them with the student before the end of the Spring semester. 

Preliminary Examination

In the spring semester of the third year, the student takes two written examinations, one on the major and one on the two minor areas of concentration. These take the form of two take-home 12 hour exams. The written portion is followed within two weeks by an oral examination on the major as well as the two minor fields. Both the written and the oral examinations are administered by the preliminary examination committee (see above).

Dissertation

In the fourth and fifth years, the student will be expected to complete a book-length thesis of original scholarship. The Ph.D. degree is awarded upon completion and successful defense of the dissertation. The dissertation committee of four members (typically, though not invariably, the four members of the preliminary examining committee) is responsible for assisting as appropriate in the dissertation research and writing, deciding on the acceptability of the work, and administering the Final Doctoral Oral Examination.

Dissertation Chapter Meeting

A chapter consultation for the dissertation is scheduled within six months of the preliminary examination. At this meeting, the student submits a draft of the first chapter and a brief outline of the projected shape of the rest of the dissertation for discussion with the assembled dissertation committee. From this point forward, the director of the dissertation serves as the principal advisor, and the second and third reader are typically also asked to read work in progress. The fourth reader usually reads the dissertation in full only when it has reached its final form.

Time Limits and Deadlines

The dissertation should normally be submitted and accepted within two years of the preliminary examination; extensions may be granted, but only in extraordinary circumstances will they be granted for longer than two further years. Regulations  governing details such as the filing of the title  by a stipulated deadline, the format, and the deadline for submission of a final version before the scheduled examination, are all set by the Graduate School and should be carefully followed.

The Final Doctoral Oral Examination

All members of the dissertation committee must participate in this examination. Typically, the exam takes two hours, and it may involve questions not only about the content of the dissertation, but on the candidate's major field. Minor changes or corrections on the dissertation may be requested. Three committee members, including the dissertation director, must agree that the candidate will pass.

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Ph.D. Program

COVID 19 Update

While we are now back on campus, the GRE will continue to remain optional as it was during the height of the pandemic.

Admission is competitive with approximately 5% of applicants offered admission.

• Applicants must submit applications and supporting documents online , by December 6, 2023 . There is a $95.00 application fee.
• All requested supporting documentation should be uploaded electronically via the online application portal. An official hard copy of your transcript will be requested after admission by the Duke Graduate School. We strongly encourage you to apply before the December 6, 2023   deadline . If you apply later, there may not be time for all your supporting documents (transcripts, recommendation letters, etc.) to arrive by the time our departmental reviews begin in early January. An incomplete file may affect full consideration of your application. All supporting documents must be electronically submitted along with your application to the Duke Graduate School. They should not be submitted directly to the department. 
• The statement of purpose is an especially important part of the application because it gives applicants a chance to describe their research interests. There is no single way to write a good statement of purpose. However, you can download some sample statements of purpose (below) from a few successful applicants.
• At the beginning of the statement of purpose, applicants must also list three keywords best describing their research interests and geographical area of study (for example: Mass Media, Indigenous Rights, Latin America). 
• Applicants must also upload a roughly 10-20 page sample of relatively recent written work  via the online application portal.

For questions regarding admissions materials or process, in lieu of phone calls to the department of Cultural Anthropology, please contact:

Graduate School Admissions Phone: (919) 684-3913 Email: [email protected] Download Sample Statements of Purpose  

Certificate Program

To enroll in a Certificate Program, you must be enrolled in a Ph.D. program at Duke University. Once you have been admitted into a Ph.D. program and wish to add a Certificate in another department or field, you must identify a faculty mentor in that field to assist you in developing a plan of study.  Cultural Anthropology PhD students have acquired certificates in, among others: Gender, Sexuality & Feminist Studies; African & African American Studies; Latin American & Caribbean Studies; Asian & Middle Eastern Studies; Documentary Studies; International Development Policy.

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The Department of Population Health Sciences develops critically-thinking, creative, and collaborative research scientists that are passionate about improving healthcare for all. The doctoral program equips students with the knowledge and tools they will need to research and work alongside health systems, government agencies, non-profits, industry, and others pursuing improved health of populations.

Admission Deadlines

Application Deadline : The application for 2023-2024 admissions  to the Population Health Sciences PhD program has opened, and will close on November 30, 2023.

Successful applicants will find a close fit with a departmental  faculty  advisor who shares their research interests. The DPHS Education leadership team identifies potential matches early in the admissions process, so those offered admission to the program can be assured of a strong match with a faculty advisor. 

Also, please note that the  online degree application requires you to identify potential mentors from our department. You will have an opportunity to contact these potential mentors after you hear whether you have been accepted to the doctoral degree program.  

Some guidance on how to identify those faculty members. 

• What excites you in your research field? 
• What is a productive area that fits your values and your career plans? 
• Who is engaged in research that is complementary to your interests?

About the PhD in Population Health Sciences

The Duke PopHealth PhD program prepares researchers to formulate important research questions, design studies to answer them, organize resources to carry out relevant studies, and analyze the results to contribute scientific and policy insights. Our coursework, experiential learning, and professional development help prepare PhD students to be leaders in the population health field.

Our faculty are world-renowned for their expertise and strengths in the following areas:

• Health Measurement. Learn more
• Implementation Science. Learn more
• Health Policy
• Health Services Research
• Health Economics

Why Choose Duke for a PhD in Population Health Sciences?

The department, which is part of the Duke University School of Medicine, offers Ph.D. candidates a unique and rich setting in which to acquire that foundation and then use it to complete their studies and dissertation research. Ph.D. students can:

Access Duke's  PopHealth DataShare , which provides access and consultation to large data sets from federal and state government sources as well as a private insurer

Tap into Duke PopHealth’s partnerships with world-class institutions like  Duke Cancer Institute ,  Duke Clinical Research Institute ,  Duke Global Health Institute , and  Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy

Connect with Duke PopHealth’s  Center for Health Measurement , the  BASE Lab ,  QualCore , and  INTERACT  (Implementation Science Research Collaborative) – which each offer specialized research support.

Enjoy proximity to Duke Health, which provides most of the health care in Durham County. Students can also connect with the Durham Veterans Administration Medical Center and  ADAPT Center .

Traditional features of the curriculum include parallel development of theory and applications as well as coverage of specific biostatistical topic areas and ethical issues in the conduct of statistical and medical research. The core curriculum covers the principles of epidemiologic studies in detail.  Embedded throughout the curriculum are examples of conflict of interest situations faced by biostatisticians, along with principles of reproducible research and strategies for implementation.

The PhD program follows the  Duke Graduate School Academic Calendar .

View the timeline  for students  with  and  without  an Applicable Quantitative Master's Degree.  

For students with a Master's degree in Biostatistics, some of the required 700 level courses listed below may be waived if they have taken those courses or their equivalents previously. 

Required Knowledge in the Following Core Courses

This course provides a formal introduction to the basic theory and methods of probability and statistics. It covers topics in probability theory with an emphasis on those needed in statistics, including probability and sample spaces, independence, conditional probability, random variables, parametric families of distributions, and sampling distributions. Core concepts are mastered through mathematical exploration and linkage with the applied concepts studied in BIOSTAT 704. Prerequisite(s): 2 semesters of calculus or its equivalent (multivariate calculus preferred). Familiarity with linear algebras is helpful. Corequisite(s): BIOSTAT 702, BIOSTAT 703. Credits: 3

This course provides an introduction to study design, descriptive statistics, and analysis of statistical models with one or two predictor variables. Topics include principles of study design, basic study designs, descriptive statistics, sampling, contingency tables, one- and two-way analysis of variance, simple linear regression, and analysis of covariance. Both parametric and non-parametric techniques are explored. Core concepts are mastered through team-based case studies and analysis of authentic research problems encountered by program faculty and demonstrated in practicum experiences in concert with BIOSTAT 703. Computational exercises will use the R and SAS packages. Prerequisite(s): 2 semesters of calculus or its equivalent (multivariate calculus preferred). Familiarity with linear algebras is helpful. Corequisites(s): BIOSTAT 701, BIOSTAT 703, BIOSTAT 721. Credits: 3

