Duke University offers on-campus and off-campus accommodation to domestic and international students. The university has adopted the Quad Ex model for residential purposes. Students get 4-year residential assistance through this model. It is mandatory for every freshman Duke University student to stay on the campus for the first 3 years. The university does this to encourage interaction among the diversified students. Staying together helps build good relations among the students.
- The average cost to stay on campus varies between 9 lakhs to 11 lakhs per year.
- Students living in on-campus accommodation are required to apply for a meal plan. The average cost for the same is 2 lakhs per semester.
- 32% Asian students are there in Duke University. Among them, 335 of them are Indians.
The application process for on-campus accommodation begins with an online application that is available from February 4. Students are also required to submit some additional documents like medical reports, housing assignments, historical records and diagnostic reports. Full-time students can only apply for on-campus accommodation and part-time students need to find an apartment outside university. The Blue Light Living, Cortland Bull City, Uhill Apartments are some of the best off-campus housing options that are quite affordable.
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Duke University Housing & Accommodation
Duke University has adopted the Quad Ex model for the residential life of its students. Quad Ex is a community-based residential model focused on seven West Campus Quads, which will assist students throughout their four years at Duke. Juniors and seniors maintain their Quad affiliation regardless of where they live and keep it after graduation.
- Freshmen & junior students:- First-year students live as non-resident members of their Quad in their East Campus residential hall and will live "in Quad" for their sophomore year. Juniors reside at Hollows/300 Swift or in their Quad.
- Senior students: - Sophomores live in the West Campus Quad, which is connected to the rest of the campus. Seniors have the option of living in their Quad, Hollows/300 Swift, or off-campus.
- Number of students:- Each East Campus House has between 100–250 students, resulting in a community of 200-400 first-years moving into each Quad for their sophomore year
- Number of Quad or Houses:- 1-2 East Campus Houses connect each West Campus Quad, depending on quad size. In each Quad, around 125 beds are allocated to upper-class students. There are 2 campuses for upperclassmen i.e., 300 swift and west, and 1 for freshmen i.e., east campus quad.
Duke University Accommodation Housing Rates
Duke University provides accommodation to all of its freshmen and senior students for study in USA. Freshmen are required to live on-campus during their first 3 years. Graduate and professional studies students are accommodated in apartments that are for two individuals.
Duke University Housing Description
Duke University has 9 quads and one 300 swift apartments accommodated by the duke university. An overview of these Duke housing accommodations is mentioned below:
Quads & Apartments | Housing Occupants |
---|---|
Swift quad Apartments (300 Swift, 301 swift, & smart home) | 400+ bed, 4-person, 2-person and 1-person |
Craven Quad | 400 residents, single-occupancy bathrooms, home to 1 Graduate Resident and 12 Resident Assistants, two Living Learning Communities |
Crowell Quad | 350 sophomores, juniors, and seniors |
Edens Quad | 530 students, home to Duke's Selective Living Groups (housing organizations) |
Few Quad | 440 residents, home to 2 living-learning communities, single and double rooms |
Hollows Quad | 486 students, 2 buildings of suite-style living areas, suite size ranges from 2 to 5 students |
Keohane Quad | 486 sophomores, juniors, and seniors, home to 2 living-learning communities |
Kilgo Quad | 486 sophomores, juniors, and seniors |
Lancaster Commons Apartments | 1, 2, and 3 bedroom garden-style apartments |
Wannamaker Quad | 230 residents |

Duke University Housing Rates
Duke University housing rates are subject to change depending upon the approval of the Board of Trustees. The changes have always been between 2% and 4%. Duke university housing availability depends upon the number of applicants enrolled. Below are given the ongoing housing rates at the duke university:
Room Type | Fee per year in INR |
---|---|
Single | 9.26 lakhs |
Double | 7.01 lakhs |
Apartment Bedroom (Private) | 11.52 lakhs |
Apartment Bedroom (Shared) | 9.26 lakhs |
Duke University Meal Plan
Before you choose any meal or housing plan, it is recommended to estimate the cost of living in USA. Duke provides a number of student meal programs and students who live on campus must buy a meal plan. Below are given different meal plans for Duke University student accommodation:
Plan | Eligible | Cost per semester in INR |
---|---|---|
Plan I | First-Year Students | 3.18 lakhs |
Plan A | Upper-Classmen | 1.98 lakhs |
Plan B | Upper- Classmen | 2.37 lakhs |
Plan C | Upper- Classmen | 2.63 lakhs |
Plan D | Upper- Classmen | 2.82 lakhs |
Plan E | Upper- Classmen | 3.14 lakhs |
Plan F | Off-Campus Students | 0.66 lakhs |
Plan J | Upper-Classmen | 1.41 lakhs |
Duke University Accommodation: Eligibility
Students enrolled in full-time courses in the university and have fulfilled all the required activities are only eligible for housing.
