Student Life

Durham is a beautiful, compact city in the North East of England, located 17 miles from Newcastle upon Tyne (view map). The City has a rich heritage and culture, with the world-famous Castle and Cathedral sitting on top of a peninsula overlooking the River Wear. The panoramic view of the Cathedral and Castle has been described as 'one of the finest architectural experiences of Europe'. The UNESCO World Heritage Site is at the heart of the City.

Durham City has been voted the best city in the UK in previous Readers' Travel awards by Condé Nast international travel magazine, ahead of Edinburgh and London. With a population of around 43,000 Durham has a compact, friendly feel about it, but still provides the facilities you would expect of a thriving city including many excellent cafés, bars and restaurants. The Gala Theatre is a £15m building in the heart of the City offering a programme of live events attracting some of the country's leading theatre companies, comedians, bands, musicians and dance performers; and a cinema showing the latest blockbusters alongside independent and classic films. 

No matter where you are in the City, you are never far from the University's colleges, departments and facilities. Durham offers a range of sporting and leisure pursuits, including 64 acres of sports fields and facilities, a haven in the form of the Botanic Garden, museums of oriental and archaeological history, as well as our own student theatre, the Assembly Rooms. The City is also only 15 minutes from Newcastle upon Tyne by train and direct trains to London take approximately two hours forty-five minutes.