How to Apply to Duke University for Life Sciences and Health-Related Undergraduate Study: Apply to Trinity or Pratt, Trinity Students Choose a Major After Arrival, Biology, Neuroscience and Global Health, No Pre-Med Major, for U.S., International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

Duke University is in Durham, North Carolina. Undergraduates belong to one of two schools: Trinity College of Arts & Sciences or the Pratt School of Engineering. Most life-science and health-related majors are in Trinity; engineering programs such as biomedical engineering (B.S.E.) are only mentioned in passing. There is no pre-med major in the United States, and Duke says so on its own site: it does not offer pre-medicine, pre-business or pre-law majors, minors or certificates, and provides advising instead. This article follows Duke’s own pages for fall 2027 entry, with sections for U.S. applicants, international applicants and applicants from China, and then transfer students.

1. Which undergraduate programs are related

• Duke’s list has 69 majors, 59 minors and 23 certificates, with up to three academic pathways per student. Related ones include Biology, Neuroscience, Biophysics (B.S.), Computational Biology & Bioinformatics, Global Health (co-major), Health Policy, Evolutionary Anthropology, Chemistry, Environmental Sciences, Marine Science & Conservation and Psychology; Biomedical Engineering (B.S.E.) is in Pratt and only mentioned here.
• Biology: the department offers a B.S. and an A.B., with 12 optional concentrations (such as biochemistry, cell and molecular, neurobiology, pharmacology and genomics), plus a minor. Its FAQ says there are typically about 170 biology majors per graduating class; the B.S. is “recommended for students contemplating a career in biological or biomedical sciences”, and the A.B. is the liberal arts program for students planning law, policy or secondary teaching.
• Neuroscience: the undergraduate program in the Department of Psychology & Neuroscience offers A.B., B.S., interdepartmental (IDM) and minor degrees; faculty come from Psychology & Neuroscience, Biology, the School of Medicine’s Department of Neurobiology and Pratt’s Biomedical Engineering.
• Global Health: the Duke Global Health Institute offers a global health co-major (paired with another major) and a minor; students have combined it with more than 40 majors. Select undergraduates may also apply to an accelerated MS in Global Health with one more year.
• No undergraduate nursing program appears in the list we read. Whether these majors are STEM is not stated on the pages we read; ask admissions.
• Combined degrees: Duke says it does not offer a 7-year medical, law or MBA program, and the pages we read show no BS/MD program.

2. How admission works: choose a school, Trinity students choose a major later

• At application: you must apply to either Trinity or Pratt; the application asks for your preliminary academic interests. Duke says it is not easier or harder to be admitted to one or the other, so pick on interest.
• Trinity students: the Biology department says all students entering Trinity begin undeclared and can choose any major, including Biology, usually in the fourth semester. The admissions Trinity page says Trinity offers 48 majors and 83% of its students double major, minor or earn a certificate.
• Entry conditions for Biology: the department says admissions is handled by the central office and departments have no role; no GPA threshold or seat limit appears on the pages we read; not stated.
• Neuroscience: no GPA threshold or seat limit appears either; ask dukeneuromajor@duke.edu.
• Pratt applicants: Duke requires calculus coursework and strongly recommends physics; at least one recommendation should come from a math or science teacher.
• Major requirements: see section 4.

