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Our MMS: Foundations of Business admissions staff members are available and waiting to talk with you! If you like what you've heard about the program and would like to start a dialogue with us, please don't delay contacting one of our admissions counselors. Their role is to understand your ambitions, review your history, and to make recommendations on how you can prepare to apply.
Engage With Us:
- E-mail us at mms-fob-info@fuqua.duke.edu or call +1.919.660.7705 to embark on a new adventure of self improvement and a lifetime of improved career opportunities.
- Attend an upcoming Information Session to learn more about the MMS program.
- Register for a Campus Visit or Open House to experience a day in the life of a Duke MMS student.
- How to Apply
Apply Online
The 2009-2010 application is no longer available. Please check back in August for the 2010-2011 application. You may get a head start on the essays, though, which are posted within the Admissions Criteria section, for the next class (starting in 2011).
Step 1: Start the Conversation
- Determine if MMS: Foundations of Business is of interest to you.
- Contact an admissions counselor for advice. They will help you determine if you are a good candidate for the program.
- Fuqua Admissions Counselor
E-mail mms-fob-info@fuqua.duke.edu or call +1.919.660.7705
- Fuqua Admissions Counselor
- Attend an Information Session, Open House, or Campus Visit.
- Start talking to your family, friends, and mentors about your intentions.
- Review the application deadlines to determine the best time for you to apply.
Step 2: Apply
- Access and complete the application online.
- You do not have to complete the online application in one sitting. Until you are ready to submit, you may access your application and edit your answers as many times as you like with your PIN and password from any computer with Internet access.
- The following are required to complete your application (further details are available in the Admission Criteria section):
- Completed electronic application (available in October), including an application fee of $50 USD (paid online by Visa or MasterCard only)
- Official transcripts of all previous academic work. If transcripts are not in English, please provide a certified translation of your transcript, together with the original.
- Completed essays: 3 required and 1 optional
- Current resume or CV
- 2 letters of recommendation
- Official GMAT or GRE score sent directly from the test administrator (schedule a test date at least 3 weeks in advance of your application submission)
- Where applicable, official TOEFL and IELTS scores for applicants whose native language is not English
- Your application will not be reviewed by the admissions committee, and a decision will not be made on your acceptance until all application materials are received by the admissions office.
Step 3: Interview
- Due to the large volume of applications, an interview is NO longer required to complete an application. In-person interviews are available at our Durham campus as part of our Campus Visit program and our Open Houses. If you are unable to meet with us in person, interviews will be extended by invitation only. Please visit the Interviews and Campus Visits page for more details.
Step 4: Decide
- Receive an admissions decision according to the timeline for the round in which you apply. If you are accepted, a tuition deposit of $500 USD, along with hard copies of your official transcripts, will secure your place in the program. Please note that your tuition deposit must be paid either with check or money order. Credit cards cannot be accepted.
Step 5: Matriculation
- Congratulations and welcome to Fuqua! You are about to embark on an exciting new time in your life and we are pleased you chose Duke. Get ready to broaden your horizons in the MMS program.
- Incoming Student Website: A few months prior to the start of your program, you will have access to your Incoming Student Website where you will find all the information you need to successfully transition into your new academic life. Among other information, this website includes general announcements, information on technical/computer requirements, required academic preparation assignments, and Durham relocation information.
- Visa Processing: International students require a visa to study in the United States. Visa application information will be included in your admission packet. Please note the visa paperwork deadline that is associated with your application round and ensure that all necessary materials are submitted in time.
- When to Apply
The Round 3 deadline for the class of 2011 has expired.
Information for the next application round will be posted soon.
Contact Kendra Maultsby-Mudd, our MMS Admissions Counselor if you would like more information about the program. Contact us at mms-fob-info@fuqua.duke.edu or +1.919.660.7705.
- Admissions Criteria
Our admissions committee considers a number of factors when evaluating an application. These factors are taken into consideration from a holistic perspective. We are looking for students who we believe will be successful in the program and who will add significant value to the program through their experiences. The application components provide the applicant with an opportunity to demonstrate that they are a good fit for the program.
Past Academic Performance
We admit applicants with a range of GPAs. We do not favor a particular undergraduate degree, and students come from a wide range of academic backgrounds.
Standardized Tests
We accept GMAT or GRE scores, and we admit applicants with a range of scores. There is no minimum requirement. If you feel that you have not scored your personal best or that the results are not representative of your abilities, you may re-take the exam (before you submit your application).
- Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) score reports must be sent to the Office of Admissions directly from the GMAT testing service.
- Use Duke program code Q13-N5-19 on your GMAT exam.
- You must request that your official score be sent to Fuqua prior to your application round deadline.
- We accept GMAT scores up to 5 years old.
- If you take the GMAT multiple times, only report your highest score.
- For information on registering for the GMAT and sending scores to Fuqua, visit www.mba.com.
- Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score reports must be sent to the Office of Admissions directly from the GRE testing service.
