Durham University
England's third-oldest university, where every student belongs to a college and the castle is a hall of residence.
- Students
- 21,470
- International
- 34%
- of students
- Student–faculty
- 13.2:1
- ratio
- Tuition
- £28,500
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1832
About Durham
Durham University was founded by Act of Parliament in 1832, making it the first recognised university to open in England for more than 600 years after Oxford and Cambridge. It is a collegiate university: departments handle teaching and research, while every student is also a member of one of its colleges, which provide accommodation, welfare and a large share of social, sporting and cultural life. The university owns and manages the Durham World Heritage Site with Durham Cathedral, including Durham Castle and Palace Green.
About 21,000 students study here (THE counts 21,470, with 34 percent international). Durham is especially strong in the humanities, law and social sciences: THE ranks it 50th in the world for Arts and Humanities and equal 52nd for Law, and 31 of its 32 subjects were in the UK top ten in the Complete University Guide 2027. Most science and social science departments are on the Mountjoy site south of the city centre, home to the Bill Bryson Library.
Durham suits students who want a traditional, close-knit college experience in a small, historic city, and who are comfortable with academically demanding entry requirements. The college system gives first-years a ready-made community, formal dinners and inter-college sport, and QS ranks Durham 49th in the world for employer reputation.
Fundamenta eius super montibus sanctis
“Her foundations are upon the holy hills (Psalm 87:1)” — university motto
Why students choose Durham
Every undergraduate belongs to a college, and Durham guarantees an offer of accommodation to first-years who apply for it.
Employers rate Durham highly: 49th in the world for employer reputation in the QS 2027 rankings.
Durham ranks 6th in the UK in all three major 2027 UK league tables.
Courses like Computer Science report strong graduate outcomes: 92 percent of 2022/23 graduates in work or further study, with an average salary of 40,750 pounds.
Admissions
Entry in September 2027 (UCAS 2027 cycle); statistics from the 2024/25 cycle (2025 entry)
Selectivity
In the 2024/25 cycle (2025 entry, the latest published) Durham received 23,705 Home/Islands applications (74 percent offered the programme applied to, 76 percent including alternative offers) and 11,425 Overseas/EU applications (83 percent; 85 percent including alternatives). Offer rates vary sharply by department: for Home applicants, Law offered 31 percent, Accounting and Finance 32 percent and Computer Science 36 percent (60 percent including alternative programmes), while many humanities departments offered above 95 percent. These are offer rates per application, not acceptance or enrolment rates.
Typical entry requirements
| A-levels | A*A*A to ABB depending on department; e.g. A*AA including A in Maths for Computer Science, A*AA for Law |
|---|---|
| IB Diploma | 34 to 38 points depending on department; e.g. 37 with 7,6,6 at HL (including Maths) for Computer Science, 37 with 7,6,6 at HL for Law |
| Contextual offer | e.g. AAB for Computer Science (including A in Maths) and Law |
| English language | IELTS 6.5 IELTS 6.5 to 7.0 depending on programme. |
Deadlines
- UCAS equal consideration deadline Non-binding Next deadline · In ~3 months13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time
Durham advises applying by the January equal consideration date for the best chance of an offer. Durham has no medicine, dentistry or veterinary degrees, so the 15 October deadline does not apply to its courses.
Date from UCAS's 2027-entry calendar. Some scholarships have their own closing dates, e.g. several North East scholarships close on 25 March 2027.
How to apply
Apply through UCAS (institution code D86), with up to five choices, a personal statement and a reference. Law applicants must also sit the LNAT. All students are allocated to a college.
What admissions looks for
- Strong predicted or achieved grades at the level set by the department, including required subjects such as A-level Maths for Computer Science.
- A personal statement and reference that show commitment to the chosen subject.
- For Law, performance in both parts of the LNAT; the essay is always considered and there is no minimum multiple-choice score.
- Contextual factors, which can lead to a reduced contextual offer.
Tips for applying to Durham
- 1 Look up your department's offer rate: Law, Accounting and Finance, Finance and Computer Science make offers to far fewer applicants than humanities departments.
- 2 For Law, prepare seriously for the LNAT essay; Durham assesses its argument structure, including counter-arguments and a concise conclusion.
- 3 Read up on the colleges before you apply; you will be allocated to one and it shapes where you live and much of your social life.
