Financial Assistance
Financial assistance in the form of merit-based scholarships, fellowships, or assistantships as well as limited need-based grants, is available for qualified students. Funds to support these awards are limited. As a result, all students must have other financial resources available to support their studies. For many students, the federal loan programs provide a large portion of the funds necessary to cover the cost of attendance. Students in the DEL-MEM Program may also be eligible for limited financial support from the school.
All professional degree students who are US citizens or permanent residents must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to be considered for student loans and work-study. A separate application must be filed for each academic year. Applicants may obtain a FAFSA online at studentaid.gov. The report should be sent to Duke University code 002920. Professional degree applicants must also complete the financial aid section of the Application for Admission.
Scholarships and assistantships are awarded based on a combination of demonstrated outstanding academic ability, perspectives, and experiences, and demonstrated professional promise as seen on the application for admission. Scholarships are obtained from foundation grants, private industry, individual donors and school funds, all of which are in limited supply. Consequently, only highly qualified students can expect to receive awards.
Duke Aid (Non-Nicholas School). Students receiving scholarships from other Duke sources that cover their full-tuition, such as the University Scholars Program, will have their Nicholas School merit-based aid replaced by the other scholarship, if applicable. During the second year enrolled at the Nicholas School, if the other scholarship is not awarded for a second year, the student will receive the original Nicholas School merit scholarship that was awarded at the time of admission, if applicable. If a student has received a need-based grant as part of their Nicholas School financial aid, they will retain that grant during the year their tuition is being covered by the non-NSOE scholarship. In no case can the total amount of aid (merit, need or loans) exceed the overall Cost of Attendance (COA). Aid will be reduced to equal the COA.
Concurrent Degree Students. Students who pursue a concurrent degree will have their financial aid adjusted and should communicate with the financial aid counselor to understand the adjustments. Additional information on the NSOE website, nicholas.duke.edu/about/policies/tuition-and-financial-aid-policy-concurrent-degree-students.
Research assistantships are obtained primarily from grant and contract funds awarded to various faculty in the school. University-funded assistantships may be available for students who have sufficient experience to contribute to one or more ongoing research or academic programs. Research assistantships awarded at the university level are extremely limited, typically awarded only to doctoral students and therefore, should not be relied upon by MEM and MF students as a source of financial support. Assistantships awarded by the Nicholas School are merit-based and pay a salary. They do not carry any sort of tuition waiver or stipend.
Pursuant to the Tax Reform Act of 1986, students performing any services (whether degree-related or not) required by their scholarship, fellowship, or assistantship must have income taxes withheld. However, if the student anticipates no tax liability at the end of the calendar year, they can note “exempt” on the state and federal withholding forms and no taxes will be withheld. Income tax information is reported to the student by the university in January.
In all instances, admission to the Nicholas School is a prerequisite for the award of assistance in any form. If offered financial assistance, professional degree students typically receive the award for two years of study; it is expected that they will complete their degree within this period. The school has the right to examine the progress of each student to determine eligibility for continuation of awards beyond the first year. Students not in good standing (with regard to academics or honor code) are not eligible for any new awards from the Nicholas School (e.g., scholarships, fellowships, recognitions without monetary component) whether academic performance is an eligibility criterion or not.
No student will receive financial aid while on probation unless an appeal is approved by the associate dean for academics and the assistant dean for student services.
In no case may the amount of financial aid awarded to a student from all sources in a given year exceed the estimated annual costs of attending the Nicholas School as determined by the school.
Financial Aid for Concurrent Degree Students
NSOE students in a concurrent degree program with another Duke program will have an adjustment made to their NSOE tuition charge to a new blended tuition rate, as well as an adjustment in their NSOE financial aid award. Students in a concurrent degree program will be charged the equivalent of three semesters of tuition; similarly, concurrent degree students who have been offered school-based aid will receive the equivalent of three semesters of aid.
Students pursuing a concurrent degree with a non-Duke program are obligated to three semesters of enrollment and payment of three semesters of tuition and fees. School-based aid offered at the time of admission will be awarded for three semesters to coincide with the three semesters in which the student is enrolled at Duke.
In all cases, students pursuing or considering pursuing a concurrent degree must complete the survey found at the Nicholas School website, nicholas.duke.edu/about/policies/tuition-and-financial-aid-policy-concurrent-degree-students, and meet with the school’s financial aid counselor before October 15 of their first year at Duke, regardless of where they begin their concurrent degree program.
Eligibility for Financial Assistance
A significant portion of the financial assistance for students in the Nicholas School of the Environment is provided by federal, Title IV funds. To qualify for such funding, usually in the form of loans, students must meet federal eligibility requirements including the maintenance of satisfactory academic progress (see Satisfactory Academic Progress section in Academic Regulations). Professional degree students must meet satisfactory academic progress standards to maintain eligibility for Title IV funds.
Although professional degree students, including DEL-MEM students, have five years from the first date of matriculation in the school to complete their degree requirements, they are eligible for school-based aid for the equivalent of four full-time semesters only (three semesters of they are a concurrent degree student). Federal financial assistance (loans) requires that the student be enrolled at least half-time during the semester to be eligible for federal loans.
