Duke University Scholarships (2025–2026)
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- Tuition, housing, and what families actually pay on average
- Top merit scholarships and how competitive they are
- Need-based financial aid policies and grant options
- How to combine Duke awards with external or state programs
📊 Admissions Snapshot
- Acceptance Rate: ~5%
- Middle 50% GPA (weighted): Not published
- Middle 50% SAT: 1520 – 1570
- Middle 50% ACT: 34 – 35
Source: Duke Admissions & Common Data resources (latest available). Middle 50% = range where half of admitted students fall.
Comparing multiple schools? Try the Scholarship Tool to search by GPA, test scores, and state →
Duke University at a Glance
Last verified: October 2025
Duke University offers a handful of highly selective merit awards—most notably the Robertson Scholars Leadership Program (shared with UNC–Chapel Hill) and the Angier B. Duke Scholarship. These awards cover full tuition or more and are reserved for students who demonstrate exceptional academics and service.
Beyond merit, Duke meets 100% of demonstrated financial need for all admitted students through grants and work-study, making it one of the few private universities that is both need-blind and generous with aid. This means many families pay significantly less than the sticker price.
FAQ
Is this college test-optional? Yes — Duke is test-optional through 2026. Submitted SAT/ACT scores are considered only if they strengthen the application.
What is the middle 50% GPA/SAT/ACT? GPA: Not published; SAT: 1520–1570; ACT: 34–35.
What’s the average net price? Around $34,454 after aid (IPEDS 2024).
Does this school offer reciprocity or waivers? No — Duke is a private university, so costs are the same for all students. However, it meets 100% of demonstrated financial need for admitted U.S. citizens and permanent residents.
https://admissions.duke.edu/what-we-look-for/ — University admissions/testing page (SAT middle 50, test-optional 2025–26)
https://admissions.duke.edu/checklist/ — Admissions deadlines (RD Jan 5 for 2025–26)
https://admissions.duke.edu/apply/ — Apply page (ED Nov 1; superscoring policy)
https://financialaid.duke.edu/apply-aid/ — Financial Aid deadlines (CSS/FAFSA)
https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/school/?198419-Duke-University= — College Scorecard (Average annual cost / net price)
https://ousf.duke.edu/merit-scholarships/ — University Scholars & Angier B. Duke (scholarship hub)
https://robertsonscholars.org/high-school-students/ — Robertson Scholars (program benefits & deadlines)
https://dukechronicle.com/article/duke-university-regular-decision-results-class-of-2029-record-low-3-67-percent-acceptance-rate-total-4-8-percent-20250331 — Duke Chronicle (overall acceptance rate ~4.8% for Class of 2029)
💰 Cost of Attendance at Duke University
| Expense | In-State | Out-of-State |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition & Mandatory Fees (2025–26) | $73,172 | $73,172 |
| Housing & Meals (standard) | $20,985 | $20,985 |
| Total (Before Aid) | $94,217 | $94,217 |
Notes: The table shows direct, billed costs (tuition, mandatory fees, standard on-campus housing, and a typical meal plan) for 2025–2026. Other education-related expenses—such as books/supplies (~$536), personal/misc. (~$3,274), and transportation (~$582–$1,317)—are not paid directly to Duke and therefore are excluded from the table; they are used as financial-aid allowances and will vary by student.
No Reciprocity or WUE Programs: Because Duke is a private university, regional tuition exchange programs like WUE or NEBHE do not apply. All students pay the same sticker price, regardless of residency.
Cost of Attendance FAQs
Does Duke have different in-state and out-of-state tuition?
No. As a private university, all undergraduates pay the same tuition and fee rates.
Why do totals appear as a range?
The housing and meal plan costs vary slightly by residence hall and dining plan, and certain programs (e.g., Pratt) include small additional dues—so Duke publishes a range rather than a single figure.
Can financial aid lower these costs?
Yes. Duke meets 100% of demonstrated need, and some scholarships can cover nearly all billed expenses.
