Durham colleges

7

Hi,

I recently got an English offer from Durham and was wondering how and what I would use to rank each college?

At the moment I'm thinking
- St Cuthbert’s
- Hilbede
- Josephine Butler
- Grey
- St Mary's

If anyone has been to any of them, any advice would be amazing!

My main things are: I would love a college with 'uni vibes' and fun, inclusivity creativity, not too far, close-knit - so maybe on the Bailey, and progressive and with good quality accomodation.

I also don't think I'd like to be catered but I understand some colleges have a mixed option. Would this result in more classism if I went to a mixed college with people who would be catered?

Thank you so much :smile:

(edited 1 month ago)

Reply 1

DurhamRep Rosie

Official Rep

9

Original post

by Dollsunified

Hi,
I recently got an English offer from Durham and was wondering how and what I would use to rank each college?
At the moment I'm thinking
- St Cuthbert’s
- Hilbede
- Josephine Butler
- Grey
- St Mary's
If anyone has been to any of them, any advice would be amazing!
My main things are: I would love a college with 'uni vibes' and fun, inclusivity creativity, not too far, close-knit - so maybe on the Bailey, and progressive and with good quality accomodation.
I also don't think I'd like to be catered but I understand some colleges have a mixed option. Would this result in more classism if I went to a mixed college with people who would be catered?
Thank you so much :smile:

Hi there!

Congratulations on your offer; you're going to love it here! Ranking colleges can be a tricky and confusing process. I'm in St Aidans (I didn't rank my choices) and love it here - colleges are a fantastic part of the university, so I'll try to give you some information to help your decision. 😊

I think to inform your decision, you should try to think about what you'd like to prioritise. Colleges will be similar in terms of offering accommodation, college events, sports and societies, and welfare and support - for this reason, no college is a bad one! They'll differ mainly in terms of location, as you mentioned, catered/self-catered and style. In terms of your question about being catered rather than mixed, this would definitely not result in more classism - colleges are welcoming, friendly and safe environments, which will become your home away from home. Durham fosters a highly respectful environment, with initiatives to prevent any discrimination of students, including classism. I'm a working class student, so if you do have any questions or concerns about that experience, let me know! ☺️ I've had an overwhelmingly positive experience here.

Mixed-catered colleges include St Cuthbert's Society & University College, which are on the Bailey as you described. I believe both of these options align with what you're looking for - you can read about students' experiences of these colleges here:

•

St Cuthberts: https://durham-student.org/life-at-cuths/

•

Castle: https://durham-student.org/college-life/

For more information on comparing colleges and choosing the best option for you, you can view a comparison table here of different qualities and features of all colleges:
https://www.durham.ac.uk/colleges-and-student-experience/colleges/compare-our-colleges/undergraduate-college-comparison-table/. 🙂

I hope this has given you some insight - let me know if you have any questions.
-Rosie (DU Representative)

Reply 2

based_J

18

check out thatonecharlie's youtube channel. he posts about all things durham https://www.youtube.com/@thatonecharlie/videos

i recommend you watch this video first https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpeyUgXUc1E

Reply 3

Dollsunified

OP

7

Original post

by DurhamRep Rosie

Hi there!
Congratulations on your offer; you're going to love it here! Ranking colleges can be a tricky and confusing process. I'm in St Aidans (I didn't rank my choices) and love it here - colleges are a fantastic part of the university, so I'll try to give you some information to help your decision. 😊
I think to inform your decision, you should try to think about what you'd like to prioritise. Colleges will be similar in terms of offering accommodation, college events, sports and societies, and welfare and support - for this reason, no college is a bad one! They'll differ mainly in terms of location, as you mentioned, catered/self-catered and style. In terms of your question about being catered rather than mixed, this would definitely not result in more classism - colleges are welcoming, friendly and safe environments, which will become your home away from home. Durham fosters a highly respectful environment, with initiatives to prevent any discrimination of students, including classism. I'm a working class student, so if you do have any questions or concerns about that experience, let me know! ☺️ I've had an overwhelmingly positive experience here.
Mixed-catered colleges include St Cuthbert's Society & University College, which are on the Bailey as you described. I believe both of these options align with what you're looking for - you can read about students' experiences of these colleges here:

