Duke University Scholarships for International Students 2026

Yes—some Duke schools offer scholarships for online/hybrid programs. For example, Duke Divinity School says students in its hybrid online degree/certificate programs “receive scholarship support covering between 25% and 100% of tuition,” with automatic consideration.

Duke scholarships span a wide range of subjects, STEM and engineering, business, humanities, and more, because many major funding routes are not restricted to a single major. For instance, Duke’s undergraduate aid and the Karsh International Scholars Program are undergraduate-focused supports, while graduate funding can include assistantships and doctoral funding across departments. In practice, recipients study everything from the arts to policy: M’Lago Morris pursued a Bachelor’s in Public Policy and Theatre, explaining he chose them because “storytelling and advocacy go hand in hand.”

It depends on the scholarship, but Duke has scholarships explicitly designed for international students. For the Karsh International Scholars Program, Duke states international applicants must demonstrate financial need and (in its FAQ) indicates eligible applicants are citizens of countries outside the U.S. (and not dual U.S. citizens).

For undergraduate admissions, Duke states that if you’re a non-native English speaker or not studying in an English-medium curriculum, it recommends (but does not require) an English proficiency test, and it publishes “minimum scores expected” (e.g., IELTS/TOEFL/Duolingo). For many graduate programs, English-proficiency scores are commonly required when applicable, and Duke Graduate School guidance lists typical minimums it generally seeks (programs can vary).

Duke does not present a single universal “minimum GPA” for first-year admission; it reviews transcripts and grades in context as part of holistic evaluation. For a real recipient benchmark, M’Lago Morris reported an unweighted GPA of 3.98 and explained, “we were able to translate NCEA grades into GPA using a conversion.”

Most Duke scholarships don’t advertise a simple age cutoff; eligibility is usually based on academic stage and degree status (for example, whether you’re applying as an undergraduate and whether you already hold a prior degree). For the Karsh International Scholars Program, Duke’s eligibility framing focuses on international status, financial need, and not already having a B.A./B.S., rather than age.

It depends on the scholarship type. For the Karsh International Scholars Program, Duke states you must be an international applicant with demonstrated financial need, and you apply by applying to Duke and requesting financial aid (no separate scholarship application). Duke also describes strong academic preparation as a key factor.

In practice, recipients combine strong academics with a compelling story and impact. M’Lago Morris had top academics (3.98 unweighted GPA) and emphasized authenticity: “Know your story—and own it. Don’t write what you think they want to hear.”

Requirements vary by program (undergraduate vs graduate), but for Duke undergraduate first-year applicants, Duke’s checklist includes items like: your application (Common App/QuestBridge as applicable), high school transcript, counselor recommendation/secondary school report, two teacher recommendations, and required essays/supplements. If you apply for financial aid, Duke lists financial-aid applications and may request additional financial documents (such as taxes). Duke also provides guidance for international transcripts (translations plus original documents when needed).

Yes, typically. Duke’s undergraduate admissions page states a nonrefundable $85 application fee (with fee-waiver options for qualifying students). For Duke Graduate School programs, Duke publishes a separate graduate application fee (commonly listed as $105 for The Graduate School), and some professional schools/programs may differ.