How to Get Into Duke University Fuqua School of Business

1. Duke Fuqua Program Overview
2. Duke Fuqua Curriculum
3. Duke Fuqua Statistics
4. Duke Fuqua Acceptance Rate
5. Application Requirements for Duke Fuqua
6. Extracurriculars at Duke Fuqua
7. Notable Professors and Classes at Duke Fuqua
8. Duke Fuqua’s 2024-2025 Essay Prompts
9. Duke Fuqua FAQ

Duke Fuqua Program Overview

So, you are thinking about applying to the MBA program at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business? First, learn how to pronounce the name of the school: “FEW-kwa.” Say it again: “FEW-kwa.” It doesn’t really roll off your tongue, but the name is half of the often-heard phrase “Team Fuqua,” so you will be well served to learn to say it correctly.

Team Fuqua is deeply ingrained into the culture of the school. Dean Bill Boulding describes it as follows: “Ask for a definition and a hundred people will tell you a hundred stories to illustrate what it means to them. Synthesizing these stories … Team Fuqua is a way of working. It’s the instinct to draw out strengths in others to move a team forward toward a common goal. It’s core to our DNA, and the drive to develop that instinct in our community infuses everything we do. That instinct also helps our alumni excel in companies all over the world.”

Next, think very carefully about your fit with Fuqua. The admissions committee is looking for candidates who will make a positive contribution to the program during their two years and beyond. What concentrations or certificates, if any, do you hope to pursue? How will you get involved outside the classroom? More than 50 student-led clubs are available on campus, ranging from professional interest (Marketing Club, Private Equity Club, and Tech Club, just to name a few) to diversity clubs (including FuquaPride and the Latin American Student Association) and activity-based clubs (such as the Improv Club, the Tennis Club, and the Wine Club). In addition, the college basketball culture is a huge part of campus life all around Duke, including Fuqua, thanks to the popularity of the Duke University Blue Devils.

Fuqua is looking to develop Leaders of Consequence—individuals who demonstrate competence, character, and purpose. Each year, the student body recognizes peers who best demonstrate the Team Fuqua values of Authentic Engagement, Supportive Ambition, Collective Diversity, Impactful Stewardship, Loyal Community, and Uncompromising Integrity. Think about how you hope to embody one or more of these values during your time in Durham.

Fuqua Curriculum

The Fuqua core curriculum begins with a three-day orientation, followed by a four-week summer introductory semester featuring three core courses that are intended to immerse students in the program. The first year continues with six-week terms that allow for additional electives in preparation for summer internships. Additionally, students can place out of the core curriculum and start taking electives as early as the first term. Fuqua’s core courses explore such topics as marketing, finance, leadership, and accounting, and the program offers more than 100 electives.

A Fuqua student and former Stratus client told us, “I have been surprised by how academic Fuqua is! Professors tend to be more research/academic oriented compared to peer schools in larger cities where professors might be practicing professionals in large organizations.”

Another student and former Stratus client said, “My most meaningful experiential learning opportunity to date is through the Fuqua Client Consulting Practicum (FCCP). I’m working with a team of students on a project for an infrastructure investment firm, and it has been a great way to get hands-on finance, consulting, and energy experience.”

Although it is not required, many students choose to pursue at least one concentration. The 14 concentration options include Management, Finance (subcategories include Corporate Finance, Investment Finance, and Dual Finance, which includes both Corporate and Investment), Energy and Environment, and Social Entrepreneurship, and the school also offers a Certificate of Academic Excellence in Finance and a Certificate in Health Sector Management. In addition, students can take advantage of such research centers such as the Fuqua/Coach K Center on Leadership and Ethics; the Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship; the Center for Energy, Development, and the Global Environment; and the Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship. A Stratus counselor and Fuqua graduate highlighted Senior Associate Dean Ashleigh Rosette as one of their favorite professors at Fuqua. “[Dean Rosette], whose research is at the intersection of leadership, gender, and race, is a much beloved professor of negotiations. Her energy and presence make classes fun and engaging,” the counselor said.

