Our Students

People of Action

Duke students don’t play it safe. As imaginative as they are ambitious, our students are community-minded and unafraid to confront difficult and complex issues head-on, challenge the status quo, and drive real-world change.

students huddled up on a field on a sunny day

We look for students who operate at the intersection of imagination and impact—students who are unafraid to undertake things that are messy, complex, and outside of their comfort zone.

Christoph Guttentag

Dean of Undergraduate Admissions

Statistics

Our Students By The Numbers

While Duke students come from all 50 states and more than 100 countries around the globe, they are united by their curiosity, community-mindedness, and desire to change the world.

Curious

85%

of undergraduates go beyond their major.

Collaborative

54%

of undergraduates participated in faculty-mentored research projects

Driven

1 Million

total hours of community service completed by Duke students in Durham

Geography

11%

of students are international

SAT Scores

1510-1560

middle 50% range SAT scores for accepted students

Demographics

64%

of students went to public high school

View the 2025 Class Profile

Diversity + Inclusion

Celebrating Differences

Great communities—and great universities—celebrate differences. At Duke, we believe that a diverse community of students, faculty, staff, and alumni strengthens us, teaches us, and makes us better. We represent varying views, backgrounds, nationalities, religions, ethnicities, and identities. From the moment you arrive on campus to long after you graduate, Duke is committed to being a place where you can be who you are while learning among an incredibly talented and diverse community of scholars.

First-year students spell out 2022 during the class photo in front of Lilly Library on East Campus.

Student Stories

Our Impact Is Everywhere

See how Duke has influenced the lives of its students and how Duke students have impacted the world around them.

image of Philip in front of Chapel wearing Duke shirt

STUDYING AWAY STORY

EXPLORING A HUB FOR INNOVATION AND ENTRE

How one program led a student to connect with alumni at big tech giants.

INTERDISCIPLINARY PURSUITS

A CHAMPION FOR NATURE'S WONDER

A student uses art to communicate her passion about environmental awareness and action.

Duke undergraduate Claudia LaRose smiling while sitting on rocks in Petra

Service-Learning Story

Tuesdays with Akifa

How a service-learning class sparked an unexpected friendship.

THE FOCUS PROGRAM

BUILDING COMMUNITY THROUGH ACADEMICS

How FOCUS inspired academic interests and built community for a first-year student.

Explore more student stories

Alumni

A Community of Changemakers

At Duke, we expect our alumni to take what they’ve learned here and contribute to society. Here are just a few Duke alumni who are making a difference in the world today.