Certain aid packages may also require the CSS Profile in addition to the FAFSA.
✅ Automatic Merit Scholarships
Duke University does not award admission-based automatic merit scholarships. Unlike many public universities, there is no GPA/test score grid that guarantees a set scholarship amount. Instead, all institutional merit at Duke is highly competitive and committee-selected (see the next section for details).
| Scholarship | Award Amount | Eligibility | Separate App? | Renewable? | Who Actually Wins? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| None | — | No automatic awards at Duke | — | — | All institutional merit is competitive and committee-selected |
Note: Duke does not participate in National Merit automatic awards or the Stamps Scholarship program. National Merit Finalists may receive small stipends from NMSC or their sponsors, but not from Duke itself.
Automatic Merit FAQs
Does Duke superscore ACT or SAT results?
Yes. Duke reviews the highest section scores across test dates for both the SAT and ACT. This can help applicants present their strongest combined scores, even though Duke does not tie scholarships directly to those numbers.
Do I need a separate application for automatic merit?
No. Since there are no automatic awards at Duke, there’s nothing to apply for. All merit scholarships are selective and require review by the Office of University Scholars and Fellows (OUSF) or separate programs like Robertson Scholars.
Can automatic merit be stacked with need-based aid?
Not applicable here—since Duke does not offer automatic merit. However, competitive scholarships typically cover full tuition and fees, which may alter a student’s overall need-based aid or loan package.
Duke Merit Scholarships Policy: https://financialaid.duke.edu/types-aid/scholarships/merit-scholarships
Duke Office of University Scholars & Fellows (OUSF): https://ousf.duke.edu/merit-scholarships/
National Merit & Stamps Scholarship details: https://collegereadyparent.org/duke-scholarships-2025-26/
Community discussion: https://talk.collegeconfidential.com/t/dukes-national-merit-scholarship/2094169
🏆 Competitive Scholarships
Duke doesn’t hand out automatic merit awards. Instead, it runs a small group of highly selective cohort programs for incoming students. These scholarships cover most or all billed expenses, but they are extremely competitive and usually go to about 2% of the incoming class. Finalists are often invited to interviews and considered directly by the Office of University Scholars and Fellows (OUSF).
| Scholarship | Award Amount | Eligibility | Separate App? | Renewable? | Who Actually Wins? | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A.B. Duke Scholars | Full tuition, fees, housing & meals (4 years) | All admitted first-years worldwide | No | Yes — maintain good standing | Students with near-perfect transcripts in rigorous courses, and national distinction in academics/research/arts | Jan 2 (Duke application) |
| B.N. Duke Scholars | Full tuition, fees, housing & meals (4 years) | Residents of NC or SC | No | Yes — leadership & service, good standing | Top students from NC/SC with rigor, service, leadership | Jan 2 (Duke application) |
| Trinity Scholarships | Substantial tuition support (varies) | Select NC/SC regions, rigor, leadership | No | Yes | Students from select NC/SC areas, strong schools/service | Jan 2 (Duke application) |
| Reginaldo Howard Leadership Program | Non-scholarship, offers enrichment funding/mentorship | All undergraduates, focus on Black excellence/service | No | Yes — participation required | Active leaders in African diaspora community | Year-round |
| Karsh International Scholars | Full tuition, fees, housing & meals (4 years) | Non–U.S. citizens/permanent residents; financial need; apply for aid | No — must submit financial aid forms | Yes | International students with outstanding records, leadership, and need | Nov 4 (CSS Profile deadline) |
| Robertson Scholars Leadership Program | Full tuition, housing, meals, fees + summer enrichment | Applicants to Duke or UNC–Chapel Hill | Yes — separate Robertson app | Yes | Applicants with exceptional academics and major leadership | Nov 15 (Robertson app) |
Competitive Scholarship FAQs
How competitive are these awards?
Extremely — only about 2% of each entering class receives one. Finalists are interviewed, and winners are announced each spring.
Do I need to apply separately?