- Use Duke program code 5156 on your GRE exam.
- You must request that your official score be sent to Fuqua prior to your application round deadline.
- We accept GRE scores up to 5 years old.
- If you take the GRE multiple times, only report your highest score.
- Both verbal and quantitative sub-scores reported must be from the same testing date.
- For information on registering for the GRE and sending scores to Fuqua, visit www.ets.org/gre/.
English Language Proficiency Tests
If you did not earn an undergraduate degree from a school whose primary language of instruction is English, you must submit a valid score from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS). This requirement is waived for international applicants holding non-technical master's degrees or a PhD from colleges or universities inside the United States.
- Official TOEFL scores must be sent to the Office of Admissions directly from the Educational Testing Service (ETS).
- Use Duke program code 5156 on your TOEFL exam.
- TOEFL scores are valid for 2 years.
- The test must be taken prior to your application round deadline.
- Allow at least 4 weeks for scores to reach Fuqua.
- For information on registering for the TOEFL and requesting test scores, visit www.toefl.org.
- Official IELTS scores must be sent to the Office of Admissions directly from the testing agency.
- Fuqua accepts the academic modules of the IELTS.
- IELTS scores are valid for 2 years.
- The test must be taken prior to your application round deadline.
- Allow at least 4 weeks for scores to reach Fuqua.
- More information about the test is available at www.ielts.org.
- When requesting that your score be sent to Fuqua, please use the following mailing address:
- Office of Admissions
The Fuqua School of Business
Duke University
1 Towerview Drive
Durham, NC 27708-0104
- Office of Admissions
Academic Readiness
The MMS: Foundations of Business curriculum highly recommends knowledge of calculus, statistics, and computer skills.
Official Transcripts
- Legible, scanned copies of your official transcript(s) must be uploaded to the online application (which will be available in October).
- The "degree conferred" and the "date conferred" must be clearly visible on your transcript. If this is not clearly visible, you must upload a copy of your diploma, in addition to the transcript.
- Self-reported transcripts and scanned copies of unofficial transcripts are unacceptable.
- Submit transcripts for each college or university you have attended.
- After you are admitted to the MMS program, you will be required to submit a hard copy, official transcript in a sealed envelope from each college or university you have attended.
Essays (New for Fall 2011 Entry)
Essays are an opportunity to share your perspective directly with the admissions committee. The goal of the essays is to gain a greater understanding of why you want to pursue the MMS: Foundations of Business program, and what you will bring to Duke, in addition to the experiences you have had that shape your unique perspective. Essays demonstrate your ability to clearly and concisely organize your thoughts, present your case for admission, reason critically, and express yourself. The personal essays are intended to help us know you better as a person and a student. You are required to submit 2 essays. Please limit your responses to a single page, each using 1.5 line spacing.
- 2 Required Essays:
- We find that our students apply to our programs for a variety of personal and professional reasons. What do you hope to gain from the MMS: Foundations of Business program and how will it support you in your personal and professional goals?
- A range of academic interests, personal perspectives, and life experiences adds much to the educational mix. Given your personal background, describe how you would contribute to the Fuqua community.
- Optional essay (not required): If you feel there are extenuating circumstances of which the Admissions Committee should be aware, please explain them here (e.g., unexplained gaps in work or education, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance, significant weakness in your application).
Recommendations
- The most valuable recommendations come from individuals who are familiar with your professional skills and abilities.
- We require 2 letters of recommendation.
- We encourage you to submit one academic recommendation from someone such as a professor, and one professional recommendation from someone who can critique your performance in a professional context, such as a current or recent supervisor.
- Your application is not considered complete until we have received both recommendations. You are required to utilize the Recommendation Forms, which are available within the online application.
Work Experience
- Use the application to articulate the value of any internships, part-time or full-time work, or volunteer experiences that you have.
- Describe how these experiences have helped you develop leadership and teamwork skills, as well as maturity, on both professional and personal levels.
- Describe how your work experience might relate to the MMS: Foundations of Business learning environment.
- Keep in mind that the Foundations of Business program is designed for individuals who do not have extensive post-collegiate work experience. Applicants who have more than one year of professional work experience are encouraged to continue working and to apply for the MBA program as a better alternative to grow their careers.
- Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) score reports must be sent to the Office of Admissions directly from the GMAT testing service.
- Admission Checklist
Each applicant is expected to submit a completed application package to the Office of Admissions. The admissions committee will only review complete application packages, which must include the following items:
- Completed and submitted online application, including essays and one-page professional resume
- Non-refundable application fee of $50 USD (paid online with Visa or MasterCard)
- 2 letters of recommendation
- Scanned copies of official transcripts of all previous academic work
- Official GMAT or GRE score sent directly from the test administrator
- Where applicable, official TOEFL and IELTS scores for applicants whose native language is not English and who did not earn their undergraduate degree from an institution where the language of instruction is English
- An interview is NOT required for an application to be considered complete














