The "Ask a Durham Student" Thread :)

No problem! Hatfield has quite a few geographers so you'll be in good company!

It's a really nice college. Can be a bit noisy at night depending on where your room is because it's on the Bailey so lots of people come past from other colleges to get into town, but it's fantastically close to everything (5 minutes from Elvet Riverside, 10 minutes from the science site, 5 minutes to the city centre). Nice atmosphere, nice people and regular formals. A whole block is being refurbished next year but when they're finished (Christmas?) they'll all be en-suite. I think the bar is due for refurbishment as well. We have a tennis/netball court in the middle of college and there are about 300 undergraduates in each year I believe (don't quote me on that).

Healthy rivalry with Castle (and Collingwood), traditionally a sporty college which is lessening as the new allocations system comes into play. College animal is a lion, college colours are blue and yellow, college drink is a Night-Ender (and apparently two others but you'll have to ask the bar staff about that). We're gowned and we have a plethora of college songs which are sung in the bar after formal.

Is there anything specific you want to know?

Hey guys I was wondering if we haven't given a collage preference can we still contact the university and ask them if we can have a more traditional collage. Like I don't want the modern ones. Also I know this is a stupid question but I don't understand the collage scene I mean is it like one whole building which consists of a accomodation. Or is it like a diffrent academic bloke which consists of diffrent courses

Hello,
I was just wondering about living costs whilst a student at Durham University as I've heard so many people saying it's very expensive?
Thank you!

how expensive is durham compared to london if we add train rides as well? I read that college fees are quite expensive, but are they more expensive than first year accommodation at a london university? I have an offer from UCL, and even though I prefer Durham, I do not want to end up paying more overall (throughout the three years) than if I had chosen London.

I'd say Durham is cheaper than London once you've thought about nights out, and transport around Durham itself, and that sort of thing.

Living here isn't cheap, I spend more than friends at Stirling and Sheffield, but I spend less than friends at Warwick and London, as rough estimates. It's perfectly manageable.

Accommodation here often includes meals, so you have to factor in the fact you're catered for unless you're at Butler/the bit of Cuth's.

Housing isn't cheap on a whole, but you can look around and pay less if you don't mind a 20 min walk!

Don't let cost choose your University, ESPECIALLY if you're looking at somewhere as drastically different as London, I'm not sure I could imagine a more different environment.

There are plenty of things to consider, but really cost isn't that significant compared to anywhee else. We're not HUGELY cheap, or HUGELY expensive. You learn where to go for things and how to use money well Nights out are cheap. Transport is cheap. Property is the only real exception.

I don't know whether you can now change, but if you could I suspect they'd give you the same options s everyone else, which is to pick one preferred choice of college.

You live in your college during first year (sometimes other years too, if you want and can). You're part of a JCR which is basically all of th undergraduates at that college. Together you elect people who represent yoh, like a welfare officer and sports officer.

College organises events like balls and formals and bar crawls. There are societies and sports teams.

So there will be one (sometimes multiple) site(s) which forms the college. Butler, for example, has three blocks of accommodation, a building with bar/JCR office and lounge, porters, etc, as well as a building with a sports hall, laundry, gym etc.

Nothing academic happens in college really, you can do any subject at any college, no teaching happens there.

If it helps to reassure you, my experience is that the most modern of colleges retain a strong identity and traditions, you don't miss out at all. I'm at Butler, we have gowned formals, we have chants, we have traditions.

Thanks for the info I was really starting to worry about my choice haha, I was just wondering about gym facilities, is there any in the college or is there any local gyms nearby?


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Thank you for the reply! Do you know how expensive train rides are from London to Durham?

Do any private school students go to the Queen's campus? It doesn't seem to be held in high regard.

Hundreds. Queen's Campus is where lots of more vocational courses are taught- like Business, Accounting, Finance, Management, Marketing, Medical Education and Medicine.

I don't know much about it (I've never actually been there) but I've spoken to a few Queen's Campus students and they really like it.

But is it a real downer the fact you aren't part of the Durham City experience? That is what students like myself really dream of? We want the main campus or main university set up around us.

Don't worry, I'm sure you'll love it. Are you coming to the post offer days in March?

Every college has a gym. Hatfield has a weights gym and a cardio gym, both fairly small but perfectly serviceable. There's also a huge gym at Maiden Castle (sports centre) which is something like £120 for a year's membership. College gym is free- you pay a JCR levy when you join college and that allows you free access to things like the gym and other facilities in college.

I'd back the other poster up too and say Durham isn't actually too expensive compared to other universities overall. College is expensive, and students are protesting the latest rise in fees. However college does offer an outstanding experience, with lots of great facilities and a great sense of community.

After your first year you are actively encouraged to live out of college in privately rented accommodation. For one thing, there is not enough space for people to all live in college! Living out is pretty cheap compared to other university towns, however rents (including bills, per person per week) vary greatly. For a less than 10 minute walk to lectures, your looking at around £100 plus (yikes), but if you're happy with a walk of around 20-30 mins you can easily find rents of about £60. As such, you can easily fit your costs into your loan/ grant amount.

Train tickets between Durham and London cost as little as £15 each way. The east coast mainline is pretty good on balance, and if you book in advance (which is usually easy as term dates are all published way in advance) you can get some great deals.

Thank you for the reply! Do you know how expensive train rides are from London to Durham?

Guys unfortunately I didn't give a collage preference but I really want one of the traditional collages.
What I was wondering is that if you're from a private school are you more likely to get a traditional one. I know it may be a stop do question but I'm not to sure how the allocation works.

Just a quick question.

How possible is it to change courses? Is it worth changing now or waiting till I start? I'm thinking of changing from Politics to Philosophy and Politics. I personally think it should be a simple adjustment however I know that some combined honours courses are limited on numbers.
Thanks