The DUNE Admissions Committee holistically reviews applications.
Applications and two (2) letters of recommendation must be submitted by March 1, 2024 at 11:59pm EST.
Admissions decisions will be announced in April 2024.
If you have any questions, please check the FAQs or email duneprogram@duke.edu.
Eligibility
To apply for 2024, students must:
- Be a current high school sophomore, junior, or senior who has not yet applied to college (grades 10-12 for the 2023-2024 school year);
- Be at least fifteen (15) years old by June 10, 2024;
- Be a U.S. citizen, national, permanent resident, or legal resident; and
- Live in North Carolina within commuting distance of Duke University’s West Campus.*
*DUNE does not offer a residential option. Students must commute to campus daily.
For Applicants
A good application tells us about your character, your interest in science, and how you would benefit from participating in DUNE. We value authenticity and enthusiasm over a record of accomplishments. Whether you have had extensive opportunities in science or are just beginning to explore this realm, what matters most is your genuine interest and the potential you see in yourself to grow as a future scientist. We wish you good luck and look forward to getting to know you!
To complete your application, you may find it useful to prepare:
- Contact information for two (2) recommenders who have agreed to write letters of recommendation for you
- A list of math and science courses that you have taken during high school
- A list of your extracurricular activities with brief descriptions (1-3 sentences)
- A list of any honors and awards that you have received
- Responses to the following short-answer questions:
- What is your favorite class (in any subject) and why? (150 word limit)
- Which activity or honor is most meaningful to you and why? (150 word limit)
- Please explore this list of Duke neuroscience labs with descriptions of their research: https://www.neuro.duke.edu/research/faculty-labs. Tell us about a lab that interests you and why. (150 word limit)
- What is a scientific question that you would be excited to answer and why? (150 word limit)
- Some students have a background, identity, personal interest, or talent so meaningful that they believe their application would be incomplete without it. Please share your story. Include any challenges that you have overcome and the strengths that you have gained from these experiences. (250 word limit)
- What is your greatest motivation for applying to DUNE? Please tell us about your short-term and long-term goals. What do you hope to gain from DUNE to help you achieve these goals? (250 word limit)
Remember to request your letters of recommendation:
- Consider asking teachers, counselors, sponsors, supervisors, or other community leaders who can discuss your character, your interest in science, and how you would benefit from participating in DUNE.
- Recommenders cannot be members of your family.
- We strongly encourage you to ask your recommenders to write letters for you at least two weeks before the deadline, and to send them friendly reminders as the deadline gets closer.
- Please tell your recommenders to submit their letters in the next section below. You will receive a confirmation email when your recommender submits their letter.
- We can only accept letters that are submitted directly by the recommender.
For Recommenders
The DUNE Admissions Committee must receive two (2) letters of recommendation for each applicant by March 1, 2024 at 11:59pm EST.
- Recommenders can be teachers, counselors, sponsors, supervisors, or other community leaders who can discuss the applicant’s character, their interest in science, and how they would benefit from participating in DUNE.
- Recommenders cannot be members of the applicant’s family.
- We can only accept letters submitted directly by the recommender.
Please use the link below to submit your letter of recommendation as a PDF.