FAQ

Students in 6th-11th grade during the 2022/2023 academic year. Students currently in grades 6-8 can apply to middle school courses, while students in grades 9-11 can apply to high school courses. (Students who will be 18 years old on or by June 20, 2023, should explore opportunities with Duke Summer Session.)

Pre-College program fees cover all costs for students for the duration of the program. For residential students, this includes courses and course materials, evening events, community engagement opportunities, College Connections, housing, and meals. For commuting students, fees cover College Connections, weekday lunches, and tours during the program.

Program dates and other information can be found in our Program Overview.

For more information on our application process, including required application materials and admission dates, visit our How to Apply page.

Please email precollege@duke.edu.

Financial aid may be available on a limited basis. Indicate your interest in financial aid on the application, and a Pre-College staff member will contact you with more information. If you have additional questions, please email precollege@duke.edu.

You can take one course each session. Students who enroll in more than one course will receive a one-time discount equal to the cost of applying.

Application deadlines, decision timelines and payment due dates can be found here.

A sample schedule can be found in our Program Overview. Please check back after February 15, 2023 for more information about the daily class schedule.

Instructors are Duke affiliates, faculty, and graduate students who are experts in their fields. Full instructor biographies will be included on the course site in Sakai once students are admitted and have access to Duke’s learning management system.

Students living on campus will have a variety of events and activities to choose from, including but not limited to, College Connections presentations, club activities, open recreation, evening events like karaoke and other social occasions, as well as community service opportunities. Commuters can attend College Connections, but all other events are reserved for residential students.

All Pre-College courses are non-credit. For current 11th-12th grade students interested in earning college credit, learn more about our Duke Summer Session opportunities for high school students. 

We do not guarantee that attending Duke Pre-College will affect your application to Duke University. However, applicants are welcome to include their participation when applying.

Covid Policy

Participants can view their application status at any time by logging into the student portal.  Use the same username and password you used to apply and login under I am a Returning Student.   After you have logged in, click on the link for My Applications to see your current admissions status. Official admission letters will be emailed according to the schedule on our website. If your status is approved, you have been accepted into the program and will be receiving more information soon.

1. To enroll and reserve your place in your approved course, click on the course link we provide on the second page of your acceptance letter. Please scroll or expand the plus symbols to select the correct section for the session (there are typically multiple sections per course), and click on the Add to Cart button.
2. You will have an option using radio buttons to pay the $150 deposit, with the remainder due according to dates HERE or, you can choose to pay the full amount, which is due by May 5^th. 
   • If applicable, to apply a multi-course discount for two sections, put both sections in your cart, check the box for Apply Discount, and pull down on the small arrow to apply the price adjustment.
3. Continue the checkout process which will take you to the student portal where you will be prompted to login.
4. Under I am a Returning Student, login with the same credentials (the username begins with an X unless you changed it to something else, and your password) you used to apply for the program.
   • If you need to retrieve your username or reset your password, use the links provided on the login screen as shown:
     

You will then be prompted to continue checkout. Enter your credit card information and submit it. We accept VISA, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express. A receipt will be emailed to the email address associated with your account.

If you choose to pay a deposit and have an outstanding balance, this amount will show in red when you login to the student portal. You can pay it using the My Invoices link within the portal, or using the Make a Payment link outside the portal.

For any additional questions on payment, please email learnmore@duke.edu.

1. High School Participants will live in Few Quad and Middle School in Kilgo Quad. Type each name into the search on the map for a view of their locations on campus. Rooms have XL Twin beds. Participants are encouraged to bring their own towels, linens, and pillow if possible. For students flying into RDU, those items will be available upon check-in. Laundry facilities are available in each residential hall and use ONLY quarters. Laundry detergent will be provided. All rooms have AC. Bathrooms are shared.
2. Residential Participants will have three meals per day included in their program fees, and Commuting Participants will have lunch each weekday. There will be a variety of dining options available including vegetarian, vegan, gluten free and allergic-specific items.
3. A packing list will be sent to Participants closer to the program start dates.