  This course provides an introduction to biology at a level suitable for practicing biostatisticians and directed practice in techniques of statistical collaboration and communication. With an emphasis on the connection between biomedical content and statistical approach, this course helps unify the statistical concepts and applications learned in BIOSTAT 701 and BIOSTAT 702. In addition to didactic sessions on biomedical issues, students are introduced to different areas of biostatistical practice at Duke University Medical Center. Biomedical topics are organized around the fundamental mechanisms of disease from both evolutionary and mechanistic perspectives, illustrated using examples from infectious disease, cancer and chronic /degenerative disease. In addition, students learn how to read and interpret research and clinical trial papers. Core concepts and skills are mastered through individual reading and class discussion of selected biomedical papers, team-based case studies and practical sessions introducing the art of collaborative statistics. Corequisite(s): BIOSTAT 701, BIOSTAT 702. Credits: 3

The lab will be an extension of the course. The lab will be run like a journal club. The lab will instruct students how to dissect a research article from a statistical and scientific perspective. The lab will also give students the opportunity to present on material covered in the co-requisite course and to practice the communication skills that are a core tenant of the program. Corequisite(s): BIOSTAT 703 or permission of the Director of Graduate Studies. Credits: 0

This course provides formal introduction to the basic theory and methods of probability and statistics. It covers topics in statistical inference, including classical and Bayesian methods, and statistical models for discrete, continuous and categorical outcomes. Core concepts are mastered through mathematical exploration, simulations, and linkage with the applied concepts studied in BIOSTAT 705. Prerequisite(s): BIOSTAT 701 or its equivalent. Corequisite(s): BIOSTAT 705, BIOSTAT 706. Credits: 3

This course provides an introduction to general linear models and the concept of experimental designs. Topics include linear regression models, analysis of variance, mixed-effects models, generalized linear models (GLM) including binary, multinomial responses and log-linear models, basic models for survival analysis and regression models for censored survival data, and model assessment, validation and prediction. Core concepts are mastered through statistical methods application and analysis of practical research problems encountered by program faculty and demonstrated in practicum experiences in concert with BIOSTAT 706. Computational examples and exercises will use the SAS and R packages. Prerequisite(s): BIOSTAT 702 or its equivalent. Corequisite(s): BIOSTAT 704, BIOSTAT 706, BIOSTAT 722. Credits: 3

This course revisits the topics covered in BIOSTAT 703 in the context of high-throughput, high-dimensional studies such as genomics and transcriptomics. The course will be based on reading of both the textbook and research papers. Students will learn the biology and technology underlying the generation of “big data,” and the computational and statistical challenges associated with the analysis of such data sets. As with BIOSTAT 703, there will be strong emphasis on the development of communication skills via written and oral presentations. Prerequisite(s): BIOSTAT 703. Corequisite(s): BIOSTAT 704, BIOSTAT 705. Credits: 3

Introduction to concepts and techniques used in the analysis of time to event data, including censoring, hazard rates, estimation of survival curves, regression techniques, applications to clinical trials. Interval censoring, informative censoring, competing risks, multiple events and multiple endpoints, time dependent covariates; nonparametric and semi-parametric methods. Prerequisite(s): BIOSTAT 701, 702, 704, 705, and 721 or 722 or their equivalents, or permission of the Director of Graduate Studies. Credits: 3

Topics include linear and nonlinear mixed models; generalized estimating equations; subject specific versus population average interpretation; and hierarchical model. Prerequisite(s): BIOSTAT 701, 702, 704, 705, and 721 or 722 or their equivalents, or permission of the Director of Graduate Studies. Credits: 3

The class introduces the concept of exponential family of distributions and link function, and their use in generalizing the standard linear regression to accommodate various outcome types. Theoretical framework will be presented but detailed practical analyses will be performed as well, including logistic regression and Poisson regression with extensions. Majority of the course will deal with the independent observations framework. However, there will be substantial discussion of longitudinal/clustered data where correlations within clusters are expected. To deal with such data the Generalized Estimating Equations and the Generalized Linear Mixed models will be introduced. An introduction to a Bayesian analysis approach will be presented, time permitting.Prerequisite(s): BIOSTAT 701, 702, 704, 705, and 721 or 722 or their equivalents, or permission of the Director of Graduate Studies. Credits: 3

Advanced seminar on topics at the research frontiers in biostatistics. Readings of current biostatistical research and presentations by faculty and advanced students of current research in their area of specialization. Instructor: O’Brien. 1 unit.

Introduction to linear models and linear inference from the coordinate-free viewpoint. Topics: identifiability and estimability, key properties of and results for finite-dimensional vector spaces, linear transformations, self-adjoint transformations, spectral theorem, properties and geometry of orthogonal projectors, Cochran's theorem, estimation and inference for normal models, distributional properties of quadratic forms, minimum variance linear unbiased estimation, Gauss-Markov theorem and estimation, calculus of differentials, analysis of variance and covariance. Prerequisite: Biostatistics 906. Instructor: Owzar. 3 units.

Introduce decision theory and optimality criteria, sufficiency, methods for point estimation, confidence interval and hypothesis testing methods and theory. Prerequisite: Biostatistics 704 or equivalent. Instructor consent required. Instructor: Xie. 3 units.

Student gains a holistic view of career choices and individual development plans including tools they will need to succeed as professionals in the world of work. The curriculum focuses on the unique challenges of PhD candidates and tools needed for successful careers in academia or in industry. May be repeated with consent of the advisor and the Director of Graduate Studies. Instructor: Baker. 1 unit.

The theory for M- and Z- estimators and applications. Semiparametric models, geometry of efficient score functions and efficient influence functions, construction of semiparametric efficient estimators. Introduction to the bootstrap: consistency, inconsistency and remedy, correction for bias, and double bootstrap. U statistics and rank and permutation tests. Prerequisites: Statistical Sciences 711 and Biostatistics 906. Instructor: Li. 3 units.

The goal of this course is to provide motivated Ph.D. and master’s students with background knowledge of high-dimensional statistics/machine learning for their research, especially in their methodology and theory development. Discussions cover theory, methodology, and applications. Selected topics in this course include the basics of high-dimensional statistics, matrix and tensor modeling, concentration inequity, nonconvex optimization, applications in genomics, and biomedical informatics. Prerequisite: Knowledge in probability, inference, and basic algebra are required. Credits: 3

Introduction to probability spaces, the theory of measure and integration, random variables, and limit theorems. Distribution functions, densities, and characteristic functions; convergence of random variables and of their distributions; uniform integrability and the Lebesgue convergence theorems. Weak and strong laws of large numbers, central limit theorem. Prerequisite: elementary real analysis and elementary probability theory. Instructor: Staff. 3 units.

Elective Courses

This course surveys a number of techniques for high dimensional data analysis useful for data mining, machine learning and genomic applications, among others. Topics include principal and independent component analysis, multidimensional scaling, tree-based classifiers, clustering techniques, support vector machines and networks, and techniques for model validation. Core concepts are mastered through the analysis and interpretation of several actual high dimensional genomics datasets. Prerequisite(s): BIOSTAT 701, 702, 704, 705, and 721 or 722 or their equivalents, or permission of the Director of Graduate Studies. Credits: 3

Topics include: history/background and process for clinical trial, key concepts for good statistics practice (GSP)/good clinical practice (GCP), regulatory requirement for pharmaceutical/clinical development, basic considerations for clinical trials, designs for clinical trials, classification of clinical trials, power analysis for sample size calculation, statistical analysis for efficacy evaluation, statistical analysis for safety assessment, implementation of a clinical protocol, statistical analysis plan, data safety monitoring, adaptive design methods in clinical trials (general concepts, group sequential design, dose finding design, and phase I/II or phase II/III seamless design) and controversial issues in clinical trials. Prerequisite(s): BIOSTAT 701, 702, 704, 705, and 721 or 722 or their equivalents, or permission of the Director of Graduate Studies. Credits: 3

Methods for causal inference, including confounding and selection bias in observational or quasi-experimental research designs, propensity score methodology, instrumental variables, and methods for non-compliance in randomized clinical trials. Prerequisite(s): BIOSTAT 701, 702, 704, 705, and 721 or 722 or their equivalents, or permission of the Director of Graduate Studies. Credits: 3

Topics from current and classical methods for assessing familiality and heritability, linkage analysis of Mendelian and complex traits, family-based and population-based association studies, genetic heterogeneity, epistasis, and gene-environmental interactions. Computational methods and applications in current research areas. The course will include a simple overview of genetic data, terminology, and essential population genetic results. Topics will include sampling designs in human genetics, gene frequency estimation, segregation analysis, linkage analysis, tests of association, and detection of errors in genetic data. Prerequisite(s): BIOSTAT 701, 702, 704, 705, and 721 or 722 or their equivalents, or permission of the Director of Graduate Studies. Credits: 3

Theory and application of missing data methodology, ad hoc methods, missing data mechanism, selection models, pattern mixture models, likelihood-based methods, multiple imputation, inverse probability weighting, sensitivity analysis. Prerequisites: Statistical Science 711, 721, and 732, or consent of instructor. Instructor: Allen. 3 units.

