Career Center Professional Development Fund for Graduate and Undergraduate Students

Professional Development Fund

Through the Professional Development Fund, the Duke Career Center provides funding to support or supplement the career development of students with demonstrated financial need.

Eligible Masters & PhD students:

• Are currently enrolled, matriculated, and in good standing at Duke University (good standing applies to academics, conduct and student accounts)
• Can provide documented financial need
• Currently enrolled in the following programs: Duke Graduate School (Master’s and PhD), Pratt School of Engineering (PhD only), Duke Divinity School (Master’s and PhD), Duke Medical School’s Master of Biostatistics and Population Health Sciences programs.
• Unfortunately, professional school students are not eligible at this time.  Graduate students who are enrolled within a professional school (Nicholas, Sanford, Fuqua, Law, Medical) are encouraged to inquire about funding that may be available through their school’s specialized career centers.
• In the pursuit of a professional or internship opportunity; students are no longer eligible once they have accepted an offer from a job/internship opportunity or graduate/professional school

Eligible undergraduate students:

• Are currently enrolled, matriculated, and in good standing at Duke University (good standing applies to academics, conduct and student accounts)
• Receiving need-based financial aid
• Sophomore, Junior, and Senior undergraduate students (First-year undergraduates are not currently eligible for funding)
• In the pursuit of a professional or internship opportunity; students are no longer eligible once they have accepted an offer from a job/internship opportunity or graduate/professional school

Eligible funding purchases: 

Students can apply to receive an award of $250 to support the following career development pursuit:

• Purchase of professional or interview attire
  • Students will be asked to share information for their intended purchases as well as what the attire will be used for
  • Students can only receive funding for professional attire one time during their academic career at Duke. This includes funding through the Duke Career Center, DukeLIFE, and other funding sources designated for the purchase of professional attire
  • Funding may not be applied towards graduation attire, fees relating to graduate school or employment or other purchases outside of the purpose for this program.
• Previously incurred expenses are not eligible. These must be anticipated expenses for future opportunities

Financial need documentation:

• In order to be considered, all applicants are asked to describe their financial circumstances to help the review committee understand their financial needs
• Applications submitted without this documentation will not be considered for funding
• Please note that applicants are not guaranteed funding and that award selections will be conducted by a review committee

Grant amount:

• $250.00

Application deadline:

• Applications are due on the 15th of each month by noon (12:00 PM EST).
• Submissions after the application deadline will be considered for the next review cycle
• Recipients will be notified by email within 7 days of the application deadline passing
• Recipients must complete the required acceptance paperwork within 5 days of award notification
• Awards will be distributed by direct deposit within 4 weeks after completion of payroll paperwork (please note that award dates will follow the university non-compensatory payment schedule)
• Awards will be distributed throughout the academic year or as long as funds remain available

Application process:

• Submit the official application form, including description and documentation of financial need
• Application must be completed in entirety to be considered for funding
• Program contact: Leigh Ann Waring, Duke Career Center (leighann.waring@duke.edu)