Starting postgraduate studies can feel like diving into the unknown. I still remember the nerves I had when I first began, which is why I eagerly jumped at the opportunity to become a university ambassador. I wanted to help others navigate this transition and find their footing.
Being an ambassador has been an incredible experience. It’s allowed me to connect with potential students, whether I’m guiding them around campus, sharing what life at Durham is really like during open days, or answering their burning questions in online Q&A sessions.
Exploring the city, campus, and colleges
One of the best parts of being an ambassador is leading tours during open days. I get to show off the city, the campus, and the colleges—essentially all the places that make studying here such a unique experience.
Interestingly, I’ve also used this role as an opportunity to explore the city more myself. Leading these tours has taught me more than I ever expected—I’ve learned fascinating details about the history of buildings and the stories behind various landmarks. It’s a win-win for everyone, as we all get to uncover more of what makes this beautiful, historic city so special.
Connecting through online Q&A sessions
Not everyone can make it to campus, especially those who are halfway across the world or balancing a full-time job. That’s where online Q&A sessions come in.
These are some of my favourite events to host because they allow me to connect with students in a more personal way. It’s like having a friendly chat—students can ask anything on their minds, from how the course is structured to what it’s really like living away from home. We cover from academic side of things, like what the workload is actually like, to the practical stuff, like finding accommodation and getting involved in campus life.
Other opportunities
I’ve also had the chance to take on various other interesting roles, such as:
Open Days and Post-offer Visit Days: Presenting, guiding, staffing stands—basically, anything that helps showcase what our university has to offer.
Recruitment Events: Assisting in key moments like Confirmation and Clearing.
Balancing study with part time work
This is a casual job, so I can sign up for events whenever I have the time, and I can skip them when I’m too busy. There’s no pressure, just the flexibility to get involved when it suits me.
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Find out more about part time work at Durham university in Mia’s video
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As I live in Newcastle, and commute to the university, I wake up a bit earlier than the rest of my classmates. I don’t mind the commute, as the walk from Durham Railway Station to the School of Education is beautiful, and it helps me get my steps in! In the early hours, when the city is still fairly empty, I really appreciate Durham’s beauty, and how lucky I am. I’ll make sure to pack a tea or coffee with me, to keep me warm on my walk. Sometimes I review my seminar notes on the train, just to feel extra prepared.
Morning: Lecture and study time
My first class of the day is a lecture for my core module, Design and Methods in Education. This module has really given me the confidence to prepare me for my dissertation, as all the examples and practices we speak about are highly relevant. It also helped me brushed up on some of my research design skills, that I haven’t used as much since my undergrad.
Once the lecture is over, I either see if there are any empty classrooms in the School of Education where I could work, or head to the Teaching & Learning Centre just across the road. I really like studying up on the top floor in the individual study pods… plus the hot water tap is another bonus. I’ll either do the seminar reading in preparation for my next class, or work on any assignments coming up.
Sometimes my friends and I stick together after the lecture and have a group study session. It’s always nice to speak to other people about the work you’re doing and share progress. Likewise, our lecturer is always happy to take any questions after the session, so it’s a nice opportunity to have a smaller group of people speaking to him.
Afternoon: Lunch and stroll
Once I met my goals and feel happy with the progress I made, I pack up my things. Depending on how I’m feeling, I sometimes get lunch from Zing Kitchen, located in the Teaching & Learning Centre. They serve hot meals, with some of the best jacket potatoes I’ve ever had. I also love the mac and cheese from there.
After lunch I’ll slowly head back to the station, but I often enjoy taking a longer route along the River Wear to clear my mind and disconnect. I find that after looking at a screen for too long, my brain gets fuzzy, so taking a moment to just enjoy the surrounding really helps.
A stroll by the river
Evening: Home and logging out
As I live in Newcastle, I will head back home around 4/5pm to unwind for the day and prepare myself for the next. I check my calendar to see what classes I may have the following day and make sure I have the right books ready to go. I prefer doing everything the night before and having more time to sleep in. I’ll open my laptop again to see if there are any emails/notifications, before logging out of “school mode” for the evening. I love cooking with my sister and just chatting to her about my day, what I did at uni, and how her day was.
