Student Lending Principles

Duke University has established a set of publicly available principles and policies to govern educational lending practices for undergraduate, graduate and professional students. These principles emphasize that lending practices proceed from a commitment to the best interests of our students, that we support students' right to choose their lenders and that neither Duke nor its employees accept financial payments, goods or services of material value from lenders. All employees involved in financial aid and student lending are subject to a rigorous conflict of interest policy. Administrators may serve as unpaid members of lender advisory boards in order to help shape the products and services that will best meet the needs of our students; in such cases, Duke pays all costs associated with that service. For more information click here.

Using Loans To Finance Your Education

Loans can be an important part of a student's paying-for-college strategy. Duke offers educational loans from a variety of sources, including federal, state, private, commercial and institutional. While we encourage students and their families to borrow with care, we do understand that borrowing for one's education is an important investment in the future. That said, please borrow wisely, taking on no more debt than is necessary and manageable. The average loan debt for undergraduate students who graduated in the 2006 aid year was $23,521. The Duke Undergraduate Financial Aid Office staff is eager to work with families to develop an appropriate paying-for-college strategy that includes educational loans. Please do not hesitate to contact us if we can help in this regard.

• Qualifying for a Federal Loan
• Process to Apply for Federal Loans
• Institutional Loan Programs at Duke
• Repayment of Duke Loans
• Alternative or Commercial Loans
• Loan Office Contact Information