The Student Room Group
Chemistry Research, Durham University
Durham University
Durham
Visit website

Durham Colleges

Anyone who applied to Durham, what are the differences in colleges?
I went to one of the Durham open days this year and although I didn't get to go to all the colleges I think the architecture and the atmosphere are probably the main differences.
The older the college the grander it is it seems. E.g, university college is in the castle and it's basically a Harry Potter set. Colleges like St Cuthbert's and Hatfield are very Victorian; not as imposing as university but still quite grand. The hill colleges (like van mildert and trevelyan) are more modern and so not grand at all; van mildert was built in the 70s I think so it has quite an institutional vibe :wink: (I.e. The dining hall looked a lot like my secondary school's :P)

The atmosphere varies as well so the more modern colleges I found more relaxed and easy going whilst the posher ones were a bit too posh for me basically :wink: but obviously some people like living in a Harry Potter set which is why they go for university or w/e and that's totally fine :P

The modern colleges have nicer rooms imo, the older ones are either really small or really cold or both. In some colleges you have to move out of your room every holiday because people stay in them as a sort of hotel (this is for the grander colleges that people stay in for the experience, not the hill colleges I don't think)

the grander colleges are much more traditional i.e. at university I think they have Formals every week or something like that and you have to wear your robes whereas in trevelyan they're only every couple of weeks and often they're fancy dress rather than full on robes

Hope that was some help?? I have some pictures of a couple of the colleges if you wanted to look, although I think some college websites have virtual tours :smile:
(edited 7 years ago)
Chemistry Research, Durham University
Durham University
Durham
Visit website
Original post by afcde
Anyone who applied to Durham, what are the differences in colleges?


Location - Bailey vs. Hill. Hill is closer to sci site for example, although Bailey is in town.

More traditional/older colleges on the Bailey have formals twice a week, whereas more modern colleges have them less regularly - fortnightly at Trevs and only a couple times a term at some like Collingwood I've heard. Some aren't gowned (eg Mildert).

Cuth's gives you a part-catered (10 meals a week) option (and SC like JoBo).

Some are big like Collingwood (~1000 freshers), others small like Trevs (~250 freshers). I think this is a nice aspect of Trevs as all freshers live in one building, whereas colleges like Cuth's and Hatfield have their accommodation quite spread out and you may not be living on the Bailey.

Posted from TSR Mobile
Hi guys,
I've got an unconditional and applied to Castle. If I don't get Castle, will they try to assign me a similar one or will it be randomly assigned? Thanks.
Original post by Tortoises172
Hi guys,
I've got an unconditional and applied to Castle. If I don't get Castle, will they try to assign me a similar one or will it be randomly assigned? Thanks.


I can't be 100% certain, but if you're pooled I'm pretty sure it's random. I reckon they'll allocate everyone then if you don't get into Castle you'll go where there's space. However because you're unconditional I feel like you'd probably be first to get a space because you already have your grades therefore you're already definitely going :biggrin:

Congrats on the unconditional anyway - what subject have you applied for?
Original post by Ruthie2267
I can't be 100% certain, but if you're pooled I'm pretty sure it's random. I reckon they'll allocate everyone then if you don't get into Castle you'll go where there's space. However because you're unconditional I feel like you'd probably be first to get a space because you already have your grades therefore you're already definitely going :biggrin:

Congrats on the unconditional anyway - what subject have you applied for?


Thank you! History. I thought it was random anyway though so surely my unconditional won't make a difference. What doesn't make sense to me is that surely I could miss out on castle and be allocated elsewhere while someone with a conditional is allocated to castle, then that person miss their grades. What would happen to their space? Surely it is more fair that it would go to me than someone who didn't originally apply to castle?

Have you applied?
Since I was foolish enough to not pay as much attention to the college allocation as I should have, I chose the 'Any college' option in UCAS.

Would they just throw me into any College with space or possiblly contact me beforehand to inregards to a prefernece?

Also does the strength of the applicant's profile have anything to do with the College allocation aspect; for my course it requires AAB, yet I applied with A*A*A amongst attaining workexperiance etc.

Hope someone can help my issue :tongue:
Reply 7
The strength of the application is only relevant to the department you apply to, not the college - there is a College Allocation thread 2017 which has plenty of info.

As far as the difference between each college goes, the videos are fairly informative. Although they do basically have the same undertone (we are the friendliest/best, most/least modern/historic college going) it is quite clear to see where the main priorities for each one lie.
Original post by jct1993
The strength of the application is only relevant to the department you apply to, not the college - there is a College Allocation thread 2017 which has plenty of info.

As far as the difference between each college goes, the videos are fairly informative. Although they do basically have the same undertone (we are the friendliest/best, most/least modern/historic college going) it is quite clear to see where the main priorities for each one lie.



So they basically shove you in where there's space?
Reply 9
Original post by Stoke123
So they basically shove you in where there's space?


Well I wouldn't have put it like that but yeah.. pretty much.

Someone on the other thread has posted a breakdown of where you're likely to be allocated to if you don't get into your chosen college. It's quite helpful and not all bad news
Reply 10
Original post by Ruthie2267
I went to one of the Durham open days this year and although I didn't get to go to all the colleges I think the architecture and the atmosphere are probably the main differences.
The older the college the grander it is it seems. E.g, university college is in the castle and it's basically a Harry Potter set. Colleges like St Cuthbert's and Hatfield are very Victorian; not as imposing as university but still quite grand. The hill colleges (like van mildert and trevelyan) are more modern and so not grand at all; van mildert was built in the 70s I think so it has quite an institutional vibe :wink: (I.e. The dining hall looked a lot like my secondary school's :P)

The atmosphere varies as well so the more modern colleges I found more relaxed and easy going whilst the posher ones were a bit too posh for me basically :wink: but obviously some people like living in a Harry Potter set which is why they go for university or w/e and that's totally fine :P

The modern colleges have nicer rooms imo, the older ones are either really small or really cold or both. In some colleges you have to move out of your room every holiday because people stay in them as a sort of hotel (this is for the grander colleges that people stay in for the experience, not the hill colleges I don't think)

the grander colleges are much more traditional i.e. at university I think they have Formals every week or something like that and you have to wear your robes whereas in trevelyan they're only every couple of weeks and often they're fancy dress rather than full on robes

Hope that was some help?? I have some pictures of a couple of the colleges if you wanted to look, although I think some college websites have virtual tours :smile:


Castle has formals twice a week and Trevs has gowned formals fortnightly.
Original post by Tortoises172
Hi guys,
I've got an unconditional and applied to Castle. If I don't get Castle, will they try to assign me a similar one or will it be randomly assigned? Thanks.


I applied to one of the colleges on the hill (I'm doing geology and wanted something closer to the science buildings) but they put me in Castle. Don't get me wrong: I think the whole living in a castle deal is cool but I don't really want to be in the town and its almost a mile from the science buildings. If you get into a Hill college, I'll be happy to trade! (if it's possible) :P

Quick Reply