Admissions

Join the next generation of global health leaders.

At Duke Kunshan University you’ll develop the skills you need to have a rewarding career and make a difference in the world. Duke Kunshan is looking for students with a global mindset and a drive to reduce health disparities around the world.

*Please note that the application for 2025 admission will open on August 2024.

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Entry Requirement

Because Duke Kunshan University graduate degrees are considered Duke University degrees, the Duke Kunshan application process is similar to that for Duke University’s graduate programs.

Applicants to Duke Kunshan University’s graduate programs must hold the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution. If the degree was granted by an institution outside of the U.S., the institution must be accredited by the governing educational body of the country (such as the Ministry of Education in China).

In addition to the prerequisite bachelor’s degree, the following are required:

Applicants should submit their application via the Slate system. Link to the Slate system: https://applygp.duke.edu/apply/?sr=d3abd676-a8c1-4bcc-aa53-2603fe10563b

A resume is a document that provides a detailed account of your educational background, work experience, skills, and achievements. It is a crucial component of the master’s program application materials. A well-crafted resume should include the following sections:

 

  1. Personal Information: Include your name, contact information (phone number and email address), and address.
  2. Educational Background: List all degrees earned, names of the institutions attended, dates of attendance, and major fields of study.
  3. Work Experience: Detail all relevant work experiences, including job titles, company names, dates of employment, and key responsibilities or accomplishments.
  4. Skills and Certifications: List skills relevant to the master’s program you are applying for and any certifications or professional qualifications you have obtained.
  5. Research and Project Experience: Describe any research projects, internships, or other relevant project experiences, including project names, dates, and major contributions.
  6. Honors and Awards: Include any academic or professional honors and awards you have received.
  7. Language Proficiency: Indicate the languages you know and your level of proficiency in each.
  8. Publications and Presentations (if applicable): List any papers, reports, or presentations you have published or delivered at academic conferences.

Your resume should be concise and well-organized, highlighting relevant experiences and achievements to allow the admissions committee to quickly understand your background and qualifications.

As part of your online application, you must upload a Statement of Purpose. The statement should be one to two pages and single-spaced. It should briefly discuss:

  • your purposes and objectives in pursuing graduate study;
  • your special interests and plans;
  • your strengths and weaknesses in your chosen field;
  • any research projects or any independent research in which you have actively participated and how they have influenced your career choice and desire to pursue graduate studies;
  • any particular reasons you may have for applying to Duke Kunshan University (e.g., you would like to work with a specific faculty member).
How to Submit

Upload the Statement of Purpose via the online application.

Duke Kunshan University requires three recommendation letters in support of your application. Your recommenders must submit their letters of recommendation electronically via the online recommendation system.

We strongly discourage requesting more than three recommendations unless you are asked to do so by the department to which you are applying. Rather than improving your chances of admission, an excessive number of recommendation letters may actually cause application reviewers to view your file unfavorably.

Should you receive and accept an offer of admission, your recommenders may be asked to verify their authorship of the submitted recommendation letters.

How to Submit

In the Recommendations section of the online application, enter the contact information for your recommenders, including their e-mail addresses. Each recommender will then receive an e-mail that includes a link to an online recommendation form. This is the form the recommender will use to upload a letter in support of your application.

Duke Kunshan University accepts recommendations from the Interfolio letter service and other letter services that are compatible with our online recommendation system. If you are using a letter service, enter the recommender’s name in the recommendation section of the application and enter the e-mail address provided by the letter service.

Requesting Recommendations

Request letters of recommendation from people best qualified to attest to your capacity for graduate work. We prefer to have academic references representing your major field, though we realize that there are situations where this may not be possible. In such circumstances, seek out people who can comment on qualities that will be relevant to your academic pursuits, particularly research.

As part of your online application, you must upload one copy of the scanned unofficial transcript from each undergraduate and graduate institution where you

  • Earned (or will earn) a degree;
  • Studied for one semester or more;
  • Earned 12 or more hours of credit; 
  • Took classes that relate to your graduate study interests.
  • If you are unable to upload your transcript to the application because your educational institution does not issue transcripts directly to students, please follow the instructions at the end of this page.