3. The pre-med route

• No pre-med major: Duke says it offers no pre-medicine major, minor or certificate and no seven-year program; the admissions FAQ says Duke students’ medical school and law school acceptance rates are 85% and 98%.
• Health Professions Advising (HPA) helps students prepare for clinical careers (medicine, dentistry, nursing, physician assistant and others); about 90 percent of its students pursue medicine. It advises more than 1,800 students and alumni each year, assigns each first-year student an advisor by dorm, and runs weekly drop-in hours and workshops. It says Duke applicants’ acceptance rate is well above the national average. HPA cannot meet with or advise prospective students; Duke Kunshan students should use the DKU advising office.
• Recommended courses: most prehealth students begin with chemistry and calculus, then add biology, then physics; wait on statistics until you know your major; English/writing, psychology and medical sociology can come at any time.
  • Chemistry and biochemistry: one placement-based series, for example Chemistry 101DL, 201DL, 202L, 210DL and Biochemistry 301; AP credit enters at Chemistry 20 or 21.
  • Math: one Calculus I (AP Math 21, Math 105L + 106L, Math 111L or transfer Math 121); Calculus I plus statistics serves as a year of math for most health professions schools.
  • Biology: two courses with lab (Trinity: Biology 201L + 202L plus physiology; Pratt: Biology 201L + BME 244L).
  • Physics: two courses with lab (Trinity Physics 121L + 122L; Pratt 151L + 152L). Most professional schools do not require calculus-based physics.
  • Statistics, psychology (PSY 101 and others), medical sociology (a course on social determinants of health) and two English/writing courses.
• AP credit: HPA says AP credit will usually satisfy admissions requirements and recommends bypassing courses you have credit for; a few schools do not accept AP credit for a required course, so check each school.
• Courses elsewhere: HPA recommends taking most prehealth requirements at Duke; summer school at Duke or the Duke Marine Laboratory is always acceptable.
• Where Biology majors go: the Biology FAQ says about 40% of majors go to medical school and about 30% to graduate programs in the biological or biomedical sciences, and that the medical school acceptance rate is twice the national average.
• Whether prehealth advising has separate guidance for international students, and limits on international applicants to U.S. medical schools, are not stated on the pages we read; email prehealth@duke.edu.

4. High school preparation and courses after enrolling

• High school course advice: take the best available and most challenging courses; Duke recommends four years of English and at least three years each of mathematics, natural sciences, world language and social studies, and generally expects five academic courses per year. The pages we read give no subject requirements specific to biology majors (Pratt applicants: calculus required, physics strongly recommended).
• AP / IB credit (University Registrar, for the 2026-27 entering class): AP Biology 4 gives BIOLOGY 20 and 5 gives BIOLOGY 21, with eligibility for BIOLOGY 201L or 202L; AP Chemistry 4 gives CHEM 20 (CHEM 110DL in fall or 101DL) and 5 gives CHEM 21; AP Calculus AB 5 or BC 4 gives MATH 21, BC 5 gives MATH 21 and 22; AP Physics C Mechanics and E&M 4 or 5 give PHYSICS 25 and 26; algebra-based AP Physics 1 and 2 are not accepted. Duke accepts IB only at the Higher Level (HL): Biology 6 gives BIOLOGY 20 and 7 gives BIOLOGY 21; Chemistry 6 gives CHEM 20 and 7 gives CHEM 21; A-Level Biology B gives BIOLOGY 20 and A gives BIOLOGY 21. Check the Registrar page for the current tables.
• Cap on credit in Trinity: admissions says Trinity students may be granted up to two elective course credits toward the 34 course credits for any combination of AP, IB or pre-matriculation college credit. The Biology FAQ says only two AP credits reduce the number needed to graduate (from 34 to 32), but any number can be used for placement out of introductory courses.
• Biology major: ten biology courses, taken for a letter grade (S/U does not count, except the math, chemistry and physics pre- and co-requisites): two gateway courses (Biology 201L Molecular Biology and 202L Genetics & Evolution, in either order); one course in each of three areas (Organismal Diversity, Structure/Function, Ecology); five electives (at least four at the 200 level or above, at most one numbered 101–199, at least three listed or cross-listed as Biology, at most two independent studies); these must include at least two full lab courses at the 200 level or above (not counting 201L and 202L) and one 400-level or above capstone.
  • B.S.: Math 111L or equivalent (Math 105L + 106L, AP Math 21 or transfer Math 121); Statistics 101 or above, or Calculus II; Chemistry 101DL, 110DL or AP; organic chemistry 201DL; Physics 121L or equivalent (or a second-semester physics course).
  • A.B.: Statistics 101 or above, or Calculus I (Math 111L or equivalent).
  • The page notes that Chemistry 202L, 210DL and Physics 122L are recommended for pre-med, pre-vet, biochemistry and pharmacology.
  • Students who took Biology 203L must add a sixth elective to reach ten courses.
• Neuroscience: Duke says students matriculating in fall 2025 are subject to the new curriculum; current students may choose the old or the new. New B.S.: three foundational courses (NEUROSCI 206L, 217/217D, 223) plus four electives, one of which must be an independent scholarship, research independent study or a 300-level-plus lab/methods course; seven co-requisites. New A.B.: three foundational courses plus five electives with two or more “intersection” courses; three co-requisites. Old B.S. and A.B.: ten neuroscience courses each, with six (B.S.) or five (A.B.) co-requisites. The co-requisite page lists biology (Biology 201L/202L or AP credit), chemistry (CHEM 101DL or 110DL, or AP), computer science, statistics or data science, a two-course physics sequence (B.S. and A.B.) and calculus (no longer required for the new curriculum). It states that IB credits do not count.
• Global Health co-major: the structure includes Fundamentals of Global Health, Ethics, Research Methods and Statistics; three foundation courses; three electives; an experiential learning activity (to be completed before the spring semester of senior year); and a capstone.