For nearly all Duke merit awards, simply apply to Duke by Jan 2 and complete any required aid forms. Only the Robertson Scholars Program requires a separate application by Nov 15.
Can scholarships be combined with need-based aid?
No. Full-tuition/fee awards replace need-based Duke grant aid, but other outside awards (e.g., for enrichment) can often stack.
What does the process look like?
Duke’s OUSF contacts finalists by email in spring; interviews happen shortly after, and recipients are informed before May 1. Robertson applicants separately interview and visit campus in March–April.
Duke Merit Scholarships (OUSF): https://ousf.duke.edu/merit-scholarships/
Karsh International Scholars: https://ousf.duke.edu/merit-scholarships/karsh-international-scholars-program/
Robertson Scholars: https://robertsonscholars.org/
Duke Financial Aid — Merit: https://financialaid.duke.edu/types-aid/scholarships/merit-scholarships
2025 timeline/criteria verification: https://collegereadyparent.org/duke-scholarships-2025-26/
🎖️ Honors College
Duke does not have a stand-alone Honors College. Instead, students pursue Graduation with Distinction through their major department or through an interdisciplinary track. This pathway gives motivated students the chance to work one-on-one with faculty, complete original research, and graduate with an official honors designation on their transcript.
- Faculty mentorship on a senior thesis or research project
- Smaller seminars and deeper academic engagement in the major
- Access to Undergraduate Research Support (URS) funding opportunities — up to $500 for research and up to $800 for conference travel
- Transcript notation of Distinction, High Distinction, or Highest Distinction
Honors FAQs
Is admission automatic?
No. Students must apply to their major department’s distinction program, usually in junior year, with a proposal and faculty endorsement. Some departments require a GPA as high as 3.5 in the major (overall 3.3) at the time of application; others may vary by field.
Does pursuing distinction add time to graduation?
No. The thesis or research project is completed within the normal four-year plan, typically during the junior and senior years.
Are there scholarships tied to honors?
Not directly. Honors students may apply for Undergraduate Research Support (URS) travel and research grants, and select departments have their own small awards, but there are no central honors-only scholarships.
What deadlines should students keep in mind?
Each department sets its own application deadlines—commonly in late sophomore or early junior year. Some departments require proposals by the last day of drop/add in the second-to-last semester; others have March deadlines for senior thesis seminars. Always check early with your major advisor or the department office.
Graduation with Distinction overview: https://trinity.duke.edu/undergraduate/academic-policies/graduation-with-distinction
Departmental tracks: https://program2.duke.edu/distinction, https://biology.duke.edu/undergraduate/graduation-distinction, https://cs.duke.edu/undergraduate/distinction, https://classicalstudies.duke.edu/undergraduate/honors
History & English thesis: https://history.duke.edu/undergraduate/honors-thesis, https://english.duke.edu/undergraduate/thesis-distinction
URS research funding: https://undergraduateresearch.duke.edu/urs-funding-opportunities,
Distinction in other programs: https://sanford.duke.edu/undergraduate/honors-program/, https://internationalcomparative.duke.edu/undergraduate/honors
⭐ College Specialty
Duke isn’t just known for basketball—it’s a nationally recognized research powerhouse (classified as an R1 research university) with standout programs that attract students from all over the world. For parents, this means your student can plug into top-ranked majors that carry weight in both graduate admissions and the job market.
- Public Policy (Sanford School): One of the largest and most respected undergraduate policy programs in the U.S., with strong pipelines into government, nonprofits, and graduate policy schools.
- Environmental Sciences & Policy (Nicholas School): Nationally recognized for sustainability and marine science, with access to the Duke Marine Lab and interdisciplinary research centers.
- Computer Science: Growing rapidly with industry ties and undergraduate research opportunities; ranked among the top 25 nationally (U.S. News 2025).
- Nursing & Health Professions: Duke’s School of Nursing graduate programs are consistently #1 in U.S. News rankings, giving undergraduates strong pre-professional pathways in health sciences.