Be extraordinary.
Be you.
Your Open Day Guide to Colleges
for Prospective Undergraduates
1

Contents

Be curious.

04

Our extraordinary colleges
The college experience

06

College locations
In the heart of a vibrant city

08

Catered colleges		Collingwood College
Grey College
Hatfield College
St Aidan’s College
St Chad’s College
St John’s College
St Mary’s College
Trevelyan College
Van Mildert College

12

Self-catered colleges
John Snow College
Josephine Butler College
South College
Stephenson College
Ustinov College(Postgraduate only)

14

Mixed-catered collegesCollege of St Hild and St Bede
St Cuthbert’s Society
University College (Castle)

16

Accommodation charges
Costs for 2023/24

16

How to apply
Understanding the process

Be you.

The collegiate system was a big draw
to Durham for me - the idea of having
a ready-made community to come into
made me feel far more comfortablewith making the jump to university!
Eleanor Ivey
Modern Languages

2

3

Our extraordinary
colleges
Our collegiate system makes Durham
exceptional. Here, every student is a proud
member of a college, and every college has
its own character, spirit and traditions. Eachis an inspiring and supportive community.
College life
The colleges are the heart of our extraordinary
wider student experience. In fact, we offer University
accommodation to all first-year undergraduates whomeet the criteria to secure a room, because colleges arewhere Durham’s outstanding student experience begins.

Colleges are close-knit andsupportive communities,
with plenty of great events
to attend and societies tobe a part of!

You will feel at home from the moment you step
through the door. Colleges are like extended families:
safe, supportive, and inclusive. It can be easy to feeloverwhelmed starting university, but in your college,
you’ll be surrounded by friendly faces and you’ll have thechance to get to know all sorts of extraordinary people.

What is college accommodation like?
The rooms and bathrooms will differ depending on thecollege, but all of our bedrooms are equipped with:• A bed, desk, chair, wardrobe and drawers• WiFi access with the ability to create a local wirelessnetwork for your devices• Full catering, part-catering or self-catering
facilities like a shared pantry or kitchen• En-suite or shared bathroom facilities.

The college experience
In your college, you can take part in sport, music, theatre
or volunteering. You can join clubs and societies, enjoysocial events and dinners, and make friends for life. Your
college will be your home from home, the centre of yourlife at Durham and a constant source of opportunities,
challenges and lasting memories.

Every college provides:• A character and spirit all of its own• Sports, clubs, societies and associations• Events and activities• Student Common Rooms• Staff and support close at hand if you need it•	Accommodation within Durham City, either
catered or self-catered

4

Anitej Banerjee
Mathematics• Colleges offer facilities suchas shops, cafes, bars, libraries,
social and study areas, music andperformance spaces, laundrettes,
gyms and outdoor sports areas
depending on college.

Discover new ideas
A Durham education doesn’t stopwith your degree subject. There areopportunities across the University
to engage with ideas and learn
from others. For example, in yourcollege you might discuss themost pressing global issues withinspiring visiting speakers; you
might go along to a dissertation‘open mic’ night where your fellow
students share their research; oryou might edit a student scholarly
journal.
The University’s award-winningmuseums offer awe-inspiringexhibitions, ranging from Ancient
Egypt through medieval Durham
to modern art; and its departments
and research institutes host public
lectures on cutting-edge research.

Student leadership
Every college has arepresentative body withmembership open to all
undergraduate students –this is usually called theJunior Common Room. As amember, you can take part inelected student leadership,organise student-led eventsand engage in local, regionaland global issues.

An inspiring place to live
and learn
In your college, you’ll besurrounded by all sorts ofdifferent people, studying awide range of subjects. So you’llmeet people who share yourinterests, and others who’ll
inspire you to develop new ones.
Each college includes students
from all levels of study, fromnewly arrived undergraduates
to Master’s and PhD students.
They’re strong, supportive,
multi-generational communities.

