Financial Support

Duke University is strongly committed to its program of financial support and, for the four years of undergraduate enrollment, will meet 100 percent of the demonstrated need of each eligible admitted US citizen or eligible noncitizen. The university’s financial support program includes both merit and need-based scholarships, work-study, and all federal grant and loan programs.

For US 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 admission process. Students needing assistance are strongly encouraged to apply for funding at the same time as for admission. Students awarded support funding will be notified at the same time they are offered admission, assuming all required documentation has been received.

It is the intention of the Karsh Office of Undergraduate Financial Support to set each award at a level consistent with a family’s ability to meet the costs of attending Duke University. This will be done by taking into consideration the contribution that can reasonably be expected from the student and the family.

Financial Support for Entering First-Year Students

Candidates should initiate their application for financial support concurrently with their application for admission. Instructions outlining the specific requirements and deadline dates will accompany application materials. To receive institutional funds, two forms must be submitted, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to the federal processor and the PROFILE application to the College Board’s Scholarship Service (CSS). Students applying for federal loans and grants, not Duke University aid, must complete only the FAFSA. If a student’s parents are divorced or separated, both parents must submit the PROFILE and one parent must submit the FAFSA. Students may be asked to submit copies of their and their parents’ federal income tax returns (all forms, schedules, statements, and W2s must be included). Early Decision and Regular Decision applicants are required to submit their tax information directly to the College Board for processing by the Institutional Documentation Service (IDOC). Students will receive information from the College Board about the IDOC process. All tax information is then sent to Duke electronically by the College Board.

International students interested in obtaining need-based financial aid must apply for financial support at the time of admission to be eligible to receive need-based aid in any year of undergraduate study. To apply, students must complete the International CSS Profile online. A Statement of Foreign Earnings for both parents or a copy of the most recently completed tax return for both parents must be submitted to the College Board IDOC Service. For further information about financial assistance for international students, visit their website at financialaid.duke.edu/apply-aid.

Renewal of Financial Support after the First Year

Each year, domestic students must file an application for renewal of need-based financial aid. All students must complete a new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and students may also be asked to complete a new PROFILE form and submit a copy of all pages, including schedules and attachments, of the parents’ and student’s federal income tax return. Students will be notified electronically of the documents necessary to receive their financial aid renewal. The deadline for the receipt of all application materials by the Karsh Office of Undergraduate Financial Support is January 2. All qualified students may receive need-based aid for up to nine semesters (eight semesters of fall and spring plus two summer terms).

To have financial aid renewed, a student must meet the requirements outlined in Duke’s policy for Satisfactory Academic Progress for Financial Aid. Students not qualifying for financial aid due to their inability to meet these requirements may appeal directly to the Karsh Office of Undergraduate Financial Support. Students holding merit scholarships are required to maintain an average considerably higher than the minimum required for need-based financial aid recipients. Specific details regarding retention standards will be provided to scholarship winners.

Summer School Financial Support

Financial support is available for a total of two summer sessions but only for Duke programs. No financial support is available for non-Duke summer programs. Students may choose to attend two summer sessions as part of a ninth semester of aid eligibility. Interested students can obtain more information about summer financial support, budgets, and eligibility at financialaid.duke.edu/making-most-your-aid/summer-study

Types of Financial Support

Gift scholarships or grants, long-term loans, and employment are integral parts of the financial support program, and some portion of the financial support offered an undergraduate is normally in each of these forms.

The work-study opportunity and loan(s) offered as financial aid are considered to be the self-help portion of the award. The standard package at Duke provides that the first $2,200 to $7,200 of each student’s need be awarded in the form of self-help funds. Funds awarded in excess of this amount will generally be grant funds. This combination of university grant funds and opportunities for self-help enables Duke to extend its resources to a larger number of deserving students.