See our sample packing list.

1. You can review arrival days on our website. Lunch and dinner will be included on arrival days as well as an orientation and campus tour. Classes will begin the following day.
2. Check-in will occur between 10 am and 4 pm. Commuting Participants will receive exact details on parking, etc. closer to their program start date.
3. Students CANNOT arrive before the arrival date. Complimentary airport shuttles will be provided from RDU (Raleigh-Durham International Airport) to campus between the hours of 11 am to 3 pm on arrival days ONLY. Staff will be available at the airport throughout the day to meet Participants and guide them to the shuttles.
4. Participants are NOT allowed to take an Uber or other transportation to campus. Those who do will not be allowed to check-in.
5. Participants will receive a link to submit their arrival details in March. If flight arrival times are outside of the 11 am to 3 pm time frame, a staff member will contact them regarding other arrangements. For students traveling by plane that qualify as an unaccompanied minor, please include that designation with your travel details.

PARENTS SHOULD DROP OFF STUDENTS AT CHECK-IN AND THEN MOVE TO A PARKING AREA. NO VEHICLES MAY REMAIN PARKED IN CHECK-IN LOCATIONS after drop-off. The spaces in the lot are limited so you may also need to access the pay parking spots in the Bryan Center garage as needed.

Middle School Students arriving by car should come to campus according to the following schedule:

Last names beginning with A – M arrive between 10:00 am and 1:00 pm
Last names beginning with N – Z arrive between 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm

High School Students arriving by car should come to campus according to the following schedule:

Last names beginning with A – M arrive between 10:00 pm and 1:00 pm
Last names beginning with N – Z arrive between 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm

*If you cannot arrive during these assigned time slots, that is okay but please understand you may need to pay for your own parking as the lot could be filled to capacity.

Airport shuttles will run continuously from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm bringing students from RDU to campus check-in. Our staff will be in the baggage claim area at RDU to greet students and direct them to the shuttle area. We have also attached a map of shuttle pick-up areas for each terminal.

If you are in need of an unaccompanied minor at RDU, you may give the airline the following phone numbers and names. We have also planned with RDU for these individuals to meet students and escort them to transportation:

919-660-8849 for high school students OR 919-684-1726 for middle school students
Escorts: Nathaniel Dunn, Jessica Holtz, Brittany Dollhouse,
Miles Payne, and Yu-Myah Hargrove

Those arriving outside of shuttle hours will be contacted with confirmations between July 1st and July 3rd. Starting July 1st, you may also call 919-660-8849 (for high school students) or 919-684-1726 (for middle school students) about these arrangements as needed. If you have a special pick-up, call these numbers when your flight lands and a car will come for you from the airport’s cell phone parking lot.

Students ONLY will have the option to take a tour of campus beginning at noon on arrival day. They will also receive meal cards at check-in and can eat with their Residential Counselors right

before or after the tour as needed. There will be afternoon activities for a chance to meet other participants and dinner at 6 pm. Orientation will begin approximately at 7:30 pm.

The Bryan Center Parking Garage at 125 Science Drive. ADA parking is available in the parking lot immediately in front of the garage. When the Bryan Center Parking Garage is full, other options include the Science Drive Lot and Science Drive Garage. A LIMITED NUMBER OF PARKING SPOTS WILL BE AVIALABLE FOR ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE. If you do not see a spot, there will be a cost $2 per hour to park.

Visitor Parking

Arrival day Orientation is at 7:30 pm on July 5 and July 18. Pre-College staff will meet you at the locations described below between 7:00 pm and 7:20 pm and take you to orientation. Commuting students will receive meal cards so they can eat lunch each weekday during the program dates.

The Middle School Students drop-off location for orientation AND daily classes will be at the Science Drive circle. Daily drop-off is between 8:30 and 8:45 am. If you need to make arrangements to come before 8:30 am, you should call 919-684-1726. Pick-up is at 4:15 pm OR 5:45 pm for those staying for club activities. IF YOU ARRIVE BEFORE 4:15 or 5:45 PM YOU MUST PAY and PARK IN THE BRYAN CENTER GARAGE. CARS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO PARK IN THE CIRCLE OR BLOCK TRAFFIC.

