Admissions

The Duke MBA-Daytime program at The Fuqua School of Business is a challenging and rigorous academic program, to which admission is highly selective. Acceptance is based on the ability to excel, not only academically, but also in the business community. All admitted applicants must possess outstanding intellectual ability and strong academic credentials. In addition, applicants must have demonstrated leadership and managerial skills through their professional and extracurricular activities. The coursework frequently requires students to work together in teams, so each student must also possess excellent interpersonal skills. To be eligible for admission, a student must have earned a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. No specific undergraduate major is considered preferable to any other. The demands of the curriculum call for mathematical skills and aptitude, along with the ability to perform successfully in a program that emphasizes logical and analytical reasoning. All entering students are required to have a working knowledge of calculus and must complete a college-level calculus course prior to matriculation, earning a passing grade of "C" or better. If you have already received an MBA or its equivalent (from an institution located in the U.S. or abroad), you are not eligible for admission to the program.

Application Information. The application for admission can only be submitted using the online application form. Complete instructions for filing an application are located in the online application. The application is accessible through Fuqua's Web site at www.fuqua.duke.edu. An application for admission will not be evaluated until all supporting materials have been received.

The Duke MBA application is to be completed online and submitted electronically once all of the required questions have been answered. You do not have to complete the online application in one sitting. Until you are ready to submit, you may access your application and edit your answers as many times as you like with your PIN and password from any computer with Internet access.

The online application includes sections on personal information and program information. The program information section includes questions if you are applying to one of the joint degree programs or the Health Sector Management concentration. In addition to these sections, the application asks for education background, transcripts, employment history, a business resume, activities and achievements, self-reported test scores, essays, and financial aid information.

You must electronically submit a one-page business resume. The resume should contain employment and education background. The employment section should include locations, titles, and dates, starting with your most recent job. The education section should include dates of attendance and degrees received.

Official GMAT score reports must be sent to Fuqua's office of admissions directly from the GMAT testing service. Please use The Duke MBA-Daytime (fulltime) program code Q13-N5-32 on your GMAT exam. You must request that your official score be sent to Fuqua prior to your application round deadline. We will accept GMAT scores up to five years old. However, we will keep official scores sent to Fuqua for one academic year. If you have taken the GMAT multiple times, please report your highest score. For information on how to register for the GMAT or to request scores sent to Fuqua, visit www.mba.com.

If you did not earn an undergraduate degree from a school whose primary language of instruction is English, you must submit a valid Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score. This requirement is waived for international applicants holding non-technical master or PhD degrees from colleges or universities located inside the United States, or for international students whose undergraduate institution was instructed in English.

Official TOEFL score reports must be sent to Fuqua's office of admissions directly from Educational Testing Service (ETS). Please use The Duke MBA-Daytime (fulltime) program code 5156 on your TOEFL exam. We will accept TOEFL scores up to two years old. A score must be valid as of the application deadline for the round in which you are applying. The test must be taken at least one month before your application round deadline. Allow at least four weeks for scores to reach Fuqua. For information on how to register for the TOEFL or to request test scores, go to www.toefl.org.

We will accept IELTS scores up to two years old. A score must be valid as of the application deadline for the round in which you are applying. The test must be taken at least one month before your application round deadline. Allow at least four weeks for scores to reach Fuqua. The IELTS is administered by Cambridge ESOL, British Council, and IDP:IELTS Australia. More information about the test is available at www.ielts.org.

Your application for admission to The Duke MBA must include a self-reported transcript for each college or university you have attended. It must contain information included on your official transcript about all courses taken, including incomplete courses, courses taken pass/fail, and dates taken, their grades, degree(s) earned, and award(s). Please report grades and scores using the scale employed by your college or university. If your institution does use a 4.0 GPA scale, you must accurately describe the grading scale used. Do not convert scores to a 4.0 GPA scale.

If you are admitted to The Duke MBA, you are required to submit official transcripts from each college or university you have attended for verification. You must ensure all necessary official transcripts are received by The Duke MBA Office of Admissions before the required deadline: June 2, 2008 if you applied for admission in round one or round two, and June 16, 2008 if you applied for admission in round three. We recommend you use a parcel service that offers tracking and proof of delivery.