I am very lucky, as Durham University allowed me to transfer half of my module credits from my PGCE towards my MA. Therefore, I don’t have to redo the credits that I completed last year. It definitely helps with the workload, and it allows me to work as a supply-teacher part-time. Regardless of this, the flexibility of the MA program lets me manage my time effectively, and I’m able to balance both my studies and personal life.
Final thoughts
I would suggest you definitely get into a routine and try to stick to it. It is so rewarding seeing the progress you make into your studies, but like they say, nothing good comes too easy! Make sure you follow your schedule, connect with your peers and teachers, and most of all, enjoy it all!
If you’re reading this, then it’s possible that you’re considering studying Philosophy and Theology at Durham! I hope that this ‘day in the life’ can help paint a picture of what your life could look like this time next year!
A typical day
On a normal day, I would have around 2-3 ‘contact’ hours (whereby I attend in-person lectures and seminars). Thus, my day begins with a Picnic Basket coffee (the absolute best coffee place, in my humble opinion), and a scenic walk either through the city centre or along the river to my classes.
Doing a joint honours degree means that your time will be split across two departments. This allows you to become well acquainted with lots of beautiful study spaces in Durham. For me, most of my theology classes take place around Palace Green, whereas my philosophy classes will occur around Elvet Riverside. It is wonderful to be able to experience so many facets of the teaching in Durham as a result of being split across departments.
After completing my in-person teaching for the day, I will use the rest of my day to plough through my to-do list – the contents of which vary. It usually entails some seminar preparation for the rest of the week (reading and preparing questions), as well as getting ahead of any formative/summative essays! This could involve reading, planning, or drafting, depending on where I’m at! My favourite place to carry out these tasks is the Student Union building on New Elvet. It’s a wonderfully relaxed environment, which best facilitates productivity for me the environment encourages collaborative work which is perfect for discussing ideas.
Studying outside at the Student Union Visiting the theatre in Newcastle
Tailoring your degree to you
You will notice that much of this ‘day in the life’ is somewhat vague insofar as the logistics of the course are concerned. This is because a joint honours degree will look different for everybody! I have chosen modules which focus heavily on the intersection between philosophy and theology, with a specific focus on ethical studies. Many of my peers have opted for modules which instead focus on the more sociological elements of religion. Some people prefer the more hypothetical metaphysics. The modules you choose will ultimately shape the experiences you have in the department – this is absolutely my favourite thing about studying this degree. My experience is totally unique to me, just as yours will be to you.
Evenings as a philosophy and theology student
Being given the opportunity for independent work during the daytime means that it is incredibly feasible to keep evenings totally free from work! I love to use my evenings to see friends, visit the theatre in Newcastle, cook yummy food, engage in various societies, and speak to my family and friends on FaceTime. Having my evenings free is super important to me, and I love that the flexibility of my degree allows this!
Concluding
There you have it! A typical day in my life as a philosophy and theology student here at Durham. I hope that this little insight painted a clear picture for you – a picture of pretty study spots, interesting lectures, and lots of flexibility!
My first year at Durham University has been filled with making memories, support and overall a very positive experience. I applied through clearing after there was a mistake with my initial results and the support at the university was incredible and welcoming: I made the right decision coming to this university.
I was initially disappointed about not going straight into first year of law at Durham but the foundation year has been amazing where I have made great friends, learnt a lot about myself and what I want to get out of my degree and best of all the foundation programme gave me the opportunity to travel to the Czech Republic as part of the course to partake in a poster conference to present my research: a unique opportunity that has been a highlight of the year. All the staff around campus have been supportive with them genuinely wanting the best for you at university, if you ever need advice or guidance about anything minor or major there is always someone available.
Coming from a small mining town I was curious as to what student life at Durham would be like and during the year there have been many opportunities to get involved within the university from college fashion shows, sports, volunteering, and college balls or celebration days making it a great atmosphere.
I participate in three Team Durham sports, five societies, and also I’m a student ambassador. I hope to get more involved in volunteering and I am going on an internship to Fiji supplied by the university next summer! One of my favourite things about the university is how it feels like a community and you can walk into the city centre and be bound to see a few familiar faces in Tesco or queuing for Flat White Kitchen. There are some traditional Durham Uni things like the purple quarter zips, the DU nicknames and the collegiate settings that I miss when going home. Honestly, I could not recommend this university enough, it is not just about getting a degree at the end of it here but about making lifelong friendships and accomplishments. My only wish was that the first year had not gone by so quick!