•

St Cuthberts: https://durham-student.org/life-at-cuths/

•

Castle: https://durham-student.org/college-life/

For more information on comparing colleges and choosing the best option for you, you can view a comparison table here of different qualities and features of all colleges:
https://www.durham.ac.uk/colleges-and-student-experience/colleges/compare-our-colleges/undergraduate-college-comparison-table/. 🙂
I hope this has given you some insight - let me know if you have any questions.
-Rosie (DU Representative)

Thanks so much! I was wondering what differences are there between Durham and an other unis your friends may go to?

Reply 4

DurhamRep Rosie

Official Rep

9

Original post

by Dollsunified

Thanks so much! I was wondering what differences are there between Durham and an other unis your friends may go to?

Hi there!

This is a great question! ☺️ For me personally, I know few people who travelled for uni, and instead everyone stayed quite local. The majority of my friends go to Newcastle University, and study subjects ranging from Medicine to Pharmacy to English. I do have a friend in Huddersfield University, and one in Cambridge, as examples of those a little further out!

I'd say the main difference between Durham and the majority of other universities is the collegiate system - although this is similar to Oxbridge, it's a unique part of studying here at Durham and is not your usual university experience. As for location, Durham is quite a small and historic town, which is more traditional and intimate than universities in large cities, such as Manchester, Newcastle or Leeds. Also, the terms at Durham operate slightly different to other universities; terms are usually around 8 weeks, which can be intense and high-paced, comparative to longer terms at other universities such as Newcastle. In terms of ranking - using the examples I previously gave - Durham ranked 3rd in The Times University of the Year, Cambridge ranked 4th, and Newcastle ranked 34th. 🙂

I hope this helps,
-Rosie (DU representative)

Reply 5

DurhamRep Lacey

Official Rep

8

Original post

by Dollsunified

Thanks so much! I was wondering what differences are there between Durham and an other unis your friends may go to?

Hiya!

Congrats on your offer for English Lit 🥳. I am currently in my first year studying English at Durham, and I am in Van Mildert! If you have any specific course questions please feel free to ask.

I would definitely say Durham has a very unique, and different university feel compared to the places my friends go, such as Manchester, Liverpool and London. I was very shocked at the difference when I went and visited, and this is what I have noticed the most:

1️⃣ The college system - This is probably the biggest difference, as its purely unique to Durham (+ Oxbridge). Your college isn’t just accommodation, it’s your main social bubble, with its own events, sports teams, formal dinners, welfare support, and common rooms. I also feel that college loyalty lasts all throughout your years at Durham with you frequently returning post first year, and everyone is very loyal and defensive about their college! I found at other unis accommodation feels more like 'flat blocks' where Durham accommodation comes with a sense of community.

2️⃣ Strong sense of community - Because of the collegiate setup and the relatively small city, I definitely see familiar faces all the time, which I love! It feels much more close-knit compared to larger city universities where people can feel more spread out and potentially isolated.

3️⃣ Academic structure - Contact hours and teaching style can be quite traditional (lectures + smaller tutorials/seminars), and there’s a big emphasis on independent study. I would definitely get to know the course structure and teaching environment - but for English its really lovely. I have around 6 main contact hours a week in lecture form, with a three-week rotation of 6 tutorials (having roughly 2 tutorials per week). Compared to other unis, having more contact time allows for more independent reading and research, which is necessary with the speed and volume of content the course covers,

4️⃣ The city itself - Durham is a small, very student-focused city. Everything is walkable and the university is really integrated into the town. Friends in bigger cities (like Leeds, Manchester, etc.) have more nightlife and shopping, but less of that “student bubble” feel. Newcastle is very close, by being a short and affordable train trip - where your able to experience a bigger city feel without living there permanently.