Designed for PhD students in Biostatistics or DSS departments who may be interested in conducting methodological research in the area of Survival Data Analysis. Applications of counting process and martingale theory to right censored survival data. Applications of empirical process theory to more general and possibly more complex statistical models using nonparametric analysis of interval-censored data as illustrating examples. After completion, students are anticipated to understand the statistical method papers on survival analysis appearing in top tier statistical journals. Prerequisites: BIOSTAT 701, 704, and 713, or equivalent, or consent of instructor. Instructor: Wu. 3 units.

Introduction to diverse statistical design and analytical methods for randomized phase II clinical trials. Topics: Minimax, optimal, and admissible clinical trials Inference methods for phase II clinical trials; clinical trials with a survival endpoint; clinical trials with heterogeneous patient populations; and randomized phase II clinical trials. Instructor consent required. Instructor: Jung. 3 units.

Faculty directed statistical methodology research. Instructor consent required. Instructor: O’Brien. 1 unit.

Student gains practical experience by taking an internship in industry/government and writes a report about this experience. Requires prior consent from the student's advisor and from the Director of Graduate Studies. May be repeated with consent of the advisor and the Director of Graduate Studies. Credit/no credit grading only. Instructor: O’Brien. 1 unit.

This course provides an introduction to the basic theory and application of empirical processes. Topics include: concepts of stochastic processes, Brownian motion and Brownian bridge process, stochastic integrals, weak convergence of sequences of random elements, convergence of empirical distribution functions, general Glivenko-Cantelli theorems and Donsker theorems, functional Delta method. An emphasis is put on applications in various biostatistical problems. Pre-requisites: Stat 711. Instructor: Li. Units: 3 

Introduction to probabilistic graphical models and structured prediction, with applications in genetics and genomics.  Hidden Markov Models, conditional random fields, stochastic grammars, Bayesian hierarchical models, neural networks, and approaches to integrative modeling.  Algorithms for exact and approximate inference.  Applications in DNA/RNA analysis, phylogenetics, sequence alignment, gene expression, allelic phasing and imputation, genome/epigenome annotation, and gene regulation. Department consent required. Instructor: Majoros. 3 units. C-L: Computational Biology and Bioinformatics 914.

Introduction to concepts in robabilistic machine learning with a focus on discriminative and hierarchical generative models. Topics include directed and undirected graphical models, kernel methods, exact and approximate parameter estimation methods, and structure learning. Prerequisites: Linear algebra, Statistical Science 250 or Statistical Science 611. Instructor: Heller, Mukherjee, or Reeves. 3 units. 

Principles of data analysis and modern statistical modeling. Exploratory data analysis. Introduction to Bayesian inference, prior and posterior distributions, predictive distributions, hierarchical models, model checking and selection, missing data, introduction to stochastic simulation by Markov Chain Monte Carlo using a higher level statistical language such as R or Matlab. Applications drawn from various disciplines. Not open to students with credit for Statistical Science 360. Prerequisite: Statistical Science 210, 230 and 250, or close equivalents. Instructor: Clyde, Dunson, Reiter, or Volfovsky. 3 units.

Statistical issues in causality and methods for estimating causal effects. Randomized designs and alternative designs and methods for when randomization is infeasible: matching methods, propensity scores, longitudinal treatments, regression discontinuity, instrumental variables, and principal stratification. Methods are motivated by examples from social sciences, policy and health sciences. Instructor: Li or VolfovskyStatistical issues in causality and methods for estimating causal effects. Randomized designs and alternative designs and methods for when randomization is infeasible: matching methods, propensity scores, longitudinal treatments, regression discontinuity, instrumental variables, and principal stratification. Methods are motivated by examples from social sciences, policy and health sciences. Instructor: Li or Volfovsky

Statistical modeling and machine learning involving large data sets and challenging computation. Data pipelines and data bases, big data tools, sequential algorithms and subsampling methods for massive data sets, efficient programming for multi-core and cluster machines, including topics drawn from GPU programming, cloud computing, Map/Reduce and general tools of distributed computing environments. Intense use of statistical and data manipulation software will be required. Data from areas such as astronomy, genomics, finance, social media, networks, neuroscience. Instructor consent required. Prerequisites: Statistics 521L, 523L; Statistics 531, 532 (or co-registration). (3 units)

MSTP Admissions Timeline

*These dates can change if AMCAS makes any updates to the traffic rules/guidelines

Graduate School Application

Admission to the Duke Graduate School is required of all students who pursue a PhD degree in Immunology. The Admissions Committee for the Immunology Graduate Training Program seeks applicants with evidence of strong academic performance, commitment to careers in research, and the desire to contribute to a culture of scientific citizenship and service.

We use a holistic process to assess applications to our PhD program. This includes assessing undergraduate and/or graduate GPAs, any prior research experiences, letters of reference, evidence of resilience, and a commitment to contribute to a culture of service through science. International applicants whose native language is not English must also provide TOEFL scores. 

We receive on average 140 applications annually and invite 15-20 for interviews. Our average class size is 6 students. Learn more about Duke Immunology admissions and enrollment statistics.

Application fee waivers are available and are examined on a case-by-case basis. Inquiries should be made BEFORE applying by emailing Alan Kendrick .

Students in Duke’s Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) students may apply to the Immunology Graduate Training Program in during their second year of medical school. MSTP applicants should contact the Director of the MSTP and the Director of Graduate Studies in the Duke Immunology Graduate Training Program for guidance on the application process.

Apply to our Program

Financial Support

Students are admitted to the Immunology Graduate Training Program with full support for 12 months. Upon joining a research team, student’s fees, health insurance, and stipends are guaranteed through the remainder of their training as long as they remain in good academic standing. The stipend for PhD students for the 2023-2024 academic year is $38,600. The first-year matriculant's stipend starts in August. The full-year total is 13 Months, from August through August with a monthly stipend of $2,969.23. For students entering the second year of graduate school stipends start in September. The full-year total is 12 Months, from September through August, with a monthly stipend of  $3,216.67.

Academically exceptional students will be nominated for additional support from the James B. Duke Fellowship Program , Dean’s Graduate Fellowships , and Chancellor’s Scholarships . Duke Integrative Immunobiology also offers D. Bernard Amos Diversity Fellowships to outstanding students from historically under-represented backgrounds.

Support for immunology students comes from the department's NIH predoctoral training grant, Chair funds, the School of Medicine, and endowment fellowships. Beginning in the second year, most students will be supported by research grants to their thesis advisors. The Duke Graduate School and various Duke Centers and Institutes also offer conference travel for doctoral students to attend and present their work.

Students in the Immunology Graduate Training Program are encouraged to apply for extramural funding to support their research activities. Students independently supported by foundations and federal agencies are eligible for additional support through D. Bernard Amos Graduate Fellowships . Students who receive external awards should notify the Director of Graduate Students' Assistant  to determine if they are eligible for these awards.

Applications and Deadlines

All required application materials, including letters of recommendation, must be received by November 30th. Applications are reviewed in mid-December and in late December candidates are invited for virtual interviews. Offers of admission are made shortly thereafter and candidates are invited to visit the university and the department in February.

Interested in becoming a part of the Immunology Graduate Training Program?

Take the Next Step

Join Our Community of Doers

The outstanding individuals who apply for admission to Duke each year continually astound us. We are always excited to welcome a new class into our collaborative community of intellectual explorers.

Start Your Application

Choose to apply using either the Common Application , Coalition Application , or QuestBridge Application .