One Fuqua student and former Stratus client mentioned the core finance course as their favorite. “Professor Adriano Rampini brought a great deal of enthusiasm to the classroom, and it was contagious,” the student said. “The class covered a wide range of finance topics, and I left the course feeling empowered, both as a businesswoman and as an individual making investment decisions for the future.”

Statistics

Class Profile (Class of 2026)

• Class Size: 427
• Average Work Experience: 6 years
• Average GPA Range: 3.17–3.89
• Women: 51%
• U.S. Underrepresented Students of Color: 40%
• International Citizenship: 41%
• U.S. Military: 11%
• Average GMAT Range (80%): 660-760
• Middle 80% GRE Combined Range: 305–330

Career Placement (Class of 2023)

• Consulting: 43%
• Financial Services: 21%
• Technology: 17%
• Consumer Packaged Goods: 6%
• Health Care: 6%

Geographical Placement (Class of 2023)

• United States:
  • West: 20%
  • Northeast: 21%
  • South: 18%
  • Southwest: 15%
  • Midwest: 12%
  • Mid-Atlantic: 10%
• Outside the United States (including Brazil, China, Malaysia, Spain, Mexico, and Colombia): <2%

Fuqua Acceptance Rate

As is the case with all top-ranked business schools, Fuqua has a competitive acceptance rate—in 2023, the school received 3,292 applications and admitted 729 applicants. This means that approximately 22.2% of applicants received an invitation to join the program. Out of the 729 applicants who were admitted, 385 decided to enroll.

Application Requirements for Duke Fuqua

Bachelor’s degree and transcripts

Fuqua requires all applicants to have completed an undergraduate degree (or its equivalent if the applicant graduated outside of the United States) and to provide unofficial academic transcripts with their application. If the applicant is granted admission to Fuqua, they will need to provide official transcripts.

Resume

All Fuqua applicants must submit a resume with their application. The school asks applicants to keep their resume to one page.

Recommendations

Fuqua requires one recommendation letter from all applicants, including re-applicants. In business school applications, obtaining a recommendation from a direct supervisor or a manager is usually the best option. If you do not have a current direct supervisor or manager, consider past supervisors, colleagues, or clients, based on your work situation. Family members, friends, and professors are typically not suitable recommenders. “Your recommendation should reflect your performance in your most recent professional setting. Volunteer activities or other service-oriented roles in which you are deeply involved may also be excellent sources for your recommendation,” the Fuqua website states. Applicants can also provide additional endorsements from Fuqua students or alumni.

Test scores

Fuqua accepts the GMAT (both the classic version and the GMAT Focus), the GRE, and the EA to fulfill the test score requirement. The school accepts self-reported scores for the application but asks for official reports if a candidate is admitted. International applicants are not required to submit English language test scores. “We will use other aspects of your application to assess language proficiency,” the Fuqua website says.

Extracurriculars

Fuqua is known to be one of the most student-driven programs. Clubs and activities provide opportunities for students to develop and build their leadership, teamwork, and project management skills. Many of the professional clubs organize and host conferences, seminar series, and case competitions—some in conjunction with other Duke schools. During breaks, clubs also plan “treks” to different cities, such as the Tech Club’s Silicon Valley Tech Trek. Clubs with a large presence on campus include Consulting, Energy, Health Care, and Media, Entertainment & Sports.

The Fuqua community has a “work hard, play hard” attitude, with many social events scheduled throughout the year. When temps are nearly triple digits early in the school year, Fuqua students camp out for the chance to purchase season tickets for Duke basketball games. Comedy show FuquaVision has a history of 33 years of bringing Saturday Night Live–type skits to classmates during Fuqua Fridays. A Stratus counselor and Fuqua graduate explained, “Students create comedy sketches (think SNL) about life at Fuqua that are shown at Fuqua Friday once each term. Professors, administrators, and staff often have cameo appearances!”

Every spring, MBA Games brings together teams from top MBA programs around the country to compete in a weekend of fun and games to raise money for North Carolina Special Olympics.