You do not need to mail official paper copies of your transcripts before receiving an offer of admission. If you are admitted, you will be required to submit official transcripts from all institutions listed in the Education section of your application, regardless of the number of credits earned.

Duke Kunshan University reserves the right to rescind any offer of admission if any discrepancies are found between your uploaded and official transcripts.

 

How to Submit

Upload electronic copies of your unofficial transcripts via the online application. Do not submit secondary school records. If your Social Security number appears on your transcripts, mark out all except the last four digits of the number before uploading the transcripts to your application.

Transcript Requirements
  • Each transcript must provide a year-by-year listing of all courses taken and the grade or mark received for each.
  • If the transcript is not in English, we need both the transcript in its original language and an English translation of the transcript. If your institution does not issue documents in English, you must have the transcripts translated by a professional translation service.
  • If the grading scale of the institution is available, be sure to include that information.
  • Before uploading an electronic transcript issued by your school, make sure it can be opened without passwords or other security information.
  • We do not accept web page screenshots from a student information system in place of transcripts. Uploading screenshots instead of transcripts will delay the processing of your application.
Acceptable Transcript Formats
  • Scanned copies of paper transcripts produced by the institution
  • Electronic transcripts produced by the institution
What To Do If You Have Trouble Uploading Your Transcript

If you are having trouble uploading your transcript, the following tips may help:

  • Make sure your file is in Word (.doc) or PDF format and does not exceed 1.5 MB (1,500 kb) in size.
  • Do not scan in color. Use grayscale if possible; otherwise, use black and white.
  • Optimize the PDF in Adobe Acrobat by following these instructions:
    1. Select PDF Optimizer under Advanced menu options.
    2. On the PDF Optimizer screen, go to “Image Settings” and select “Compression: JPEG”.
    3. On the same screen, go to “Grayscale Images” and select “Quality: Low”.
    4. Click OK.

Scan your file at the lowest DPI that produces a legible image (usually less than 200 DPI).
Once you have uploaded your file, click the “View Document” button to ensure that the document you uploaded is legible throughout. If your document is not legible, the processing of your application will be delayed.

If you have followed the above guidelines and still cannot upload your transcript to the application, email each transcript as a single PDF attachment to dku-grad-admissions@duke.edu. Do not send more than one PDF attachment unless you are emailing more than one transcript (i.e., one transcript=one PDF attachment, two transcripts=two PDF attachments, and so on). Do not send Microsoft Word documents or JPEG files. In the body of the email, include your name and the name of the department to which you are applying.

What To Do If Your School Does Not Issue Transcripts to Students
If your school does not issue transcripts directly to students, ask them to either send a secure, electronic copy of your transcript to dku-grad-admissions@duke.edu or mail a paper copy to

Duke University Graduate School
Graduate Office of Admission
2127 Campus Drive
Durham, NC 27708
USA

Note: This address is both a physical location and a mailing address. If your mail service will not deliver to a post office box, delete “Box 90065” from the address and use the postal code 27708-0065.

If your first language is not English, you must submit TOEFL iBT scores and IELTS Academic scores and, for the 2024-2025 application cycle, we will accept results from three online tests that do not use testing centers: the TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition, IELTS Online, and the Duolingo English Test. For Duolingo English Test scores, only test results with subscores will be accepted. The scores will be a decisive factor during the application review process. Duke Kunshan University only admits applicants who have one of the following minimum scores:

  • 577 for paper-based TOEFL
  • 90 for an Internet-based TOEFL
  • 7.0 for the IELTS
  • 125 for the Duolingo

How to Submit

An official copy must be sent to Duke Kunshan University directly from the testing agency.

TOEFL: Ask Educational Testing Service to send an official copy of the scores to Duke Kunshan University, using institution code 5156. You do not need a department code. If ETS requires a department code, select any one of the department codes listed. Regardless of the department code entered, the scores will come to Duke Kunshan University as long as you use institution code 5156.

ETS only reports TOEFL scores for up to two years after the test date. If ETS refuses to report your score, you need to retake the TOEFL before submitting your application.

