There were 80 countries represented in the applicant pool, including Kazakhstan, South Korea, Pakistan, and Ethiopia.

[19] In March 2018, DKU admitted 251 students, or 7.98% of its inaugural applicant pool, a selectivity similar to the 8.3% acceptance rate at Duke University.

[21] International students, including those from the United States, typically submit transcripts, SAT or ACT standardized test scores, and application essays.

[23] A 2017 article in the Financial Times stated that although Duke Kunshan University had signed legally binding agreements with the Education Ministry of China that guaranteed academic freedom on campus, many academics had doubts that the agreements would be upheld.

The campus will become the center of the Duke Creative Park, part of the city's “Five Zones, One Line” plan for urban renewal.

[29] Kunshan's location between Shanghai and Suzhou allows easy access to these major metropolitan centers by highways and high-speed railway.