Durham University

Located in North East England, Durham University was founded in 1832 and is the third oldest university in England. It was ranked 5^th in the United Kingdom (UK) by the Times and The Sunday Times University Guide in 2016. Additionally, it makes regular appearances on QS’s list of the World’s Top 100 universities. With its reputation, the university attracts over 4,500 international students from 156 countries every year.

School’s Main Website | International/Exchange Student Website

GPA Requirement

GPA 3.0/4.0

Grades ranging from A levels’ ABB to A*AA , or equivalent. Do check this page for country-specific entry requirements.

Language of Instruction

English

Courses

At Durham University, popular courses include law, medicine and engineering. The full list of courses and more information on it can be found here.

Course Registration Process

Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) processes applications for British universities. The website provides detailed information on the entry requirements for for all programs available at each university. You can apply for up to five universities through this service. Choose a type of course, and then choose colleges you want to apply to. There are no course restrictions for international students.

Once admitted, students register for their modules during summer each year. The academic structure offers quite a bit of flexibility, though there are compulsory core modules for certain courses.

If you are looking to improve your English or meet the English requirements to gain entry to the university, check out the pre-sessional language courses. You can choose to attend the summer programs (4,8, or 12 weeks) or year-long programs. There are support structures in place If you need extra help. For example, you can tap on the one-on-one consultation service to receive help on academic writing. You can find out more here.

Flying Chalks’ tip: Even though it is difficult to gain a place at the university, the courses offered are truly among the best in the UK. Be sure to let your passion for the course shine during your application. It is also an advantage if you can showcase your enthusiasm for extra-curricular activities such as music and sports.

Attendance Policy

Lab sessions, tutorials and seminars are compulsory for all courses. If the particular course has little contact hours, the lectures for the course may be compulsory too. Students that have missed more than 3 compulsory classes without any valid reasons will first get a warning from the department. If this persists, an academic progress notice will be issued and this may eventually result in a suspension if the student is still unable to provide a good reason for his/her absence. 

Campus Map

Access the interactive map here.

Selected Facilities

Colleges

The university is made up of 16 colleges. You will live in these colleges in your first year and there are usually many sports, music and social activities available. Each college is like a community. There are many types of college buildings. Students may find themselves living in castles (University College) or modern buildings that were built less than 10 years ago (Josephine Butler College). You can find out more here!

Gym/Sports Facilities

Most colleges have their own gyms, which are either very cheap, or completely free of charge. There is a main gym at the university sports center which has more equipment compared to those in the colleges. The sports center is where all the university’s sports team train and its facilities include artificial outdoor pitches, an indoor rowing tank, and a sports hall. There is a public swimming pool near the sports center. Click here for more information.

Library

Each college has a library and various study areas. There is also a main university library where most of the books are located. You can find out more here.

Students Union Building

This is located in the middle of the city and it contains many study spaces. It also hosts many entertaining activities in the evenings. Visit this page to see what the Students Union have in store for you!

Central Student Services

The university provides free career consultations to all students, as well as counselling services, VISA support and financial services. Click here for more information.

Food on Campus

The university is located right in the city centre with many food options available. The university has a food catering service called “YUM”. Freshmen who live in student accommodations will have their meals provided for.

Here is a list of other food options available on campus:

Palatine Café and Restaurant offers sandwiches and salads. They also offer breakfast meals until 10.30am on most days.

You can find paninis, soup, salads and pastries at the Chemistry Café

You can find a Starbucks at the Calman Café

Maiden Castle Café serves many international dishes. This is the place to go for a multicultural experience!

Flying Chalks’ recommendation: Grab a hot baguette, side dish and a drink at under £4.00 at the YUM Palatine Café! 

Campus Transportation

Many campus facilities are within walking distances. Some students do choose to cycle even though there are steep hills in the area. There are also regular bus services. The X12 bus runs through Durham town and it connects the dormitories with the lecture sites. Students can travel for free on this bus.

Durham university has a welcoming and diverse community. Do not be put off by size of the city as there is plenty to get involved with as a student. The town is always thriving with activity due to its large student population so there is never a boring moment!

Orientation/Buddy Program

When you arrive at Durham, you will be paired with college parents. They are usually second year students that are also in your course. As such, your buddies can help you with academic matters and help you settle into life at the university. In your first weeks, there will be representatives who would show you around the university and guide you in school matters. You do not have to register for this program as it will be arranged by the college that you are staying in.

The International Students’ Association also arranges many social and cultural events every term. Do follow their Facebook page to receive updates on their events!

