The Duke MBA application must 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 educational background, transcripts, employment history, a business resume, activities and achievements, self-reported test scores, and essays.

Interview

Interviews are a great way to present yourself and your credentials to the admissions committee. This year we have some new interview options including two types of interviews: Open Interviews and Invitation-Only Interviews. Open Interviews occur in Durham, from September 21 - November 7, 2009. After November 7, interviews are by invitation only and occur in Durham as well as in locations around the world. Visit the Interviews and Campus Visits page for more details including registration information. 

All interviews are conducted in English by admissions staff, alumni, and admissions fellows (select second-year MBA students). Interviews generally last 30 - 45 minutes.  

When scheduling an interview, please keep travel time in mind. The Durham campus is located approximately 30 - 45 minutes from the nearest airport, Raleigh Durham International (RDU). Plan to complete your interview and other campus visit activities at least two hours before your departing flight from RDU.

Common questions and answers about interviews are posted within the Frequently Asked Questions page .

Resume

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.

Essays for Fall 2010 Entry

Three essay questions must be completed before submitting your application. Prepare your essays carefully. The Admissions Committee considers your responses to the following questions important in the selection process. Please respond fully and concisely using 1.5 line spacing. Your response to each question should be no more than 2 pages in length, with a font size no less than 10-point.

Candidates who applied to The Duke MBA between September 2008 and April 2009 are considered re-applicants. All re-applicants are required to complete the Re-applicant Essay in addition to the Applicant Essays.

All applicants have the opportunity to submit an optional essay to explain any extenuating circumstances of which the Admissions Committee should be aware.

Applicant Essays : Answer all 3 essay questions.

Today, companies must navigate through complex and interdependent issues. They must deal with health and security matters, environmental impact questions, and diversity and cultural concerns. Leaders need adaptability, imagination, emotional intelligence, and business acumen. Thus, Duke is in the midst of an ambitious global venture that will embed and connect us around the world, and we are seeking future leaders of consequence, those who value diversity and collaborative leadership, and who aspire to impact the companies and communities of which they are a part in a lasting and positive way.

In an effort to identify, engage, and foster the development of future leaders of consequence, the Admissions Committee would like to get to know our applicants in a more holistic manner. We would like to know who you are, what has shaped you into the person you are today, and how you hope to impact both Duke and the communities of which you will be a part in the future. The essays are your opportunity to convey that to us. Please be open, genuine, and passionate. Share with us what makes you a dynamic, multi-dimensional person.

1. Describe your vision for your career, your inspiration for pursuing this career path, and the role of The Duke MBA in achieving your goals. If you are interested in a specific concentration or joint degree program, please discuss in this essay.
2. Discuss a person, event, or experience that has significantly shaped your life and explain why. 
3. Individuals choose a business school for many different reasons. Through your research, what attributes or characteristics of The Duke MBA program have most resonated with you and why? How do you plan to contribute to the strengthening and enhancement of those attributes and characteristics during your time at Duke and beyond? 

Optional Essay (not required)

If you feel there are extenuating circumstances of which the Admissions Committee should be aware, please explain them here (e.g., unexplained gaps in work, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance, significant weakness in your application).

Re-applicant Essay

All re-applicants are required to complete the Re-applicant Essay. Please limit your response to two pages. Write an essay describing how you are now a stronger candidate for admission compared to the application you submitted the previous year.

Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT)

Official Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) score reports must be sent to the Office of Admissions directly from the GMAT testing service. Please use The Duke MBA—Daytime (full-time) 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 and how to send scores to Fuqua, visit www.mba.com .

Graduate Record Examination (GRE): If you already completed the GRE and would like to know more about our GRE policy, please e-mail application-processing@fuqua.duke.edu .

For Joint Degree Applicants: Joint degree applicants may submit either an official GMAT or a GRE score to fulfill the testing requirement. All other applicants must submit a GMAT score with their application.

