Childcare Subsidy

Eligibility

• You must be a full-time Ph.D. student at Duke University in good academic standing.
• The award ends when university affiliation ends or when the student drops below full-time enrollment.
• The Childcare Subsidy will be awarded a maximum of five years. Special exceptions may be considered on a case-by-case basis.
• To be eligible, the child or children must not have reached the age when they can enter kindergarten, according to the NCDoJ requirements.

Additional Information

Childcare Requirements

The subsidized childcare is expected to meet a specific standard of care. This will subsidize your child’s enrollment at a childcare center or a family childcare home. The facility must be rated at the three-, four-, or five-star level by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (check a facility’s star level), or be accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. (In light of current challenges regarding childcare options, The Graduate School is willing to consider special exceptions to the star-rating requirement on a case-by-case basis. Please contact grad-childcare@duke.edu for questions.)

Allocation

The subsidy will be allocated by The Graduate School according to financial need. Your income will be determined by your gross family income, including any child support payments.

A significant change in family income during the year will affect the subsidy amount. This would occur, for example, when a spouse who formerly did not work starts a new job or a working parent receives a significant salary increase. Parents are required to immediately notify grad-childcare@duke.edu should family income change so that the amount of subsidy can be re-evaluated and adjusted as required.

allowable amounts

Income scales below are represented by household gross income. 

How to Apply

1. Submit an online application at the link below.
2. Applications will be reviewed once all additional documents have been submitted. 
   1. Please note that applications are reviewed only once both the application form and all required supporting documentation have been received. Applications are reviewed in the order they become complete.
3. The committee will continue to make awards until all funds for the 2026-2027 Academic Year have been depleted. 
4. You should anticipate to hear back about your applications within two (2) weeks of your completed submission.
5. If an application is funded, funds will be disbursed in early July for the 2026-2027 Academic Year. 
    

Your application should include:

• Federal income tax statement for the previous year (e.g., the 2024 tax statement if you are applying for the subsidy in 2025). If you are an international student who will not pay taxes, you must submit copies of bank statements and of home-country scholarship or support that they provided to Visa Services). Please white-out social security numbers on tax form(s) if you plan to email your application.
• Financial aid letter for the current academic year. A letter from a department official, such as the director of graduate study, detailing stipend and fellowship support will serve this purpose.
• Verification of enrollment for the daycare facility, 

Note: On the application form, report family base salaries only, or earnings if self-employed. The amount should exclude any variable compensation such as overtime, bonus, or profit-sharing payments. Please be sure to note monies you pay directly for tuition and fees, especially if that money is included in your stipend or fellowship paycheck, in the application. These monies will then not be included by the committee in determining net income.

All financial information reported will be kept confidential.