How International Students Build a Life in Durham

When Saundarya Pathak arrived in Durham from Delhi to pursue her Master of Engineering Management (MEM) at Duke Engineering, her first concern was practical: stocking her kitchen without access to a car.

“How close are groceries? And is there public transportation to get there?”

For many international students making the leap to a new country, the logistics of daily life can feel just as daunting as the coursework itself. The ability to move around a city independently without a car and without a local network yet built can make or break those first few months.

Luckily, for all Duke students, Durham’s iconic Ninth Street district is just a stone’s throw from East Campus and is accessible by several bus routes. A walkable stretch dotted with locally owned businesses that have resisted the pull of chains and franchises, holding onto a kind of character that can’t be manufactured. Students can handle everything from haircuts and dry cleaning to wash-and-fold laundry and a full grocery run without leaving the neighborhood

“As international students without cars, transportation is really important for us, so Ninth Street is convenient. There’s coffee shops and even Indian restaurants. We love Lime & Lemon—we go there almost every other weekend.”

A restaurant that tastes like home and a street you can navigate on foot has a way of making a new city feel smaller and more manageable. Ninth Street has become exactly that kind of anchor for many Duke students.

“I’m also really into matcha, so I’ve been trying to find good matcha spots, Pathak added. “There’s a place called Moge Tee that has a crème brûlée matcha—it’s amazing.”

Where Campus Becomes a Destination

Duke’s campus boasts its own gem of Durham tourism.

“During warmer days, I like being outside at an open café or in nature,” shared Aarti Jagtap, who graduated with her master’s degree in Engineering Management in December 2025. “I like going to the Duke Gardens where I can sit and do my work.”

The Sarah P. Duke Gardens is a 55-acre botanic garden in the heart of Duke’s campus. Consistently topping the list of local attractions by welcoming more than 600,000 visitors each year, the gardens have five miles of pathways meandering through its historic terraces, native plants, Asiatic arboretum and other green pockets to explore and enjoy.

“I also love going to Duke Gardens with my friends, especially when the weather is nice,” Pathak added.

For students balancing heavy coursework and the pressures of academic life, finding a place that feels restorative rather than just functional matters.

In 2026, Duke Gardens will end construction on the highly-awaited Garden Gateway, which will feature a new welcome center with a café, dedicated visitor lobby, upgraded restroom amenities, gallery space and an outdoor gathering plaza.

“My favorite part of campus is getting to spend time there,” Jagtap said. “Spring is coming soon, so it’s going to be so beautiful.”

“I love that Duke has a real campus. I didn’t like the idea of a university without one,” Pathak said. “Duke is beautiful and surrounded by nature, with trails and green space. The weather is also amazing—especially fall and spring.”

For students coming from cities with intense climates, the mild Carolina seasons, tree-lined quads and unhurried pace of campus life carry real weight.

“We also enjoy going to Wilson Recreation Center,” Pathak added. “There’s so much to do—gym, table tennis, pickleball. Since transportation can be a challenge and we try to save money as students, we look for free activities. Wilson is great for that.”

“Before coming here, I had already made a list of places I wanted to explore in my first two weeks,” Jagtap said. “Even after a year and a half, there are still places on campus that amaze me.”

For graduate students navigating a new city and a demanding program, discovering that campus still holds surprises can make it feel like a place that’s truly theirs.

Building Home Away From Home

For students searching for community and cultural connection, Durham turns out to be surprisingly resourceful.

“Honestly, I can’t pinpoint just one thing that made me feel at home,” Pathak said. “It’s all the small things—the Indian community, Duke Student Affairs, different events—they all make student life easier and help us not feel homesick.”

“Another thing I love about Duke is that even if you’re not part of a specific culture, you still get to celebrate it,” Pathak added. “For Diwali, we had friends from China, South Korea, and other countries join us. And now we celebrate their festivals too. It feels like one big family.”

A Gateway to Professional Opportunity

“The events at Duke have helped me connect with local resources and communities,” Jagtap said. “Through one of those networking events, I came across a startup in Raleigh that helps companies migrate to AWS cloud solutions.”

Jagtap liked the work that they were doing, so she approached them directly—and they happened to have a position open.

“It was easy for me to travel to Raleigh every week, which gave me a stronger position during discussions,” she said. “Being at Duke and being in this area was a big advantage for me.”

That advantage has a name: Research Triangle Park, commonly known as RTP. Located mostly in southern Durham, it is the largest research park in the United States, and home to multiple biotech, technology, and software firms as well as business and startup incubators.

For Jagtap and Pathak, Durham’s varied ecosystem shaped their experience in ways they’re eager to pass on.

Their advice for admitted students considering starting their journey at Duke?

“Master’s programs are short—one or two years—so make the most of the time you’re here,” Jagtap said. “There is so much to do apart from studies that you might miss out on.”

“Another thing is that Durham feels very connected to Duke. Almost everyone you meet is affiliated with the university in some way,” Pathak shared.

“So I would definitely recommend coming here. It’s an amazing place with amazing people.”