There are 17 colleges intotal, including Ustinov, ourpostgraduate only college.
Each offers a wide range offacilities for your University life.
That means 17 times as many
opportunities to develop yourteam-working, leadership andproblem-solving skills. And 17
more chances to get involvedin sports, societies, music, arts,
associations, and committees.
No two colleges are the same –their architecture and settings
are as distinct as their histories
and traditions. One thing every
college has in common, however,is its commitment to offering
support, challenge, participation,
teamwork, and leadership
opportunities. All of our colleges
embrace the UN’s 17 Sustainable
Development Goals.
Your college has its own Student
Support Office, acting as a pointof contact for any welfare andpastoral support you might needduring your time here.

A grant of £250 – funded jointly
by the University and an alumni
donation - is paid automaticallyto lower-income students fromthe North-East of England,
and to lower-income students
from the rest of the UK withdisabilities or from Black or
minority ethnic backgrounds,
or who are care leavers, tosupport with the costs of thewider student experience.

A lifelong connection
College membership doesn’t
end at graduation. Our students
often tell us that their college
experience was one of the mostimportant parts of their time at
Durham. Friendships made atcollege often last a lifetime. Manyof our alumni return to share
their skills and experience longafter they have left. Colleges
frequently arrange for current
students to benefit from the
support of alumni through things
like careers advice, scholarships,
mentoring and internships.
5College locations
Our colleges are locatedthroughout Durham City, close
to the main Mountjoy site, theRiver Wear and the city centre.
We sometimes refer to certain
colleges as “Hill colleges”, a groupof colleges just to the south of
Durham City and 5-10 minutes
walk from the main Mountjoy site,
the Bill Bryson Library and the
Teaching and Learning Centre. The
Hill colleges are around a 15-30
minute walk to the city centre.

Map of colleges

Or we have our “Bailey colleges”,
which are located in the historic city
centre of Durham, around the River
Wear peninsula called the Bailey.
Bailey colleges are close to the Elvet
Riverside lecture theatres, Students’
Union, Palace Green and Durham
Cathedral. The main Mountjoy site
is a 10-15 minute walk away.

Scan the QR
code to findout more
about ourcolleges

Durham is a relatively small andcompact city. Each college is withinwalking distance of the city centre,
academic departments, research
institutes and University facilities.

82

36

46

Ustinov College(PG only)

Van Mildert College

University College

Trevelyan College

Stephenson College

St Mary’s College

St John’s College

St Hild & St Bede

St Cuthbert’s Society

St Chad’s College

St Aidan’s College

South College

Josephine
Butler College

John Snow College

Hatfield College

Grey College

Colleges
at aglanceCollingwood College

42

Year offoundation

1972 1959 1846 2001 2006 2020 1947 1904

1858
1839 1909 1899 2001 1966 1832 1965 1965
/88

Self-catered (S)Catered (C),
(Undergraduate)

C

C

C

S

S

S

C

C

CS

CS

C

C

S

C

CS

C

N/A

(Postgraduate)

C

CS

CS

S

S

S

C

CS

S

S

C

CS

S

C

S

C

S

Gowned formal
dinners*

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

No

No

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

No

No

Total number ofstudents livingin (UG & PG)

555

463 400 496

546

496 384 249 468 562**

251

395

433

359

538

524

495

Total number ofundergraduate
rooms

431

318

376

317

165

219

312

238 260 376

N/A

Total numberof postgraduate
rooms

272

350

245

134

301

341**

60

60

50

46

70

80

44

92

144**

39

48

39

48

150

61

48
NEVILLE'S
CROSS

74

51

1312 1069 709 1423 1426

733

1147 1312 1017 1635 1576 1143

Chapel/Multifaith room

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Please note: These figures are correctfor 2023; however, they will be subject
to annual change.