First-Year or Transfer ? Trinity College of Arts & Sciences or Pratt School of Engineering ? Early Decision or Regular Decision?

Dates, Deadlines, and Checklist

Early Decision applications are due November 1 . Regular Decision applications are due January 2 . Scroll down for additional deadlines. Once we receive the student-submitted portions of your application, you’ll receive an email to access your Application Checklist .

FIRST-YEAR APPLICANTS

When evaluating applications to Duke, the admissions committee reviews several documents that make up each file. As a part of our holistic approach, we consider both your academic and personal interests, what you’ve accomplished, and your unique experiences, perspectives, and background.

The information below represents the 2023-24 admission cycle requirements and deadlines.

For a quick reference of deadlines, click here .

Early Decision v Regular Decision

Early Decision is a binding program for students whose top choice is Duke.

Regular Decision is for students who want to keep their options open.

Visit our FAQs for more information.

Early Decision Deadlines

• Common Application  or Coalition Application made available
• Application for Early Decision
• Early Decision Agreement
• High School Transcript
• First Quarter Grades (submit via Optional Report; will accept through November 20 or when your first term ends)
• Secondary School Report with Counselor Recommendation
• Two Teacher Recommendations
• SAT and/or ACT Scores (optional, last day to take standardized tests is November 6)
• Arts Supplement (optional)
• CSS Profile

November 15

• Additional Financial Aid Documents (like your taxes)

Mid-December

• Decisions released
• Financial Aid: FAFSA due

Regular Decision Deadlines

• Common Application  or  Coalition Application made available
• Application for Regular Decision
• SAT and/or ACT Scores (optional, standardized tests must be taken by January 31)

February 15

• Midyear Grade Report (or as soon as first marking period grades are available)

Late March/Early April

More Information

Click here to learn more about what we look for in applications.

Course Selection

Enroll in the best available and most challenging courses. We recommend four years of English and at least three years of mathematics, natural sciences, foreign language, and social studies. We generally expect students to enroll in five academic courses per year, and if a student does not take four years in a particular subject area, it should be replaced with an academic course of equal rigor. For students applying to the Pratt School of Engineering, we require coursework in calculus and strongly recommend physics. We also encourage students to enroll in advanced-level work in as many areas as reasonable, regardless of your intended major. For some students, this will include AP or IB courses, whereas for others it will include honors, accelerated, or college courses.

First Quarter Grades, Midyear Grades, and Final Transcripts

We look at the courses you’ve taken from what’s available to you, individual grades in academic courses, overall GPA, and class rank (when available). Official transcripts for all academic work completed in high school are required and must be submitted by your school counselor or another school official.

We require first-quarter/marking-period grades for all Early Decision applicants to be submitted with the Common or Coalition Application by your counselor with the application or as soon as they become available. If your school is unable to provide us with first-quarter grades, you should request an unofficial progress report.

We require midyear grades for all applicants by February 15 or as soon as they are available, to be submitted with the Common or Coalition Application by your counselor.

All admitted students must request that a final official transcript be submitted along with the Final Report form with the Common or Coalition Application.

College and Summer School Transcripts

If you have taken postsecondary or summer coursework that does not appear on your high school transcript, please request an official transcript and/or a progress report from the institution that provided instruction.

International Students

• For international students whose transcripts need to be translated into English, students may use an official service, an EducationUSA adviser, or a school official. Please keep in mind that we also expect the original documents to be submitted with the translated documents. School Report forms and transcripts must be submitted directly from an applicant’s school.

What We Look For

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• Academics FAQ

Test Optional Policy 2023-2024

Duke University will be test-optional for both first-year and transfer applicants in the 2023-24 admissions cycle.

Students who apply without SAT or ACT scores this year will not be at a disadvantage in our consideration of their applications. Our decisions are based on a student’s comprehensive application materials, with or without test scores. We will continue to consider SAT and ACT scores as part of the application of students who choose to submit them and will accept self-reported scores for purposes of assessing an application. Scores sent from testing agencies will be required from those students only if they enroll at Duke.

How should I decide whether or not to have my SAT or ACT considered?

The decision of whether or not to have your SAT or ACT considered is entirely yours. Choosing not to have SAT or ACT scores considered will not impact your admissions decision. You may wish to consult our  ADMISSIONS PROFILE  for students admitted to Duke in previous years as a guide. If you’re still uncertain, you may wish to opt-out of having your scores considered when you apply because you will be able to opt-in later.

We do not require SAT Subject Tests, but we will consider those scores, along with other scores like AP and IB, if you choose to report them. Please note if you choose to not have your scores considered, we will not suppress SAT Subject Test scores or AP scores if they are already on file with Duke.

Visit our FAQs for more information about our Test-Optional Policy.

Duke CEEB Code: 5156

STANDARDIZED TESTS

Duke will consider official scores as well as scores that are self-reported on the application. Submitting essay scores from the ACT and/or SAT is optional.

For students who submit both ACT and SAT scores, Duke will consider your best score.

Students must submit at least one full set of scores from a single test date but may also submit scores from subsections taken individually on different test dates. Duke will consider the highest scores on each section, regardless of the test date, and will create a new composite score by averaging those scores. We do not require the optional essay.

Duke will consider the highest scores on each section of the SAT, regardless of the test date. SAT with essay and SAT Subject Tests have been discontinued. If you have SAT essay or SAT Subject Test scores, you are welcome to submit them, but they are optional.

ENGLISH PROFICIENCY TESTS

If you are a non-native English speaker or if you are not currently studying in an English-medium curriculum, we recommend but do not require that you take an English proficiency test. If you take the test more than once, we will use your highest score, and we do not have any preference among English proficiency tests.

• Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency (Minimum score expected is 180)
• Duolingo (Minimum score expected is 130)
• IELTS (Minimum band score expected is 7)
• PTE Academic (Minimum score expected is 70)
• 100 on the internet-based TOEFL
• 75 on the revised TOEFL paper-delivered test

PLACEMENT POLICIES

Duke University awards a limited amount of course credit and advanced placement on the basis of scores earned on Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB) and pre-matriculation college course work. However, course credit and advanced placement are not granted until the student has been admitted and until the official reports are received and evaluated by our Registrar’s Office. Since this process is handled outside the Admissions Office, a credit evaluation cannot be made until the student arrives on campus. Click here for more information.

REQUIRED RECOMMENDATIONS

We require three letters of recommendation for each applicant: one from your school counselor and two from teachers who have taught you in major academic courses (English, mathematics, social studies, sciences, foreign languages), preferably within the last two years of secondary school.

If you are applying to the Pratt School of Engineering, at least one recommendation should be from a math or science teacher.

Ask your recommender to submit the letter through the Common Application or Coalition process. We will also accept letters by email, fax, or postal mail .

OPTIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS

You can submit one Personal Recommendation from an employer, mentor, or anyone else who knows you well and can give us a better idea of who you are. Ask your recommender to submit the letter through the Common Application or Coalition process. We will also accept letters by email, fax, or postal mail .

The application includes space for up to ten extracurricular activities. Use as few or as many spaces as you need. Be sure to include school, community, family, and work commitments on your list. Keep in mind that we are more interested in seeing sustained commitment rather than a long list.

Duke does not accept separate resumes. You may include extra honor and accomplishments in the “additional information” section of the application.

Both the Common Application and the Coalition Application include a one-page personal essay as well as short essay questions specific to Duke. You can submit the supplemental essays with or after the other student portions of the application, no later than the application deadline.

LONG-ESSAY PROMPTS

• All applicants who complete the Common Application will respond to one of seven essay prompts for the 2023-24 admissions cycle.
• All applicants who complete the Coalition Application will respond to one of six essay prompts for the 2023-24 admissions cycle.
• For transfer students, we would like to understand more about you and your academic path. Why and how did you choose your current or most recent college or university? What has changed since then, and what has led you to consider transferring? Please respond with an essay of between 250 and 600 words.

