What should I know about Early Action?

If you are interested in joining Fuqua and are ready for a decision, Early Action might be right for you. Before you decide, consider the following:

• The Early Action option is ideal if you have completed your MBA research and have decided that this is the best program for you.
• If you are admitted in Early Action, you need to submit a non-refundable tuition deposit along with official transcript(s) and official test score/s by December 2024.
• If you’re admitted, you commit to a binding agreement to attend Fuqua.
• You must withdraw any applications submitted to other schools once you are offered admission from Fuqua.
• Scholarships are awarded according to the same guidelines in the Early Action round as they are offered in Rounds 1, 2, 3, and 4; however, due to the binding nature of the Early Action round, you are required to attend with or without a scholarship award.

Do you offer a waiver of the application fee?

Yes, you may qualify for a waiver if you meet certain criteria. See Application Instructions for more details.

What should I know about GMAT/GRE/EA test scores?

There is no minimum requirement—we admit applicants with a range of test scores. GMAT/GRE/EA scores are important, but they are not the only indicator of achievement.

Other important aspects of your application include:

• Your academic performance
• Work experience
• Community involvement
• Leadership
• Recommendations
• Essays

SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION AND TEST SCORES:

• GMAT, GRE, and EA scores are valid for 5 years from the date the exam is taken.
• You are not required to submit official GMAT/GRE/EA scores as part of the application process (unofficial scores are acceptable). However, official test scores must be submitted upon admittance to the program.
• Please arrange to have your test scores sent to us as soon as they become available, and plan testing dates so that there is sufficient time for test score processing 2-3 weeks before your desired application deadline.

UPDATING YOUR TEST SCORES:

We encourage you to submit your application with the scores you wish to use. If you would like to update your test scores, you may do so in the Test Scores section of your applicant portal or send an email to application-processing@fuqua.duke.edu.

If your updated scores are received after your application has been reviewed, we cannot guarantee that the admissions committee will be able to review your updated score.

What is your policy on deferred admission?

We encourage applicants to apply for admission in the year in which they wish to matriculate. If circumstances prevent you from enrolling in that year, you may request a deferral by writing to the Associate Dean of Admissions outlining all details surrounding the request. Requests for deferral will only be considered after May 1 for students who have already submitted their tuition deposit.
 

DEFERRAL FAST FACTS:

• Deferrals are granted only in the case of significant, unanticipated, and unavoidable personal emergency.
• You may be deferred up to, but not beyond, the same term in the succeeding year.
• Admission may be deferred only once.
• All requests for deferral must include official supporting documentation confirming the nature of the request.

Examples of reasons for deferral:

• Military service obligations
• Medical emergencies for you or an immediate family member

If a deferral is granted, you are required to pay a non-refundable deferral fee of 3,000 USD. This fee will be credited toward tuition upon matriculation. If a scholarship is awarded in the year the applicant applies, this award is not guaranteed for matriculation the following year. Scholarship awards will be re-evaluated during the admissions cycle prior to matriculation.

Does Fuqua accept transfer credits?

We do not. However, you may be given an exemption:

• Exemption exams are available for most of the core courses and offered at the beginning of each term.
• You may also be given an "administrative exemption" based on prior coursework.
• Exemption from a course does not reduce the total number of credits needed to complete the degree.
• You have the ability to substitute an elective in place of the required course.

Do you offer an online or part-time program?

No, we do not offer an MBA program that is exclusively online or part-time. However, we do offer two MBA programs designed for working professionals:

• Weekend Executive MBA
• Global Executive MBA

These programs allow you to continue to work while you complete your MBA. Our unique format combines in-person residencies with distance learning.

We also offer other graduate business programs that are delivered all or partially online:

• MSQM: Business Analytics—Online
• Accelerated MSQM: Business Analytics—Online
• MSQM: Health Analytics 

How are interviews conducted?

Admissions interviews are by invitation, and interview decisions are released on a rolling basis. You will receive an interview decison by the published date for the round in which you apply. The timing of your interview invitation is not significant in the evaluation process, nor is the timing of the interview invitation and indicator of the likelihood of admission. Interview invitations are not a final decision on your application. All applicants admitted to the Fuqua School of Business must interview prior to receiving an offer of admission.

