OUSF’s Services

The Office of University Scholars and Fellows’ (OUSF) provides advising and support services for applicants participating in nationally competitive scholarship competitions. The OUSF is open to current Duke students and recent Duke alumni who meet the eligibility requirements. Prospective applicants should carefully read the eligibility criteria for each opportunity prior to starting the application. Affiliates of Duke Kunshan University (DKU) are not eligible to receive assistance from or apply through OUSF and should contact advisors at DKU for scholarship support.

Academic and Disciplinary Standing with Duke

All scholarship applicants must be in good standing—academic and disciplinary—at the time of application, throughout the application review period, for the remainder of time leading up to the start of the scholarship term, and throughout the scholarship term itself. Applicants must sign a waiver to confirm they are aware of OUSF’s policies prior to submitting an application to OUSF or to the scholarship foundation. Applicants are required to notify a Nationally Competitive Scholarships (NCS) advisor and the scholarship foundation of any changes in standing. OUSF may verify an applicant’s standing at Duke and disclose relevant information to scholarship foundation representatives and other Duke faculty and staff as appropriate.

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Ethical Conduct in the Application Process

Students applying for scholarships should consider these fundamental ethical principles during the application development process, in accordance with the Duke Community Standard and Student Conduct:

  • All of the components of the application must be the applicant’s own work. Although it may be wise to solicit insight and feedback from advisors, professors, former scholarship recipients, and peers, applicants should be cautious when considering suggestions from others or examining someone else’s work. Also, some scholarship applications may not allow any feedback from others, so prospective applicants should read the guidelines before soliciting advice.
  • The application must be an honest representation of the candidate. When considering relevant information to include in the application, candidates should be sure to maintain accuracy in the resume/C.V. and essays, including accurate descriptions of roles in organizations, publications and other scholarly or personal attainments, and personal experiences.

Application Deadlines

Deadlines are published on the web page specific to each scholarship and are strictly enforced. As a policy, the OUSF does not accept late applications. Exceptions must be appealed in advance of the deadline and with a written explanation from the applicant.

Unsolicited Material

The OUSF accepts only those materials indicated in the application instructions or on the application submission form. Unsolicited materials will not be accepted.

 

Confidentiality and Public Notifications

All applications for nationally competitive scholarships are submitted in confidence. OUSF will not release applicant information to any source outside of the advising, selection, and interview process. Names of award recipients, however, are considered public knowledge and the recipients will likely be acknowledged in a press release and showcased on OUSF’s website.