- Full-Time students: Housing is available to full-time undergraduate students who have resided on campus for less than eight semesters. Students in their ninth or higher semester can also submit an application for housing, but accommodation is not guaranteed.
- Part-time students: University housing is not available to part-time students. Students who plan to work part-time but want to reside on campus can apply for an exemption to this requirement.
Duke University Accommodation: Application Process
Students applying for Duke University on-campus accommodation, must follow the below-mentioned process.
Application Portal:- Housing Portal
Application Deadline:
- February 7 - 14: Housing application available
- Week of April 4: Approved students are assigned and notified via duke.edu email
- April 8: Students confirm fall housing assignments
- May 16: Reassignment application goes live
Additional Documentation:
- Medical report
- Diagnostic reports
- Supporting historical records and materials
Duke University: Off-Campus Housing
The best places for graduate students accommodation include Blue Light Living, Cortland Bull City, Uhill Apartments, etc. The off-campus Duke University housing in USA with cost and distance are tabulated below:
Name | Distance | Cost (INR/month) |
---|---|---|
The Blue Light Living | Distance to Duke Chapel: 0.77 miles | 1.04 lakhs- 1.18 lakhs |
Cortland Bull City | Distance to Duke Chapel: 1.48 miles | 1.06 lakhs- 1.38 lakhs |
Uhill Apartments | Distance to Duke Chapel: 2.44 miles | 0.95 lakhs-1.91 lakhs |
Brightleaf On Main | Distance to Duke Chapel: 1.3 miles | 1.45 lakhs |
Private 1 Bdr Apt In Our House | Distance to Duke Chapel: 1.36 miles | 0.80 lakhs |

Link for off-campus housing
- https://collegestudentapartments.com/
- https://www.universityapartmentsdurham.com/
- https://www.durhamgradhousing.com/
Students who have stayed in Duke University accommodations speak highly of it. They are also able to enjoy sports facilities from clubs like Club Ballroom Dancing, Club Badminton, Club Baseball, Club Cycling, etc. while staying here. The accommodation facility provided by the duke university is top-notch and convenient for dedicated university students. HRL helps university students to settle down in their rooms and also provides duke card access to them for enhanced security. In case of any query or inquiry, resident students can contact the HRL office or email them at housing@duke.edu.
FAQs
Ques. How much is a dorm room at Duke University?
Ans. A dorm room costs around 9.26 lakhs yearly. The university has adopted the Quad Ex model for residential purposes. Students get 4-year residential assistance through this model. Every year, Duke University enrolls more than 6,000 undergraduates and 90% of them choose to stay on-campus.
Ques. Where do students live at Duke University?
Ans. Every year, Duke University enrolls more than 6,000 undergraduates and 90% of them select to stay on-campus. The average cost to stay on campus varies between 9 lakhs to 11 lakhs per year.
Ques. How much does it cost to live at Duke?
Ans. The average cost to stay on campus varies between 9 lakhs to 11 lakhs per year. Students living in on-campus accommodation are required to apply for a meal plan and the average cost for the same is 2 lakhs per semester.
Ques. Do Duke dorms have AC?
Ans. Yes, all Duke dorms have AC facilities for students. First-year students live as non-resident members of their Quad in their East Campus residential hall and will live "in Quad" for their sophomore year. Juniors reside at Hollows/300 Swift or in their Quad.
Ques. Does Duke have a lot of international students?
Ans. International students represent 14% of the entire student body. The acceptance rate is just 6.3% for the class of 2026. Duke University admissions offers more than 200 academic programs to international and domestic students.
Reviews
Most Popular Tags
11 Reviews Found
Likes
- Academics/Professors are excellent, they care about teaching and aren't as strict
- I love the housing system, you get to live with the same people throughout
- The post graduate opportunities are so ridiculously good
Dislikes
- The food was very hit or miss on most occasions
- The community can at times be very cliquey
- Greek life is extremely dominant and can be isolating
- Almost everybody at duke secures a job after graduation because of how much on-campus support there is; maybe 90%
- 70k-150k USD is probably the general salary range for most students. Students typically find jobs by applying for them on the university partner websites or by applying directly to the jobs.




Likes
- Beautiful campus with gothic architecture
- Every day so many events will be happening which lets you explore different cultures, organizations, inclusivity.
- Tight knit community and support environment with very diverse students which helps you get various perspectives and how to interact with everyone.
Dislikes
- Fees are pretty high and cannot be afforded without a loan
- Durham is pretty boring with very less fun things to be done. Limited social scene outside campus
- Transport around the city is hard without a car
Accommodation
- Online platforms. Students usually form WhatsApp groups where they can connect and look for accommodation together. Duke offers websites to look at housing options too. There are many housing options very close to Duke where transportation is also available through Duke buses so it will not be a problem at all. Just connect with immediate seniors through LinkedIn, and they will help you out easily with necessary contacts.
