Get help with your university decisions here! TSR Decisions Drop In 2025

Uni decision

Which uni is better overall for experience, Exeter or Durham. I have offers from both to study English, but I am not sure what to pick. Durham is ranked better for my subject and overall, and I love the college system + the prestige.
Exeter seems more exciting- more to do away from academics, and more course variability/ choice with modules, but it isn’t as highly ranked for my subject. Thank you!

Reply 1

ExeterStudentRep

Official Rep

Hi Anonymous,

Congratulations on your offer! Whilst I don't do English, I do study a subject that is better ranked at other universities I had offers for, so I hope I can give you some insight into why I chose Exeter.

Exeter, for me, is still highly ranked as a university and could give me the flexibility I wanted to go abroad, to get a placement, and consider interdisciplinary modules. This really helped me to feel a bit more secure to explore and figure out exactly what I want to do after I graduate, and to gain life experiences I have always wanted.

Equally, Devon is a really lovely county, and Cornwall is so close by. This makes it a really good spot to come to for study as you can very easily go for cute little trips and take a break from your academics when you need it, and ultimately, your mental health is priority. Personally, I enjoyed some trips to Totnes and Exmouth, but when I've felt ambitious, I've exploited the opportunity to go to nearby Bristol Airport or less-nearby London airports and fly to places like Venice and Athens.

Exeter itself is also a lovely city - it's essentially a big town / small city. There's plenty of independent coffee shops, plenty of cute buildings, and a nice quay with some really good walks. It's genuinely a perfect mix of urban and rural, so you get a taste of everything.

At the end of the day, you should be proud no matter where you go - you should enjoy getting the degree before anything else. You don't want to fall out of love with your degree and lose your passion, so for me choosing somewhere where I could better balance work and play was the right decision.

If you would like any more information, do get in touch.

Grace
University of Exeter Student Ambassador