No

Yes

65

72

54
63
60

55

381

Total numberof full time1826 1385 1416 1432 1522
student members

6

47

61

42

58

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

*All colleges have special dinner events
throughout the year called ‘Formals’. Somecolleges practise the long-establishedtradition of wearing gowns at these events.
Others are less formal and do not wear
gowns to dine in.

No

Yes

Yes

No

22

59

No

Use AccessAble to find wheelchairfriendly venues or check out
disabled access and facilities.

55

48

St Cuthbert’s Society(12 South Bailey)

54

82

College of St Hild
& St Bede

42

58

Stephenson
College

61

47

59

51

60

65

72

36

46

63

22

St Cuthbert’s Society(Parsons Field Court)

74

Ustinov College(postgraduate only)

Please note: On both Open Days, due to student activities, the following colleges will be closed to visitors: Josephine Butler College,
St Cuthbert’s Society, the College of St Hild and St Bede, and University College. You can find out more about these colleges by visiting
representatives in the Teaching and Learning Centre. Van Mildert College is only open to visitors on Friday 16th June. They will haverepresentatives available in the Teaching and Learning Centre on Saturday 17th June.

7Catered colleges
Durham has a number ofcolleges where catering isprovided to all students during
undergraduate term time.
On a full catering package you will get
breakfast, lunch and dinner provided
seven days per week during term time.
We provide students with multiple
options and can accommodate a wide
range of dietary requirements.
Our catered colleges are located on the
Bailey/City and on the Hill

Collingwood College
Distance to Mountjoy site: 0.8km (10 mins walk)Distance to city centre: 1.9km (23 mins walk)

Close to Durham’s Botanic Garden,
Collingwood is a large site with lotsof outdoor space to enjoy, including
a large grassy area called “TheMeadow”. Collingwood offers both standard
bedrooms with shared bathrooms, anden-suite bedrooms. Collingwood has awide range of facilities, for those with aninterest in sports, music, the arts and media,
including a theatre, media suite, gym andoutdoor sports facilities. Collingwood also
has a bar, coffee shop and toastie bar.

Grey College
Distance to Mountjoy site: 0.5km (6 mins walk)Distance to city centre: 1.8km (22 mins walk)Grey is situated right next to the main
Mountjoy site in a beautiful landscaped setting.
At Grey there are a number of en-suite rooms,
standard rooms and also shared bedrooms.
Set across four accommodation blocks Grey
offers facilities such as a bar, toastie bar andcollege shop, along with a multi-purpose halland tennis court.

Hill
Total numberof students:
1826

Scan here tofind out more

Hill
Total numberof students:
1385

Scan here tofind out more

8

Please note: All walking times are approximate and based on an average walking speed.

Hatfield College
Distance to Mountjoy site: 0.9km (11 mins walk)Distance to city centre: 0.5km (6 mins walk)

Hatfield is located close to the city centre
and all that it has to offer. Some of Hatfield’s
buildings are historic, listed buildings, righton the Bailey with splendid views of theCathedral while others are more modern andpurpose-built. Accommodation comprises
standard, en-suite and shared bedrooms.
Facilities include a library, music room, amulti-purpose social space/bar/café, andmeeting rooms. Hatfield also has its own
Chapel, sports court, gym and boathouse forkeen rowers to use.

St Aidan’s College
Distance to Mountjoy site: 1.1km (13 mins walk)Distance to city centre: 1.9km (23 mins walk)

St Aidan’s enjoys stunning views overhistoric Durham City. The College is welllocated for all departments and is especiallyclose to the Oriental Museum, Botanic
Garden and the Durham University Business
School. St Aidan’s has spacious gardens
and landscaped grounds. Accommodation
comprises standard bedrooms with sharedbathroom and shared bedrooms. Facilities
include a library, music room, shop, gym,bar, and multi-use games area.