IELTS: The IELTS is administered by Cambridge ESOL, British Council, and IDP: IELTS Australia. See www.ielts.org for more information. Please request official scores via IELTS Results Service E-Delivery to:

Duke University Graduate School
Graduate Office of Admission
2127 Campus Drive
Durham, NC 27708
USA

Duolingo English Test: There is no institutional code for Duolingo, but applicants will need to select “Duke University Graduate Programs: Graduate School; Divinity; Engineering; Environment; Public Policy; Duke Kunshan” at the “Graduate” program type level as the institution to send scores to. Please Note: Make sure to include subscores when you select your institution. Score reports without subscores will not be accepted. If you are not sure how to include subscores in your score report, please contact Duolingo English Test support on the Duolingo English Test website.

Be sure to alert us if the name on your application is different from the name on your score report.

Score Requirements

  • Your scores must not be more than two years old from August 1 of the application year regardless of when you submit your application during that timeframe. If you submit your application between August 2023 and May 2024, your score report must be dated August 1, 2021, or later, regardless of when you submit your application during that time period.
  • We do not accept personal copies, attested copies, or notarized copies of test scores.

Duolingo

  1. Minimum threshold score of 125
  2. Instructions for sending official scores:
    Duolingo English Test: There is no institutional code for Duolingo, but applicants will need to select “Duke University” at the “Graduate” program type level as the institution to send scores to. Please Note: Make sure to include subscores when you select your institution. Score reports without subscores will not be accepted. If you are not sure how to include subscores in your score report, please contact Duolingo English Test support on the Duolingo English Test website.

Additional Language Requirements

All admitted students whose first language is not English are required to take placement exams conducted by the Language and Culture Center at the beginning of the term of matriculation. Depending on the exam results, students are either exempted from or placed into English for Academic Purposes courses. All courses that a student places into are degree requirements.

TOEFL/IELTS Waiver Policy

To be eligible for a TOEFL/IELTS waiver, you must have studied full time for two years or more at a college or university where the sole language of instruction is English and in a country where English is the primary spoken language. The two years of study must be completed prior to application submission.

If you believe you qualify for a TOEFL/IELTS waiver based on the above criteria, upload a written request for the waiver in the Additional Information section of your online application. In your request, be sure to state where you completed the two-year study requirement. Due to the volume of applications we receive, we will not examine, confirm the status of, or grant any waiver requests prior to extending an offer of admission.

Keep in mind that any admitted student whose first language is not English MUST take oral and written English placement exams conducted by the English for International Students program at the beginning of the term of matriculation.

To be eligible for a TOEFL/IELTS waiver, you must have studied full time for two years or more at a college or university where the sole language of instruction is English and in a country where English is the primary spoken language. The two years of study must be completed prior to application submission.

If you believe you qualify for a TOEFL/IELTS waiver based on the above criteria, upload a written request for the waiver in the Additional Information section of your online application. In your request, be sure to state where you completed the two-year study requirement. Due to the volume of applications we receive, we will not examine, confirm the status of, or grant any waiver requests prior to extending an offer of admission.

Keep in mind that any admitted student whose first language is not English must take oral and written English placement exams conducted by the English for International Students program at the beginning of the term of matriculation. This is required regardless of whether a TOEFL/IELTS waiver is granted.

 

NOTE: We strongly encourage all applicants whose first language is not English to take either the TOEFL or the IELTS test before applying to Duke Kunshan University, even if they meet the TOEFL/IELTS waiver criteria. The exam results can provide vital information to an applicant and Duke Kunshan University regarding the strength of an applicant’s academic English skills. In addition, many graduate departments and programs consider TOEFL and IELTS scores a critical factor during the application review process. Contact your department or program of interest to determine how or whether TOEFL and IELTS scores factor into their application review.

GRE Optional:

The Global Health MS program does not require applicants to provide GRE (Graduate Record Examination) or other graduate entrance exam scores but does allow you to provide test scores if you feel they enhance your application. If you choose to submit test scores, you may enter them on the Test Scores page. If you choose to enter self-reported test scores, official test scores will become a required component of your application.

How Do You Submit GRE Scores If You Choose to Provide Them?

Ask Educational Testing Service to send an official copy of the scores to Duke Kunshan University, using institution code 7554. You do not need a department code. If ETS requires a department code, select any one of the department codes listed. Regardless of the department code entered, the scores will come to Duke Kunshan University as long as you use institution code 7554. Be sure to alert us if the name on your application is different from the name on your score report.