“Fuqua values diversity and is an incredibly welcoming environment,” a Stratus counselor and Fuqua graduate said. “If you are a woman, veteran, or identify as Black, Latino, or LGBTQ+, check out targeted events to learn more about the program. Each fall, Fuqua hosts the Women’s Leadership Weekend, the Duke MBA Veterans Symposium, the BLMBAO [Black and Latino MBA Organization] Leadership Conference, and the MBA Pride Weekend.”

Whatever your interest, there are clubs and events at Fuqua for you—and if they don’t exist, you will have support to create them!

A Fuqua student and former Stratus client told us, “The Duke MBA Consulting Club hosts Roadmap, a series of six classes over six weeks, dedicated to providing students a solid foundation for tackling case interviews. It allowed me to get familiar with the process and dive into case interview prep with structure that allowed me to parlay an offer from my priority company. Roadmap also provides an opportunity to connect with fellow first years outside of your section/C-LEAD as well as second years who may act as great mentors (and friends) through the recruiting process and beyond.”

Student-led conferences are popular at Fuqua, and the school has hosted the annual Sustainable Business and Social Impact Conference since 2005. Throughout the years, the event has grown into one of the largest of its kind—recent events have welcomed more than 800 people! The 2024 conference was hosted with the theme “Building for Tomorrow” and included such keynote speakers as the vice president of sustainability at Cargill. Speakers represented such companies as Philips, Lafayette Square, Happy Dirt, and Carbon Insights, and panel discussions explored such topics as “Balancing Act: Navigating the Intersection of Impact and Profitability in Social Enterprises” and “Creative and Innovative Solutions for Climate Action.”

Finally, the Fuqua Career Management Center (CMC) is held in great regard among students and alumni. “CMC is a great resource with highly dedicated staff. Where the CMC shines is in the quick chats one may hold with different counselors (walk-in or by appointment). They give great advice, are fun to talk with, and willing to go above and beyond to support through the process. Additionally, the CMC recruits career fellows (second-year students) who are trained and dedicated resources assigned to first years to help through the process. My career fellow was particularly helpful in the crafting of my cover letters,” a Fuqua student and former Stratus client said.

Learn how Stratus’ team approach can get you into Duke Fuqua. Start with a FREE consultation with an admissions specialist today!

Notable Professors and Classes

Campbell Harvey

Campbell Harvey is the J. Paul Sticht Professor at Fuqua, where his teaching and research interests encompass various finance topics, including emerging markets finance, decentralized finance, and investment management. Professor Harvey is a founding director of the Duke-CFO Survey, which polls more than 1,500 CFOs each quarter and which Fuqua highlights as a top faculty contribution on the school’s website.

Professor Harvey has edited such scientific journals as the Journal of Finance and has received multiple Best Paper Awards from the Journal of Portfolio Management. He also teaches at Duke University and serves as a research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research.

Aaron Chatterji

Aaron Chatterji teaches in the Fuqua strategy department, where he serves as the Mark Burgess & Lisa Benson-Burgess Distinguished Professor. Professor Chatterji is known for his widespread interests, which range from his positions as faculty affiliate at the Fuqua Health Sector Management Program and Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation to his role as a chief economist at the U.S. Department of Commerce. Professor Chatterji created the “Advanced Corporate Strategy” elective course that discusses business and politics and has become one of the most popular courses at Fuqua.

“Advanced Corporate Strategy”

This aforementioned elective course was created by Professor Aaron Chatterji and quickly became a student favorite. The course explores the relationship between business and politics via current events and real issues affecting companies. “[The] Advanced Corporate Strategy [course] created a safe, professional space to exchange opinions and ideas with my peers,” a Fuqua student said on the Duke Daytime MBA Student Blog. “[Professor Chatterji] did an excellent job of facilitating the discussion and getting us to question the beliefs we walked in with. We learned from one another and although there were times where we agreed to disagree, I felt I was able to get a clear understanding of another leader’s perspective, a skill necessary for every well-rounded leader of consequence.”