To facilitate the collection and submission of official transcripts, a Transcript Request Form has been provided in the downloadable forms section. You may send a completed Transcript Request Forms to the registrar of each college or university you have attended to request official transcripts. We must receive the official transcripts by the stated deadline.

We require two letters of recommendation. The most valuable recommendations come from people who know your professional skills and abilities. We encourage you to submit at least one recommendation from someone who knows you well in your current position and can critique your professional performance, such as a current supervisor. Please note that an application is not considered complete until we have received both recommendations. We encourage you to utilize the online recommendation system in order to expedite the processing of your application. Applicants do have the option of submitting hard copies of the recommendation form. If hard copy recommendations are submitted, they should be included with your transcripts in one package.

Interviews are not required, but are strongly encouraged for all candidates. Interviews are conducted by admissions staff, alumni, and admissions fellows (select second year MBA students). All candidates are encouraged to come to campus for an interview. Applicants living outside of the United States and in select cities on the west coast of the U.S. have the option to request an alumni interview. All interviews are evaluated equally regardless of location or interviewer.

Duke welcomes the applications of qualified students from outside the United States. Due to overseas mail delays and visa processing upon admission to the progam, international applicants are strongly encouraged to apply early in the admission cycle. You should provide a telephone number and e-mail address with your online application. This will ensure that you receive correspondence in a more timely fashion. In addition to the items that appear above, international students should make note of the following:

Transcripts. International applicants who completed their education in a non-English speaking program should make arrangements to have their academic records translated and sent to Fuqua along with the originals. Where American-style transcripts are not used, the applicant should include all available records, including courses, grades, degrees, and rank in class. These records should be certified by the appropriate university officials. Applicants holding a diploma from a three-year institution are welcome to apply, but they should be aware that this diploma may not be as competitive as one from a four-year institution.

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and IELTS exam. All international citizens who did not earn an undergraduate degree from a school whose primary language of instruction is English must submit results of the TOEFL or IELTS exam. This requirement is waived for international students holding non-technical master or PhD degrees from colleges and universities in the United States. Scores must be reported directly from the testing agency; applicant copies are not acceptable. Candidates completing the application for the TOEFL should note that the Duke University Institution code is 5156.

If we receive multiple TOEFL or IELTS scores, we will automatically use the score and test date you provided on your application. Test scores expire two years from the date of the exam. Duke will not review an application with expired exams scores. We cannot be responsible for scores that are sent to the wrong department. Because files are not reviewed until scores are received, late scores will impact an applicant's admission.

Request for Temporary Visa, Proof of Financial Support Forms. All international students must submit proof of sufficient funding to maintain the student at Duke University for the first year of the MBA program for temporary visa processing. Proof of financial support is required upon admission to the program. The Proof of Financial Support Form (included in the admission packet) should be certified by a responsible individual.

Financial Aid. Fuqua is pleased to be able to offer scholarship aid to international applicants. However, scholarship funds are limited and awards will not be sufficient to fund all tuition and living expenses. International applicants are not eligible for federal student aid and must demonstrate that they have sufficient resources to fund their two years of study. Applicants who are permanent residents of the United States are eligible for both federal student aid and merit-based awards and do not need to complete the Proof of Financial Support form upon admission. Fuqua is pleased to offer the Expanded MBA Loan (formerly the Duke Opportunity Loan), a loan program for international students in which no U.S. co-signer is required. Further details are available on Fuqua's financial aid web site.

Language Institute. Two years are required to complete the MBA program and all students are required to carry the normal full course load. All instruction is in English, so those who have a different native language may want to consider the advantages of attending the Language Institute offered at Fuqua. Language Institute information will be sent to all international applicants. If you need more information on the Language Institute, please contact Mark Brown, Director, Language Institute, The Fuqua School of Business, Duke University, Box 90120, Durham, NC 27708-0120 USA. E-mail: mtb2@duke.edu, Tel.: (919) 660-7868 or (919) 660-7865, Fax: (919) 660-2905.

2007-09 Bulletin of The Fuqua School of Business

2007-09 Bulletin of
The Fuqua School of Business