Durham University is a public university in the United Kingdom. The university was established through an Act of Parliament in 1832. Further, in 1837, this public research university was incorporated by the Royal Charter.
Since then, the University and its 17 colleges have strived to put out world-leading research and ensure the highest degree of academic excellence. As such, it offers its students the means and measures to build up incredible skills for their careers like communication, team-working, leadership, and problem-solving.
The university is situated in North-east England, in the picturesque city of Durham. The exact location is:
The Palatine Centre, Durham University, Stockton Road, Durham DH1 3LE
QS World University Rankings 2022 ranked Durham University at the 82nd spot. Additionally, 9 of its subjects are ranked in the top 50 QS World University Ranking.
The Queen’s Campus is the main grounds of Durhan University, UK.
It houses the Wolfson Research Institute and Durham University International Study Centre. Situated next to the River Tees, the Queen's campus may seem small but offers endless opportunities for growth to its students.
The university is also home to 17 colleges, namely:
1. University College (Castle)
2. College of St. Hild & St. Bede
3. Hatfield College
4. St. Cuthbert’s Society
5. St. Mary’s College
6. St. Chad’s College
7. St. John’s College
8. St. Aidan’s College
9. Grey College
10. Van Mildert College
11. Ustinov College (PG only)
12. Trevelyan College
13. Collingwood College
14. John Snow College
15. Stephenson College
16. Josephine Butler College
17. South College
The Durham University, UK, boasts ten research institutes, researching in areas such as natural hazards, clean energy, mental and physical health, artificial intelligence, and more.
Let's take a look at the research institutes that allows for interdisciplinary research:
1. Biophysical Sciences Institute
2. Wolfson Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing
3. Durham Energy Institute
4. Institute of Medieval and Early Modern Studies
5. Institute for Computational Cosmology
6. Institute of Hazard, Risk, and Resilience
7. Institute for Data Science
8. Institute of Advanced Study
9. Institute for Medical Humanities
10. Institute for Particle Physics Phenomenology
The University also comprises 69 research centers. It deals with some of the following research areas:
1. Banking, Institutions, and Development
2. Commercial and Corporate Law
3. Communication Systems
4. Criminal Law and Justice
5. Culture and Ecology
6. Death and Life Studies
8. Ethics and Law in the Life Sciences
9. Bioimaging Technology
10. Human Rights
11. Law and Global Justice
Additionally, having state-of-the-art facilities and research equipment, the university offers these in the following range of disciplines:
1. Anthropology
2. Archaeology
3. Biological Sciences
4. Chemistry
5. Computer Science
6. Earth Sciences
7. Engineering
8. Geography
9. Physics
10. Psychology
The medium of instruction at Durham University is English.
Academic
The general application deadline for the academic year 2022-23 was January 26, 2022. To apply for Medicine, Dentistry, Oxbridge, or Veterinary Science, the application extends till October 15, 2022.
In terms of the Durham University admission process, most undergraduate applicants are advised to apply through UCAS. But, if your school does not use UCAS, you can also apply via the Common app.
Additionally, keep the deadlines for specific programs in mind before you apply. This is especially important so that you can get your references and letter of recommendation in time.
So, register a personal account on UCAS and then go ahead and fill out your application, which comprises personal details, educational and work qualifications, course choice, personal statement, and a reference.
You are allowed to choose up to 5 courses. Make sure to use the correct institute code for Durham– D86.
Additionally, you can select your college choice out of 17 colleges offered by Durham University. Make sure to use the correct campus code. Here's a list of campus codes for your reference:
1. Collingwood– 1
2. Grey– G
3. Hatfield– 2
4. John Snow– 7
5. Josephine Butler– 9
6. South College– K
7. St. Aidan’s– A
8. St. Chad’s– 3
9. St. Cuthbert’s Society– 4
10. Stephenson– 8
11. St. Hild & St. Bede– 5
12. St. John’s– J
13. St. Mary’s– M
14. Trevelyan– T
15. University– U
16. Van Midert– V
If you have no specific college preference, use the code O.
Once the application is submitted, you need to wait for the university's reply, which may take some time.
The other way to apply for undergraduate courses, as mentioned earlier, is via Common App. In your Durham application, you must submit a personal statement instead of filling the essay questions present on the Common App. You can send your specific college preference through Durham-specific questions through the portal too.
After completing the application, directly send the evidence of academic qualification to Durham on their e-mail documents.educators@durham.ac.uk.
The admission process is pretty similar to the postgraduate taught courses and research degree!
Apply through the Postgraduate Applicant Portal offered on the University website. Fulfill all the entry requirements and English proficiency tests. You are also required to send across two academic references.
When sending an application for a research degree, send a proposal to the department you are applying for. It will help the department decide whether they can facilitate your research or not.
You can also find the University of Durham admission requirements for your degree choice on the UCAS course search or in the courses database of Durham. Generally speaking, every course demands a particular qualification grade, study prep, or pre-existing knowledge of course subjects.