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The period after exams is easily my favourite time of year in Durham. Not only is there more time to chill, but the sun is shining and there are so many events and celebrations! Societies usually pick back up again, after a quieter period for revision and exams, so it can be nice to catch up with people again and get back to rehearsals and training.
College Day
In St. Mary’s, our college day falls after exams. It’s essentially a huge celebration of college with all your college friends. It functions like a mini festival, with food, rides, games and music throughout the day. Last year, we had a Take That and Taylor Swift tribute act playing late into the night. There was an insane downpour of rain and we all stayed outside with our ponchos having so much fun. Other colleges have their celebrations on different days throughout the year, but at Mary’s it’s something we look forward to after exam season.
Summer Ball
Yet another huge event in the college calendar, summer ball is not one to miss! Each college has their own ball, unique to them in some way. St Mary’s summer ball promises an evening of great food and drink, rides, live music and entertainment, and some core Durham memories. It’s a great excuse to get glam and feel fancy for an evening – many Facebook profile pictures arise from a summer ball photoshoot. There is a tradition at Mary’s that, after the ball has ended, we watch the sunrise over Observatory Hill. This is followed by a ‘survivor’s breakfast’ for those who make it through the whole night. I can specifically remember eating my survivor’s breakfast and then heading up to bed, not to resurface until 6pm. Summer ball is truly not one to miss, and I am eagerly awaiting this years!
Festival of Sport
The festival of sport is like the ultimate sports day. All the colleges get involved and compete against each other in basically every sport. As a theatre kid, I lack the qualifications to speak on this in depth but I can vouch for the fact that it’s fun to watch! There is a really friendly atmosphere, food vans and lots to take part in or watch. A bit of friendly college rivalry is healthy for us all.
Rowing
The warm weather makes for ideal rowing conditions after exams. You can hire traditional wooden rowing boats for a more casual experience, or if you are a keen rower, of course there are the University and college rowing teams. The Durham Regatta also takes place this time of year, in early June. Once again, I am not the sporty type – but it’s fun to watch!
Durham Regatta
Societies
During exams, societies usually slow down a little bit because everyone is studying. Theatre productions and shows come to a halt for those weeks and sports teams will train less or not at all. Once exams are over, it’s back to business and you can be as busy as you want to be. Last year, I took part in a 48 hour musical where we only had 2 days to audition, rehearse and perform. I played Gabriella in High School Musical and we raised lots of money for charity. This year, the theatre company that I am Vice President and Treasurer of is going to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival! I am so excited for those that are going and I’m sure they will do so well.
Chilling out
Whilst there are many events on offer, it is also important to take this time to relax and enjoy the lesser workload. You’re only a student for so long, and soon will come the time where ‘summer holidays’ don’t exist. It can be nice to wake up a little later, lay in a bit longer and just spend the day doing absolutely nothing. I like to take up a few more shifts at work now that I have more time and make a huge effort to spend time with friends. One of our favourite places to chill is the racecourse along the riverside. It’s also great to take this opportunity to go on day trips to Newcastle or Seaham, for example. My college is also offering free enrichment trips to Beamish and Whitby which should be fun!
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Hi, I’m Isabel a 3rd year student studying an integrated masters in Earth Sciences. For me sport is what has shaped my past 3 years at Durham university – from being captain of Collingwood Women’s football team, competing for Collingwood squash and rounders, to representing the university in touch rugby and Women’s football.
Why embrace sport at university?
Sport for me is one of the key reasons I love being a student at Durham. The opportunity to engage in a variety of sports activities—from playing football eight times a week, to bi-weekly squash and touch rugby, and even trying out lacrosse, ultimate frisbee, and mixed netball. Beyond just playing, sport has been where I have found my people; it’s how I’ve made most of my friends outside my course.
Durham university has two levels of sport, offering a vibrant and varied sporting environment no matter your level of expertise. From college sport where you have friendly intercollegiate leagues and cups that run throughout the year, to Durham university(‘DU’) sport where you get to travel the country on a BUCS Wednesday representing Durham against other Universities.
What’s unique about college sport at Durham?