Bailey/City
Total numberof students:
1416

Scan here tofind out more

Hill
Total numberof students:
1069

Scan here tofind out more

9Catered colleges continued

St Chad’s College
Distance to Mountjoy site: 0.9km (11 mins walk)Distance to city centre: 0.5km (6 mins walk)

One of the smallest colleges, St Chad’s has awide range of accommodation, all located in
the historic Bailey area and close to Durhamcity centre and Durham’s famous Cathedral.
Accommodation comprises standard, en-suiteand shared bedrooms. St Chad’s offers facilities
such as libraries, gym and large garden.

BaileyTotal numberof students:
709

Scan here tofind out more

St John’s College
Distance to Mountjoy site: 1.1km (20 mins walk)Distance to city centre: 0.6km (7 mins walk)BaileyTotal numberof students:
733

St John’s is situated within a row of Georgian
townhouses on the Bailey, close to the city
centre, overlooked by the famous Durham
Cathedral and no more than a 20-minute
walk from lectures or the Bill Bryson Library.
Accommodation comprises standard, en-suiteand shared bedrooms. Facilities offered include
a library, music room, gym and bar. Secluded
gardens and lawns stretch down to the River
Wear, where St John’s has its own boathouse.

Scan here tofind out more

St Mary’s College

Hill

Distance to Mountjoy site: 0.6km (7 mins walk)Distance to city centre: 1.6km (19 mins walk)

St Mary’s is situated in a great location,right next to the Mountjoy site, many
academic departments, the Teaching and
Learning Centre and the Bill Bryson Library.
Accommodation comprises standard and ensuite bedrooms. Facilities include library, gym,
outdoor sports facilities, music rooms, bar,
shop and toastie bar. St Mary’s has extensive
grounds and provides a beautiful environment
in which to live and study.

10 Please note: All walking times are approximate and based on an average walking speed.

Total numberof students:
1147

Scan here tofind out more

Trevelyan College
Distance to Mountjoy site: 0.6km (7 mins walk)Distance to city centre: 1.8km (22 mins walk)

Trevelyan College is a 7-minute walk from
the Mountjoy site, the Bill Bryson Libraryand the Teaching and Learning Centre.
Accommodation comprises standard andshared bedrooms. Set in beautiful grounds
Trevelyan has various gardens and green
spaces, as well as an outdoor all-weather
sports court. Trevelyan has a bar and its own
shop The Buttery which also offers toasties.
Other facilities include a library, fitness suite,
theatre and rehearsal areas.

Van Mildert College
Distance to Mountjoy site: 0.6km (7 mins walk)Distance to city centre: 1.9km (23 mins walk)

Van Mildert is close to the Mountjoy site
and the Bill Bryson Library, Teaching and
Learning Centre and many academic
departments. Centred around a lake inspacious, leafy grounds, Van Mildert College
offers a beautiful setting in which to live andstudy. Accommodation comprises standard
and en-suite bedrooms. Facilities include alibrary, gym, theatre, music rooms and bar.
Please note: Due to student activities, Van Mildert is only open
for visitors during the Open Day on Friday 16th June. They will
be closed on Saturday 17th June and will have representatives
available in the Teaching and Learning Centre for you to speak to.

Hill
Total numberof students:
1017

Scan here tofind out more

Hill
Total numberof students:
1576

Scan here tofind out more

11

Self-cateredcolleges

South College

Explore our self-catered colleges.

South College, Durham’s newest college, islocated with modern facilities close to Durham,
University Business School and the many
departments located on the Mountjoy site.
South College is only a short walk from theBotanic Garden, the Bill Bryson Library and the
Teaching and Learning Centre. Accommodation
comprises standard and en-suite rooms. As wellas the usual facilities South College has a gym,
multi-use games area, a yoga and dance studio,
cafe bar and drama studio.

