Duke University in Durham, N.C., traces its origins to 1838, when Methodist and Quaker families in rural Randolph County employed Brantley York as a permanent teacher for their subscription school. Under his leadership, the infrequently-used Brown's Schoolhouse became Union Institute.
Duke embraces openness in the pursuit of knowledge and welcomes intellectually restless students who use their talents to put ideas to the test. We view education not only as a gateway to personal development, but also as a pathway for improving society.
At Duke, research isn’t just for upperclassmen majoring in science, but a way of learning that begins with students’ first year on campus and continues throughout their college experience. More than half of our undergraduates complete faculty-mentored research projects, working with professors from every department across campus.
Duke University Office of the University Registrar's mission is to facilitate the educational process by assisting students, faculty, and staff by providing a welcoming and encouraging service environment, in person and via other modes of contact. The Office of the University Registrar supports the overall educational goals of the university by providing these critical components in the academic support structure. We act as a "behind the scenes" facilitator for faculty, students, and staff as they pursue the academic goals of the university.
Housing and Residence Life (HRL) manages all aspects of the university’s three-year undergraduate residency requirement. Residential programs are designed to build positive communities that value learning, create new opportunities for faculty engagement, and generate positive social connections. HRL, student residents, and others in the Duke community develop and maintain environments that support classroom learning and stir students to seek learning opportunities in the world around them.
The William R. Perkins Library, Bostock Library and Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library comprise the main West Campus library complex, which is joined by Lilly and Music libraries on East Campus, the Pearse Memorial Library at the Duke Marine Lab and the separately administered libraries serving the schools of Business, Divinity, Law and Medicine.
Duke Student Wellness provides all students with exceptional care and coaching, guiding proactive wellness choices, assisting with health needs, and supporting the path to greater personal success and happiness—all from caring practitioners who understand the unique identities, values and needs of our students.
Living on campus is more than a room and a bed - it’s where you meet people from all over the world and learn something new about yourself and others. At Duke, you are part of an open community that will shape your college experience. Our residential houses create unique connections. RAs, GAs, FACs and FIRs are here to help you find your niche and settle in. It won’t take long for you to discover that sweet place to hang out and start those late night conversations and common room chats that will stay with you forever.
Duke University is committed to excellence in athletics as part of a larger commitment to excellence and education. The guiding principle behind Duke’s participation in Division I athletics is our belief in its educational value for our students. Intercollegiate athletics promotes character traits of high value to personal development and success in later life. These include the drive to take one’s talents to the highest level of performance; embracing the discipline needed to reach high standards; learning to work with others as a team in pursuit of a common goal; and adherence to codes of fairness and respect. Athletics also plays an important role in creating a sense of community in the University.
The Division of Student Affairs is critically engaged in all aspects of students’ lives and collaborates with students, faculty, staff, alumni, parents, and many others in the delivery of key services and support to students and all whom the Division serves.Student Affairs provides programs and services that support the optimal growth of Duke students, enhance their intellectual, social, cultural and physical development, and complement Duke’s academic excellence by providing opportunities for students to experience education and explore interests beyond the classroom.
Duke University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award baccalaureate, masters, doctorate, and professional degrees.
Studyportals ranking look at the scores of the most used ranking systems and present you with one number of how well this University performs.
By U.S. News & World Report
Dropped 3 places compared to 2026
Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News & World Report presents all the top universities from the U.S. and 60 other countries around the world. They measure the rate of students going to their second year of studies, as well as the rate of students who graduate. It also asks university representatives on the performance of universities, and evaluates university resources, teacher salaries, graduation rates, student academic achievements and satisfaction. After calculating and comparing these criteria, U.S. News ranks the top international universities accordingly.
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| 26 | 27 | 30 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
By TopUniversities
Dropped 8 places compared to 2026
QS World University Rankings is one of the top international rankings measuring the popularity and performance of universities all over the world. They measure university reputation based on the impressions of higher education experts, companies who hire graduates, and teaching quality. QS also considers the ratio of international teachers and students present at universities, as well as the times research papers were mentioned by researchers. After calculating and comparing these criteria, QS ranks the universities accordingly.
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| 61 | 62 | 70 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
By Times Higher Education
This university doesn’t have a ranking for 2027 yet. Rankings are updated yearly, so check back later for the latest info.
World University Rankings is a vital resource that provides the definitive list of the world's best universities. They look at how often they're producing new ideas, what their reputation is around the world, and how much they're contributing to science and academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, THE ranks the universities accordingly.
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| 27 | 28 | - |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
By Shanghai Jiao Tong University
This university doesn’t have a ranking for 2026 yet. Rankings are updated yearly, so check back later for the latest info.
ARWU World University rankings is the first world university ranking. It ranks the world's top 1000 colleges and universities based on objective indicator. They look at the number of award-winning (Fields Medals and Nobel Prize) scientists who are located there, how much of their research is cited and referenced around the world, and how much they've contributed to different academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, ARWU ranks the universities accordingly.
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 39 | 46 | - |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
Based on 29 reviews
Strong combination of academic and social. The staff is thorough and well-respected. Students are all driven with a wide variety of interests. Campus is very pretty and kept in great condition. There is breadth of options for study and strong support from administration.
Overall, I like my uni. The atmosphere is quite good, and there are enough courses to choose, including some interesting electives.I am a student in the Faculty of Engineering, and most of my teachers are easy to talk to. They also take the course seriously.And you can normally get a grade that matches your work. The main downside for me is the location. Sometimes I have to travel between two cities, and the campuses feel a bit spread out.(Maybe this depends on your subject) .But for me transportation is not always convenient.
Honestly i have not yet started my degree yet but I'm currently in A-level . focusing on my career i love and enjoy learing my subjects . which are mathematics ,biology and chemistry it's not easy but with patience and consistence i know I'm going to make to my career.
The Global Student Satisfaction Awards empower students across the globe to determine the best universities of 2025. Universities with a score above 4.0 (out of 5) in any of the 7 award categories, receive Badges of Excellence. Congratulations!
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