The High School Students drop-off location for orientation AND daily classes will be at the Research Drive circle. Daily drop-off is between 8:30 and 8:45 am. If you need to make arrangements to come before 8:30 am, you should call 919-660-8849. Pick-up is at 4:15 pm OR

5:45 for those staying for College Connections or Club Activities. IF YOU ARRIVE BEFORE 4:15 or 5:45 PM YOU MUST PAY and PARK IN THE BRYAN CENTER GARAGE. CARS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO PARK IN THE CIRCLE OR BLOCK TRAFFIC.

Outside of their coursework, a wide array of activities will be made available to all Participants, including Commuters. Commuter Students can participate in afternoon clubs or College Connections (for high school students only) which occur between 4:00 and 5:30 pm Monday-Friday.

1. You can review departure days on our website. Breakfast and lunch will be included meals for residential students on departure days. There will be a wrap up class or presentation the morning or departure days so we recommend flights after 12 pm if possible. Participants departing by car can be picked up between 10 am and 4 pm.
2.  Commuting Participants will need to be picked up by 12 pm on departure days.
3. Complimentary airport shuttles will be provided to Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) from 11 am to 3 pm on departure days. Staff will be available at the airport to assist with airport check-in as needed. If flight departure times are outside of the 11 am to 3 pm time frame, a staff member will contact Participants regarding other arrangements. For students traveling by plane that qualify as an unaccompanied minor, please include that designation with your travel details.
4. A parent or guardian MUST sign to check-out students on departure days. Participants are NOT allowed to take and Uber or other transportation to the airport.

Our program follows the minors’ Standards of Best Practice established by Duke University. All Participants will be assigned a Residential Counselor the first day of their program who will be their main point of contact during the day. They will also conduct nightly and weekend activities. Participants will be allowed to go to class and meals on their or in groups during certain times and by using defined areas of campus where staff will be present to assist and ensure their safety. AT NO TIME will Participants be allowed to leave campus. Participants are not allowed to have cars on campus.

All registered, residential Participants will receive a roommate pairing survey via email. Based on responses, students will be paired according to similar interests and habits. In alignment with Duke University housing guidelines and because of the benefits gained from meeting new people and making new connections during a residential program, roommate requests will not be accepted.

A sample schedule is on the website. Night and weekend activities will include Karaoke, outdoor movies, dances, games, community service projects, tours of campus and local sights of interest.

Online courses will have daily, live meetings as well as asynchronous assignments. Group A - required, daily synchronous meetings from 9:00-10:15 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.-12:15 p.m. ET. Group B - two required, daily synchronous meetings from 1:00 - 2:15 p.m. and 3:00 – 4:15 p.m. ET.  Asynchronous learning activities and assignments will be assigned daily. 

All Participants will receive an invitation to CampDoc, which is where the Participation Agreement and Health Records will be submitted. All documents must be completed and signed no later than June 1, 2023. Invitations are sent to the primary email listed on the application. Please check spam for email if needed. If you do not receive an invitation within three weeks following your registration, email precollege@duke.edu.

All Participants will receive an invitation to register for a NetID in April. This will give Participants access to Sakai, which is Duke University’s learning management system, where syllabi and other course information will be posted. Participants MUST complete NetID registration within three days of receiving the email. If that deadline passes, Participants will need to email precollege@duke.edu to have a new activation email set to them.

1. Yes.
2. When sending Participants mail, please include the resident hall - Few for High School or Kilgo for Middle School - as well as the students room number (if possible).
3. All mail should be sent to the following address:  

Duke Pre-College
c/o Duke Continuing Studies
2024 West Main St.
Box 90700
Durham, NC 27705

4. If a physical address is required for Fed Ex or overnight items in the case of emergencies, please use the following address:

Duke Pre-College
c/o Duke Continuing Studies
2024 West Main St.
Bay A, 2nd Floor
Durham, NC 27705