5️⃣ Traditions and formals - Things like formals, college gowns (in some colleges), and big college events are quite unique and give it a slightly “Oxbridge-style” atmosphere that most unis don’t have.

6️⃣ Sport and societies - Sport is very college-based as well as university-level, so it’s easy to get involved whether you’re competitive or just want something social. Since coming to uni, I have joined Netball, Cheer, Dance, Hockey in my college - which has allowed me to play sport but not at a super competitive extent but still having tournaments, comps and training. Socials at Durham and sports nights out are also really great fun!

That said, the “best” uni really depends on what you want. It has to suit your lifestyle and interests. Some people prefer a big city and more anonymity, while others love the community feel here.

Do you think you’d prefer a campus/city uni vibe or something more close-knit like Durham?

Hope this has helped. Good luck on your college rankings!

-Lacey, DU Student Rep 🙂

Reply 6

ray_m_23

4

Original post

by Dollsunified

Hi,
I recently got an English offer from Durham and was wondering how and what I would use to rank each college?
At the moment I'm thinking
- St Cuthbert’s
- Hilbede
- Josephine Butler
- Grey
- St Mary's
If anyone has been to any of them, any advice would be amazing!
My main things are: I would love a college with 'uni vibes' and fun, inclusivity creativity, not too far, close-knit - so maybe on the Bailey, and progressive and with good quality accomodation.
I also don't think I'd like to be catered but I understand some colleges have a mixed option. Would this result in more classism if I went to a mixed college with people who would be catered?
Thank you so much :smile:

Hey! Congrats on your offer.
It's not in your list and many people say it's not worth ranking or place it very low on the list but I'm at Trevelyan college as a postgrad after being at a non collegiate university before. Yeah, we're the hexagon college and everyone thinks we're lame but I've found that people genuinely just want to have a good time regardless of what shape the building is - one of the things you've mentioned in your list is 'progressive' and I can genuinely say the people I've met in the JCR/MCR here are the loveliest people and we're all about enjoying ourselves as much as possible. 2026 is a really good time to join us as we're celebrating 60 years so there's going to be opportunities which aren't normally on the table, potentially some more money coming in as gifts from alumni and a lot of focus on having fun and enjoying yourself whilst being part of the community. We put on a lot of events throughout the year (Trevs Day, Live on The Hill, Trevstock, Trevs Night) and we're quite a musical college as well so if you're into music you should definitely consider us! We have a MASH room for practicing which is soundproof and several pianos dotted throughout college including a grand and baby grand. Accommodation wise, I live out (rent privately outside college) but there are a few ensuite rooms. To be honest the rooms look decent and homely in the photos I've seen. It is a catered college so you'll have meals included in your rent and we're a gowned college for formal dinners - people who 'live out' can go for meals and pay for them and to be honest it's quite good catering with brunch on weekends.
We're in a good location on the Hill, not far from our neighbouring colleges and not far from the TLC or Bill Bryson library, there's a bus stop just outside Collingwood and also the Park and Ride just 5 min walk away which takes you down towards the library, the English department and Elvet (where there are some convenience stores).
The JCR has The Undercroft with a TV and Wii, games cupboard, a pool table next to the dining hall, dart board in the bar, and our bar is definitely one of the better ones (not just my opinion btw). The library is 24hrs which is useful since the Bill Bryson is not (except during exams). We also have our toastie bar, The Buttery, which also sells some basic essential hygiene products, study supplies and snacks.