Score Requirements

Your scores must not be more than five (5) years old from August 1 of the application year regardless of when you submit your application during that timeframe. If you submit your application between August 2024 and May 2025, your score report must be dated August 1, 2019, or later, regardless of when you submit your application during that time period.

NOTES
  • Be sure to take the GRE in time for official scores to reach Duke Kunshan University by the application deadline.
  • If you have taken the GRE more than once, please enter your highest score for each component. If you have not yet taken the GRE, please enter the date you are scheduled to take it.
  • We realize that the GRE scores of students whose first language is not English may be affected by language and cultural differences. This is taken into consideration when applications are evaluated

(*English language exam is required of non-native English speakers only)

The data you enter in the online application, including the contents of all attachments, is subject to verification. It is your responsibility to ensure that all the information provided in the application is accurate. Duke Kunshan University and Duke University reserve the right to withdraw an offer of admission or to terminate enrollment if there is any discrepancy between the submitted application data and the subsequently verified data.

Application Deadline

All applicants will be notified of a decision within three weeks of the date all required application materials are received.

Early Bird Deadlines: September 30, 2024 and November 30, 2024 – Applications submitted by these dates will receive high priority consideration for admission and scholarships. 

Priority deadlines: January 31, 2025 and March 31, 2025 – Applications submitted by each of these dates will receive priority consideration for admission and scholarships. 

Final deadline: May 31, 2025 – Applications will continue to be accepted and considered on a space-available basis until this date.

(For dates listed, the deadline is 11:59:59 PM, Eastern Standard Time)

Key Information

Your file is assembled in the Graduate Admissions Office where all official recordkeeping is maintained. The actual in-depth review of your file is conducted by graduate faculty, usually an admissions committee headed by the Director of Graduate Studies. All applications are reviewed with respect to openings in the department and the strength of other applicants. Attention is given to every aspect of an application, with an attempt made to evaluate past achievement as well as scholarly potential. Academic records, letters of recommendation, standardized test scores, as well as your own statement of goals and objectives, are all taken into consideration during the review process.

Applicants are understandably concerned about Duke Kunshan University’s standards for admission with regard to grades and standardized test scores. Keep in mind that grades and test scores are only two factors taken into consideration during the application review process. Letters of recommendation and your Statement of Purpose are equally important. Duke Kunshan University is interested in recommendation letters from individuals who are in the best position to assess your true potential as a graduate student, particularly those who are in a relevant field of study. In your Statement of Purpose, be as specific as possible about your research interests and qualifications. If you have particular reasons for choosing Duke Kunshan University, be sure to indicate these.

Before a student can begin graduate work at Duke Kunshan University, she or he must be formally admitted by the Dean of the Duke University Graduate School and the Executive Vice Chancellor of Duke Kunshan University. Decisions about Fall admission are generally made starting in February or March. All applicants are notified of admission decisions via email. The decision notification email will provide instructions for accessing the online decision letter. If you are offered admission, your online letter of admission will include two enrollment options. By clicking the appropriate option (“Accept” or “Decline”), you will be notifying Duke Kunshan University of your enrollment decision. The process of admission is not complete until you have notified Duke Kunshan University of your decision, whether or not you have contacted your department. In general, and unless otherwise indicated, we expect to hear back from you by April 15, or within 15 days of your receipt of the admission letter, whichever is later. If we do not hear back from you within the appropriate timeframe, we will assume that you have declined the offer of admission, and your application record will be withdrawn.

Every candidate who completes an application will receive, at the earliest possible time, notification of the decision reached on the application. Questions about the timetable for decisions or the reasoning behind those decisions should be addressed directly to the department to which you applied.

Tuition
For 2025-2026 Academic Year *

Tuition Per Semester

For International Students

For Chinese Students

First Semester

$32,560

¥105,000

Second Semester

$32,560

¥105,000

Third Semester

$32,560

¥105,000

Fourth Semester

$3,618

¥11,667

The program will only charge 1/9 of tuition for the last semester. The tuition for is subject to change according to The Duke Graduate School’s policies.

Scholarship support is available to ensure that qualified students can participate in the MSc Global Health Program. All students are automatically considered for merit scholarships based on their Graduate School application, and students do not need to apply separately.

