Durham University vs Loughborough University

I have been given an offer for Engineering at both Durham (General Engineering) and Loughborough (Product Design Engineering). I have looked around both universities and like both for different reasons. I am an athlete and my distance is 800m and Cross Country, so I know Loughborough would be best for the sports side. However, I really liked the setting at Durham and the scenery as well as the colleges.

Any opinions or words of advice/information about either/both universities?

I have been given an offer for Engineering at both Durham (General Engineering) and Loughborough (Product Design Engineering). I have looked around both universities and like both for different reasons. I am an athlete and my distance is 800m and Cross Country, so I know Loughborough would be best for the sports side. However, I really liked the setting at Durham and the scenery as well as the colleges.

Any opinions or words of advice/information about either/both universities?

All universities have processes in place to accommodate elite athletes. The only thing Loughborough do is lower your grades by 1 if you are an elite athlete - in Team GB. Ask Durham about their support structures for elite athletes like yourself.

Which course do you prefer? Compare course content and optional modules for all years and determine which one interests you the most. Are there placement options that will help your CV when you graduate?

I would say I prefer Loughborough’s course (as it is more to the design side of engineering which is what I would like to do in the future), however I understand that Durham is a Russel group uni and will potentially open more doors in the future. They both encourage placements so they are equal in that respect, but of course Loughborough will have more ties with the sports industry which is potentially where I want to go in the future.

I have been given an offer for Engineering at both Durham (General Engineering) and Loughborough (Product Design Engineering). I have looked around both universities and like both for different reasons. I am an athlete and my distance is 800m and Cross Country, so I know Loughborough would be best for the sports side. However, I really liked the setting at Durham and the scenery as well as the colleges.

Any opinions or words of advice/information about either/both universities?

I’m not yet at that level, but thank you! I think my main issue is that there isn’t necessary a coach lead athletics team and so I worry that I would be missing out on the opportunity to train with elite people and push myself in Loughborough by going to Durham.

I would say I prefer Loughborough’s course (as it is more to the design side of engineering which is what I would like to do in the future), however I understand that Durham is a Russel group uni and will potentially open more doors in the future. They both encourage placements so they are equal in that respect, but of course Loughborough will have more ties with the sports industry which is potentially where I want to go in the future.

I would say I prefer Loughborough’s course (as it is more to the design side of engineering which is what I would like to do in the future), however I understand that Durham is a Russel group uni and will potentially open more doors in the future. They both encourage placements so they are equal in that respect, but of course Loughborough will have more ties with the sports industry which is potentially where I want to go in the future.

I would say go to Loughborough, at the end of the day "prestige" only matters so much. Loughborough is an outstanding school for engineering, so I'm not convinced many doors will close for you, it also domestically ranks first for your subject (not like ranking means a great deal, but it's something). You will also get a sporting experience there that you won't get at Durham.

Look at the employment rates of both degrees if that is what you are worried about, but at the end of the day follow your gut feeling. You have two excellent choices for yourself, and should be very proud!

Hi @annipops,

Congratulations on your offers

I know that choosing a university can be tough. However, I wanted to help!

My first piece of advice would be to take another look at the course pages and see if any modules interest you more than others. This may help with your decision. I would also consider whether you want to take a placement year or look at what study abroad options a university has. You can find this information on Loughborough's BEng Product Design Engineering degree page here.

Although you may have already done this, I would try and visit both campuses if you can. Alternatively, you could take a look at some virtual tours (take a look at this tour of Loughborough's campus here). You might see yourself being happy at one university more than the other.

Alongside this, I would think about location. Both universities are in separate parts of the UK and are close to different places. You can see where Loughborough is here and which cities it is close to. For instance, Nottingham and Leicester are near to Loughborough and many students visit them.

It may be worth thinking about whether you want to join any societies or get involved in any sports too. Here is a list of the societies and sports (you may have looked at this!) at Loughborough. You may have a talent (such as 800m and cross country running, as you say) you want to continue doing or you want to begin something new. The societies or sports offered at a university can help with making your time at university even better, so it's worth looking into.

Another point to mention is to look at accommodation and where halls of residence are at the universities. This may help with making your decision. Here are Loughborough's accommodation options and halls of residence to look at.

Finally, I would also explore the career support each university provides. For instance, Loughborough has a Careers Network that you can look at here.

Ultimately, you have to choose somewhere where you can see yourself being happy.

Hope this helps you if you have any further questions, please just ask.

- Lindsay

Thank you so much! It’s been nagging at me for a while. I am a person of faith so I’ve been praying for signs or closed doors for either of the unis and seems to be getting/hearing good/bad things about both!

I think deep down I do really want to go to Loughborough but I keep thinking that I’m selling myself short if I go if that makes sense. So many people dream of an offer from Durham and not going seems like wasting an opportunity.