Spotlight Duke Pratt School of Engineering

Spotlight Duke Pratt School of Engineering

Getting an engineering master's from Duke Pratt: how to apply, what to expect, and funding your international masters with Prodigy Finance

Ready to learn everything you need to know about engineering and STEM masters degrees at Duke University’s Pratt School of Engineering? You're in the right place!

Formed in 1838, Duke University has a long history of regional, national and international successes. Although the school isn’t located in a big city, you’ll find it still attracts attention from top scholars. It’s consistently held the top position for graduate outcomes according to the Wall Street Journal and always does well in the rankings. This year, it’s number 26 on the U.S. News & World Report Engineering Grad Schools.

Pratt Engineering offers all of these successes combined with hands-on research and off-campus living to a select group of graduate students. Located around the corner from the world’s largest research park, and with a dedicated career services department providing several opportunities to find your dream job or summer internship, international engineering masters can expect guided support from admission through their time as a Duke alum.

Where is duke university?"

Duke University fast facts

What can you study at Duke University Pratt School of Engineering

Duke University Pratt School of Engineering offers master’s engineering students pursuing select fields a choice between Master of Science and Master of Engineering degrees.

In addition to sitting in 24th position on the highly respected U.S. News & World Report engineering grad school ranking list, individual departments also find themselves highly regarded.

Looking to expand your horizons with a dual degree from Pratt? Wondering how much flexibility you’ll have with your course choices? Akash, a Prodigy Finance borrower might just answer your questions in this video.

Getting a job after your Pratt engineering master’s degree

At Duke University, you’ll have several opportunities to interact with potential employers.

The Pratt School of Engineering is a co-host of the 2 TechConnect events hosted annually (fall and spring semesters). Slightly less formal than career fairs, its a chance for engineering master’s students to network with roughly 50 to 75 companies and hand over resumes.

And, the Tech Connect events are just the beginning. At Duke, you’ll find the Fall Career Fair as well as the Career & Summer Opportunities Fair which are open to all Duke students. Grad students have their own North Carolina recruitment fair. There are also virtual career fairs, including one aimed at students wishing to work in the Asia-Pacific region.

Pratt’s latest engineering grads: by the numbers

92%

Biomedical students employed 6 months after grad

$109,100

Average salary for ECE grads

292

2018 Engineering masters grads working in NC

85%

2018 MEM grads working in the US

What's it like to live at Duke University?

How to get into Duke Pratt Engineering

At the undergraduate level, Duke university is exceptionally competitive, with an acceptance rate around 6% across all schools. These stats, however often you see them, shouldn’t deter international master’s engineering applicants.

At the Pratt School of Engineering, there were 3082 applications submitted for engineering masters programmes last year. Of those, 1295 were accepted (for an acceptance rate of 42%). In case you’re wondering, 490 admits enrolled in the programme.

When you apply to Pratt Engineering, you’ll want to remember that the school focuses heavily on research and critical thinking at every level. Demonstrate the research and work you’re interested in and why Duke is the right vehicle for your success for a strong chance of admission.

Of course, you’ll also need to strive for strong GRE scores (though there aren’t any specified minimums for GRE or GPA scores). Take time to address any shortfalls in your Statement of Purpose (SoP) essay to avoid leaving holes that might be questioned by the admissions teams. You may also want to keep these figures in mind as you draft your SoP:

  • Average undergrad GPA: 3.52

  • Average GRE scores: 155 verbal, 166 quantitative, 3.7 analytical writing

  • Mean TOEFL score: 105 iBT

Pratt Engineering admissions details

Pratt engineering master’s CoA for the 2019/ 2020 academic year

Tuition: $55,680

Health fee: $834

Transcript fee: $40

Activity fee: $37

Graduate student service fee: $20

Recreation fee: $316

Health insurance: $3535

Books and supplies: $666

Housing: $9855

Board: $3420

Local transportation: $1854

Personal and miscellaneous: $3573

Total CoA for 1 year: $79,830

Does Duke University offer scholarships to international students?

Masters-level students at Pratt Engineering are expected to self-fund their degree and the majority of students (both US and international) take student loans to pay for their studies.

Duke Pratt does offer a limited number of merit scholarships for highly-qualified students and offers links to external scholarship opportunities.

Applicants to the Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) masters programmes may also qualify for departmental scholarships ranging from $20,000 to $30,000. Contact the department directly to learn more about these scholarships and whether you might qualify.