- 4 Check the long list of Durham scholarships, such as Durham Inspired Computer Science (4,000 pounds a year for household income below 42,875 pounds) and the Durham Inspiring Excellence award for international students (5,000 or 10,000 pounds a year).
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in GBP
UK students can take government tuition fee and maintenance loans. Durham offers many targeted scholarships, including 4,000 pound-a-year awards for low-income students in Computer Science and from the North East, and the competitive Durham Inspiring Excellence award worth 5,000 or 10,000 pounds a year off tuition for new international students.
- 10,050 pounds (subject to parliamentary approval)
- Home fee 2027/28
- 1,958 pounds
- Placement year fee 2026/27
- 1,468.50 pounds
- Year abroad fee 2026/27
- 5,000 or 10,000 pounds a year
- Durham Inspiring Excellence (international)
Academics
Law LLB
THE ranks Durham equal 52nd in the world for Law; entry is by A*AA and the LNAT, and only 31 percent of Home applicants received an offer in 2024/25.
Arts and Humanities (English, History, Classics, Theology)
Durham's best THE subject area, 50th in the world in 2026.
Computer Science BSc
Taught in a 40 million pound building at Upper Mountjoy, with 92 percent of 2022/23 graduates in work or study and an average salary of 40,750 pounds.
Natural Sciences
A flexible degree combining several sciences, which drew 1,070 Home applications in 2024/25.
Research
- Durham performs strongly on sustainability, placed joint 24th in the world in the QS 2027 sustainability lens.
- The Hazan Venture Lab helps students build entrepreneurial skills and incubate new ventures.
- Research spans climate topics from ice-sheet melting and geothermal energy to decarbonising shipping and hydrogen.
Course-level HESA Graduate Outcomes data on Durham's course pages: Computer Science graduates of 2022/23 were 92 percent in work or further study, with an average salary of 40,750 pounds; English Studies 92 percent in work or further study.
Student life
College life defines Durham. Every student belongs to one of the colleges, which run their own bars, formals, sports teams, drama and music, and most first-years live in college. Some colleges sit around Palace Green and the castle on the peninsula, others on the hill near the Mountjoy science site. The Durham Students' Union is based in Dunelm House, a 1960s brutalist building by the river. Graduates traditionally use the post-nominal 'Dunelm' after their degree.
- Durham Castle, part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, houses University College.
- Inter-college sport, formals and college societies are central to the student experience.
- The university owns and manages the World Heritage Site with Durham Cathedral, including Palace Green and Cosin's Library.
- A 19th college is planned next to Hild Bede as part of a redevelopment.
Housing. Durham guarantees an offer of college accommodation to first-year undergraduates who apply for it; rooms may be catered or self-catered.
Location
Durham is a small cathedral city in North East England built around a wooded peninsula in a loop of the River Wear. Students make up a large share of the population, so life revolves around the colleges and the riverside. Newcastle is a short train ride away for bigger nightlife and shopping.
Nearest airport: Newcastle International Airport (NCL)
Notable alumni
- MM Mo MowlamSecretary of State for Northern Ireland at the time of the Good Friday Agreement
- JW Justin WelbyArchbishop of Canterbury from 2013 to 2025
- LL Libby LaneFirst woman bishop in the Church of England
- HE Harold EvansEditor of The Sunday Times and The Times
- TS Tim SmitCo-founder of the Eden Project
- JE Jonathan EdwardsOlympic triple jump gold medallist
- RC Rosemary CooganAstrophysicist and European Space Agency astronaut
- RD Richard DannattFormer Chief of the General Staff of the British Army
Frequently asked questions
What is Durham University's QS ranking for 2027?
Durham is 85th in the QS World University Rankings 2027, up nine places, and 49th in the world for employer reputation.
What grades do you need for Durham?
Typical offers range from A*A*A to ABB at A-level and 34 to 38 points in the IB depending on the department; Computer Science and Law, for example, ask for A*AA and 37 IB points with 7,6,6 at Higher Level.
What is Durham's acceptance rate?
Durham publishes offer rates rather than one admit rate: in 2024/25, 74 percent of Home applications and 83 percent of Overseas/EU applications received an offer, but competitive courses like Law (31 percent for Home applicants) are much lower.
Do I choose a college at Durham?
Every student becomes a member of a college. Durham explains its college allocation process on its website, and first-years who apply for accommodation are guaranteed an offer of a room.
Does Durham Law require the LNAT?
Yes. All LLB applicants must sit the LNAT, and Durham always considers both the multiple-choice score and the essay.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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