Financing Your Degree

Supporting your investment

We’re committed to helping all qualified students make a Duke MBA degree a reality. Our financial aid office can work with you by providing you with the guidance and resources you need to finance your education.

Finding the Right Financial Aid Program

When selecting a financial aid program, take the time to weigh each option carefully. There are various types of financial aid—often made up of scholarships, student loans, financial support from your employer, or a combination of these. Here, you’ll find:

  • Instructions on what is required to determine eligibility for student loans and scholarships
  • Descriptions of loan programs currently available
  • Information about the application process
  • Suggestions for soliciting your employer’s financial support

Please read the Fuqua Financial Aid Guide Book (Policies & Procedures) to learn more before proceeding with your application.

For each financial aid program, be sure to consider:

  • Eligibility requirements
  • Loan application deadlines
  • Other implications, such as repayment conditions

Please note that no scholarship or student loan can be awarded for concentrations or certificates. Financial Aid that is administered by Fuqua is only awarded to cover the required terms, not the optional term, of the Weekend MBA program.

Contact Us

If you have questions about financial aid or need assistance with the process, please don't hesitate to contact our financial aid office.

Financial Aid Fast Facts

  • Loan applications must be completed each academic year.
  • Prompt responses for extra information or documents will help us process your application more quickly.
Merit Scholarships

Every year Fuqua funds a limited number of highly competitive, merit-based scholarships that are awarded to admitted applicants. All admitted applicants are considered for merit-based scholarships. For questions regarding scholarship awards or to receive more information about the scholarship review process, please contact your admissions counselor.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTION:

  • Prior academic achievement
  • Demonstrated leadership qualities
  • Involvement in the community
  • Extracurricular activities
  • Professional accomplishments

HOW WILL YOU KNOW IF YOU HAVE RECEIVED A MERIT SCHOLARSHIP?

  • A scholarship letter will be included in your admission packet.
  • Scholarship information will be listed on page two of your electronic admission letter.
Loans for U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents

U.S. citizens/permanent residents have various options for borrowing the necessary funds to attend Fuqua. All student loans are disbursed to your student Bursar account directly to offset your University charges.

LOAN FAST FACTS:

  • You may defer loan payments while you are in school.
  • Loans offer a post-graduation grace period.
  • Both the grace period and the repayment period can vary by lender.
  • If you have completed your FAFSA after March 1, it will take approximately 10 business days to receive a loan aid offer notice.

STUDENT LOAN OPTIONS INCLUDE:

Applying for Financial Aid

  • View/download the Weekend Executive MBA Financial Aid table for Academic Years & Term loan disbursement dates:
  • Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
    • Duke University's Title IV Federal School Code is: 002920
    • New School Year FAFSAs are usually available after October 1 of each year:
      • The 2024-25 FAFSA became available after December 31, 2023. 
    • Fuqua's priority date* to file a FAFSA is March 1 of each year:
      (*The priority date is a recommended filing due date; FAFSAs may be filed after the priority date.)
      • March 1, 2024 is the priority date to file a 2024-25 FAFSA.
  • Complete and submit the appropriate Fuqua Financial Aid Form:
  • Once we receive the FAFSA Submission Summary (formerly the Student Aid Report-SAR) and Fuqua Financial Aid Form, your student aid eligibility will be reviewed after March 1.
  • Loan aid offer notices will be emailed, which will include the loan aid offer and instructions on how to accept the offer and finalize the loan application process.
  • Once an applicant completes the required application forms, loan amounts will be scheduled to disburse to the student's Bursar account no earlier than 10 days before the start of class.

Estimated Cost of Attendance and Loan Borrowing Eligibility

Frequently Asked Questions

Please view answers to some frequently asked questions about scholarships and loans for U.S. citizens and permanent residents.

U.S. Military Educational Benefits

Fuqua is proud to participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program, and awards are available to qualifying veterans. In order to support as many service members as possible, Fuqua does not limit the number of participants in the Yellow Ribbon Program.

Yellow Ribbon Program fast facts:

  • The Department of Veterans Affairs is responsible for determining eligibility.
  • Fuqua will contribute up to 18,000 USD each VA academic year in Yellow Ribbon scholarship support, and the VA will provide up to 18,000 USD in additional funding.
  • You must be 100% eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill®.
  • Effective August 1, 2022, active duty service members who qualify at the 100% level or the spouse using the transferred benefits of an active duty service member who qualify at the 100% level, may use the Yellow Ribbon program.
  • Recipients of the Fry Scholarship and Purple Heart will be covered under the Yellow Ribbon Program. This was effective August 1, 2018.
  • You must have served an aggregate period of 36 months in active duty after Sept. 10, 2001, or have been honorably discharged from active duty for a service-connected disability and after serving 30 continuous days after Sept. 10, 2001.
  • You are a dependent eligible for Transfer of Entitlement under the Post-9/11 GI Bill based on the service eligibility criteria listed above.

How much am I going to receive?

At 100% eligibility, the following tables estimate the Post 9/11 GI-Bill & Yellow Ribbon benefit pay-out for your program
Please note that the Post 9/11 GI-Bill & Yellow Ribbon benefit are not applied to Program Residency Fees (which includes lodging and meals for program residencies):

Getting started:

Duke University’s Veterans Education Benefits Office administers all Veterans Benefits. The Duke University School Certifying Official (SCO) in the Office of the University Registrar may be reached via email or at 919.684.4225.  Admitted students must submit their VA documents (i.e. VA Certificate of Eligibility letter, Purple Heart Certificate) to the SCO to start the VA benefit review process.