Official Transcripts and Degree Confirmation

After you have accepted the offer of admission, you must submit official transcripts from each institution listed in your application.

The final transcript should show all work completed and the conferral date of the degree. This also serves as your degree confirmation. When you request a final transcript from your institution, verify that the transcript states the date that the degree was conferred or awarded. It is very important to verify this, as there is often a delay between the date of graduation and the date of degree conferral. Your official transcript must be in an envelope sealed by your school for us to recognize it as official. Note that official documents sent to us will not be returned.

If your transcripts cannot be sent due to valid extenuating circumstances, please contact the graduate admissions office at dku-grad-admissions@duke.edu .

HOW TO SUBMIT

Request that each institution you have attended send us a final transcript. Electronic transcripts sent directly from the educational institution may be considered official, if we are able to authenticate the sender, and should be sent to dku-grad-admissions@duke.edu.

Paper transcripts should be mailed to

DKU – Duke University Graduate School
Office of Admissions
2127 Campus Drive, Box 90065
Durham, NC 27708

Note: The address listed above is both a physical location and a mailing address. If your mail service will not deliver to a post office box, delete “Box 90065” from the address and use the postal code 27708-0065.

IF YOUR FINAL TRANSCRIPT IS NOT YET AVAILABLE

If you completed your degree very recently or are still enrolled in a degree program, your final, official transcript may not be available until as late as August. If this is the case, DO NOT wait until June, July, or August to have your official transcript sent to us. Instead, request that your educational institution send your most up-to-date transcript as soon as possible. Once the final transcript with the degree conferral date becomes available, request that it be sent as well.

IF YOUR TRANSCRIPT IS IN A LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH

If the transcript is not in English, we need both the transcript in its original language and an English translation of the transcript. If your institution does not issue documents in English, you must have the transcripts translated by a professional translation service. Self-translations and notarized translations will not be accepted.

IF YOU ONLY HAVE ONE OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT

Some international schools issue only one official transcript. If this is the case for the school(s) you attended, DO NOT send this document to us, because no materials submitted in support of an application will be returned to you. Instead, send an exact copy that has been stamped as a “Certified True Copy” by the appropriate institutional official of each institution that you attended. Uncertified copies are not acceptable.

IF YOUR TRANSCRIPT DOES NOT SHOW A DEGREE CONFERRAL DATE

If the date of degree conferral is not included in the final transcript, ask your educational institution to send a complete transcript that includes your final grades as well as an official certificate of degree completion showing the name of the degree and the date it was awarded.

If the degree certificate is not in English, you must provide both an English translation and the degree certificate in its original language. Most university officials will provide English translations if asked to do so; therefore, we strongly encourage you to work with your university to obtain a translation.

If you are absolutely unable to obtain an English translation from the institution, you must obtain one from a professional translation service. Self-translations and notarized translations will not be accepted.

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you have received an offer of admission to Duke Kunshan University and decided to accept the offer, you will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit (10,500 CNY, 1,500 USD) before the deadline specified in the admission letter. Please submit your non-refundable tuition deposit, net of all bank fees, to reserve your seat in the class. The deposit must be paid via bank wire transfer.

Accepting an admission offer is for a specific semester and year, according to Duke University Graduate School policies, but an applicant’s enrollment may be deferred for up to one year from the semester stated in the admission letter under certain circumstances. Deferral requests from applicants should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis by the department and, as a general guideline, only applicants who have experienced one of the following circumstances are eligible — note that not all requests need be approved:

  • Personal medical emergencies
  • Military deployment
  • Visa application delays

 

Summary of Deferral Process

(1) Applicant submits a Deferred Enrollment Request form to the program for consideration.

(2) Program sends signed form for approved requests to Admissions*.

(3) Admissions notifies the applicant that the request has been approved, processes the deferral in PeopleSoft and Slate, and further communicates with the applicant and program regarding the status.

(4) Admissions clones the original application to be processed for the deferred enrollment term.

(5) Program enters Admit decision for the new (deferred) application.

(6) New decision is released to the applicant.

(7) The rest of the admissions/matriculation process continues with the same steps followed for new applicants.

For detailed deferral process and instructions, please contact Duke/DKU Graduate School Admissions at dku-grad-admissions@duke.edu.

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