“Leadership Communication”

The two-part “Leadership Communication” course is part of the required core curriculum at Fuqua. The class preps students for summer internships in between their two years of MBA studies by teaching them how to present to the leaders of their internship companies and by bolstering their speaking skills via improvised speaking practices and formal group presentations. “Leadership Communications teaches you, and more importantly gives you the opportunity to practice, public speaking skills that will help you rock your final summer internship presentation,” a Fuqua student wrote in the Duke Daytime MBA Student Blog, calling the class “probably [their] favorite at Fuqua during the first few terms.”

Duke Fuqua’s 2024-2025 Essay Prompts

Duke Fuqua presents its applicants with one of the most creative, and maybe challenging, essay prompts out there—asking candidates to come up with a list of more than two dozen “random” bits of information about themselves. Then, applicants need to craft a more traditional essay in which they explain their fit with the Fuqua culture and how they envision themselves contributing to it. The only specifically “professional” question the school poses involves a succinct declaration of one’s post-graduation career goal. So we would say the Fuqua admissions committee is clearly interested in learning about your values, interests, personality, strengths, and other distinctive characteristics to balance the more quantitative information provided in the other parts of your application.

Required short-answer essay question

•  Answer the following question in 100 words: What are your post-MBA career goals? Share with us your first-choice career plan and your alternate plan.
  

Essay 1: 25 Random Things About Yourself

• The ‘Team Fuqua’ spirit and community is one of the things that sets the MBA experience apart, and it is a concept that extends beyond the student body to include faculty, staff, and administration. Please share with us “25 Random Things” about you. The Admissions Committee wants to get to know YOU – beyond the professional and academic achievements listed in your resume and transcript. Share with us important life experiences, your hobbies, achievements, fun facts, or anything that helps us understand what makes you who you are.Your list will be limited to 2 pages (750 words maximum). Please present your response in list form, numbered 1 to 25. Some points may be brief, while others may be longer.

Essay 2: The Fuqua Community and You

• Fuqua prides itself on cultivating a culture of engagement. Our students enjoy a wide range of student-led organizations that provide opportunities for leadership development and personal fulfillment, as well as an outlet for contributing to society. Our student-led government, clubs, centers, and events are an integral part of the student culture and to the development of leaders. Based on your understanding of the Fuqua culture, what are 3 ways you expect to make an impact at Fuqua?
• Your response will be limited to 1 page (500 words maximum).

Optional Information

• If you feel there are circumstances of which the admissions committee should be aware, please explain them here (e.g., unexplained gaps in work, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance). Note that you should NOT upload additional essays nor additional recommendations in this area. The Optional Information section is intended to provide the admissions committee with insight into your circumstances only.
• Your response will be limited to 1 page (500 words maximum).

Re-applicant Essay

• Candidates who applied to the Daytime MBA program between July 2022 and May 2022 are considered re-applicants. 
• It is not uncommon for it to take more than one try to achieve a goal. Please share with us the self-reflection process that you underwent after last year’s application and how you have grown as a result. How did it shape your commitment to Fuqua and inspire your decision to reapply?
• Your response will be limited to 1 page (500 words maximum).

Click here to read our advice on Duke Fuqua’s essay questions.

Duke Fuqua FAQ

What is Fuqua best known for?

Fuqua is known as a prestigious general management program. “Team Fuqua” is at the core of the Fuqua experience, and the school’s culture is strong on campus. Fuqua’s proximity to the Research Triangle offers students accessibility to numerous notable companies and has bolstered the school’s reputation as an innovation-driven school.

How much does tuition cost?

The estimated cost of attendance for the Fuqua full-time MBA program is $110,826 for the 2024–2025 academic year. This includes program charges for three semesters, room and board, health insurance, and such additional fees as educational supplies.

How difficult is it to get accepted into Fuqua?

As is the case with all top-ranked business schools, Fuqua has a competitive acceptance rate—in 2023, the school received 3,292 applications and admitted 729 applicants. This means that approximately 22.2% of applicants received an invitation to join the program. Out of the 729 applicants who were admitted, 385 decided to enroll.

Are you considering applying to Fuqua? Whether you are looking for comprehensive MBA admissions consulting, hourly help, or perhaps interview prep, we at Stratus Admissions Counseling can help you! Sign up for a free consultation today!