SHORT-ESSAY PROMPTS

• What is your sense of Duke as a university and a community, and why do you consider it a good match for you? If there’s something in particular about our offerings that attracts you, feel free to share that as well. (250 word limit)
• We believe a wide range of personal perspectives, beliefs, and lived experiences are essential to making Duke a vibrant and meaningful living and learning community. Feel free to share with us anything in this context that might help us better understand you and what you might bring to our community.
• Tell us about an intellectual experience in the past two years that you found absolutely fascinating .
• We believe there is benefit in sharing and sometimes questioning our beliefs or values; who do you agree with on the big important things, or who do you have your most interesting disagreements with? What are you agreeing or disagreeing about?
• We recognize that “fitting in” in all the contexts we live in can sometimes be difficult. Duke values all kinds of differences and believes they make our community better. Feel free to tell us any ways in which you’re different, and how that has affected you or what it means to you.
• Duke’s commitment to inclusion and belonging includes sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. Feel free to share with us more about how your identity in this context has meaning for you as an individual or as a member of a community.
• The Common and Coalition Applications will also include a section for students to disclose if they were impacted by community disruptions such as natural disasters and COVID-19.

Submitting Payment

You must send your nonrefundable $85 application fee or fee waiver request along with the Common Application or Coalition Application. Both applications accept online payment via credit card or electronic check.  Please note that we do not accept credit card payment by telephone.  If you pay by check, please make the check payable to Duke University. Checks must be for payment in U.S. dollars and must be drawn on a U.S. bank.

Fee Waivers

We offer fee waivers for qualifying students, which means under many circumstances we will waive the $85 application fee for students with high financial need. Through your Common Application or Coalition Application you may request an application fee waiver online, and your school counselor will receive an email invitation to endorse your request.

Alumni interviews are an optional component of the Duke application process. Due to the volume of applications to Duke, we regret we are unable to interview all applicants. The Admissions Office will prioritize interviews for students for whom we need additional information. Not being offered an interview does not affect your chances of admission. After students submit their applications, those offered an interview will be matched with alumni volunteers who will contact them via phone or email to arrange a virtual interview. Students may expect the interview to last 30-60 minutes. We do not offer on-campus interviews with admissions officers, nor can students request an interview.

Applicants are welcome to record a Glimpse video. Glimpse is an opportunity to share a 60-90 second video helping us to get to know you better. For more information about Glimpse please visit the Glimpse website here . Currently, Glimpse is only available for students attending high school in the United States. For consideration in the Duke Admissions Process, Glimpse videos must be submitted by November 6 for Early Decision and January 16 for Regular Decision.

For international applicants, Duke will also consider interviews from InitialView. Students attending schools in China are particularly encouraged to arrange an interview with InitialView. Applicants interested in an InitialView interview are encouraged to make a reservation here as soon as possible in order to secure a timely appointment.

ARTS SUPPLEMENT

If you have exceptional talent in dance, music, photography, film/video/digital, or theater, you may submit optional arts supplement(s) to be evaluated by a Duke University faculty member in that program or department. Typically, such submissions should demonstrate extraordinary talent beyond standard high school level accomplishment. Arts supplement applicants have often received significant awards and honors at a state, national, or international level. Consider carefully whether your supplemental materials demonstrate unusual talent before submission. For more information about what we look for, you may reach out to the departments directly.

For the 2023-2024 admissions cycle, we are unable to accept visual art supplements (including photographs of artwork).

Learn more about art supplements

RESUMES, ABSTRACTS, ETC.

We hope to get to know you through the documents we require as part of our application process. Therefore, Duke does not accept resumes, research abstracts, and media files. We are happy to accept artistic supplements. We will accept one additional letter of recommendation should you choose to submit it.

If you have information that you need to share with us that will not be reflected elsewhere in your application, you may add it to the Additional Information section of the application.

TRANSFER STUDENTS

Every fall, approximately 50 students transfer into Duke from another college or university. Most will enroll as sophomores, although the selection committee will also admit a small number of juniors. While transfer students are new to the Duke community, they bring with them the same characteristics of talent and engagement as the rest of their undergraduate peers.

The application deadline for transfer admission is March 15.

ELIGIBILITY

• If you have attended any college or university in the past four years and will have successfully completed at least one full year of transferable college work by the August in which you hope to enroll, you qualify to apply to Duke as a transfer applicant.
• All transferable college work should be completed at an accredited degree-granting institution. College work completed at a vocational, technical, performance, or professional program will not be considered.
• If you are a high school student in an “early college” or dual-enrollment program earning an associate degree while finishing high school, you should apply as a first-year applicant.
• If you have already completed an undergraduate (bachelor’s) degree at a four-year college, you cannot be considered for transfer admission.
• Students who attend Duke Kunshan University and wish to transfer to Duke University are not at an advantage in our admissions process.
• A high school diploma or GED is required for admission to Duke.
• Unfortunately, you may not apply for transfer to Duke as a part-time student.  Instead, we encourage you to contact  DUKE CONTINUING STUDIES  for information on taking courses on a non-degree basis.
• The admissions committee seeks applicants who can provide evidence of academic preparation within the past four years. If you have not recently attended high school or college, we strongly encourage you to do so prior to applying for transfer, either through  DUKE CONTINUING STUDIES  or an accredited degree-granting institution in your local area.
• Transfer admission to Duke is highly selective, with the admission rate ranging from 3% to 7% over the past five years. Transfer applicants are expected to have demonstrated a high level of academic talent, both at their current higher education institution and in high school.
• The most successful applicants will have a minimum college GPA of 3.7 in a challenging academic program.
• Please note that Duke will be test-optional for transfer students for the 2023-2024 cycle.

2022-2023 Transfer Student Application Cycle

• Applications: 2,126
• Admitted Students: 89
• Matriculated Students: 56
• Admit Rate: 4%

2022-2023 Admitted Transfer Student Profile

• GPA average = 3.90
• Mid-50% range = 3.85 – 4.0

REQUIRED MATERIALS AND DEADLINES

• Your application must be submitted electronically through either the  COMMON APPLICATION  or COALITION APPLICATION by March 15. The Transfer Admissions Committee begins to review applications after the application deadline. We will notify applicants of admissions decisions by mid-May.
• Required materials for transfer admission include an application for transfer admission, College Report, college transcript, final high school transcript, two instructor evaluations (at least one evaluation must be from a college instructor), and required financial aid forms.
• Duke University is test-optional for transfer students who plan to apply during the 2023-2024 admissions cycle for enrollment in the fall of 2024 . If you choose to submit ACT or SAT scores, they must be completed within the past five years.
• If you intend to apply through the Common Application, please visit their website for a TRANSFER APPLICATION GUIDE .
• Both the Transfer Common Application and the Coalition Application include a one-page personal essay as well as short essay questions specific to Duke.  The transfer application has a character rather than a word limit. If your essays exceed the character limit, you may email the essay to [email protected] . Please ensure that you include your full name, date of birth, and current college so that we match it with the correct application.
• If your current college/university does not allow the submission of recommendation forms through the Common Application portal, you can find printable Duke-specific PDF versions on the Common Application portal. These forms should be either mailed or faxed to our office.
• If you have exceptional talent in dance, theater, art, or music, you may submit supplementary material to be evaluated by an appropriate faculty member. LEARN MORE ABOUT ART SUPPLEMENTS
• Alumni interviews are offered on a very limited basis, based on the availability of our volunteer alumni.  Unfortunately, we are unable to interview every applicant, every year. If we are unable to assign you an interview, please don’t worry . It will not hurt your application in any way. There is nothing that you need to, or can do, to request an interview. If we were able to assign you an interview this year, you will be contacted by the interviewer to coordinate.  All interviews will be conducted virtually.
• Transfer Applicants are welcome to record a GLIMPSE video. Glimpse is an opportunity to share a 60-90 second video helping us to get to know you better. For more information about Glimpse please visit the Glimpse website HERE . Currently, Glimpse is only available for U.S. Citizens and permanent residents. For consideration in the Duke Transfer Admissions Process, Glimpse videos must be submitted by March 22. Glimpse videos are not required as part of the transfer admissions process. For international applicants, Duke will also consider interviews from InitialView. Students attending schools in China are particularly encouraged to arrange an interview with InitialView. Transfer Applicants interested in an InitialView interview are encouraged to make a reservation HERE as soon as possible in order to secure a timely appointment.

