The final deadline to submit an application for Fall 2024 admission to the doctoral program in Chemistry is mid-night (EST) December 4, 2023. The application fee is $95 (non-refundable).
You must apply through the Graduate School website here. The Department of Chemistry can review and make an admissions decision on an application based on the scanned unofficial transcript and electronic letters of recommendation submitted by the recommenders. The applicant may mail in the official transcript once they are admitted, and we will accept hard copies of signed letters of recommendation if they cannot be submitted electronically. Applications can also be reviewed with self-reported GRE and TOEFL scores while we wait for ETS to submit the official scores to Duke University.
> The Department of Chemistry offers admission only to the doctoral program and does not offer a terminal M.Sc. Program. However, in cases where a student either chooses to terminate their Ph.D. studies or fails to advance to candidacy, the Department may allow the student to defend a M.Sc. thesis.
The Department of Chemistry offers Fall admission only.
Each year about 300 applications are received by the department, from students from all over the world. In a typical year, 20-22 new graduate students matriculate into the Department in the Fall semester. The Chemistry Department accepts the most qualified and talented applicants, regardless of country of origin, and we are proud of the gender and ethnic diversity in our research community. There is no quota or limit on the number of international vs. domestic students. Approximately 50% of all graduate students at Duke are international students.
The typical profile of successful applicants to the doctoral program in Chemistry at Duke can be found here. While the department does not have minimum score requirements, the typical applicant who gains admission has an overall UGPA of 3.2 or higher, combined GRE Verbal and Quantitative scores over 1200 (scoring system used until Summer 2011) or 308 (Fall 2011 onwards scale), and previous research experience in chemistry or a related area. International applicants must submit a TOEFL exam demonstrating facility with English. The minimum TOEFL scores for admission is 90 (iBT). The IELTS exam is also accepted, and a minimum score of 7.0 is necessary in order to be considered for admission. The GRE subject test in chemistry is recommended, but not required. Absence of a GRE subject test in chemistry will not have a negative impact on an application.
ETS will not submit official GRE scores older than 5 years or TOEFL scores older than 2 years from the testing date to any university. As long as ETS will send your scores, Duke will accept them as official. Duke will accept official scores on the old 800-point GRE scoring system as well as the new grade scale implemented in Fall 2011. You may attach scanned unofficial photocopies of your in-date test scores to your application while waiting for official scores to be reported by ETS. However, if the Department of Chemistry wishes to tender an offer of admission and your official GRE and/or TOEFL scores have not yet arrived from ETS, that offer will be pending receipt of the official scores. Failure to supply any form of GRE scores, or TOEFL scores when required, will prevent the consideration of your application.
The Department of Chemistry does not have the power to offer TOEFL waivers. Only students who have either lived a significant period of time in an English speaking country or have attended at least 2 years of college at an English speaking institution may petition the Graduate School for a TOEFL/IELTS waiver. The Test of Spoken English (TSE) cannot be accepted in lieu of a TOEFL or IELTS score.
Financial aid for graduate school is not based on financial need but on the academic strength of the candidate. Therefore, no proof of financial need is required to apply. In order to apply for any and all available financial aid, an applicant need only to indicate “YES” on the financial aid section of the online application. The Department of Chemistry financial aid package for doctoral students is typically composed of a 5 year tuition and fee waiver and a stipend. The stipend is made up a combination of Teaching and Research Assistantships and fellowships.
What documents are required for a complete application?
The following are required:
Offers of admission are typically announced from mid-January to mid-April, but the majority of offers are extended before the end of February.
Do not mail any application materials. All application materials should be attached to the online application.