5. Rounds, deadlines and materials

• Early Decision (binding): November 2 for the 2026-27 cycle, decisions in mid-December.
• Regular Decision: January 4, decisions in late March or early April.
• Platform and fee: Common Application (QuestBridge for eligible students). Application fee $85, non-refundable, fee waivers available.
• Materials: high school transcript, first-quarter grades (ED; by November 20 or when the first term ends), midyear grades (February 15), School Report with counselor recommendation, two teacher recommendations (three letters in all), the one-page personal essay and Duke’s short essays (“Why Duke” and “Communities”, 250 words each, plus three optional prompts of which you may answer one). Pratt applicants should have at least one recommendation from a math or science teacher. Duke does not accept separate resumes.
• Testing: Duke is test-optional for first-year and transfer applicants in the 2026-27 cycle, including international students and merit-scholarship candidates; ACT applicants interested in STEM are encouraged to include the science section; official scores are required only from students who enroll.
• Interview: alumni interviews are optional, prioritized for students for whom more information is needed, and cannot be requested; Duke also considers InitialView interviews from international applicants.
• The pages we read state the 2026-27 cycle; check whether dates change for fall 2027 entry.

6. U.S. applicants

• Cost: Duke is private, and the cost page lists a single tuition with no in-state/out-of-state difference. 2026-27 estimate for a first-year student: tuition $73,740; fees $3,019; Pratt students pay a $60 engineering dues; housing (double) $11,560; food $10,469; billed total $98,788–$98,848; books and materials $536; personal $3,274; domestic travel $582–$1,318 by home address; total estimated cost $103,180–$103,975. The pages we read list no surcharge for biology or health-related majors; not stated.
• Need-based aid: Duke commits to meeting full demonstrated need for every admitted student, with no aid advantage or disadvantage in applying Early Decision; about 50% of undergraduates receive aid and 21% of the first-year class attended tuition-free last year. The financial support page lists November 3 (Early Decision) and February 1 (Regular Decision) for the CSS Profile and FAFSA.
• Merit scholarships: all students who apply are considered; the Office of University Scholars and Fellows selects the scholars.
• Testing: optional.
• In-state preference: not mentioned on the pages we read.
• Research: Duke says 53% of undergraduates graduate with research experience; the Biology department says most majors do one or two semesters of research, usually starting in junior or senior year, for grades and credit, with funded summer opportunities; Neuroscience and the Global Health Institute also offer independent research. Seat numbers are not stated.

7. International applicants

• Documents: transcripts that need translation may be translated by an official service, an EducationUSA adviser or a school official, and the originals must be submitted too; School Report forms and transcripts must come directly from your school. Rules for predicted national exam results are not stated on the pages we read.
• English: for non-native speakers or students not in an English-medium curriculum, Duke “recommends but does not require” an English proficiency test, has no preference among tests, and uses the highest score if you test more than once. Minimum scores expected: TOEFL iBT 100 (including Home Edition), IELTS 7, Duolingo 130, PTE Academic 70, Cambridge C1/C2 180. Duke also considers InitialView interviews.
• Testing: optional for international students as well in 2026-27.
• Aid: international applicants who indicate interest in financial aid are considered in a separate admission pool, and those admitted with “no financial aid interest” are ineligible for financial aid for any year. Duke issues four-year aid awards to international applicants, renewed automatically, and requires a financial aid session on arrival. The CSS Profile is required; Duke says it meets full demonstrated need for admitted students. Questions go to finaid@duke.edu.
• Merit scholarships: Duke says all students who apply are considered; whether this applies to international students is not separately stated on the pages we read.
• Limits for international students in these majors or in clinical work: not stated on the pages we read.

8. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: the pages we read do not say how Duke uses the Gaokao; contact undergrad-admissions@duke.edu.
• Transcripts: translate through an official service, an EducationUSA adviser or a school official, include the originals, and have the school submit them directly. How Chinese school-leaving exam (huikao) materials are handled is not stated.
• Interview: Duke says students attending schools in China are particularly encouraged to arrange an InitialView interview and to book early.
• English: see section 7; Duke only recommends a test.
• Other: Duke says Duke Kunshan University students who wish to transfer to Duke are not at an advantage in the admissions process.
• The pages we read have no other China-specific guidance.

9. Costs and aid in brief

• Total estimated 2026-27 cost: $103,180–$103,975 (section 6).
• Duke meets full demonstrated need; international applicants must state aid interest at application (section 7).
• Duke says all students who apply are considered for merit scholarships.

10. Transfer

• Deadline: March 15 (the page prints no year; we read it as 2027 for fall entry, so please check), fall entry only; there is no spring transfer program. About 70 students transfer in each year, most as sophomores and a few as juniors. Decisions in mid-May; reply date June 5. Apply with the Duke Transfer Application or the Coalition Application on Scoir, considered equally; the Common App is not accepted for transfer.
• Eligibility: you attended college in the past four years and will have completed at least one full year of transferable work by August of enrollment, at an accredited degree-granting institution; applicants with a bachelor’s degree cannot transfer; part-time applicants are not accepted. In 2025-26: 2,460 applications, 160 admitted, 94 enrolled (6.5%). Duke says the rate ranged from 3% to 7% over five years and that the most successful applicants have a college GPA of at least 3.7.
• Materials: application, college transcript, College Report, two instructor evaluations (at least one from a college instructor), final high school transcript, two Duke essays, financial aid forms. Testing is optional for 2026-27.
• Credit: no preliminary credit evaluation; credit for no more than two years of outside coursework; at least two years at Duke; at least half the courses of every major, minor and certificate must be taken at Duke.
• Biology after transfer: the Biology department says no more than half of the courses for the major (maximum five) can be transfer courses; once enrolled, generally no more than 2 course credits can be transferred from a U.S. institution, at an accredited four-year institution.
• GPA and chemistry, biology or calculus requirements for transferring into Biology, Neuroscience and similar majors are not stated on the pages we read; on how transfer credit is evaluated, Duke points to its Undergraduate Bulletin.

Checklist

U.S. applicants:

• Common App; ED November 2, RD January 4; $85 fee; testing optional; three recommendations
• Choose Trinity or Pratt; Trinity students usually declare in the fourth semester; for medicine, complete the courses medical schools ask for in any major and use HPA

International applicants (including China):

• An English test is recommended (TOEFL 100, IELTS 7, Duolingo 130 and so on); translate transcripts and include originals; students at schools in China are encouraged to do an InitialView interview
• Indicate aid interest when applying (separate pool; “no interest” means no aid in any year); ask admissions how the Gaokao is used

Transfer students:

• Apply by March 15 (confirm the year), fall only; at least a full year of college work; credit for at most two years; at least two years at Duke

Sources: Duke University, Majors, minors and certificates; Trinity College of Arts & Sciences; Biology major requirements; Biology FAQs; Biology transfer credit; Neuroscience degree requirements; Neuroscience co-requisites; Undergraduate neuroscience; Global health undergraduate programs; Health Professions Advising; Prehealth: prepare; Prehealth: courses; Prehealth: advising; Resources and FAQs; Application requirements and deadlines; Checklist and deadlines; What we look for; College preparation tips; AP/IB credit; Financial support; Types of aid and merit scholarships; 2026-27 cost of attendance. Information is for fall 2027 entry (Duke’s pages state the 2026-27 application cycle; costs are 2026-27 figures); check Duke’s website for the latest.