As a student from Collingwood College, the array of sports and teams is staggering. Did you know that Collingwood College Football Club is the largest amateur football club in Europe, with 18 football teams (16 men’s and 2 women’s)? That’s not to mention the 9 netball teams, 5 hockey teams, and teams for squash, cheerleading, dance, and cricket, among others. Whether you’re into football, netball, rowing, or something a bit more niche, there’s likely a team waiting for you. As well as regular weekly fixtures, college teams also participate in Varsity weekends— fun and friendly competitions against other colleges, and universities such as York and Loughborough, which are always a fun day out with friends, filled with a bit of sport rivalry!
Collingwood squash
Exploring Durham University (DU) sports
In 2023, Durham was named Sports University of the Year by The Times, a testament to our strong sports culture, which has consistently placed us in the top three of the BUCS table since 2012. But it’s not just about the statistics – DU Sports caters from beginners to international-level athletes with professional support from sports psychologists, nutritionists, and regular strength and conditioning sessions at our state-of-the-art sports performance hub. I always say that being part of Team Durham makes me feel like being a professional athlete, a unique experience that complements my academic journey at Durham.
Sports: Not the only way to get involved
While sports have been my go-to for socialising and staying active, Durham offers a range of other ways to engage with campus life, from theatre and music to various societies and leadership roles. My advice to you? Don’t hesitate to step out of your comfort zone. The experiences that initially seemed daunting have turned out to be the most rewarding parts of my university life.
To summarise my waffle: whether you’re a seasoned athlete or someone looking to try something new, the sports scene at Durham offers something for everyone. It’s more than just games and competitions; it’s about building friendships, developing skills, and making unforgettable memories. So, why not give it a try? You might just find your passion or a new circle of friends waiting to welcome you.
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College level sport at Durham allows students to get involved with sport at university at a more relaxed and less competitive level and often allows students to learn a sport from scratch. If college sport is something you want to get involved in, it’s important to consider the different sports facilities at different colleges.
Bailey colleges
The Bailey colleges are the older colleges at Durham, located in old townhouses (and a Castle!). This means that space is often limited. That doesn’t mean that students here don’t get involved with sport though. In fact, Hatfield and Castle have a dedicated day where they compete against each other in different sports! Many of the colleges will head over to the Maiden Castle fields (Sport & Wellbeing Park) to play sports like lacrosse, rugby, football and more! Indoor sports like badminton and volleyball are played inside Maiden Castle. The Sports & Wellbeing Park is only about a 15-minute walk from the Bailey, meaning if you want to get involved, the travel isn’t very strenuous. Other sports such as cheer vary from college to college, but a few of the Bailey cheer teams practice in the Hild Bede JCR. The intercollegiate cheer competition is still at Maiden Castle though.
Hill colleges
Hill colleges were founded later and so have a lot more space than Bailey colleges. Colleges such as Grey and Collingwood both have tennis courts for college use. While Mary’s and Stephenson have dedicated outdoor sports areas. Some sports at the hill colleges may still happen at Maiden Castle, especially if there are intercollegiate competitions. For example, floodlit matches, which are attended by the colleges competing, are also often held at Maiden Castle.
Which is better?
Even though hill colleges do have more on site sport facilities, the facilities used by the Bailey colleges are not far away and most people who engage in college sport will likely visit Maiden Castle at some point due to the intercollegiate competitions at Durham.
Most of the sports offered at colleges will also be the same, but it is worth looking at what is offered at each college if there is something specific you’re interested in. For example, Castle did not have a cheer team until this year!
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This diary begins on the Newcastle to Amsterdam ferry, where I am writing in our rather small cabin on the sixth deck. Having never been on an overnight ferry before, I must admit that the idea of sleeping in a small cabin whilst rocking on the water does feel a bit strange. However, I have come prepared with my sea sickness tablets, which seemed to have worked well so far, albeit the North Sea does seem fairly calm this evening. Most of our group seemed to have enjoyed the buffet on board the ferry, with plenty of options and different cuisines available. A particular highlight was the soft-serve ice cream that was available as a dessert – definitely pick vanilla over strawberry next time! The sea is fairly calm and I’m hoping I can get a good night’s sleep.