TRANSFER OF CREDIT

• Duke does not offer a preliminary credit evaluation to prospective transfer students.
• We are unable to connect prospective applicants with an advisor to discuss credit transfer. However, there is a good chance that credits will transfer if coursework taken at the applicant’s current/previous accredited college is comparable to courses offered at Duke in areas such as natural science, math, foreign language, literature, social sciences and the arts.
• Duke will grant credit for no more than two years of coursework completed elsewhere, regardless of the number of credits a student has previously earned. In order to earn a Duke degree, a transfer student must spend at least two years at Duke.
• At least half the courses of all majors, minors, and certificates must be taken at Duke, although individual departments and programs offering majors may require that a greater proportion be taken at Duke.
• Please see the  DUKE UNIVERSITY UNDERGRADUATE BULLETIN  for more information on how transfer credits are evaluated.
• You may find a list of courses offered at Duke by searching our online course catalog .

FINANCIAL AID

• The number of semesters of aid eligibility for students transferring to Duke is based on the policy of up to nine academic semesters less the number of semesters studied elsewhere. This also includes financial assistance for one summer term, if needed.
• Duke admits transfer applicants who are U.S. citizens, permanent residents, undocumented or DACA students without regard to financial circumstance or aid eligibility and meets 100 percent of each admitted student’s demonstrated need throughout their undergraduate enrollment.  Unfortunately, need-based financial aid is not available for international transfer student s.  In addition, Duke does not offer merit-based scholarships to transfer students.
• Submit a fee waiver via Common Application, or
• Sign and submit the NACAC Transfer Fee Waiver Form, or
• Provide a brief statement attesting to receiving a Pell Grant from your current college.
• Provide a brief statement describing why you are unable to pay the application fee.
• Fee waiver requests should be directed to  [email protected] .
• For detailed instructions on how to apply for financial aid, please visit the  OFFICE OF UNDERGRADUATE FINANCIAL AID

Other considerations

Every year, we receive a diverse array of extraordinary applicants from around the world with varied backgrounds and situations. Whether you’re an international applicant, one that is undocumented, homeschooled, transferring, or one with a disability—we are here to help you navigate the application process.

Please refer to the FAQs for additional information .

Have more questions?

Resources + Tools

Frequently Asked Questions

INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS

Students from more than 100 countries have found a home at Duke. Innovative, restless, and driven: these are qualities not confined by geography.

There is no separate application for international students.

STANDARDIZED TESTING CONSIDERATIONS

• Testing policies are the same for all applicants; there are no additional requirements for international students.
• While we do not require any English proficiency scores, we are happy to consider them for non-native English speakers who want to demonstrate their English ability beyond the materials in their applications. We accept the Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency Tests ,  Duolingo English Test ,  the IELTS Academic (International English Language Testing System) , the  PTE Academic (Pearson Test of English) , and the  TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) . Since official submissions of the Duolingo English Test are free, we suggest the official submission of those results; applicants can self-report all other English proficiency test scores.

TRANSCRIPTS 

VISA INFORMATION

• To obtain an F-1 visa for study in the United States, a foreign citizen must furnish his or her home country’s U.S. consulate with proof of ability to meet educational expenses, along with a certificate of eligibility for a visa application (the I-20 form). I-20 forms for incoming foreign students are issued only after a student has accepted an offer of admission at Duke and returned a completed Certificate of Financial Responsibility.
• Visa services and advice on federal regulations concerning non-U.S. citizens are available through  Duke Visa Services .
• While not required for admission, interviews provide an opportunity for the applicant to learn about Duke and for a representative of the university to learn about the applicant’s strengths. We have alumni volunteers conducting interviews in forty-two countries worldwide.
• Because of the high volume of applicants we receive from China, Duke will accept admissions interviews from  InitialView for students attending school in China. These interviews will serve in lieu of alumni interviews. We encourage interested students to arrange an interview with InitialView as soon as possible in order to secure an appointment. All interviews must be submitted by December 1 for Early Decision and March 1 for Regular Decision.
• Duke offers need-based financial aid and merit-based scholarships to US citizens and to foreign citizens following the different policies outlined below.
• For U.S. citizens and eligible noncitizens, an applicant’s need for financial aid, or the fact that a student has applied for financial aid, will not disadvantage a student in the admissions process. Students needing financial assistance are strongly encouraged to apply for aid at the same time as for admission. Please go to the Financial Aid website for more information.
• Foreign citizens must apply for need-based financial aid in the original first-year application in order to be eligible for need-based funding from Duke at any point . You can find the comprehensive costs for attending Duke in 2023-2024 here . You can find more information about financial aid for foreign citizens at Duke here .
• The admissions process for foreign citizens is more highly selective: the admit rate for foreign citizens seeking financial aid is usually less than half of the overall admit rate. We consider admissions applications from foreign citizens requesting need-based financial aid in this more competitive pool no matter how great or small the family’s financial need may be.
• Duke offers a small number of merit scholarships for which all applicants to Duke are automatically considered. Applying for need-based aid does not have any negative effect on merit scholarship selection. You can find more information about merit scholarships at Duke  here and  here .
• We do not require applicants to submit any financial forms as a part of the admissions process; the financial aid application is simultaneous with but separate from our admissions consideration. The amount of need-based financial aid for which each student/family qualifies depends solely on financial calculations and not on the strength of the admissions application.
• If you have more specific questions about financial aid, please feel free to contact the Karsh Office of Undergraduate Financial Support at  [email protected] .

UNDOCUMENTED OR DACA APPLICANTS

We welcome applications from undocumented and DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) students. DACA applicants apply in the same way U.S. citizens and permanent residents do, and your application will be considered the same way U.S citizens and permanent residents are, by the regional admissions officer responsible for where you attend high school.

When you apply, you should be honest about your current citizenship status. You do not need a social security number to use the Common Application or Coalition Application; that field can be left blank.

Beginning with students who are applying for admission for Fall of 2021, Duke will review undocumented and DACA students using the same “need-blind” process as applicants who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents .

• Undocumented or DACA students who wish to apply for financial aid should fill out the  CSS Profile by the appropriate Early Decision or Regular Decision deadline.
• Information about the financial aid process for undocumented students can be found  here , and answers to frequently asked questions can be found  here . For general instructions on how to apply for financial aid, please visit the  Office of Undergraduate Financial Aid website .

DUKE’S SUPPORT FOR UNDOCUMENTED AND DACA STUDENTS

• Duke University’s goal is to provide access, inclusion, and support to all of our students and their diverse backgrounds and needs.
• We encourage you to read more about how this support applies to undocumented and DACA students in this  message from the Duke University President .

If you have questions or concerns, please  contact our office .

HOMESCHOOLED APPLICANTS

Duke welcomes applications from students who are educated in alternative ways such as homeschooling and online-schooling. While we do not have any additional application requirements for these students, there is some benefit to providing supplementary information to help us better understand the context, the rigor, and the students’ achievements in their chosen educational path.

Below are some suggestions for homeschooled or online-schooled students to better elucidate their academics and involvement in our application process.

• In general, students should take the best and most challenging courses available. We recommend but do not require four years of English and at least three years of mathematics, natural science, foreign language, and social studies.
• For students applying to the Pratt School of Engineering, we require coursework in calculus and strongly recommend physics.
• We understand that each individual family best decides the choice of curriculum. Whatever path a student chooses, we would like information about the student’s homeschool experience and environment that would be helpful for our committee.

TRANSCRIPTS

• In addition to the courses and grades, we are interested in knowing how and why the student and family chose an alternative means of schooling and the philosophy behind the education provided.
• For courses that are taught at home, we would like an explanation of the grading scale or other methods of evaluation.
• When a student indicates that he/she is homeschooled, the Common Application generates supplemental questions on the School Report that should be completed and submitted to provide this information.
• Students are also welcome to share their insights into their educational choice, especially their thoughts about the benefits they have gained and how the experience will allow them to contribute to the community at Duke.
• If the student has taken courses from a distance learning program, traditional secondary school, or any institution of higher education, we require official transcripts from these institutions. Applicants are not required to present a GED or proof of accreditation.

STANDARDIZED TESTING

• The standardized testing requirements are the same for all Duke applicants.
• We encourage homeschooled students to submit AP test and/or additional SAT subject results in the absence of grades to demonstrate additional evidence.

LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION

• Although a parent may complete your school report to provide context for your academic choices, we encourage students to provide two additional letters of recommendation from non-relatives and preferably from individuals who have worked with the student in an in-person academic setting.
• Employers, religious leaders, sports coaches or other adults can write these recommendations if all academic instruction takes place in the home.
• Letters from online instructors are less helpful if they have not had direct contact with the homeschool student.

