Duke’s Commitment to Undergraduates
Duke is one of a limited number of schools that makes a twin commitment to all prospective undergraduates who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Duke admits applicants without regard for their financial circumstances, then ensures that these students are able to pay for college by meeting 100 percent of their demonstrated financial need.
About 40 percent of all Duke undergraduates qualified for need-based aid in 2007-08. Another 5 percent of Duke undergraduates received athletic or merit scholarships, though some of these students would otherwise have received financial aid based on need.
Duke looks carefully at each family’s financial situation to determine financial need. While parent income is a significant factor, Duke also considers a family's assets and expenses. (A family with multiple children in college, for instance, may have greater need than income alone suggests.) Duke then uses a formula shared by a consortium of many of the nation’s top colleges and universities to determine what portion of the total cost of education the student and parents will be asked to contribute. The balance, the student’s demonstrated financial need, will be met in full with a financial aid “package.”
How Duke Meets 100% of Demonstrated Need
| Total Cost of Education | (about $48,000 in 2007-08: $36,000 for tuition and fees + $12,000 for room, board, books, and personal expenses) |
| - Parent Contribution | |
| - Student Contribution | (typically around $2,200 from summer earnings) |
| = Demonstrated Need |
| Duke Grant | |
| + Outside Grants | (e.g., grants from civic organizations, government agencies, ROTC, etc.) |
| + Work-Study | (typically requires about six hours of work per week) |
| + Assigned Loan | |
| = Demonstrated Need |