Friday
Today was jam-packed with activities! After waking up, my first realisation was that the sea was much choppier than the night before. After a hearty breakfast on board the ferry (with particularly nice bread!), accompanied by an extra sea sickness tablet, we finally arrived in Ijmuiden. Our coach met us at the ferry terminal, where we immediately made our way to the University of Technology at Delft. Here we visited the Green Village, where our guide talked us through the various innovations that had been developed for home and work spaces. However, for me, the highlight of the day was visiting the Port of Rotterdam, where we were taken on a tour of the port by boat. Our guide gave us information about the port and the functions of its different areas and was particularly useful in pointing out where the Porthos off-shore Carbon Capture Storage (CCS) project was located. A surprising sight at the port was the impressive HMS Prince of Wales aircraft carrier that was briefly visiting having come back from NATO exercises earlier in the month. After an exhausting day of events, we checked into our hostel, which had a quirky exterior design of yellow cubes tilting at different angles! The evening allowed us to explore the city somewhat, and a group settled for a pint (well, 500ml) of beer at one of the city centre’s many bars.
Our cabin on the ferryPort of Rotterdam
Saturday
Our second day in Rotterdam began with a speedy breakfast as we dashed quickly off to the city’s unique mode of transport, the water taxi’s. These small yellow boats were really convenient at getting us right to the city centre, where we would meet our architect guide. During our tour we learnt more about the rather wacky architecture of the city, such as the Lego-esque De Rotterdam skyscrapers. Most of Rotterdam’s old historic centre was completely decimated by bombing during World War II, except for the Art Noveau Hotel New York, that once served as the departure point for Dutch emigrants heading to America. In my personal opinion, I haven’t been particularly fond of either the post-war brutalism nor the contemporary high-rises that make-up much of the city’s centre. Following our tour, we headed to the Maker’s District, where we given a talk by the volunteers at the Floating Farm, a self-sufficient farm built and floating on water that housed over 30 cattle at our time of visiting. Whilst it was an interesting concept, it did slightly feel like “tech for tech’s sake”, and some of our group questioned the ethics of housing over 30 cattle on a small grid beside the Port of Rotterdam. After a long-day, I went out for a bite to eat at one of the local burger restaurants, before settling down for the evening.
The floating farmThe famous “De Rotterdam” buildingA strange-looking building next to the Rotterdam architecture museum
Sunday
The day started more relaxed than the previous one as we headed leisurely towards Rotterdam’s architecture museum. The museum had a particularly interesting exhibition on Netherlands’ spatial planning, in which it displayed infographics of the past, present, and future plans for the Netherlands by architects and the government. In the afternoon, we split off into our project groups, with our group heading back to the central library right beside our hostel. With an interview with Porthos coming up the next day, we planned our line of questioning and divided responsibility for note-taking/asking questions. In the evening, we received a fascinating talk from an employee of Solar World, a company that provided small-scale solar energy solutions to neighbourhoods in Malawi and other African countries.
Monday
After an early breakfast at the hostel, we took a coach to TomatoWorld, a greenhouse and information centre funded by multiple different companies that develops innovative technology in the greenhouse tomato-growing sector. Entering the greenhouse was exactly like the feeling you get when stepping off a plane in a warm country, the temperature had risen about 10C to 15C! A particularly fascinating fact about TomatoWorld was that they utilised CO2 captured by industries in the Port of Rotterdam and fed it through pipes into the greenhouse to help the tomatoes grow. Following our tour at TomatoWorld, we briefly headed to the Innovation Dock, an old warehouse that was home to numerous projects, many of which were being carried out by students. However, our group left the warehouse early, as we needed to head on the metro across town to Porthos’ office in the north east of the city. We met our interviewees at Porthos, who spoke perfect English like everyone else in the Netherlands. They gave our group enlightening information about the role of CCS in the Netherlands’ energy and how the Porthos project came about. With our data gathered successfully, our group headed out to a pizza restaurant in Rotterdam to celebrate our findings.
Tuesday
After a hectic few days, today has been fairly chilled by comparison. Following a slow start, our group met downstairs in the hostel’s common area, which had plenty of workspaces. We started work on our presentation, designing the PowerPoint slides and writing scripts for the sections we had assigned ourselves. Some good news came at around lunchtime, as another company involved in the Porthos project, EBN, came back to us and said that they were available for an interview tomorrow. As their head office was in Utrecht, it meant seeing another city in the Netherlands! Our group had been slightly envious of the two groups studying urban mobilities, who had been to both Amsterdam and Utrecht in the last few days – but at least now we can also see a bit more of the country!