Scan here tofind out more

Stephenson College

Hill

Distance to Mountjoy site: 1.4km (17 mins walk)Distance to city centre: 2.6km (31 mins walk)In our self-catered colleges - you can cook foryourself. You’ll have access to a shared kitchen
and dining area with storage space for food. If
you are allocated to a studio flat you will haveyour own private kitchen in your room.
Our self-catered colleges are located on the Hilland in Neville’s Cross to the south of the City.

John Snow College
Distance to Mountjoy site: 1.4km (17 mins walk)Distance to city centre: 2.6km (31 mins walk)John Snow College is located at Mount
Oswald, as one of the Hill colleges, and justa short walk from many of the academic
departments, the Durham University Business
School and the Bill Bryson Library. The
Teaching and Learning Centre and Botanic
Garden are also nearby. Accommodation
comprises standard and en-suite rooms.
As well as the usual facilities including a bar
and cafe, John Snow also has a yoga studio,
performance space and an outdoor multi use
games area.

Josephine Butler College
Distance to Mountjoy site: 1.1km (13 mins walk)Distance to city centre: 2.2km (26 mins walk)

Situated at the top of the hill, Josephine
Butler is close to the Botanic Garden, Oriental
Museum and the Durham University Business
School. It is also close to the Mountjoy site,with many academic departments, the Bill
Bryson Library and Teaching and Learning
Centre located there. All of Josephine Butler’s
accommodation is en-suite, with a shower,sink and toilet provided. Facilities at Josephine
Butler include a bar, gym, music and art rooms
as well as outdoor sports facilities.
Please note: Due to student activities, Josephine Butler College
will be closed on both of the June Open Days. They will haverepresentatives available in the Teaching and Learning Centre
for you to speak to.

12

Please note: All walking times are approximate and based on an average walking speed.

Hill
Total numberof students:
1432

Scan here tofind out more

Distance to Mountjoy site: 1.1km (13 mins walk)Distance to city centre: 2.3km (28 mins walk)

Stephenson College’s location on the former
Howlands Farm site offers a relaxing place toenjoy green surroundings yet is close to themain Mountjoy site, academic departments,
the Bill Bryson Library and Teaching and
Learning Centre. Accommodation comprises
standard rooms, en-suite rooms and paired
rooms where two bedrooms share onebathroom. Facilities include a café, college
shop, social space, music room, gym andoutdoor sports area.

Ustinov College
Hill
Total numberof students:
1522

Scan here tofind out more

(Postgraduate only)
Distance to Mountjoy site: 1.6km (19 mins walk)Distance to city centre: 1.6km (19 mins walk)

Sheraton Park and Dryburn Court are the two
Ustinov College sites, solely for postgraduates.
Sheraton Park is located on the west side of
Durham City, approximately 1.6km from the city
centre and a 19 minute walk from University
facilities. Accommodation comprises single
en-suite rooms with a shared kitchen, studios
with a private kitchen designed for couples andpremium paired rooms, where two private single
rooms share a small kitchenette and en-suite.

Hill
Total numberof students:
1312

Total numberof students:
1312

Scan here tofind out more

Neville’s Cross

Total numberof students:
1143

Scan here tofind out more

Dryburn Court is closer to the city centre andcontains one, two, and three-bedroom flats forcouples and for families with children.
Facilities across the sites include a cafe, bar, study
spaces, a gym and outdoor playground.
13

Mixed-cateredcolleges
Some of our colleges offer aself-catered, catered or partcatered option, dependent on
which accommodation you
choose to live in.
Our colleges with mixed catering options
are located on the Bailey/City

St Cuthbert’s Society
Distance to Mountjoy site: 1km (12 mins walk)Distance to city centre: 0.8km (10 mins walk)
St Cuthbert’s occupies two sites, with rooms
and gardens on the historic Bailey in theheart of Durham, close to the city centre
and Durham’s famous Cathedral, and selfcatered, modern flats across the river at
Parsons Field. St Cuthbert’s offers a choice offully-catered, self-catered and part-cateredoptions, including pay-as-you-go and a meals
package, depending on accommodation
chosen. Accommodation comprises standard,shared and en-suite rooms. Facilities include
a library and music room, two bars, twogyms, a boathouse and outdoor sports area.