Interviews may be conducted by alumni, staff, or trained second-year MBA students called “Admissions Fellows.” On-campus interviews are offered in Early Action, Round 1, and Round 2, and will be conducted in-person. Off-campus interviews will primarily be conducted virtually, and are offered in every round. All interviews are valued equally, regardless of format or interviewer. As you prepare for your interview, please be aware that your interviewer will only have access to your resume and will not have read your application.

What if I have to cancel or reschedule my interview?

If you are unable to attend your scheduled interview and need to cancel or reschedule, please communicate this directly with your assigned interviewer and our team. Please keep in mind that once you cancel your interview, your available options to reschedule may be limited.

Should any unexpected circumstances arise within 48 hours of your visit and you need to cancel your scheduled interview, please contact us immediately at +1.919.660.7705 or Admissions-Interviews@fuqua.duke.edu. We will do our best to accommodate you with another interview time, but if this is not possible, your application may be moved to the next admissions round.

How is full-time status determined?

To be considered full-time, a student must be registered for a course that makes progress toward their degree. This includes but is not limited to, enrolling in the appropriate courses required for degree completion and maintaining satisfactory academic progress. Variation from 3 to 24 graduate credits is common across terms.

What enrollment status is required to be eligible for student aid?

Generally, student aid, i.e., loans, review is based on enrollment being at least half-time status.

How are Fuqua merit scholarship awards determined?

Every admitted applicant is considered for a merit scholarship. Merit scholarship recipients are selected by an Admissions Merit Scholarship Committee.

The selection criteria include:

• Prior academic achievement
• Demonstrated leadership
• Community involvement
• Extracurricular activities
• Professional accomplishments

These awards are for the 2-year MBA program duration and range from partial to full tuition. There is no funding for new awards in the second year. Therefore, students who enroll without scholarship funding the first year should not anticipate an award for the second year of the program. Merit scholarship awards are made independent of determining a student's eligibility for student loans.

Is it possible to borrow funds to meet the costs of attending Fuqua?

A variety of student loan programs are available to both domestic and international students.

You are eligible to apply for a combination of:

• Federal student loans
• Alternative student loans

Loans can be used for:

• Tuition
• Books
• Related living expenses

Visit Financing Your Degree for more information.

How do I apply for student loans?

For U.S. citizens and permanent residents, visit the Financing Your Degree page to learn more about the student loan process for domestic students.

For international applicants, details of the student loan process are also located on the Financing Your Degree page.

How will I know if my FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) has been sent to Fuqua Financial Aid?

• Approximately 1 week after you submit your FAFSA, you will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR), which will indicate the receipt and initial processing of your application.
• Our financial aid office receives an electronic copy of the SAR, and the FAFSA data for admitted students is reviewed for accuracy and completeness.
• If additional information is needed, you will receive a written request from Fuqua. If no additional information is requested, you will receive a financial aid award notice.
• Our financial aid office begins review of financial aid applications in March and sends out award notices on a rolling basis.

As an international student, when should I apply for admission?

International students should apply in:

• Early Action
• Round 1
• Round 2
• Round 3

Visa processing can take several months to complete, so we recommend that you apply before Round 3 to ensure that you are able to join the program if admitted.

Do I need to submit an English as a Second Language Test score?

Fuqua does not accept ESL test scores. We will use other aspects of your application to assess language proficiency. If you are applying for the dual degree with the Nicholas School of the Environment (MBA/MEM), please note that ESL test scores are required to complete the MEM application.

Will you consider my application with a degree less than a 4-year U.S. bachelor's degree?

Generally, we do accept international bachelor's degrees. Most of the degrees we see are for 4-year programs. Three-year degrees are fairly common in U.K.-based systems; therefore, a 3-year degree from England, Scotland, Wales, or Australia is acceptable. In India, the bachelors of commerce degree is 3 years and is usually considered the equivalent of a U.S. business degree.

Is there financial aid available for international applicants?

Every admitted applicant is automatically reviewed for merit-based scholarships. There is no separate scholarship application. Scholarship information will be included in your electronic admission letter. The awards are for the 2-year duration of the MBA program and range from partial tuition to full tuition. Funding is limited and will not be sufficient to cover all tuition and living expenses. For details, visit Financing Your Degree.

We also offer a student loan for international students. This loan offers a very competitive rate and does NOT require a co-signer from the U.S.

