Durham or Imperial for biology?

I feel the workload is hard to compare when we don't know much about your work ethic.

Both Durham and Imperial are great universities and needless to say they will work you hard to get your degree. Whilst ICL students are stereotyped as the "speccy nerds" of London that's not to say they don't go out. There's a very vibrant night life (it's London, of course people go out!) that will have much more to do than Durham (which is a slightly smaller area to say the least). However, I went to neither of these for my undergraduate degree (Masters degree at ICL but commuted and didn't get to see too much of the social side), had friends at both, and firmly believe wherever you end up it really is what you make of it. Join a sports team, be a social character and you'll always find people to go out with. Both Imperial and Durham attract the best who do end up following the old "work hard, play hard" adage.

If you go by reputation then for science courses Imperial has better graduate prospects (as people typically leave the biological sector and go to a bank where they have great salaries). If you want to be at Hogwarts then Durham is the obvious choice. Fortunately you're in a good spot where one really isn't better than the other - though don't tell my friends at Durham I said that!

The workload will be reasonably comparable across most top tier universities, they want to push students at the end of the day, though I have heard more Imperial students complain than Durham students. Perhaps ICL students are just more whiny! If you are worried about the quality of degree then don't fret, both are respectable universities so will gain you kudos from employers. While Imperial will probably look better for sciences as it is a research intensive centre for excellence, Durham is by no means a bad course. It all depends on how you feel about the course structure, accommodation, city life etc...

Have you been to open days for both of them?