Established in 1904, we are an independent foundation (albeit fully recognised as a college by Durham University). With a student body of 340 undergraduates and 150 postgraduates, we deliberately remain one of the smaller, more personable colleges.

If you're not familiar with the college system in Durham, don't be put off. All Durham students are members of colleges (whether University-owned or self-governing) and most colleges have a number of student residences (in our case we have 9 distinct halls). The job of each college is to create communities (much larger than halls of residence elsewhere) where a broad spectrum of students can get to know other students studying across the whole range of Durham degrees. You get the best of both worlds in Durham: a large University environment, but a real sense of community beyond the usual halls of residence elsewhere. In fact, the collegiate system brings much that is best about university life right to your very own doorstep.

The Personal Element

Though we prefer to remain one of the smaller colleges in Durham, we still have the highest concentration of research staff and library resources of any college in Durham. Our manageable size means that we're able to offer personal support to all our students in a world-class university research environment. Our unique collegiate studies programme further enhances your education, preparing you for the future, and equipping you with the kinds of skills and the range of experiences that the best employers are constantly looking for.  In fact, in a recent survey Chad's students were the most likely to find a job after graduation.

St Chad's strives to be a first class academic community. The college hires all its own staff and has a multidisciplinary research team based in the College itself (unusual for Durham). Thus Chad's students are able to mix with senior scholars on a daily basis, enhancing the research culture within our College. And with an undergraduate student-to-tutor ratio of 10:1 (again the best in the Durham), our students have unrivalled access to their mentors/tutors.

We also strive to be a community of conscience.  It's been said that ‘a good education should leave much to be desired’ and we see the College as a place where students can not only study their hearts out, but also discover their heart's desires. A key part of the collegiate experience is discovering who you are and how you want to live the rest of your life. That ought to be exciting rather than merely challenging; and discovering what actually matters lays a great foundation for lifelong friendships.

The College is strongly supportive of recent developments in Durham University. Our Trustees devised a strategy to reinforce the University's own exciting research-led strategy for 2010-20, a strategy that hinges on high expectations of both students and staff.

Recruitment

We recruit students strictly on the basis of academic potential. The majority of our students come from state-schools, and the College is especially keen to recruit a diverse range of students and to make them all feel equally-welcome. The College is heavily involved in regeneration activities in the North East, and we warmly encourage students from the North East (often under-represented in northern Universities) to apply for membership.

The College positively encourages the widest diversity of students and views: our students come from around the globe, representing often more than 25 different countries.

Striving for Excellence...

The College encourages all its students to aim for a first or an upper-second class degree: indeed, close to 90% of our students regularly achieve that aim, and our students have consistently broken Durham University academic records for years and years.

St Chad's students strive for uncommon excellence, having the time of their lives, yes, but also throwing themselves into their studies, getting totally-involved in the College and in the wider University, not least in sports and extra-curricular activities. In fact, students at St Chad's have the highest sports participation rate compared to other colleges in the University. 

Because they are members of two distinct communities, our students have a real sense of ownership both of their College, and of their University. Again, our academic results and our participation rates tell the tale, year after year.

Community-orientated...

You can study only for so many hours in a day, and Durham has lots to keep everyone busy. Students have numerous opportunities to volunteer within and beyond the University, even beyond the UK.

Closer to home, the College places a special emphasis on music, sport and theatre. Our world-class choir, for instance, travels overseas each year and produces annual CDs and DVDs.

The College has a top-notch boat club, and it enters teams in virtually all college sports leagues, doing especially well in men's and women's rugby and football. Being  a smaller college means that almost everyone can play on a college team at Chad's.  Not only that, but the College is famous for the huge turn-out of fans: our supporters almost always outnumber those of the largest colleges by a long shot. We think that says a lot about the College.

We even have our own semi-professional theatre group, Green Door Productions, whose productions feature in the College and in the City. They are mentored by the independent theatre director Giles Ramsay, a College Fellow, who specializes in creating new work with artists in developing countries.

The College's modest size means that College life is relaxed, friendly, and informal.  But that modest size also means enables an exceptionally high level of student-staff interaction, which is one of the hallmarks of St Chad's College.

Exercising the mind....

At St Chad's we try to maximise choices for our students by offering our own unique Collegiate Studies Programme (CSP), which helps students expand their education beyond their academic departments. The College also offers opportunities for job experience, including overseas placements in Africa and with the UN.

The College's Policy Research Group includes over a dozen fellows and associates who analyse government policy at all levels, not least issues affecting the North East of England. It also offers students the chance to become acquainted with some of the thorny challenges facing the region.

The College jointly sponsors the Traidcraft Fellowship as well as the Ruth First Scholarship, which give students and scholars from the developing world a chance to study here in Durham on College scholarships – something that benefits the whole College.  And we give our students a chance to work abroad in South Africa on placement.

Location and Resources...

St Chad's College is centrally located in mediaeval Durham City, directly across from Durham Cathedral, adjacent to Durham's World Heritage Site, just a minute's walk from Durham's historic market place.

Almost all of our buildings have listed-building status: the newest was built in the mid 1800s and the oldest have Jacobean elements (early 1600s). Almost all of our student rooms are unique, with their own distinct character. That said, they have all the modern conveniences you'd expect in the best student residences, including internet in every room.

Most of the College's facilities are concentrated in Main College. The Chapel, Dining Hall and College Bars are there, as are the seven dedicated library rooms (all with internet access), the three common rooms, TV room and computer room.

St Chad's also has a fitness suite and weight-room (2005-6), a not-so-new boat-house (1918), two newly-fitted student bars (2004/8), an art room, a launderette, plus a number of rooms with pianos for music practice .

Students reside in nine distinct student residences, most of which are located close to Main College (see Buildings)

Click for more on the College ...

(Trinity Hall)

Postgraduates

In any given year, the College has between 100 and 165 postgraduates on its roll.  Most are enrolled in the University, studying virtually all subjects at Master's and PhD levels.  Many postgrads live at the College's Trinity Hall, which offers spacious self-catering rooms. Epiphany House, which opened in 2007, has 7 en-suite rooms reserved for postgraduates; and Main College and Hallgarth Street have a further dozen rooms, clustering postgrads together..

All that has been said above re undergraduates applies equally to postgraduates, who play a central role in the life of the College through the Middle Common Room. The advantages of having College-based research staff apply doubly to postgraduates, and one of the hallmarks of St Chad's is the easy access all our students have to senior College members.

Postgraduate support is headed up by the College's Director of Postgraduate Studies, who co-ordinates the postgraduate programme and organises College-based postgraduate seminars and research support.

As with undergraduate admissions, competition is fierce for postgraduate membership, especially for accommodation, so early enquiries are strongly recommended.  Click for more on postgraduate life ...