Duke offers military veterans a high level of support as they transition to our campus community. For more information about the resources available to veterans, please visit Student Affairs or the Office of the University Registrar .

APPLICANTS WITH DISABILITIES

Duke University is committed to the equality of educational opportunities for all qualified students. Students with disabilities (including learning disabilities, hearing or visual impairments, mobility impairments, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorders, psychiatric impairments or chronic health disabilities) who apply to Duke can choose whether or not to disclose their disability to us.

• Our office is prohibited by law from making inquiries about a student’s disability in the admissions process. We will not require you at any point in the admissions process to disclose if you have a disability.
• We evaluate a student’s accomplishments within the context of any opportunities or challenges presented to that student. We do not use information about a disability to deny admission to a student.
• There is no separate admissions process at Duke for students with disabilities. All students who apply to Duke, including those who have a diagnosed impairment/disability, are evaluated using the same criteria.
• If you have questions or require additional information, please contact the Admissions Office at (919) 684-3214 and ask for the admissions officer responsible for students with disabilities.

ACCOMMODATIONS AT DUKE

• All students have the right to request reasonable accommodations at Duke.
• Students requesting consideration for accommodations must have an impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities and should contact the  Student Disability Access Office .

Illustration from Hermann Siegmann's  Wenn die Soldaten durch die Stadt marschieren : Ein Soldaten-Bilderbuch (1940s),  David M. Rubenstein Rare Book and Manuscript Library , Duke University

• Graduation Timeline

As you approach the completion of your Ph.D. program, you will need to following the appropriate process for graduation. The procedure for May and December graduation is different than the procedure for a summer graduation.

General Procedure

1.  The dissertation examination committee needs to consist of five or more approved faculty members, the majority of whom are CDG graduate faculty (not necessarily faculty of the two departments per se).

At least one CDG graduate faculty member of the committee must be from Carolina and at least one from Duke. The chair/primary advisor can be from either institution but must be affiliated with CDG.

All tenured/tenure track graduate faculty of both German departments are considered CDG graduate faculty and can serve as chair/primary advisor and should make up the majority of the five-person committee. Affiliated, adjunct, and non-tenure track faculty can be the other two committee members but should not serve as chair/primary advisor or count as the CDG majority.

If there are academic needs for exceptions here, both Graduate Schools are very willing to entertain hearing them.

2.  The format of the dissertation follows UNC guidelines for electronic dissertations. Please follow the UNC guidelines through the ETD Resources and Guide:

• http://gradschool.unc.edu/academics/thesis-diss/

3.  The dissertation is to be electronically submitted to and approved by the UNC Graduate School. When you upload to ProQuest from the UNC site, use the UNC program called "Carolina-Duke Joint Program in German Studies".

4.  The UNC Graduate School will take responsibility for getting the final, approved dissertation to the Duke Graduate School for archiving. The student does not need to be involved in this.

After you submit your dissertation at UNC, it will be deposited in UNC’s ProQuest archive and UNC Library databases, and it will also be archived in DukeSpace (Duke Library computer archive). Duke’s Graduate School must have the DSpace License for students to load the dissertation; please complete this form and submit to the Duke Graduate School.

5.  Each Graduate School organizes a hooding ceremony for its doctoral graduates, in which the student receives their hood from their advisor or another faculty member. The hooding ceremonies typically take place on a Saturday in May; the university-wide commencement events typically take place on the following Sunday.

Students will have to choose to attend one or the other if they occur in the same timeframe (scheduling can vary each year). The faculty suggest that the student be hooded at the university where the faculty member doing the hooding (usually the dissertation advisor) has their primary appointment. We urge students to talk with their advisor early about this.

Students will be required to wear the academic regalia of the university holding the hooding ceremony they choose to attend, without any special adornment signifying the joint nature of their degree program. UNC-CH regalia is to be worn at the UNC hooding, and Duke regalia at the Duke hooding. Students may be able to borrow or rent regalia instead of purchasing both.

6.  While we attempt below to provide the proper deadlines and expectations, you should always check deadlines at both UNC and Duke, and always comply with the earlier deadline for the term (fall, spring, or summer) in which you wish to defend and graduate, regardless of your academic home:

• http://gradschool.unc.edu/academics/resources/graddeadlines.html
• https://gradschool.duke.edu/academics/preparing-graduate/graduation-deadlines
• CDG Graduation detailed Timeline

Timeline for Spring or Fall Graduation

With the exception of the UNC deadline for the final electronic submission of the dissertation, the timeline for graduation activities follows Duke deadlines. All graduation activities should be performed at both schools because both campuses need to “clear” each student for degree conferral.

1.  The first deadline is for the application to graduate, typically in late January for May graduation and in September for December graduation.

By this time the “Apply for Graduation” form needs to be submitted at Duke (via DukeHub).

Also by this same (Duke) deadline, you must “Apply for Graduation” at UNC (via ConnectCarolina).

2.  The second deadline: At Duke, all of you will need to ensure that your final Ph.D. Committee has been approved by the Duke Graduate School a minimum of 30 days before your final defense date. You can see your current committee on DukeHub. Your Prelim committee was approved before your Prelims; however, you will most likely need a new approval, since any changes or additions must be approved. For example, if you were to plan to defend on April 1, you would need to ask the Duke German Department to submit a committee approval form before the end of February. The committee must be approved by the Duke German DGS, after which the form is submitted electronically to the Duke Graduate School.

At the same time, you should also submit the names of your final Ph.D. Committee to the UNC GSLL staff, so that it can be submitted to the UNC Graduate School.

3.  The third deadline is the final date to hold the dissertation defense to receive the degree. This date is determined by the Duke Graduate School and is generally in early April for May graduation and in November for December graduation. The day and time for your defense should be scheduled well in advance.

At least 10 days prior to the defense, in order to obtain the Duke final doctoral exam card, all students should provide the Duke Graduate School their Dissertation Defense Announcement and Advisor Statement specifying the dissertation is ready to be defended. This form should be submitted to the CDG staff at both universities. Once approved, the CDG staff will submit to the Duke Graduate School at  [email protected] , after which students will be asked to make an appointment to pick up their card at the Duke Graduate School.

4.  The fourth deadline is the final date to submit the electronic version of your approved dissertation to the UNC Graduate School, including any revisions requested by your committee at the time of the defense. Do note that if revisions are requested and the defense took place very near the final date allowed, the timing between the defense and filing/submission could be very tight. This date is determined by the UNC Graduate School and is generally in mid-April for May graduation and in mid-November for December graduation.

Please note that the Duke deadline for the dissertation defense (#3 above) MIGHT sometimes fall after the deadline to upload your dissertation at UNC (#4 above), so please always time your defense early enough to allow yourself time to meet the submission deadline.

5.  The fifth deadline is the final date to be cleared for all degree requirements at Duke and be placed on the graduation list for approval by the Duke Board of Trustees. Students should note in the university exam schedules when their final course exams are scheduled and determine when final grades are expected. Please speak with your advisor and CDG program staff as early as possible if timing could be tight between your last exam and the Duke final clearance date. This date is determined by Duke and is generally 72 hours after all final grades are due at Duke each term.

Departmental Timelines:

Please note: The information above relates to Graduate School deadlines. There are also CDG Program expectations for the dissertation defense process that, while a bit more flexible, are nonetheless to be respected.

These include:

• Submitting a CDG Milestone form, signed by either your advisor or a DGS, to both departmental offices, as soon as you know the date you will be defending.
• Getting a copy of the completed dissertation to your committee four weeks in advance of the defense, and a penultimate version of the dissertation to your faculty advisor two weeks before that.
• In other words, for all intents and purposes, the dissertation needs to be basically finished (and properly formatted) by mid-February for a May graduation or by mid- to late September for a December graduation.

Summer Graduation Timeline

The Spring and Fall Timeline above should be followed with the exception of the information in this section specific to summer.

Note that in every case, you should check deadlines at both UNC and Duke, and comply with the earlier deadline, regardless of your academic home:

1.   A student who wishes to graduate during the summer should expect to retain the administrative home (s)he has had during the preceding year. Changing academic homes for summer enrollment will be extremely rare, and can only be done because of a change in, or loss of, funding.