Visit the Office of the University Registrar for detailed instructions on how to initiate/continue your benefits. Should you have any questions or concerns, please contact our financial aid office for assistance.

Veterans and service members who are expecting to receive 100% of the Post 9/11 GI-Bill (as indicated on their VA Certificate of Eligibility letter) and Fuqua’s determined Yellow Ribbon amount should be aware that Fuqua’s Yellow Ribbon offer is subject to change and may be fully rescinded should the VA determine a change in your Chapter 33 VA benefit status.

It is your responsibility to notify Duke University’s Veterans Education Benefits Office and Fuqua’s Financial Aid Office immediately of any changes to your VA benefit status. Failure to do so may result in full cancellation of your Yellow Ribbon offer.

For an overview of how to obtain benefits, see Process Flow & Anticipated Timeline.

For additional resources, visit the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Loans for International Students

The Fuqua School of Business offers both cosigner and no-cosigner international student loan options. For more information about the cosigner and no-cosigner loan options, please see Duke University’s Recommended Lenders.

Cosigner Options: Loans with a U.S. cosigner typically offer a lower interest rate. The U.S. cosigner must be a creditworthy citizen or permanent resident. Keep in mind that for some lenders, a student must have a social security number in addition to having a cosigner.

No-Cosigner Options: Depending on the lender, International students using a no-cosigner loan option may borrow up to 100 percent of their program cost (minus other aid, i.e. scholarships, sponsorships, and other student loans) through a no-cosigner International Student Loan Program.

Applying for Financial Aid

  • View/download the Weekend Executive MBA Financial Aid table for Academic Years & Term loan disbursement dates:
  • Complete one of the following student loan applications (you may start the loan application process on March 1): 
    Private loan from Duke University Recommended Lender list.
  • Complete and submit the appropriate Fuqua Financial Aid Form:
  • Once the lender reviews and pre-approves your loan request, they will send the school a certification request.
  • The school will send a loan certification file to the lender, confirming the approval.
  • Once the applicant completes the required application forms, loan amounts will be scheduled to disburse to the student's Bursar account no earlier than 10 days before the start of class.

Other Funding Sources for International Students

You may find a suitable funding source from our list of external funding programs from international agencies.

Estimated Cost of Attendance and Borrowing Eligibility

Frequently Asked Questions

Please view answers to some frequently asked questions about scholarships and loans for international students.

Forms and Resources

FAQ

For answers to frequently asked questions about how to finance your degree, visit our FAQ pages:

U.S. CITIZENS AND PERMANENT RESIDENTS
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
Get Program Updates
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Employer Financial Support

Every student faces a different situation when it comes to funding their education based on their company, industry, personal motivations, and career goals. While many students receive financial support from their employers for the program, this is not required or necessary. Some employers provide full or partial financial sponsorship, while others only provide support for work absences. It is in your best interest to start the conversation with your employer before beginning your application.

TRENDS IN FINANCIAL SPONSORSHIP

Financial support for working professional MBA programs varies considerably from company to company—and even within a company. Approximately 5-10% of students receive full financial sponsorship, 50% receive partial sponsorship, and 40% finance their education completely on their own, often through financial aid and loans. Some companies may provide reimbursement or compensation once they begin seeing students’ new value to the organization.

It’s not uncommon for employers to require a student to formally commit to working for the company for some period following graduation if they have received financial support. Multi-year commitments are relatively common.

TIPS FOR SEEKING YOUR EMPLOYER’S FINANCIAL SUPPORT
  • Prepare a strategy. Read about your company's education reimbursement policy, then speak with colleagues who have gone through the process either at Duke or other schools. Our admissions team may be able to connect you with Fuqua alumni who can provide insight into how their sponsorship situations were managed. Formulate responses to questions your employer may ask regarding your goals, plans, and ability to self-fund your education.
  • Outline the breadth and depth of the program. Duke’s MBA programs for working professionals provide a rigorous foundation in all of the core functional areas of business. There is also the opportunity to earn a specialty concentration in one of five areas or a certificate in our Health Sector Management program, providing a deeper knowledge of an industry or function.
  • Describe the program’s impact on your leadership potential. Program alumni describe having undergone self-discovery that made them far more valuable to their organization and enabled them to take on new management and leadership roles. Communicate your ambition and commitment to excellence in your organization, including your drive to take on greater challenges.
  • Communicate the program’s real-time benefits. You’ll continue to work while earning an MBA, and therefore be able to apply your learnings and add value to your business in real time. Identify opportunities where new knowledge and strategies could increase your productivity and help you address your firm’s current issues.
  • Emphasize the program’s networking power. You’ll interact with a cohort of diverse, talented professionals across functions and industries, and join a prominent international network that can be leveraged to support business opportunities. Among the benefits of attending a top MBA program, as opposed to getting an MBA from a lower tier school, is the strength of your cohort.
REQUESTING FINANCIAL SUPPORT

You can view a sample sponsorship request here based on an actual student request. Note that every student approaches this process differently based on their individual situation, and you should develop your own plan for communicating to your employer the value of you pursuing your MBA at Duke.

Explore This Program


Program Format

Team up for monthly 3-day residencies.

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Curriculum

Apply new insights with real-time results.

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Concentrations + Certificates

Signal your expertise in a focus area.

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Career Development

Reach your next level with our support.

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Program Location

Explore your home for the weekend.

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Weekend Executive MBA

Admissions Information

Facts + Dates

Here's what you need to get started.

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Application Instructions

We want to hear your story.

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Admissions Events

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Class Profile

See a snapshot of our current class.

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Tuition + Costs

Determine your investment.

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Financing Your Degree

Learn how to fund the program.

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