Duke is committed to financial diversity among itsundergraduate population with its continued efforts in making high-qualityeducation more accessible and affordable to students and their families. Dukeis one of a limited number of schools with a “need-blind” admissions policythat accepts students regardless of their ability to pay for college. Theuniversity guarantees it will meet 100 percent of demonstrated financial need,insuring that it is possible for students from every background to attend theinstitution.

According to Director of Financial Aid Alison Rabil, sincethe financial aid program is need-based, the university financial aid awardsare based on the financial need of individual families and not on academic orother criteria. The need-based programs are also designed to assist Dukestudents and families of highest need as much as possible.

“Our financial aid initiative which began in 2007-2008raised funding so that Duke could offer financial aid packages with significantlyreduced loans. This means our students of highest need not only get increasedgrant aid, they are also not expected to borrow extensively to cover theirexpenses while enrolled.”

These economic times serve as a reminder how important aneed-based financial aid program can play in relieving financial pressure onfamilies.

 “We grant aid to cover 100 percent of a family's remainingneed so that each student, regardless of his or her family's financialsituation, should be able to attend Duke if they so choose.  We also takespecial circumstances into consideration when there is a change in income dueto a loss of job or decrease in pay. At that point we then reevaluate packagesbased on those changed circumstances” stated Rabil.

To read more about Duke's financial aid program, visit the office's web site.