Wednesday
This morning we headed off on a train to Utrecht for our interview with EBN. Utrecht Central station was massive and really easy to navigate, and luckily EBN’s office was really nearby. Our interviewee was directly associated with the Porthos project and was particularly knowledgeable on the risks associated with the project and the technicalities of CCS. After our interview, we were able to explore Utrecht a bit more and find somewhere for lunch. The city was strikingly beautiful – with narrow streets and much more traditionally Dutch architecture. We found a really good Italian sandwich place selling huge cheese, salami and veg sandwiches for just €4! In the afternoon, we went to the university’s library, which we were able to enter as students. Something that I found very interesting was the amount of English being spoken by other students who were presumably studying at Utrecht University! We headed back to Rotterdam just before dinner, and as of the time of writing, have spent the evening working on the last touches of our presentation!
A great day spent in Utrecht
Thursday
Our last day in the Netherlands! We headed this morning to where it all started, Delft, where we had booked a private room in a co-working space to conduct our presentations. We were up second, and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a little nervous. However, our preparation from the last few days paid off massively, as we all finished thinking it had gone really well. I was impressed by the effort put in by the other groups as well, and particularly the clear and professional design of their PowerPoint slides. With the assessment out the way, we had a quick lunch at the co-working space, headed into Delft (another city with great architecture) for some snacks for the ferry and got on our coach back to IJmuiden. Although I was looking forward to getting back for some rest after a jam-packed trip in the Netherlands, I have to say that overall, the trip was great fun and I really enjoyed working with my team on our CCS project.
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See highlights from the field trip to Rotterdam here
I did my undergraduate in law back in India, and criminology was one of the subjects I found most interesting, which is why I chose to do an MSc in Criminology and Criminal Justice. I chose Durham University because it was one of the best universities for criminology in the UK. Also, what interested me was the way the course and specific modules were structured.
A change of pace
Although I was initially uneasy moving from a big city to a tiny, quiet town like Durham, I now find a change of pace to be quite lovely. Since then, I’ve grown to like taking leisurely strolls to and from classes while simply taking in the scenery which is also a bit refreshing. I was halfway through my first term when I finally got used to being on my own, acclimated to the temperature, and started interacting with people.
A different academic system
I found it a bit tough to adjust to the academic system at first because it is completely different. Here, we don’t have lectures every single day, and the lectures are also more like group discussions, where everyone is open to all sorts of opinions. This made me feel a bit confident in expressing my opinions in front of my peers.
The amount of reading that needed to be done was a bit daunting at first because, during my undergrad, my assessments were completely based on exams, and we didn’t have a dissertation. But here, you need to read articles and journals and provide critiques and arguments for them. I feel this let me delve much deeper into every topic that we studied.
The department
I feel the Sociology department has been very welcoming and supportive of the students, especially international students. They hold an informal social meeting every term where they check up on us and ask us about our experiences. They also make sure we tell them if there is anything they could do for us that they aren’t aware of so we can get the most out of our degree. One of the best aspects of the degree is that the professors are always willing to mentor and assist us, whether it be academically or otherwise.
Workshop at HMP DurhamFinchale PrioryRiver Wear from Kingsgate bridge
My favourite modules
The most interesting modules for me were the placement module and the Prisons, Crime and Justice module. As a part of the placement module, I get to volunteer as a mentor at the Durham Police and Crime Commissioners Office, which I feel gives me a good experience of what it’s like working with people and has also allowed me to make connections in my field. As a part of the Prisons, Crime and Justice module we had a workshop where we held group discussions with the prisoners at HMP Durham. I feel like this would be one of my most memorable experiences during my degree. This module was also a part of why I chose Durham for my master’s program.
College
Being an introvert, the collegiate system here gave me a chance to attend formal dinners and get to know people outside of my academics, making my social life a bit richer. Being away from my parents for the first time was not easy, but my college and the Student Union held a lot of cultural events for international students like me, which made me feel a little less homesick during festivals. Durham has provided me with a positive academic and social experience that I will always cherish.
When applying to Durham, I’m sure most of us were both intrigued and intimidated by the collegiate system. The endless hours spent binge-watching Jack Edwards created an idyllic expectation of the collegiate life. But what is the collegiate system? And how does it actually work?