- Duke will reply to emails immediately and their staff will help you out too. Its not a big challenge to find housing or a place to live. Its very trustworthy, and online reviews will tell you properly too.
- Online platforms. Students usually form WhatsApp groups where they can connect and look for accommodation together. Duke offers websites to look at housing options too. There are many housing options very close to Duke where transportation is also available through Duke buses so it will not be a problem at all. Just connect with immediate seniors through LinkedIn, and they will help you out easily with necessary contacts.
- Duke will reply to emails immediately and their staff will help you out too. Its not a big challenge to find housing or a place to live. Its very trustworthy, and online reviews will tell you properly too.
Likes
- The campus is beautiful and has a lot of space for you to study, eat and have fun
- There is a lot of diversity and you will find people from different cultures and backgrounds
- The curriculum is pretty flexible
Dislikes
- The MEM cohort is not very diverse
- Not a lot of ties with indsutries to help students land internships/ Co-op's
- The batch size is a little large
Accommodation
- Join online WhatsApp communities to find accommodations. Some popular accommodations amongst Indian students: Chapel Towers, Belmont, Lofts, Erwin Terrace, Campus Walk
- Usually someone circulates a google sheet to fill out your preferences for a room mate. Ideally, get an individual room but if you want to save up some money, you can also share a room.
- Join online WhatsApp communities to find accommodations. Some popular accommodations amongst Indian students: Chapel Towers, Belmont, Lofts, Erwin Terrace, Campus Walk
- Usually someone circulates a google sheet to fill out your preferences for a room mate. Ideally, get an individual room but if you want to save up some money, you can also share a room.
Likes
- The Campus is absolutely beautiful, surrounded by forest and beautiful ponds and parks.
- People and Professors are very nice, everyone around you is super talented and highly achieved. The Talent density is really outstanding.
- There are all sorts of clubs and organizations in Duke that you can image of, and they all are well funded and keep organizing events.
Dislikes
- Durham is a small and aloof town, so there is not much to do outside of campus, so weekends can be boring and depressing sometimes.
- There is no dining hall for West Campus, there are only restaurants which o $5 meals, which is decent but they can do better.
- Meals for vegetarians are limited, and expensive, they can work on that.
Accommodation
- I found accommodation through recommendations from my seniors and Duke also organized a housing fair, so it was easy to choose from options.
- 460 USD is my rent for a room. without bathroom
- My roommate pays 500 for a room with bathroom
- And one roommate stays in the hall for 370 USD
- We pay 1530 for the whole 2B 1.5B apartment and 220 for utilities.
- My apartment is 10 min walk from campus.
- I found accommodation through recommendations from my seniors and Duke also organized a housing fair, so it was easy to choose from options.
- 460 USD is my rent for a room. without bathroom
- My roommate pays 500 for a room with bathroom
- And one roommate stays in the hall for 370 USD
- We pay 1530 for the whole 2B 1.5B apartment and 220 for utilities.
- My apartment is 10 min walk from campus.








Likes
- The professors were really accomplished individuals with stellar academic and professional credentials who also taught equally well.
- Networking events: There was always some networking event happening around the campus which helped me understand the professional aspects of the US as an international student.
- The campus is probably one of the prettiest campuses in the US with amazing sports facilities, student centers and libraries.
Dislikes
- Expensive tuition: The university especially the business school is very expensive and makes the education inaccessible to many deserving students.
- Needs better CMC: The CMC or Career Management Center at Fuqua School of Business does a good job helping with resume drafting and networking tips. But when it comes down to actually getting employers to campus to recruit from the school directly they lack immensely.
- Location: Durham, the city the university is located in doesn’t have a lot happening and doesn’t feel very urban. For some this might hamper their student experience.
Accommodation
- I found accommodation off campus but it was owned by the university thus I found it directly through the university website and didn’t not have to use any platforms or agents.
- The monthly rent was 800 dollars per person and the monthly utilities were 200 dollars per person in a two bedroom two bathroom apartment shared by two people. The name of the property was Lancaster Commons and it included a gym, common room and a swimming pool. It also had a bus that runs every 20 minutes to the university and back.
- I didn’t face challenges in securing accommodation as the apartment was owned by Duke and the application process was well defined and at no additional cost.
- I would say choose accommodation that has reliable and preferably free transportation to the university in short regular intervals. Additionally it’s very important to not just get a good apartment but also go get a flatmate/roommate you are comfortable with because that can really make or break your living situation.
- My accommodation was 6 minutes away by bus from the University. Most Indian students stay in Belmont apartments or Heights at Lasalle apartments. But these both are owned and operated by external agencies and are not associated with Duke.
