How does financial aid compare between MIT and Duke?

For a U.S. applicant who qualifies for need-based aid, both MIT and Duke commit to meeting 100% of demonstrated financial need, and both provide need-based packages without required student loans. MIT is need-blind for all applicants, including international students, while Duke is need-blind for U.S. citizens and permanent residents but considers financial need when admitting international applicants. MIT also does not award merit scholarships; Duke has a small number of highly competitive merit scholarships separate from need-based aid.

MIT calculates aid individually through its own review of the CSS Profile, tax materials, family assets, and special circumstances. Duke likewise uses institutional need analysis, but its calculation may not match MIT’s. Two schools can both meet “full need” yet reach different results because each determines what a family can contribute, including how it treats assets, home equity, business ownership, or noncustodial-parent finances. Duke’s no-loan policy means its need-based aid is designed around grants and an expected student contribution rather than federal loans.

The practical comparison is not the published sticker price but each school’s net price calculator. Run both calculators using the same current income, asset, and household information, then compare the estimated parent contribution and any expected work or summer earnings. For an international applicant needing substantial aid, MIT offers a significant admissions advantage because requesting aid does not affect admission there.