2.   A student must enroll at both schools during the summer term in which (s)he hopes to graduate, just as (s)he would do during the fall or spring term. Most often, this would include “continuation” enrollment at Duke, as well as 3 credit hours of GERM 994 at UNC (in one of the two sessions).

3.  Defending between terms (i.e., after the Duke spring term defense deadline and before the first day of summer term classes, or after the end of the summer term but before the first day of fall term classes) complicates matters. Please speak with your advisor and CDG program staff as early as possible about your individual circumstances if you think a defense in these time periods is likely, as it will have financial implications for you and the program.

4.   Please note that UNC degrees are awarded in early August, while Duke degrees are awarded in September. The Duke Registrar’s Office has responsibility for ordering CDG diplomas, so please expect summer graduation diplomas and transcripts to be ordered and accurate by mid-fall.

Timeline for  Summer Graduation (For UNC-Based Students)

1.  A student must apply for graduation separately to each graduate school by the Duke deadline, generally in mid-June, for a summer degree.

2.  You must be registered in GERM 994 and pay summer term tuition for one UNC summer session, generally (though not required to be) the one in which you defend. You also have to be registered for the Duke summer term as usual, but you will not be charged Duke tuition if you are homed at UNC.

If you miss the spring term deadlines, but want to avoid paying summer tuition, there is a contingency plan to keep in mind. Assuming you defend any time before the last day BEFORE the first day of the first summer session and were enrolled in the spring, you can graduate in August without enrolling and paying UNC summer tuition. Enrollment and tuition at UNC in this case is not required for the summer. Assuming the student is homed at UNC, Duke tuition would not apply for the summer term although the student must be enrolled.

If you defend on or after the first day of summer term classes, you will need to pay tuition for either ONE of the two UNC summer sessions. It is also possible for a student who is enrolled for either UNC summer session to defend by the last day before fall classes begin, and then graduate in December, following fall deadlines for graduation activities at both campuses. Enrollment and tuition at UNC in this case is not required for the fall. Assuming the student is homed at UNC, Duke tuition would not apply for the fall term although the student must be enrolled at Duke.

3.   Cost: During the summer term, you must register for 3 hours of GERM 994 (in one of the two sessions). The UNC summer tuition and fee rates are calculated by credit hour and differ for NC residents and non-NC residents.

UNC summer student fees include student health insurance for one summer session. Should you need/want to use Student Health during the other summer session, you can pay the separate student health fee for that extra session.

4.  The deadline to submit your approved dissertation to the UNC Graduate School for a summer degree is generally in mid-July.

Remember that the requirement remains that you have your committee approved at Duke 30 days before your defense and that you provide the names for reporting to UNC at the same time.

5.  Please see the note at the end of the description of the Spring and Fall Timeline for additional CDG program expectations regarding the milestone form and getting the dissertation to your advisor and committee members prior to the defense.

Timeline for Summer Graduation (For Duke-based Students)

2.  You must be registered for the term in which you defend and graduate (normally, but not necessarily, the same term). You also have to be registered for the UNC summer term as usual (in one of the two sessions), but you will not be charged UNC tuition if you are homed at Duke.

If you defend after the spring term deadline in early April, you will need to apply to graduate in summer at Duke, and Duke tuition and fees will be owed for the summer term. You may schedule the defense during either the spring term or the summer term, or in some cases, in between. You can defend between terms if you are registered for both the preceding and following terms (for example, you can defend between spring and summer terms if you are registered for both).

The date for the defense can be any time before the last date to defend in the summer, generally in late July. Please compare this deadline to the UNC dissertation submission deadline in item #4 below, which may be earlier and must be met.

Typically the earliest defense date for a summer degree is just after the last defense date for a spring graduation. The defense can occur between spring and summer terms if the student is registered for both.

A dissertation defense occurring between terms may affect your UNC enrollment requirements so please check with CDG program staff to confirm.

3.  Cost: During summer you will have normal “continuation” enrollment, tuition and health fees.

If you are on a Duke fellowship, you will need to follow these guidelines, and Duke summer tuition will be charged (and paid by your fellowship).

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Application Management System

Explore Duke Environment: Admitted Student Events Spring 2024

We look forward to sharing our community with you through our Explore Duke Environment programming for admitted students.   

Virtual sessions are scheduled from late March until our enrollment deadline of May 1. These sessions will cover informational and logistical topics, as well as facilitate connection with various members of the Duke Environment community, including current students, alumni, faculty, staff, and campus partners. While many of these sessions will be recorded , we strongly urge attending the live sessions when possible.

Financial Aid Office Hours will open for registration after the Understanding Your Financial Aid session on March 26 . 

• Nicholas School admissions staff will host regularly scheduled drop-in office hours to answer questions and provide support. Unlike information sessions, office hours do not include a presentation; please join at any time during the scheduled session.

In-person, on-campus opportunities : Designed specifically for admitted students to our on-campus MEM and MF program, these days are meant to enhance the admitted student experience for those who are able to come to campus. 

Monday, April 8: Campus Visit Day Spend the day with the Nicholas School community to meet faculty, current students, campus partners, and fellow admitted students.  

Thursday, April 11: Experience our Master’s Project Symposium Immerse yourself in our academic community by attending our Spring 2024 Master’s Project Symposium. Stay tuned for virtual attendance information for all 2024 Symposium events.  

Friday, April 19: Celebrate Earth Day Join the Nicholas School community for an afternoon of connection and camaraderie.

Need to come another day? ​​​​​​Schedule a campus tour​  and design your day in Durham with opportunities to tour our facilities, sit in on a class, connect with a current students, meet some of your Student Services staff, and get tips for exploring more on your own.

To register for Explore Duke Environment events , first ensure you are logged into your applicant portal . This will automatically link your registration to your application information for your convenience.

Please complete a registration form for each session you wish to attend . You will receive relevant details for each event via a confirmation email.  Please note that all times are Eastern.

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Request to join the NSOE Admitted Student Slack Request to hear from NSOE student organizations <Return to Admitted Students website <Return to Nicholas School homepage  

• Admitted Student Information Session Tuesday, March 19 at 6:00 PM
• NSOE Registrar Office Hours for Admitted Students Wednesday, March 20 at 7:00 PM
• NSOE Alumni Perspectives Monday, March 25 at 7:30 PM
• Understanding Your Financial Aid Tuesday, March 26 at 10:00 AM
• Prepare to launch your career with the NSOE Career and Professional Development Center Wednesday, March 27 at 4:00 PM
• The Student Experience at the Nicholas School Thursday, March 28 at 6:00 PM
• Meet your Faculty Chairs: MEM Management concentrations Monday, April 1 at 6:00 PM
• NSOE Career and Professional Development Center Office Hours for Admitted Students Tuesday, April 2 at 9:30 AM
• Welcome with Dean Lori Bennear Tuesday, April 2 at 1:00 PM
• Forests and Oceans: A conversation with the Duke Forest and the Duke Marine Lab Tuesday, April 2 at 6:00 PM
• Meet your Faculty Chairs: MEM Environment Concentrations Wednesday, April 3 at 6:00 PM
• Virtual Housing Fair for Duke University Graduate and Professional Students Thursday, April 4 at 9:00 AM
• Meet your Faculty Chairs: Master of Forestry Thursday, April 4 at 6:00 PM
• DEL-MEM Meet & Greet and Information Session Monday, April 8 at 8:00 PM
• NSOE Registrar Office Hours for Admitted Students Monday, April 15 at 7:00 PM
• NSOE Career and Professional Development Center Office Hours for Admitted Students Wednesday, April 17 at 12:00 PM
• An Introduction to Master's Projects for Admitted Students Thursday, April 18 at 6:00 PM
• NSOE Career and Professional Development Center Office Hours for Admitted Students Thursday, April 25 at 3:00 PM

United States—North Carolina

• Explore Duke Environment: Campus Visit Day Monday, April 8 at 8:30 AM Durham, NC
• Explore Duke Environment: Experience our Master’s Project Symposium Thursday, April 11 at 8:00 AM Durham, NC
• Explore Duke Environment: Celebrate Earth Day Friday, April 19 at 12:00 PM Durham, NC