Application Fee

An application fee of US $75 is required. You will be prompted to pay the fee by credit card when submitting your application to review.

Application fee waivers are available, and many are automatically applied to your file. Requests must be made before submitting the application, as application fees paid before a waiver is requested and confirmed cannot be refunded.

Fee Waiver Opportunities

Eligibility	Required Action
A current Duke or DKU student	No action is needed, automatic
EdAssist by Bright Horizons benefits	Apply to a participating Duke engineering master’s program and indicate this in the application
Submitted and paid an application fee for a Duke Graduate School Application to the Master of Science in BME, CEE, ECE, or MEMS only for the same term of admission	Send proof of payment to pratt_masters@duke.edu
Attended a live event hosted by Duke’s Pratt School of Engineering, in person or online	An active but un-submitted Pratt School of Engineering application
Participated in the Peace Corps or Teach for America, within one year of your date of application	Send a letter signed by the program director verifying your participation within one year of application to pratt_masters@duke.edu
An active member, reservist, or veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces	No action is needed, automatic
A Fulbright candidate	Send a letter signed by the program director verifying your participation within one year of application to pratt_masters@duke.edu

Transcript

Applicants must hold either a U.S. bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from a regionally accredited institution. If the degree was granted by an institution outside of the U.S., the institution must be accredited by the governing educational body of the country.  

As part of the online application, applicants must upload one (1) copy of a scanned unofficial transcript from each institution attended.  

Official transcripts from each institution attended are required only if admitted. Do not send official transcripts as part of the application process. 

Duke and the Pratt School of Engineering reserve the right to rescind any offer of admission if any discrepancies are found in a grade conversion document or between your uploaded unofficial transcript(s), grade conversion documents, and official transcript(s). 

Transcript Requirements 

• Readable scans – Make sure that all critical and identifying marks have been scanned and are legible. These include the institution’s name, your name, the name of your courses and the grades you have received. 

• English Translations – If your school does not provide transcripts in English, you must provide a transcript in the original language AND an English translation from a professional translation service. Official English translations must accompany documents, not in English, and must bear an original ink signature and seal of the translator. Translations alone will not be accepted. 

• Acceptable formats – Scanned copies of paper transcripts issued by your institution can be uploaded to your application. We do not accept paper or hard copy transcripts for review of applications. You may also upload your institution’s web-based academic record, if available.  

• File size and orientation – Make sure your file text is oriented vertically, in PDF format, and does not exceed 1.5 MB. 

• Applicants from Universities/College in China – Applicants who attended university/college in China must upload the following materials to the online application: 

• Scanned copies (.PDF) of both the original university diploma/degree certificate and qualifications/graduation certificate in Chinese and English issued by your institution. 

• Scanned copies (.PDF) of your official transcript in Chinese and English. 

• Applicants from Universities/Colleges in India – Applicants who attended university/college in India must upload the following materials to the online application: 

• Scanned copies (.PDF) of your final graduation degree certificates or diplomas (if graduated) or provisional certificates within one year of issuance to the online application.  

• Scanned copies (.PDF) of individual semester/annual mark sheets must be submitted along with the consolidated mark sheet including all backlogs/failed attempts. Submitting just a consolidated mark sheet is unacceptable.  

• Documents for all post-secondary studies must be issued by the university or autonomous college. 

• High school/10^th and 12^th grade mark sheets should NOT be submitted. 

Grade Scale

If requested, you must upload a PDF scan of the official grading/assessment/examination scale used by your institution.  

The Grade Scale tells us what your grades mean in the system used by your institution. (You may also know this tool as the grading system, score system or percentage system.) 

The scale should show differentiation between passing grades and indicate what a failing grade is. It should also explain other marks on your transcript, such as Withdrawal, Audit or Incomplete. It need not convert to a 4.0 scale. 

Your image might be the reverse side of your transcript, a screenshot of your registrar’s guidelines or an excerpt from your transcript.

Grade Scale Examples

Grade Scale example – US institution 

Grade Scale example – Indian institution (10 pt scale) 

Grade Scale example – Indian institution (100 pt scale) 

Grade Scale example – Chinese institution (5 pt scale) 

Grade Scale example – Chinese institution in Both Chinese and English (100 pt scale) 

Short-Answer Essays

Provide responses in your online application.