The grade requirements for UK qualifications are as follows:
1. Access to HE Diploma– 60 credits, with a minimum 45 acquired at Level 3
2. A and AS Level (including International A levels)– best of three A levels (except General Studies) with the grades varying from A*A*A to BBB
3. BTEC Nationals Level 3
4. Cambridge Pre- U Diploma
5. Cambridge Level 3 Technicals
6. Extended Project Qualification
7. International Baccalaureate
8. Practical Science
9. Scottish Highers and Advanced Highers
If you need guidance about your A-level subjects or their equivalents, the Russel Group guide – Informed Choices – offers advice that can help you decide.
For international students from India, these are the following entry requirements for an undergraduate degree:
1. Grade A*A*A equivalent: Best of four academic subjects in Grade XII with an average of 90% and prerequisite subjects with 87% or more.
2. Grade A*AA equivalent: Best of four academic subjects in Grade XII with an average of 87% and prerequisite subjects with 85% or more.
3. Grade AAA equivalent: Best of four academic subjects in Grade XII with an average of 85% and prerequisite subjects with 85% or more.
4. Grade AAB equivalent: Best of four academic subjects in Grade XII with an average of 84% and prerequisite subjects with 85% or more.
5. Grade ABB equivalent: Best of four academic subjects with an average of 83% and prerequisite subjects with 85% or more.
Also, keep in mind that only CBSE and ICSE boards are considered, with case-to-case exceptions of specific state boards.
For international students from India pursuing postgraduate courses, the requirement for a 3, 4, or 5-year bachelor's degree from an approved Indian university is a must. The score must be above 60-70%, depending on the grad college.
Students not belonging to an English-speaking majority country will need to display their proficiency in the English language through an acceptable test. This is primarily for undergraduate courses. If you have fulfilled a master's degree taught in English, an additional English test is not required.
If these basic entry requirements are not met, there is an option to pursue a pathway program at Durham University International Study Centre. Upon completing the pathway program, the student can progress to a chosen degree.
Some other courses require additional selection criteria like interviews and tests. For a degree in Mathematics and Law, for instance, a specific subject test like Law National Aptitude Test or Mathematics Test is required.
Durham University’s acceptance rate is 41%.
Durham University, UK, also has over 330 undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses. Some of the popular courses, ranking high at the QS World University Ranking by Subjects are:
1. Archaeology (4th rank)
2. Theology, Divinity & Religious Studies (5th rank)
3. Geography (12th rank)
4. Classics & Ancient History (15th rank)
5. Anthropology (32nd rank)
6. History (37th rank)
7. English Language and Literature (44th rank)
8. Arts and Humanities (45th rank)
9. Law and Legal Studies (50th rank)
Additionally, as prospective students, you should also keep in mind the breakdown of the credit score required to attain specific qualifications in the University:
Qualification
Minimum Credits Required
Foundation Year
120 credits (Minimum 120 credits at Level 0)
Foundation Award
60 credits (Minimum 60 credits at Level 1)
Certificate HE
120 credits (Minimum 120 credits at Level 1)
Diploma HE
240 credits (Minimum 90 credits at Level 2)
Ordinary degree
300 credits (Minim 60 credits at Level 3)
Honors degree
360 credits (Minimum 90 credits at Level 3)
Integrated Master’s degree
480 credits (Minimum 120 credits at level 4)
Graduate Certificate
40 credits (Minimum 40 credits at Level 3)
Graduate Diploma
80 credits (Minimum 80 credits at Level 3)
PG Certificate
60 credits (Minimum 40 credits at Level 4)
Postgraduate Certificate in Education
90 credits (Minimum 60 credits at Level 4)
PG Diploma
120 credits (Minimum 90 credits at level 4)
Master's degree (taught)
180 credits (Minimum 150 credits at Level 4)
Master's degree (research)
180 credits (Minimum 180 credits at Level 4)
Master in Social Work (MSW)
305 credits (Minimum 305 credits at Level 4)
MBA
180 credits (Minimum 15 credits at Level 4)
Higher Master’s degree (research)
360 credits (Minimum 360 credits at Level 4)
Professional Doctorate
540 credits (minimum 360 credits at Level 5)
Ph.D. with Integrated Studies
720 credits (minimum 540 credits at Level 5)
Doctorate (Ph.D.)
540 credits (minimum 540 credits at Level 5)
Furthermore, some popular programs of the university include:
1. Design
2. Arts
3. Humanities
4. Business
5. Politics
6. Social Sciences
7. Languages
8. Medicine
9. Engineering
10. Mathematics
Lastly, the calendar dates of the academic year 2022-2023 are:
1. Induction week: September 25-October 2, 2022
2. Michaelmas term: October 3-December 9, 2022
3. Christmas vacation: December 10, 2022-January 8, 2023
4. Epiphany term: January 9-March 17, 2023
5. Easter vacation: March 18-April 23, 2023
6. Easter term: April 24-June 23, 2023
7. Summer vacation: June 24-September 24, 2023
Extracurriculars & diversity
All work and no play make Jack a dull boy. Durham University truly stands by the proverb and offers a range of engaging activities such as sports and club societies for students to partake in.
