Deadlines
Applications for the MS program are due by January 6th for enrollment for the 2025-2026 school year admission.
Application
You should complete the Graduate School's online application to apply for our graduate programs. This includes submitting the application fee, candidate statement, CV or resume, transcripts from all post-secondary education, three letters of recommendation, an official GRE score report (required for 2025-2026 admission), and an official TOEFL or IELTS score report if applicable.
- Many questions can be answered in the Graduate School's FAQs and the M.S. Program's FAQs.
- The grad-admissions-center@duke.edu email address can be used only by applicants sending application documents.
Financial Aid
The Department offers generous financial aid packages to several solid, competitive applications. Typically 25% of our Master's students receive financial aid, which includes tuition reduction and the opportunity to be considered for Teaching Assistantships throughout the master's program.
See below for what some of our financial aid recipients say about our program:
"Joining the MSS program at Duke has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. The program is so well-structured that I can learn about the advanced theoretical knowledge in depth through the courses taught by our fantastic faculty members and get hands-on experience in statistics and machine learning through courses and capstone projects. In addition, the program also provides tons of professional development resources, such as info sessions for potential recruiters and networking events with alumni who are very experienced in the industry. I appreciate all the support from the department throughout my entire application process for internships and full-time jobs. Overall, my experience with the MSS program is very positive. I can grow both professionally and personally thanks to the help and support from the program." – Ranxin “Nancy” Huang, MSS 2023 |
"From the moment I visited Duke’s campus, I felt beyond welcomed by the MSS students and professors, which echoed the support I have received here. Within my first few weeks, I had the opportunity to meet industry recruiters and craft my resume with a professional one-on-one. While I wouldn’t have been able to afford an education of this caliber, the program made a generous financial aid offer, including a TA stipend, allowing me to choose Duke without tuition being a predominant concern. The Masters of Statistical Science program truly invests in its students, and with its incredibly structured and tailored curriculum, I do not doubt my own and my peers’ successes in our future endeavors." – Natalie Smith, MSS 2024 |
"The MSS program is special because it helps students develop strong theoretical skills and an intuitive understanding of how to approach statistical problems while letting each student tailor their curriculum to their interests. I could supplement the statistical science courses with related courses in other departments, such as computer vision, and an independent study with a statistical science professor focusing on environmental and biomedical data. The MSS program also offers substantial financial aid and opportunities to TA, which make the program much more affordable than most Master’s programs in the field." – Alison Reynolds, MSS 2023 |
"While looking to switch from education to data science, I was drawn to the MSS program's generous financial aid offering. As a member of this community, I have enjoyed meeting peers from diverse backgrounds and learning from world-class faculty. The statistical rigor of my courses enables me to think critically and carefully assess model assumptions when applying a method to a real-life problem. I have also benefitted from the rich alumni network and career-focused modules in my search for industry placements. I certainly would not have enjoyed these privileges if I did not receive financial aid from the MSS program. I am grateful to the program for investing in diversity and creating paths for people of all backgrounds to realize their dreams." – Joseph Ekpenyong, MSS 2023 |
"The combination of strong theoretical foundations and applied experiences, the freedom to pursue your own passions and interests, and the vast number of resources at your disposal make this program an excellent way to kickstart your career as a statistician or pursue further education in the field." – Jose Pliego San Martin, MSS 2023 |
TA and RA Opportunities
All graduate students can apply for and be appointed as Teaching and Research Assistants within or outside the Statistical Science department. These TA opportunities are offered semester-by-semester, and MSS students earn compensation for their roles as TAs. MSS students can apply for TA positions through the TA interest surveys, typically sent out a few weeks before each semester starts.
Numerous MSS students also choose to engage in Research Assistantships for one or more semesters, particularly over the summer. These RAs are arranged through collaboration between mentoring professors and students actively involved in research-related studies.
Application Review
Applications will be reviewed in January and February, and admission decisions are made beginning mid to late February through March. Only complete applications will be reviewed by the MS Admissions Committee. Wait-listed applicants will hear about the final admission decisions by the last week of April.
Requirements
All applicants must satisfy all essential requirements of the Duke Graduate School, including GRE and English language prerequisites. Further information regarding the application process and requirements is available from the Graduate School website above or by mail:
Graduate School Admissions Office
2127 Campus Drive
Duke University
Box 90065
Durham, NC 27708-0065
phone/fax: (919) 684-3913/2277
M.S. applicants should have a solid technical background, which includes:
- Two semesters of an undergraduate, calculus-based probability and mathematical statistics sequence; one course in matrix algebra; one in applied regression analysis; some essential experience with computation and data analysis.
- Prior exposure to formal programming in R or Python is highly desirable
- Exceptional students who may not have this complete list of prerequisites but have compelling applications otherwise may be admitted but will be required to complete additional introductory-level courses.
The department cannot provide admissions counseling, such as advising or assessing an applicant's qualifications, and therefore does not respond to such requests. Applicants must determine eligibility before starting the application.
For answers to other commonly asked questions about admission, please see our M.S. Frequently Asked Questions.