Assistantships
Merit-based assistantships may be awarded to a select number of professional degree on-campus MEM and MF students during their first year of study to assist faculty and staff with teaching, research, professional, and other projects. It is expected that students will work for eight hours a week on their assigned project. Assistantships require a regular work schedule to be arranged between the student and the faculty or staff member to whom they are assigned. Students receiving an assistantship will be informed of the positions available, application, interview, and assignment process just prior to the start of the fall term
Students who receive assistantships are paid by the Nicholas School on the monthly payroll, and taxes may be taken out. For the 2025-2026 academic year, the award for eight hours per week of assistance is $4,000 gross. Normally, assistantships are available only for the academic year and require full-time enrollment in the school. If a student completes the assistantship in full, is in good academic standing, and returns to full-time enrollment in the Nicholas School for their second year in 2026-2027, the student will receive the assistantship funds as scholarship applied directly to their bursar account toward their tuition for the second year with no work requirement
Need-Based Grants
The Nicholas School reserves a limited amount of financial aid for students with significant financial needs. Both domestic and international students in the on-campus MEM, MF, and DEL-MEM degrees may apply for need-based aid. There is a separate required application process for a student to be considered for a need-based grant. The Nicholas School uses College Board (CSS Profile and IDOC) services for students to submit their applications. For students entering in the fall, the deadline for completing an application for need-based aid is early February preceding the Fall enrollment term. Note that the application for need-based aid is due before the student is notified of admission status. Students should not wait for an admission decision to apply for a need-based grant.
Parental asset and income information are required as part of the application for a need-based grant. Additional details regarding the application process may be found at the Nicholas School website, nicholas.duke.edu/admissions/financial-support-aid. To receive the same need-based grant in their second year, students must be enrolled full-time in the Nicholas School in good standing, affirm that their financial situation has not improved by the end of their first year and they must be returning to full-time enrollment in the Nicholas School for their second year in the next academic year.
Work-Study
Work-study funds for professional degree students are administered through the Office of Student Services. At the beginning of the academic year, students are made aware of work-study opportunities and informed of the application procedures. Interested students must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to determine eligibility. Because the FAFSA is available only to US citizens and permanent residents, work/study funds are not available for students enrolling in the program on the F-1 or J-1 visa. Some on-campus jobs may not require work/study funding but many will require it. Currently, students enrolled in the DEL-MEM Program are not eligible for work-study funds.
Application for Awards for the Entering Student
Students wishing to be considered for merit-based scholarships must submit a complete application no later than December 15 preceding the fall for which admission is desired. Applications received after December 15 will be considered for merit-based assistance only if funds remain after considering all on-time applications. Applicants should initiate the necessary action early to ensure that the required documents are filed with the school’s Office of Student Services on or before December 15 to be assured of equal consideration for financial aid. Completed applications received after the December 15 deadline will be considered if vacancies occur at a later date.
Notification and Acceptance of Awards
Applicants who submit completed applications by December 15 and are subsequently offered admission will be notified soon after admission regarding merit-based and/or need-based aid. Once offered by the university or the school, funds are committed to one student and are therefore unavailable to others. As a consequence, it is the policy of the Nicholas School that all awards offered may be declined prior to May 1 without prejudice. However, offers accepted and left in effect after May 1 are binding for both the student and the school.
Loans
Federally insured student loans are often necessary and useful in helping a student afford the graduate program of their choice. Students considering federal loans should consider the nature of the loan and the positive and negative aspects of future loan payments and should also investigate all other forms of financial assistance.
Federal law requires all students to have completed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to determine financial need. The FAFSA form may be obtained online at studentaid.gov or by contacting a college or university financial aid office or the Office of Student Services. No loan application will be processed without the FAFSA form having been submitted to the central processor. In addition, in some cases, federal law requires verification of income and other information.
Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans
Federal Direct Unsubsidized loans of up to $20,500 are available for eligible graduate/professional students. For loans made to new borrowers, interest is calculated at a fixed annual rate of 7.94 percent for the 2025-2026 academic year. Interest on unsubsidized loans must be paid by the student during enrollment or capitalized to the principal at the borrower’s request. A loan origination fee of approximately 1.057 percent will be charged and will be deducted before the loan disburses, valid through September 30, 2025.
Students who borrow through the federal direct unsubsidized program will be given entrance and exit counseling concerning the projected and actual costs of their loans. They will also be provided with information on loan consolidation should this repayment option be desired or needed. Borrowers must sign the Master Promissory Note for each loan.
Graduate Plus Loan Information
The Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 allows graduate and professional students to borrow under the Federal PLUS loan program. Students must be graduate/professional students enrolled at least half-time in a matriculated program; they must complete a current FAFSA; they must first apply for the maximum loan eligibility in Federal Unsubsidized loan before the PLUS can be awarded; parents of graduate students will not be eligible to borrow the loan.
PLUS Loan borrowers are required to pass a basic credit check. The borrower may borrow the difference between the total cost of the student’s education (including books, fees, and personal expenses) minus any financial aid the student will receive. The interest rate on the PLUS loan is 8.94 percent for the 2025--2026 academic year. A loan fee of approximately 4.228 percent (valid through September 30, 2025) will be charged and will be deducted proportionately prior to each loan disbursement.
Repayment begins within sixty days after the final disbursement of each loan. The maximum repayment period is ten years, and the minimum monthly payment is $50. Students may be eligible to defer payments as long as they maintain at least half-time enrollment. In addition, some loan guarantee agencies charge a 1 percent guarantee fee, which will also be deducted from disbursements.
Fellowships for MEM/MF Students
The Nicholas School is fortunate to have alumni, members of the Board of Visitors and friends of the school who have endowed funds to support financial aid for MEM and MF degree students. Funds are allocated based on the requirements of the endowment agreements. After admissions decisions have been made and conveyed to the student, the application for admission is used to determine merit-based scholarships. Students wishing to be considered for need-based grants must submit a separate application (see above, Need Based Grants).