Degree Program Applicants: 3 Short-Answer Essay Questions

1. We can learn about your past experiences from your resume, but we’re interested in your plans. Why are you most interested in pursuing the Master of Engineering Management (MEM) degree from Duke University?
2. Professionalism & The Five Principles are pillars of the Duke MEM program. Choose one (1) principle and explain how you plan to contribute in that way at Duke MEM and beyond.
3. Does any elective track within the Duke MEM program fit your needs? If so, which one and why? If not, and understanding you are free to change your mind later, list 3-4 electives within or outside MEM and how they will help you meet your career goals.

Certificate Program Applicants: 1 Short-Answer Essay Question

We can learn about your past experiences from your resume, but we’re interested in your future plans. Why are you most interested in pursing the Business Foundations certificate from Duke University?

Resume

We require a resume highlighting experience, activities and leadership, whether in the classroom, in a volunteer setting, club or organization, or on the job. Work experience is not required for the campus program, but current undergraduates should highlight any internship experience.  

Resumes should be a maximum of 1-2 pages in length. 

Letters of Recommendation

Letters of recommendation provide insights into your preparation for Duke Engineering’s graduate studies. A description of the number required, and provider types are summarized in the chart below. 

Applicants will enter email addresses for your recommenders in the online application. Recommendation providers will then receive a link to submit their letter of recommendation electronically through our online application system.  

Program	Number of Required Recommendations	Recommendation Provider Type(s)
Master’s Campus	Three (3)	• Academic – At least two (2) for 2026 graduates  • Industry/professional – Not required but helpful (ex: Internship supervisor, full-time job supervisor, research advisor)
Master’s Online	Three (3)	Industry/professional – At least one (1) must be from work in industry (ex: supervisor)
Grad Certificate	Two (2)	Industry/professional – At least one (1) must be from work in industry (ex: supervisor)
Non-Degree	Two (2)	Academic – One (1)  Industry/professional – One (1)

Recommendation Guidance 

• Academic recommendation providers should be someone who knows you. Do not simply select instructors who gave you the highest grades in a course. Instead, consider selecting those who can give insight into your preparedness for a Duke Engineering master’s program. Instructors who have taught you in multiple classes are ideal. Do not choose a recommender you have never met face to face or interacted with directly in a virtual setting (like a large MOOC or workshop). 

• Industry/professional providers should be someone who has supervised you for an internship or job or a research advisor/supervisor. If you have not worked full-time, consider more academic vs. industry/professional letters.   

• For your recommendation providers, consider providing an overview of the program, a copy of your resume, and an understanding of your goals to your recommenders before you complete your application. 

Video Introduction

Your application includes a video introduction component to get to know you better and to hear your respond to a question in a timed environment. Approach the recording like a job interview scenario; you do not need to prepare in advance as the question bank is changed annually.  

A question prompt will be shown on the screen, and you will have 30 seconds of preparation time. The video is a maximum of 3 minutes, but you do not have to use the allotted time.  

You may start over once, but the question will change.  

Virtual Interviews

Varies by program

In some cases, a program may opt to offer an applicant an interview to learn more details about their backgrounds. Interviews are offered for selected applicants only and cannot be requested. If selected, an applicant will receive email instructions on the process. An interview does not guarantee admission.

English Language Testing

If your first language is not English, you may need to submit official English language proficiency test scores.  

Duolingo is Preferred 

The Duolingo English Test is the preferred language testing option for Duke Engineering applicants. While you may opt to submit official TOEFL or IELTS scores, if you are admitted and opt to enroll at Duke (and do not receive an English Language Test Waiver/Exemption), you will be required to submit Duolingo English Test (DET) scores for language assessment purposes. If you opt to submit scores other than DET for the application process, you will be required to complete the test at your expense before the term begins.  

Why Duolingo? 

• The video and written responses integrate seamlessly with your Pratt school of Engineering application. It provides a further dimension to your candidacy by allowing for video interviews and writing samples to be viewed by the admissions committee. 

• Costs a fraction of the other leading language assessments 

• Offers reduced test time 

• It is a convenient, secure at-home exam 

• It is accepted by universities around the world 

• Provides results within 48 hours of exam completion 

• Your results can be shared with unlimited institutions at no extra cost 

• You will required to submit official Duolingo English Test scores if you are admitted and decide to enroll at Duke. See English Placement Exams information below.