Do I need a new application, essays, and letters of recommendation?

You will need to complete a new online application. You may request to have your application from a prior year (2019 and later) "cloned," or replicated, for you. To request to have your application cloned, please complete this form. 

You will be asked to answer the same essay questions as new applicants, plus one additional essay for reapplicants only.  If you choose to have your application cloned, you will be able to edit any information before submitting the new application. We encourage you to take note of any changes to essay questions or essay length limits. Reapplicants may choose to reuse the letter(s) of recommendation submitted with the prior year's application, or they may choose to submit one or two new recommendation letters. 

Visit Application Instructions for details.

Do reapplicants need to resend official test scores and official transcripts?

Reapplicants do not need to resend official GMAT/GRE/EA scores to Fuqua, unless the scores have expired or you have retaken the tests and wish to have your new scores considered.

GMAT, GRE, and EA scores are valid for 5 years from the date the exam is taken. To update your scores, send an email to application-processing@fuqua.duke.edu to ask to have the score updated in your application.

I am a reapplicant and interviewed last year. Do I need to interview again?

Yes. Reapplicants need to follow the same interview policies as new applicants. What’s more, an interview is a great way to update the admissions committee on recent job promotions, personal achievements, and ways in which you are a stronger candidate this year.

How does the waitlist work?

Waitlisted applications will be reviewed at subsequent admissions rounds, following the round in which you originally applied.

• On the decision release date for each round, you will be informed if you are admitted, and if not, your status will remain waitlisted. To ensure you receive any updates, please be sure to keep us informed of any changes in your contact information. 
• We are unable to share an exact number of people who are waitlisted.
• Candidates on the waitlist may be admitted or may choose to remove their name from the waitlist at any point in the process, so the number of candidates on the waitlist can vary from day to day.
• If the admissions committee determines that an interview is needed to make a final decision on your application, you will be contacted directly by the admissions office in order to schedule and complete your interview.

Please be advised that the admissions committee has made a conscious decision to limit the number of applicants extended a place on the waitlist. In the past, we have admitted students from the waitlist as late as the start of orientation in July.

While I’m on the waitlist, can I retake the GMAT/GRE/EA?

Yes. We will accept new scores from an applicant who has elected to remain active on the waitlist. Deciding to retake the GMAT, GRE, or EA is a personal decision. If you feel that you did not test at your highest potential, it might be in your best interest to retake the test. In deciding to retest, applicants have found it helpful to review the range of test scores found in our class profile to determine if additional academic information could be helpful for the admissions committee. 

If you take the GMAT, GRE, or EA again, unofficial test scores may be updated in your student portal at any time.

For GMAT/EA scores, use Duke program code Q13-N5-32.

For GRE scores, use the Duke program code 5156, and the 4201 Business Administration and Management Department name on your GRE exam.

I was waitlisted without an interview. What should I do?

You may be asked to participate in the next round of interviews in the location you pre-selected on your application. No action is needed on your part until you receive an email invitation. The admissions committee will review your completed interview evaluation as part of your total application and will provide an updated decision on your application after the next decision release.

Our interview policy is by invitation only at this stage in the application cycle. If the admissions committee determines that an interview is needed to make a final decision on your application, you will be contacted directly by The Office of Admissions in order to schedule and complete your interview.

May I submit additional information for the admissions committee to consider?

Yes. During the coming months you may submit additional information that you feel will be helpful to the committee in consideration of your file. Brevity and relevance are important when determining what to submit to the admissions committee. It is not necessary to duplicate information already covered in your application. Please follow the instructions below to ensure your update is placed in your file.

• Information on recent professional or community accomplishments – submit via the waitlist update form
• Transcripts for recently completed coursework – submit via the waitlist update form
• New unofficial test score – submit via your student portal
• Updated mailing address – submit via your student portal

All additional information, including additional recommendations, should be submitted via email to mbawaitlist@fuqua.duke.edu.

I have a question that has not been addressed in the waitlist FAQs. What should I do?

Should you have a question about the waitlist process, please feel free to call our office at 1.919.660.7705 and ask to speak with an admissions officer. You may reach us during business hours, Monday through Friday, 8:30 am–5:00 pm ET. We would be happy to speak with you and address any questions or concerns you have regarding your application status.