- I found accommodation off campus but it was owned by the university thus I found it directly through the university website and didn’t not have to use any platforms or agents.
- The monthly rent was 800 dollars per person and the monthly utilities were 200 dollars per person in a two bedroom two bathroom apartment shared by two people. The name of the property was Lancaster Commons and it included a gym, common room and a swimming pool. It also had a bus that runs every 20 minutes to the university and back.
- I didn’t face challenges in securing accommodation as the apartment was owned by Duke and the application process was well defined and at no additional cost.
- I would say choose accommodation that has reliable and preferably free transportation to the university in short regular intervals. Additionally it’s very important to not just get a good apartment but also go get a flatmate/roommate you are comfortable with because that can really make or break your living situation.
- My accommodation was 6 minutes away by bus from the University. Most Indian students stay in Belmont apartments or Heights at Lasalle apartments. But these both are owned and operated by external agencies and are not associated with Duke.












Likes
- The best part of being at Duke University is the great amalgamation of different cultures that lets me understand their perspectives rooted in their background.
Accommodation
I am living in an off-campus housing facility but Duke University also gives options for living in their on-campus facility which is a little harder to get into. Most of the off-campus housing facilities are situated within 1.5 kilometres of the campus and the bus services run several times a day to transport you from one place to another.
While I was making a list of colleges that I had to apply to, I found the Fuqua culture really immersive and this is what attracted me to it. I chose this program because I wanted to transition from a pure sciences background to a management background. This will act as a springboard for my future career goals.
Likes
- Love the professors, the networking opportunities, the alumni connection, the extracurriculars the presence of all sorts of religious and identity houses.
Dislikes
- Love the professors, the networking opportunities, the alumni connection, the extracurriculars the presence of all sorts of religious and identity houses. Hate the cohort intake there are 300+ people in 1 cohort and hence the entire experience is ruined you have to fight to get into basic courses, fight to become Ta, fight for on-campus jobs, fight to get the career councils attention. PLEASE ASK THE ADMISSION COORDINATOR WHAT WILL BE THE COHORT SIZE BEFORE JOINING ANY UNIVERSITY. DO NOT ATTEND IF IT IS MORE THAN 100.
Accommodation
Usually, it's $600 off-campus it's not the safest area to live, the cheaper the more dangerous. Gated communities with better safety will cost around $800. Groceries cost around $200 a month. Cheat sheet: Get a Resident Assistantship and you get free on-campus housing, with a stipend, food points (food money) free wifi, free utilities. OR network with existing students and sublease from them and they will leave you their furniture.
I chose this college as it is one of the renowned colleges. It has amazing faculties, people who have been in the industry for years. It has great courses and exposure to other schools and overall experience was good.
Likes
- Best Statistic Department in the world with good research and strong alumini network
- Everything from academics, extra curricular, location, networking, campus, placements, global perspective, sports school (amazing basketball matches).
Dislikes
- High fees and some faculties can't teach well as they are very research focused. TA ship is offered randomly in Stats Dept without looking at student profiles.
Accommodation
I live off-campus with 450 USD per month rent in 3B/1B
Amazing... There is everything you can do. Duke promotes great ideas and supports you in your ambitions. You should be able to make the best out of it!
Likes
- The ranking for both the program and the university was one of the highest in USA. Apart from it's reputation, it was the course flexibility that attracted me to be here
- I like the flexibility with the courses here. I can take electives based on my career path and can new courses as well if I am looking to pivot to some other career path. We have live case studies in our subjects helping us to work on real time problem that tech is facing currently.
Dislikes
- There isn't anything that I dislike but an co-op addition can be beneficial. Currently we are not allowed a full time co-op for six months but we can choose for a part time option to work through out the semester. Co-op helpings building stronger connections which helps in ensuring the internship conversion to full time.
Accommodation
Durham is a cheap place when compared to other places at USA.
It was amazing. I love everything about Duke. The sense of belongingness, basket ball, its gothic architecture, my course and even the people around you. You learn something new everyday and in every class.
Likes
- The ranking for both the program and the university was one of the highest in USA. Apart from it's reputation, it was the course flexibility that attracted me to be here
- I like the flexibility with the courses here. I can take electives based on my career path and can new courses as well if I am looking to pivot to some other career path. We have live case studies in our subjects helping us to work on real time problem that tech is facing currently.
Dislikes
- There isn't anything that I dislike but an co-op addition can be beneficial. Currently we are not allowed a full time co-op for six months but we can choose for a part time option to work through out the semester. Co-op helpings building stronger connections which helps in ensuring the internship conversion to full time.
Accommodation
Durham is a cheap place when compared to other places at USA.
It was amazing. I love everything about Duke. The sense of belongingness, basket ball, its gothic architecture, my course and even the people around you. You learn something new everyday and in every class.
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