Student Clubs

Sports Clubs

Sports Clubs are very popular in Durham. Each college has multiple teams for each sport and these teams take part in inter-college competitions. The most popular sports are football, netball and rugby. Team Durham is the official university team. It is very competitive and its athletes train intensively to compete against teams from other universities.

Theatre & Drama

Durham has many high quality theatre and drama groups. Some student groups even perform at local theatres. Groups such as DULOG also go on performance tours abroad.

Music

There is a big music scene at Durham, and there are groups from different musical genres. You have acapella groups, orchestras, opera troupes and more! They often gift the public with alluring music at the market square, the stunning cathedral, and the Hogwarts-esque hall of Durham Castle.

Societies and Interest Groups

There are societies for most of the courses available at Durham university. There are also societies that provide support to international students. Additionally, there are some interesting interest groups that you can join! Whatever your passion, there is definitely an interest group for you at Durham university. Joining these groups is a great way to learn about British culture. Find out more here.

Fundraising

There are two main fundraising clubs at Durham university. DUCK holds various events throughout the year to fund their charitable projects abroad. Student Community Action (SCA) runs many projects that students can volunteer for, from dog walking to helping disadvantaged kids. Find out more here and here.

University Events

Freshers Week

There are many events organized in Freshers week to help new students get used to life at Durham. Examples include the massive DSU Freshers Fair and the Experience Durham fair. This is the perfect opportunity to find out about the university and register your interest for certain societies. Additionally, every college organizes events to introduce you to your fellow students. You can look forward to making many new friends in this week.

Post Exams

There are 3 weeks of free time once summer exams end in June. There are many student activities taking place during this period and you should take the chance to have fun with your friends!

College Days

Each college has its own “day”, where students take part in college traditions and mass singing sessions. Drinking is also a common part of college day. Students are usually very proud of the college they belong to and would proudly showcase their love for the college on this day!

Balls

Every college would usually organize a ball. This is a chance to dress up and let your hair down. You can also look forward to balls organized by academic, sports and music societies.

Flying Chalks’ tip: Your college’s website or Facebook page is the best place to find about the latest event. You will get weekly newsletters from your college once you are enrolled. These newsletters will give you information on extra lectures, formals, bar nights and any other events. 

Durham is a small city with beautiful historic buildings. There are many shops, cafes and bars catered to the large student population. There is also a lot of parkland, woods and riverside walks. A short train ride will get you to Newcastle, one of Northern England’s biggest cities. Other interesting places close to the city include the Durham Dales, Seaham beach, North Shields beach and the stunning Alnwick Castle.

For Food

There are many Italian restaurants in Durham where the student favorite would be La Spaghetatta.

Flying Chalks’ recommendations:

• The “Library” (a pub) is good for cheap burgers.
• Head to 9 Altars Café for a traditional British afternoon tea while appreciating the beautiful river.
• You should definitely attend college formals! You get to feast on a three-course meal while observing college traditions. They are really worth it and are quintessential experiences for any student at Durham.

For Nightlife and Entertainment

College bars are the best places to go to in the evening. The drinks are cheap and you will always see your schoolmates there.

Flying Chalks’ recommendations:

• In town, the popular bars are The Swan and Three Signets, The Shakespeare and the Market Tavern.
• If you like to club, Klute is a favorite among students as it plays a variety of retro-pop music. Wetherspoons and Loveshack clubs are also popular on Wednesday nights.

For daily necessities and groceries

There are small supermarkets in the city center, with the largest being Tesco. Tesco Metro opens from 8am – 10pm on Mon – Sat and 10am – 4.30pm on Sundays. North Road offers fruit and vegetables that are a lot cheaper than large supermarkets. Do visit Superdrug or Savers to save money on your toiletries.

For Shopping

New Look is a popular clothes shop which even offers a student discount. H&M is another high-street staple that is located in the city centre. There is a selection of second-hand shops for those on a tight budget. Poundland is a student favorite as all the items inside are £1!

The closest airport is Newcastle. There are many taxi services to and fro. Prices start from £29 each way and the journey takes 30 minutes. Students often share taxis to the airport at the end of term, making it cheaper.

If you want to get from Heathrow Airport to London, take the train and then transfer to the tube. The train journey takes 15 minutes. After that, take the tube to Kings Cross (bring minimal luggage as it is often crowded!). The train from Kings’ Cross to London takes 2 hours and is about £30, depending on how early you book your tickets.

Flying Chalks tip: Get a 16-25 rail card, which gives you 30% discounts on rail travel!