Moving to Durham for University: What to Know

Moving to a new city for university is a big step, and Durham has a few quirks worth knowing before you arrive. Here is a practical, evergreen guide to getting settled.

Arriving and accommodation

Durham's collegiate system means your college, not your department, is your base for accommodation and welfare. The university aims to house all first-year undergraduates in college, and first-years can apply to be guaranteed an offer of accommodation. Over the summer your college will ask your preferences, catered or self-catered, single or shared, en-suite or standard, though a specific room type is never guaranteed. Colleges set individual arrival slots, usually on the weekend before Welcome Week, so confirm yours before booking travel; international students often arrive a few days earlier.

Registering with a GP and dentist

Sort out healthcare early. New students can pre-register with a GP before arriving, and the Claypath and University Medical Group serves many students; if you pre-register online your registration is usually completed automatically around the end of September. You do not need an existing NHS number or a previous UK practice. Register with a dentist the same way, choosing one that accepts NHS patients via the NHS website's dentist finder.

Getting around

Durham is small, compact and best explored on foot, and most students rarely need a bus around the city itself. Do come prepared for a genuinely hilly, cobbled place, though, especially the narrow lanes climbing to the cathedral and castle, worth bearing in mind for footwear and for anyone with mobility needs.

Travelling home

For trips home, Durham station sits on the East Coast Main Line, around fourteen miles south of Newcastle, with frequent direct trains to London King's Cross in about three and a half hours and Edinburgh in under two. The rebuilt bus station on North Road is the hub for regional buses and National Express coaches to destinations across the country.

Looking ahead to later years

Most students spend first year in college and then move into private, shared housing for later years while keeping their college membership. When that time comes, our guide to where Durham students live sets out the main student areas and a few cautions before you sign a tenancy.