College of St Hildand St Bede
Distance to Mountjoy site: 1.8km (22 mins walk)Distance to city centre: 1km (12 mins walk)We’ve got exciting things planned for the futureof St Hild and St Bede! This means we are able tooffer students the option of catered or self-cateredaccommodation. Catered rooms will be available at
St Hild and St Bede Riverside, alongside a wide rangeof student facilities. Self-catered, en-suite rooms
will be at Ernest Place, within easy reach of the city
centre by foot or public transport. All students havefull access to all college facilities including a gym,
music room, study spaces and bar. Both sites areclose to campus and many Durham attractions.
Please note: Due to student activities, the College of St Hild and
St Bede will be closed on both of the June Open Days. They will haverepresentatives available in the Teaching and Learning Centre for you
to speak to.

14 Please note: All walking times are approximate and based on an average walking speed.

City
Total numberof students:
1426

Scan here tofind out more

University
College (Castle)
Distance to Mountjoy site: 1.1km (13 mins walk)Distance to city centre: 0.3km (4 mins walk)

Based in our magnificent Castle building, andin an excellent city centre location on Palace
Green, opposite Durham’s famous Cathedral,
University College is only a minute away fromthe city’s shops and restaurants and a shortwalk to departments and lecture venues.
University College offers catered and selfcatered accommodation for undergraduates,
dependent on location and self-cateredaccommodation for postgraduates.
Accommodation comprises standard, sharedor en-suite rooms. Facilities include a library,music rooms, a gym and the Undercroft bar.

Bailey/City
Total numberof students:
1423

Scan here tofind out more

Bailey/City
Total numberof students:
1635

Scan here tofind out more

Please note: Due to student activities, both St Cuthbert’s Society and University College will be closed on both of the June Open Days.
They will have representatives available in the Teaching and Learning Centre for you to speak to.

15

Accommodation
chargesCollege visits
during Open Days

Accommodation charges vary depending
on a number of factors such as type ofroom, catering options and length of let.

Most of our colleges are open and available
between 9am - 4pm for you to drop in during
the Undergraduate Open Days. Due to student
activities, the following colleges will be closed tovisitors on both of the June Open Days: Josephine
Butler College, St Cuthbert’s Society, the Collegeof St Hild and St Bede, and University College. You
can find out more about these colleges by visiting
representatives in the Teaching and Learning
Centre. Van Mildert College is only open to visitors
on Friday 16th June. They will have representatives
available in the Teaching and Learning Centre on
Saturday 17th June.

Find out more aboutaccommodation costs

How to apply
How do I become a member of a college?
As a Durham University student, you
automatically become a member of acollege.
For undergraduates, you will be able torank our colleges in order of preference
once you have been made an offer.
For postgraduates, you will be contacted
directly by the Accommodation and
Allocations Office to express college
preferences once you accept yourpostgraduate offer.

Find out more about
how to apply

Durham University
The Palatine Centre
Stockton Road
Durham DH1 3LE
UK
Enquiries
T: +44 (0)191 334 1000
W: durham.ac.uk/study/askus
Main switchboard
T: +44 (0)191 334 2000

durham.ac.uk

Durham University and Durham University logo are registered Trade Marks of the University of Durham™. Unless otherwise stated, all material inthis Guide is copyright of the University of Durham. The University makes every effort to ensure that the information contained here is accurate.
The College Guide is intended as a general guide to the University of Durham’s facilities and forms no part of any contract between you and the
University. The Guide is prepared in advance of the academic year to which it relates. Please note that the University’s website is the most up-todate source of information and we strongly recommend that you always visit the website before making any commitments.
Thank you to all staff and students involved in the production of this Guide and to John Donoghue for photography.
© Durham University, 2023

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