Graduate Program.Finances

Tuition and Fees

Tuition is charged on a per-semester basis for Ph.D. students, and on a per-unit basis for Masters students. For all Ph.D. students, a charge for tuition will be levied for six semesters of graduate study. With prior approval from the Graduate School, one semester of credit may be granted for those entering with a previous graduate degree or for non-degree work done at Duke prior to matriculation.

All graduate students enrolled in the Biomedical Engineering program will be charged a registration fee for every semester of residence. All entering students will be charged a one-time mandatory fee for transcripts. This fee entitles the student to an unlimited number of Duke transcripts.

All full-time students in a degree program are assessed a fee each semester for the use of Student Health Service. This fee is distinct from Health insurance, and does not provide major medical coverage. Students will be charged for health insurance in the fall semester unless they provide proof of other health insurance.

Other fees may also apply. Please consult the Duke University Graduate School Bulletin for the current schedule of fees and tuition.

Financial Aid

After students are admitted, applications from those who have so requested are reviewed with respect to questions of financial assistance. For University-based support these decisions are usually made in the early spring and all anticipated openings committed at that time. Research support awards may be made at any time, and new grants could be the source of graduate student support arising at a late date.

Students pursuing a terminal Masters degree are generally not awarded financial assistance. Ph.D. candidates in biomedical engineering are eligible for financial assistance from several sources. The Graduate and Engineering Schools of Duke University both offer fellowships to outstanding students. A number of traineeships, supported by funds from federal training programs, are awarded primarily to students at advanced stages of their graduate work. For students working at an advanced level in research programs, support is sometimes available from research grants made to the faculty. Whenever possible, Ph.D. program applicants are encouraged to pursue individual fellowships from foundations or federal sources.

All financial assistance is awarded on a year-to-year basis. Every effort is made to award continuing support to graduate students who are progressing satisfactorily; as a result, one factor in the amount of financial assistance available for new students is the number of students graduating the preceding year. Although predicting the future likelihood of financial assistance is hazardous, historically Duke BME has been fortunate in obtaining financial assistance from one source or another for a high percentage of graduate students, particularly doctoral-degree candidates.