Welcome to Duke!
From the moment you say "yes" to attending Duke University, New Student and Family Programs is a resource to help students and families transition to campus successfully. Our office remains in communication with students in a number of critical ways:
- The Blue Book
- Summer Transition Series
- Weekly Digests for First-Year and Transfer students
- Social Media
From Experiential Orientation projects, packing lists, move-in day details, and much more, you will find the information you need here to ensure a smooth transition to Duke.
Now what?
Congratulations on your acceptance to Duke University! Regardless of when folks are admitted, Early Decision or Regular Decision, our office's communication will begin in May. Please relax, celebrate, and enjoy the reminder of time before embarking on your Duke journey.
After you accept your offer of admission, you will receive your NetID via email with instructions on how to activate your Duke email. Important summer communication will be sent ONLY to your Duke email address. Questions about your NetID? Contact the Office of Information Technology at 919.684.2200 or visit oit.duke.edu/help.
The Blue Book
One of the most important resources is the Blue Book. The Blue Book outlines critical resources and includes specific deadlines for everything you need to do during the summer before you arrive on campus.
CLASS OF 2030 access your Blue Book here.
Summer Transition Series
Need help determining which classes to register for? Do you want to chat with administrators about the health forms needed before arriving in August? Join us online for opportunities to engage in real-time to answer your pressing questions. Make your transition easy with help from New Student and Family Programs!
The Summer Transition Series will help you:
- INTERACT: Meet influential members of the Duke community.
- COMMUNICATE: Talk directly with “experts” regarding topics that interest YOU.
- CONNECT: Access all sessions conveniently online. It’s as easy as checking your email.
2026 SCHEDULE
See below for registration, content information, and recordings.
MAY 19 at 4:00 PM ET: Join Duke Dining and Housing and Residence Life for Living at Duke (Part 1) . Connect with the Duke Dining and the Housing Assignments teams to learn more about the Dining and Housing application process and have your questions answered. This webinar is geared towards first-year students only.
MAY 26 at 4:00 PM ET: Learn about the registration and advising process directly from Pratt Deans! This webinar is geared towards first-year students only.
JUNE 2 at 5:00 PM ET: Join team members from Student Health, including Immunizations, Health Insurance, and Nutrition. They will answer questions and share insight on what to expect before you arrive and when you are on campus this fall.
JUNE 9 at 4:00 PM ET: First-year students are invited to connect with professional staff from the Academic Advising Center to learn more about advising and registration for Trinity College first-year students.
JUNE 16 at 4:00 PM ET: Interact with staff from DukeCard and the Office of Information Technology/IT Security to learn about essentials of living at Duke.
JUNE 30 at 4:00 PM ET: Learn more about the academic landscape and hear advice on navigating your first year from our Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, Dr. Lee Baker. Whether you're in Trinity or Pratt, this webinar will help you understand the building blocks of the academic experience at Duke, what it means to be at a liberal arts institution, and Duke's commitment to supporting you and fostering your growth.
JULY 14 at 4:00 PM ET: Connect with Prehealth Advisors to get your advising and registration questions answered.
JULY 21 at 4:00 PM ET: Join members of Duke's Wellness teams to learn about holistic wellness services and support at Duke. Experts from the Rec & PE, DuWell, CAPS, and DukeReach teams will share insight into what to expect on campus this fall and answer questions.
JULY 28 at 4:00 PM ET: Join staff from Housing & Residence Life (HRL) and the Office of Student Conduct & Community Standards (OSCCS) to learn about housing policies and how to build a strong community in the residence halls.
AUGUST 4 at 5:00 PM ET: Join members of the New Student and Family Programs team as they answer your final questions for Move-In Day, Experiential Orientation, and your start at Duke.
AUGUST 4 at 6:00 PM ET: Join members of the New Student and Family Programs team as they answer your final questions for Move-In Day, Experiential Orientation, and your start at Duke.
The Duke Common Experience
For 20+ years, incoming Duke students have shared a common summer reading called the Duke Common Experience (DCE). The book is intended to be a common intellectual touchstone for Duke students that sparks engaging conversation in and outside of the classroom and introduces new-to-Duke students to the academic community at Duke.
This initiative is co-sponsored by the Division of Student Affairs and the Office of Undergraduate Education. Units across campus to promote engagement with the text over the summer, host public events discussing the book, and integrate related discussion into the classroom for first-year students.
We’re thrilled to share that this year, the DCE selection is Never Caught by Erica Armstrong Dunbar.
Hard copies of the book will be mailed to all domestic first-year students in the early summer as a welcome gift to Duke. The e-book will be made available to international first-year students in the early summer.
2025: James by Percival Everett
2024: All We Can Save edited by Ayanna Elizabeth Johnson, Katharine K. Wilkinson
2023: The Measure by Nikki Erlick
2022: Point of Reckoning by Theodore Segal
2021: Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
2020: Know My Name by Chanel Miller
2019: There There by Tommy Orange
2018: Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward
2017: The Prince of Los Cocuyos by Richard Blanco
2016: Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
2015: Fun Home by Alison Bechdel
2014: Americanah by Chimamanda Adichie
2013: Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann
2012: State of Wonder by Ann Patchett
2011: Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran
2010: Everything Matters by Ron Currie, Jr.
2009: The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz
2008: What is the What by Dave Eggers
2007: The Best of Enemies by Osha Gray Davidson
2006: My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult
2005: The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
2004: Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder
2003: Savage Inequalities by Jonathan Kozol
2002: The Palace Thief by Ethan Canin