Durham University is one of the very few UK Universities with a collegiate system, which is what makes us quite special. The collegiate system allows students the opportunity to find a community/family at Durham where they can meet students from all backgrounds, courses and degree levels. It makes the process of transitioning to university much easier as you’re constantly surrounded by people who understand you, and are going through a shared experience.
Which is why it’s important to understand the ins and outs of the collegiate system before diving in to university and college life.
How many colleges are there?
Durham University has 17 colleges all located across the City, the Bailey, and what’s known as the Hill (near main Science Site).
Hatfield {Bailey}
Castle (University College) {Bailey}
St Cuthbert’s Society {Bailey & Old Elvet}
St Chads {Bailey}
St Johns {Bailey}
St Hilde Bede {the main bulding is close to Gilesgate but the college community is moving to a new location in 2024 near the city centre due to refurbishments}
St Aidan’s {Hill}
Grey {Hill}
Trevelyan {Hill}
Ustinov (Postgraduate only college)
South {Hill}
John Snow {Hill}
Van Mildert {Hill}
Stephenson {Hill}
Josephine Butler {Hill}
Collingwood {Hill}
St Marys {Hill}
I’ve done my research, now what do I do?
Whether you’ve attended an open day, spent hours googling and searching social media for all there is to know about each college, the time has come for you to rank your college preferences. Also, the tricky part. Upon receiving an academic offer from Durham, you’ll be asked to rank 16 of the colleges according to your preference (1 as your first, 16 as your last). My biggest advice to incoming students is to take this process seriously, and to rank ALL 16 according to your preference properly and not just the first 3 or 6. Also, to properly do your research, whether that’s attending open days, speaking to ambassadors online or browsing through the social media pages. The most important thing to remember is, college preferences are not 100% guaranteed! The university will do its absolute best to allocate you your top preferred college, but that will not always be the case. Which is why it’s important you rank all colleges properly.
Preliminary allocation, allocation, and reallocation
Understanding the lingo of the collegiate system is integral, it avoids confusion, stress and anxiety during the allocation process. Fear not, I am here to break it down:
Preliminary Allocation- Once you rank all 16 colleges according to preference, you will be entered into the college allocation process, usually beginning in May. And will receive a preliminary allocation until results day. This allocation is NOT your final allocation, and is rather done in preparation for your final allocation.
Final Allocation– Once your place at Durham has been confirmed after results day, you will receive a final allocation. This allocation may be different to your preliminary allocation or for some not, but it is your final and confirmed allocation.
Reallocation– While incredibly stressful and unfortunate for some, reallocations do happen (not always!) when a college becomes oversubscribed, and yes, sometimes you are reallocated a college you were not expecting or to your delight, are reallocated a college you originally ranked higher. However, the University will always try its best to reallocate you to suitable or similar college to your preferences.
The most commonly asked question after preliminary allocation or final allocation is whether you can change your college if you are unhappy with the choice. The answer is situational. If your allocated college cannot provide for your medical or accessibility needs, then a request to change your college can be made. But, if it’s simply you not liking your college, then that is not grounds for a request to change your college and you cannot change your college based on that.
How does the allocation process actually work?
You’re probably wondering, are allocations first serve? Whether you firmed Durham? Well, the answer is quite complicated. The Allocation process takes into account various factors when allocating you a college and is an incredibly complex process and system to understand. Applicants are grouped into two categories:
Applicants who have filled out the preference form, ranking their colleges.
Applicants who have not ranked their college preferences.
Applicants from both categories will go through the allocation process until finally, a preliminary allocation is provided.
The allocation criteria take into consideration the required quota for each course in a college and your college rankings. Meaning, if a college is overly subscribed or you were not allocated your top choice, it probably means they’ve filled the required number of students from that course. You may think these criteria isn’t fair, but, it’s a necessary criterion as it allows for an equal and diverse mix of courses/course levels within each college; which makes the college experience and student life at colleges better for students 😊
What if I don’t get my first choice?!!
Yes, sometimes, you won’t be allocated your first choice, or your second or even 6th. But it’s important to know that whichever college you are allocated, you will end up loving and proudly defending when it comes to college rivalries and debates. Your first choice may be the one you wanted, but your allocated college will end up being the one you needed all along.
You’ll find an amazing community waiting for you at your college, regardless of whether it was your top choice or not, and you’ll have some amazing memories to look back on further down the years after you graduate 😊
Discover more
Find out more about the undergraduate college application process here