Reply 7

based_J

18

Original post

by ray_m_23

Hey! Congrats on your offer.
It's not in your list and many people say it's not worth ranking or place it very low on the list but I'm at Trevelyan college as a postgrad after being at a non collegiate university before. Yeah, we're the hexagon college and everyone thinks we're lame but I've found that people genuinely just want to have a good time regardless of what shape the building is - one of the things you've mentioned in your list is 'progressive' and I can genuinely say the people I've met in the JCR/MCR here are the loveliest people and we're all about enjoying ourselves as much as possible. 2026 is a really good time to join us as we're celebrating 60 years so there's going to be opportunities which aren't normally on the table, potentially some more money coming in as gifts from alumni and a lot of focus on having fun and enjoying yourself whilst being part of the community. We put on a lot of events throughout the year (Trevs Day, Live on The Hill, Trevstock, Trevs Night) and we're quite a musical college as well so if you're into music you should definitely consider us! We have a MASH room for practicing which is soundproof and several pianos dotted throughout college including a grand and baby grand. Accommodation wise, I live out (rent privately outside college) but there are a few ensuite rooms. To be honest the rooms look decent and homely in the photos I've seen. It is a catered college so you'll have meals included in your rent and we're a gowned college for formal dinners - people who 'live out' can go for meals and pay for them and to be honest it's quite good catering with brunch on weekends.
We're in a good location on the Hill, not far from our neighbouring colleges and not far from the TLC or Bill Bryson library, there's a bus stop just outside Collingwood and also the Park and Ride just 5 min walk away which takes you down towards the library, the English department and Elvet (where there are some convenience stores).
The JCR has The Undercroft with a TV and Wii, games cupboard, a pool table next to the dining hall, dart board in the bar, and our bar is definitely one of the better ones (not just my opinion btw). The library is 24hrs which is useful since the Bill Bryson is not (except during exams). We also have our toastie bar, The Buttery, which also sells some basic essential hygiene products, study supplies and snacks.

hi, i'm not considering trevs but i just wanted to ask - can you attend the 60-year celebration as a non-trevs student? or any other huge college celebrations for that matter.

Reply 8

DurhamRep Lacey

Official Rep

8

Original post

by based_J

hi, i'm not considering trevs but i just wanted to ask - can you attend the 60-year celebration as a non-trevs student? or any other huge college celebrations for that matter.

Hiya!!

So generally, with college events at Durham University, it really depends on the specific event rather than a blanket rule.

For things like Trevelyan College’s 60-year celebrations:

•

A lot of the big anniversary events are aimed at current members of the college + alumni + staff

•

Some parts of the programme run across the whole year and involve the wider student experience, so there may be events open to other Durham students

More generally across Durham colleges:

•

Some events (e.g. balls, music festivals like Trevstock, charity nights) are often open or ticketed, so non-college students can go if they get a ticket

•

Others (like formals or internal celebrations) are usually restricted to college members or guests

So for Trevs specifically:
👉 You probably won’t automatically have access to everything
👉 But there will likely be some open events you can go to, especially the bigger or ticketed ones

Best bet is just to keep an eye on their socials / ticket releases nearer the time, or if you make a friend in the college it may be easier to attend events you wish to go to. Durham is very cross-college socially anyway, so you definitely won’t miss out!

Hope this has helped!

-Lacey, DU Student Rep 🙂💜

Reply 9

based_J

18

Original post

by DurhamRep Lacey

Hiya!!
So generally, with college events at Durham University, it really depends on the specific event rather than a blanket rule.
For things like Trevelyan College’s 60-year celebrations:

•

A lot of the big anniversary events are aimed at current members of the college + alumni + staff

•

Some parts of the programme run across the whole year and involve the wider student experience, so there may be events open to other Durham students

More generally across Durham colleges:

•

Some events (e.g. balls, music festivals like Trevstock, charity nights) are often open or ticketed, so non-college students can go if they get a ticket

•

Others (like formals or internal celebrations) are usually restricted to college members or guests

So for Trevs specifically:
👉 You probably won’t automatically have access to everything
👉 But there will likely be some open events you can go to, especially the bigger or ticketed ones
Best bet is just to keep an eye on their socials / ticket releases nearer the time, or if you make a friend in the college it may be easier to attend events you wish to go to. Durham is very cross-college socially anyway, so you definitely won’t miss out!
Hope this has helped!
-Lacey, DU Student Rep 🙂💜

thank you for your reply! i have just one other question - when you say that some events are open or ticketed, is the june ball included? or is that exclusive only to castle students?

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