Reporting Your Score 

Please report official test scores to Duke using the following codes: 

Test	Code Information
Duolingo English Test	No institutional code. Select “Graduate” program type AND “Duke University Graduate Programs: Graduate School; Divinity; Engineering; Environment; Public Policy; Duke Kunshan.”  Make sure to include sub-scores when you select your institution
IELTS	Report scores to “Duke University Pratt School of Engineering” (you will also upload a score report in supplemental documents)
TOEFL	Institution code 5156 (Duke University); no department code

English Language Test Score Exemptions/Waivers 

The Pratt School of Engineering grants exemptions/waivers for submitting English Language proficiency tests based upon the following criteria: 

• Citizen of a country included in our Exemption/Waivers by Country of Citizenship table below; 

• English is your native/primary language; 

• You have completed at least 3 full years (6 semesters) of undergraduate and/or graduate education in English-only instruction in a country where English is the official language, AND, English is a dominant language for you, based upon daily proficient use of the language in both academic and professional contexts. This includes the United States and countries listed in our Exemption/Waiver by Country of Citizenship table below);  

• You are a Duke Kunshan University or Duke University undergraduate who have completed at least 3 full years (6 semesters).  

If you are exempt based upon the exemption/waiver criteria, please DO NOT submit English language test scores to Duke.  

Exemption/Waivers by Country of Citizenship 

We offer waivers of the English language proficiency testing requirement to citizens of these countries: 

American Samoa	India	Saint Kitts and Nevis
Antigua and Barbuda	Ireland	Saint Lucia
Australia	Jamaica	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Bahamas	Kenya	Samoa
Belize	Kingdom of Eswatini	Seychelles
Bermuda	Kiribati	Sierra Leone
Botswana	Lesotho	Singapore
Cameroon	Malawi	Tonga
Canada	Namibia	Trinidad and Tobago
Dominica	Nauru	Tuvalu
Fiji	New Zealand	Uganda
Gambia, The	Nigeria	United Kingdom
Ghana	Northern Mariana Islands	United Republic of Tanzania
Guam	Papua New Guinea	Virgin Islands (British & U.S.)
Guyana	Rwanda	Zambia

English Placement Exams 

International students who do not receive an English language proficiency test exemption/waiver during the admission process will be required to submit Duolingo English Test (DET) scores before June 15, 2026, for language assessment purposes.  

Based upon the Duolingo English Test results, students may be placed into oral or written English courses that are free of charge. Students with English course requirements must make satisfactory progress toward completing these requirements while in the program. 

GRE Test Scores

GRE Scores are Optional for 2026 Applicants

Submission of official GRE scores is optional for 2026 applicants. You may submit GRE scores if you feel the scores enhance your application. If you send scores, they must be transmitted to Duke directly from the Educational Testing Service (ETS) and must arrive before the application deadline to be considered in the review process. Use the ETS codes: 

• Institution code - 5156 

• Department code - 5199 (“Any department not listed”) 

GRE Official Test Scores Guidance 

• You will not be able to enter self-reported scores in the application.  

• We will accept results from ETS’s “GRE at Home” test 

• It may take several weeks for ETS to send us your scores. Plan to take the test or order scores at least one month prior to the deadline you seek. 

• Consider sending your GRE scores to Duke at the end of completing the GRE exam – this is included in the cost of the test.  

• Name Discrepancies – Please make sure you enter your “prior name” on the Personal Information page of the application if the name on your application and on your test scores are different.  

Information for International Applicants

Unlike many schools, Duke does not require financial support documents as part of the application process. Instead, students submit this information after being admitted and decide to enroll in the program.

Learn more about requirements for international applicants.

Information for Non-Engineers

Duke’s Master of Engineering Management programs sometimes admits non-engineers, if they meet course prerequisites and have sufficient background for the program.

Specifically, we look for the completion of required courses in math and technical areas:

Mathematics

• Calculus I
• Calculus II
• Calculus III or Statistics or other Math courses beyond Calculus II

Technical

A minimum of two (2) courses in engineering, computer science, mathematical science, or physical science; more preferred.

View additional information on minimum requirements.

Deposit for Enrolling Students

Admitted students must officially reserve their place in the program by submitting a non-refundable US $1,000 Enrollment Deposit.

This enrollment deposit is for students who have been accepted into a MEng or MEM program (online or on-campus) in the Institute for Enterprise Engineering at Pratt School of Engineering.

Make a secure payment via Cybersource for your Duke enrollment deposit.

Only credit card payments are accepted.

For those deferring to another semester, you must pay your deposit first.

Enrollment deposit and application decisions are due April 15 via the Admitted Students Portal. Duke University does not accept credit card or debit card payments for tuition and fees, only your application fee and enrollment deposit. Please review the Duke Payment Policy for future tuition payments to the Bursar’s Office.