[Official thread] Durham University 2024 Applicants

Hi everyone!! Ghala and I are current Durham students in 2nd and 3rd year respectively, and we're here to help you with any questions you may have about Durham or student life in general. If you ever need to talk about anything, feel free to tag us or send us a PM and we'll try our best to guide you. Durham's open days for the 2023-24 application cycle are on 15th and 16th September so we might even see some of you in person. In the meantime, feel free to check out my blog where I often update what I'm up to at Durham and the various things you can get involved in while you're here!

Good luck with your applications

-Himieka

hi!

I'm currently in yr13 and I'm hoping to apply to Durham for English literature!

I was wondering what life is like in the colleges and how you balance work/social life or if that depends on your course a lot.

Also it might seem like a really weird question but is it normally cold in Durham? When I went to the open day in June it was sunny and warm but as someone who used to live further north (at least further than I do now) I know that it's normally a bit colder lol.

Also thanks for creating this thread and I hope you're enjoying life at uni!!!

I know Durham applicants can send a separate personal statement. Is it only worth doing this if the Durham course is very different to the others applied to?
Thanks.

Hello! I’m applying for Classics at Durham if I mess up my CAT exam at Oxford I really like the town and student atmosphere at Durham, and the Christian Union seems really good! How good would you say the support is for poorer/disabled students?

Hiya

It's lovely to know you're considering applying to Durham, and English lit is a great choice!

Colleges will basically be your first family when you come to Durham- that's where you live, meet people, make friends, eat with them and engage in events that the JCR holds. College events include everything from society events to events held in the college bar during fresher's week, pub quizzes, college day, formals, sports, and so much more. You also get a two-tier level of support as colleges have their own welfare teams you can approach for financial or mental health support. There are also central university professional services like counselling, finance, disability support, international office, etc.

Here is our Student Hub where you can find blogs about different colleges: https://studentblog.webspace.durham.ac.uk/?s=college+life.
Also check out our Tiktok for some cool student-produced content: https://www.tiktok.com/@thedurhamstudent

As for work/life balance, it can get quite difficult if you don't manage your time well. I have about 8-9 contact hours per week which isn't a lot. But I was burning out a lot at the beginning of 2nd year because I had two part-time jobs, started learning a new language, was working on assignments, did weightlifting and also was the publicity officer for Disney Society. It got extremely difficult to manage these all at the same time but as I started allocating time to specific tasks, it became much more manageable. I still do all these things now but it's now a part of my routine and doesn't feel very difficult except during formative season in November.

I wouldn't say it gets unbearably cold but temperatures in winter have previously gone to -2 degree celsius. Usually it revolves around 1-9 degrees in the winter. Summers can be quite fickle also as last time it went up to 34 degrees but this time, 27-28 was the maximum. I would suggest you bring a few fleece or warm jackets/hoodies/coats for the winter.

Hope that helps

-Himieka

This is the thread for Durham University 2024 applicants to ask questions, share experiences and find out everything you need to know about Durham, the University and making your application.

Check out The Durham Student for an insight into what it's really like to be a Durham student through blogs and a wide variety of social media content, produced by current Durham students. You can also follow @thedurhamstudent on Instagram, YouTube and Tik Tok for the latest insights!

hi!!

I'm applying for classical studies at durham and I'm wondering about the probability of sharing a room first year, specifically in Hatfield and st chad's?

Has anyone had a Durham offer yet? I know they are known for being slow, but I’ve also heard that a few receive offers very quickly. Anyone?

Usually they only give out offers for those who have guaranteed offers this early. Then a smattering of (mostly to international students or those who have sat an optional entrance test) starting from November/December time. If you're a home student I would unfortunately be expecting absolutely nothing before the UCAS deadline at the end of January, and even then, most offers are March or April.

Has anyone had a Durham offer yet? I know they are known for being slow, but I’ve also heard that a few receive offers very quickly. Anyone?

Do they give out offers to achieved grade (unconditional) students sooner, as they don't have to gamble on whether they will meet their entry requirements on results day?

Do they give out offers to achieved grade (unconditional) students sooner, as they don't have to gamble on whether they will meet their entry requirements on results day?