English Language Proficiency Tests

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’s degrees or a PhD from colleges or universities where English was the language of instruction, or for international students whose undergraduate institution was instructed in English.

TOEFL Scores

Official TOEFL score reports must be sent to the Office of Admissions directly from Educational Testing Service (ETS). Please use The Duke MBA—Daytime (full-time) program code 5156 on your TOEFL exam. TOEFL scores are valid for two years. The test must be taken prior to 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, visit  www.toefl.org .

IELTS Scores

The Duke MBA accepts the academic modules of the IELTS. Scores must be sent directly from the testing agency; personal copies or attested/notarized copies are not accepted. When requesting that your score be sent to Fuqua, please use the following mailing address:

The Duke MBA Office of Admissions
The Fuqua School of Business
Duke University
1 Towerview Drive
Durham, NC 27708-0104

IELTS scores are valid for two years. The test must be taken prior to 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 .

Transcripts

Your application for admission to The Duke MBA must include a legible, scanned copy of your official transcript(s) that can be uploaded to the online application . Self-reported transcripts and scanned copies of unofficial transcripts are not acceptable. You should submit transcripts for each college or university you have attended. Hard copies of official transcripts will not be accepted prior to an offer of admission.

You MUST upload an OFFICIAL copy of your undergraduate transcript. The DEGREE CONFERRED and the DATE CONFERRED must be clearly visible on your transcript. If your transcript does not clearly state degree and date, please upload a copy of your DIPLOMA, in addition to the transcript.

If you are admitted to The Duke MBA, you are required to submit a hard copy official transcript in a sealed envelope from each college or university you have attended for verification. These copies are in conjunction with your tuition deposit on the deadline specified in the When to Apply section . You must ensure that all necessary official transcripts are received by the Office of Admissions before the required deadline. We recommend you use a parcel service that offers tracking and proof of delivery to send your packet containing your transcript(s) and tuition deposit.

Failure to submit official transcripts on time, or any misrepresentation, falsification, or omission of information, is grounds for automatic revocation of any offer of admission and financial assistance.

To facilitate the collection and submission of official transcripts, a Transcript Request Form has been provided in the downloadable forms section of the online application. To request official transcripts, you may send completed Transcript Request Forms to the registrar of each college or university you have attended. Although the Transcript Request Form is not a required part of the application, it is provided to assist applicants in obtaining required information. We must receive the official transcripts by the stated deadline.

Recommendations

We require two letters of recommendation for applicants, with the exception of reapplicants, who must submit only one additional 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. Recommendations from relatives or friends are strongly discouraged by the Admissions Committee.

If possible, we ask that you use your recommenders' work e-mail when providing their contact information. Recommendations sent from a general e-mail account (gmail or yahoo, for example) will be more closely monitored in our application credentials review process.

Please note that an application is not considered complete until we have received both recommendations. You are required to utilize the online Recommendation Forms associated with the online application .

About the Online Recommendation Form
You are required to utilize the online Recommendation Forms associated with the online application. Recommendations sent by mail or e-mail to the Office of Admissions will NOT be accepted.The following questions are asked on the online recommendation form, and are posted here to help applicants select and prepare their recommenders.

• What do you consider the applicant's primary talents or strengths?
• In what areas does the applicant need improvement or growth? How would you describe the applicant's insight into these areas?
• How would you describe the applicant's leadership skills/career potential?
• Comment on the applicant's interpersonal skills (effectiveness in establishing and maintaining relationships;working with supervisors, peers, and subordinates; willingness to work in a team environment).
• If applicable, describe the applicant's experience working on international projects or with international teams. If you do not know of any international experience, describe any interest in international management expressed by the applicant?
• For non-native English speakers, please comment on the applicant's verbal and written English ability.

Non-refundable Application Fee

The Fuqua School of Business requires a $200 USD application fee, payable by VISA or MasterCard. The application fee is paid electronically when you submit the online application. Learn about our new application fee reduction and fee waiver policies, you may qualify for an application fee of only $50.