The "Ask a Durham Student" Thread :)

Hi! I've been looking at all the colleges in-depth for the past week or so and I can't find much about St. John's, but I've fallen in love with it! Could someone tell me what it's all about? What are the accommodation and food like? Which societies are there, and which are the best? Thanks a bunch!

Stereotypically a very religious college but it is gorgeous as its on the bailey. App has some of the best food too but idk how much this differs as i would have expected all colleges, being all owned by the uni, to have the same catering service. Interesting fact is it has its own little amphitheatre around the back and also a brand new (for 2019) college specific library which personally seems to be the best of the bunch of college libraries. Only negative i can think of is smaller rooms and increased likely hood of having to share a dorm

Stereotypically a very religious college but it is gorgeous as its on the bailey. App has some of the best food too but idk how much this differs as i would have expected all colleges, being all owned by the uni, to have the same catering service. Interesting fact is it has its own little amphitheatre around the back and also a brand new (for 2019) college specific library which personally seems to be the best of the bunch of college libraries. Only negative i can think of is smaller rooms and increased likely hood of having to share a dorm

Hi! I've been looking at all the colleges in-depth for the past week or so and I can't find much about St. John's, but I've fallen in love with it! Could someone tell me what it's all about? What are the accommodation and food like? Which societies are there, and which are the best? Thanks a bunch!

Does anyone have any advice about self-catering in 1st year? Ideally, I want to study Liberal arts at Cuths bc they allow self-catering? Is this correct? I really don't want to pay the extra £2000+ for food. I'm vegan, and a pretty good cook already so I'd much prefers self-catering.

Thanks in advance for any advice

Can any Durham students give me a rough idea of how much you might need as an allowance in your first year, if you are in a catered college. I'm the mum of an international student, so they are not eligible for student loans / grants unfortunately. I'm thinking money for things like going out, coffees, odd items of shopping etc.

I was in catered and I think I budgeted for about £9,000, accommodation fees have gone up now though, so I'd say maybe a bit more

accommodation is £8,000, laundry is £3.50 a wash, so if you do weekly washing that's 30 weeks, so £105, then you have JCR and society fees/subs (most require you to pay), which for me was maybe £350
So that's aboout £8,400 before you get to going out or shopping

Depending how thrifty you are I'd say an average of £5-10 per week for spending on things and going out, and then maybe another £20/30 for toiletries and slight overflow for spending in case you have a more pricey week. So that's (accounting for 30 weeks again) between £180-330 depending how you budget.

That gives a total of maybe £8,800 (with rent, without rent is about £800-900 then), but you child might still might want to spend more, and also has only budgeted for term time expenses.

There are also college events- balls/dances/formals etc. which can be pretty pricey (like maybe £40 each) but those don't happen as often. Hope this helped

I think my parents were thinking of using the maintenance loan figure as a guide - this year it is £9200 per year. So after accommodation this is around £40 per week, this seems similar to the above.

I was in catered and I think I budgeted for about £9,000, accommodation fees have gone up now though, so I'd say maybe a bit more

accommodation is £8,000, laundry is £3.50 a wash, so if you do weekly washing that's 30 weeks, so £105, then you have JCR and society fees/subs (most require you to pay), which for me was maybe £350
So that's aboout £8,400 before you get to going out or shopping

Depending how thrifty you are I'd say an average of £5-10 per week for spending on things and going out, and then maybe another £20/30 for toiletries and slight overflow for spending in case you have a more pricey week. So that's (accounting for 30 weeks again) between £180-330 depending how you budget.

That gives a total of maybe £8,800 (with rent, without rent is about £800-900 then), but you child might still might want to spend more, and also has only budgeted for term time expenses.

There are also college events- balls/dances/formals etc. which can be pretty pricey (like maybe £40 each) but those don't happen as often. Hope this helped

Can any Durham students give me a rough idea of how much you might need as an allowance in your first year, if you are in a catered college. I'm the mum of an international student, so they are not eligible for student loans / grants unfortunately. I'm thinking money for things like going out, coffees, odd items of shopping etc.

Just to clarify on what Anonymous said - 5-10 pounds will get you nearly nothing in Durham. That'll get you a few pints in one of the college bars, perhaps a takeaway, but it will not pay for food.

If you read further up this was for extras as they have been allocated a catered college.

Do you think we could get a mini fridge, printer in our rooms? Do you think we would need a printer? In terms of covid how will we be able to print. I am a law student. And a kettle?

Mini fridges aren't allowed unless you have a disability concession. Printers are available in college and libraries - you buy printer credits online. Kettle is usually available in your corridor - can't have that in your room either.

Hi, I've just arrived at Durham, and I was wondering if anyone knows how to connect a PS4 to the Wifi here, as when I select the DU Student network, the PS4 comes up with the error message "The PS4 does not support the Wi-Fi network's security method".

If it helps, I'm at South College (the new one next to John Snow College).

If anyone one else has had problems connected their consoles to the Wi-Fi network and knows how to resolve the issue, or to let me know if it can actually be resolved in the first place.

Thanks in advance