There are over 1000 student-led societies. It comprises over 8 music societies, 27 theatre companies, 20+ visual art societies, 1 radio station, 54 sports activities, and 50 recreational, voluntary projects!
About 87% of the student population actively participates and excels in numberless extracurricular events.
Furthermore, the student enrichment activities are split into 7 themes of domains of participation:
1. Arts and Culture
2. Enterprise and employment
3. Intellectual query
4. Building communities
5. Sports and wellbeing
6. Wider community engagement
7. Active citizenship
The university also undertakes several initiatives to align itself with diversity and inclusion goals. It actively addresses gender inequality, attracts and supports students from disadvantaged groups, and includes disabled staff and students. It also eliminates any chance of discrimination and advances opportunities for growth.
The institution is a Stonewall diversity champion, has signed a race equality charter, earned the position of disability confident employer, and won the Athena SWAN Bronze award.
Most of all, the institution openly and proudly invites and embraces students from around the globe, making it a home for international students.
Career/professional
The university offers many internships and placement opportunities during and after degree completion. Some of the renowned recruiters that organize placement drives are
1. Accenture
2. Ernst & Young LLP
3. Unilever
4. Emerson Process
Besides the work placement, the university offers a variety of roles that you can perform and earn money while studying at Durham. These are:
1. Durham Student Ambassador
2. Postgraduate Ambassador
3. Durham Student Ambassador and Mentor
4. Future Me Mentor
5. Open Day Ambassador
Additionally, some of the famous names that graduated from Durham Univesity are:
1. Andrew Buchan– Actor
2. Warren Bradley– Former Footballer
3. Ed Gamble– Comedian
4. George Lazenby– Former James Bond Actor
5. Andrew Strauss– Former England Cricketer
Financial
Lastly, let’s look at some of the popular courses at Durham University and the tuition fees for the same.
Courses
Fees for International Students Per Year
Economics with Management (BA)
EUR 24,500 (~INR 21 Lakhs)
Education Studies (BA)
EUR 22,700 (~INR 19 Lakhs)
Finance (MSc)
EUR 31,000 (~INR 26 Lakhs)
Medical Anthropology (MSc)
EUR 24,200 (~INR 20 Lakhs)
Civil Engineering (MSc)
EUR 27,250 (~INR 23 Lakhs)
Besides tuition fees, the charges for accommodation and food are as follows:
Room Type
Total Charges (for 41 weeks)
Standard with shared bathroom
EUR 6,109 (~INR 5 Lakhs)
Ensuite
EUR 6,642 (~INR 6 Lakhs)
Studio Flat
EUR 7,667 (~INR 7 Lakhs)
Catering for a standard room with a shared bathroom
EUR 8,682 (~INR 7 Lakhs)
Catering for Ensuite
EUR 9,215 (~INR 8 Lakhs)
Disclaimer! All course fees/salaries/expenses are indicative.
The Durham University admissions for students with a lowest acceptance rate of 41%.
What are the popular courses at Durham University?
The Durham University popular courses are arts and science along with Engineering and Business Studies. In the arts they include Archaeology, Philosophy & Theology, Art, Performing Arts & Design, Languages,Literature & Linguistics, Architecture, History. In the Sciences they include Social Sciences, Life Sciences, Computer Science, Physical Sciences. In Engineering they incluses Electrical & Electronic Engineering, General Engineering, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Business Studies like Accounting & Finance, Management & Economics.
What is Durham University known for?
Durham University is known for the Sport which is a key aspect of every student life,where the majority of students regularly participate in one or more sports.The Durham University alumni community is known as Dunelm on which the England cricketer Andrew Strauss, founder of the Eden Project, journalist Sir Harold Evans and Tim Smit are the well known personality.
Where is Durham University situated?
Durham University located in Durham and Stockton-on-Tees, England.The Durham University estate is spread across two campuses and spans around 227 hectares of land.The main campus is in the city of Durham, where 14 of the 16 colleges and most of the academic schools are located. The Queen’s campus is in the town of Stockton-on-Tees, around 30 miles from Durham, which was established in 1992 and is located on the river Tees.
How to get admission to Durham University?
The admission to Durham University requires academic good high school graduation grades in relevant subjects like Philosophy, Politics and Economics BA (Hons), students will need to have studied Maths in their most recent year of study. Students must have English Language requirements and have an age of 17+.
When was Durham University Founded?
Durham has been at the forefront of European scholarship for hundreds of years. Long before the University was founded in 1832 and granted the university a Royal Charter on 1 June 1837.
Where is Durham University ranked in the world?
According to the U.S. Durham University is 277 in Best Global Universities.According to Times Higher Education, the ranking of Durham University is 198th in World University Rankings 2023. According to Top Universities the ranking of Durham University is 92 In QS World University Rankings.
Is Durham University public or private?
Durham University is a public research university situated in the North East of England, UK, founded in 1832.
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