Student Advice

We asked current international students what advice they would give to prospective students who will be making the transition to Durham this October. Here are some of their replies.

"Things I wish I had known before arriving in Durham..."

Getting settled in...

Before coming I was very concerned about communicating with people and making friends.
I would not have worried so much if I had known that I would have so much support.

The International Office holds Induction and Welcome Events to help you settle into University life.

We also offer a welcome service at Newcastle Airport and Durham Train Station to help you arrive at your College safely.

Being prepared...

Knowing about reading lists or necessary textbooks for the course was great. My course had an e-textbook which was really helpful to get a general idea about the course.

Find out more about courses at Durham University.

Living in Durham

How close my college is to lecture halls, academic departments and sporting facilities.

Nothing is ever too far away in Durham. View the University map to see where our Departments and Colleges are located.

I was comforted to know that my accommodation was of such a high standard, and how important college life is.

Find out more about College life at Durham University.

Most students choose to live in College when they arrive at Durham. However, if you would prefer to rent accommodation privately, we recommend that you visit the Durham Studentpad website to find out more.

Living on a Student Budget

It can take up to 3 weeks to set up a UK bank account, so make sure you bring enough start up funds to cover you for this time.

Click here to find out more about setting up a student bank account.

Get a cheap pay-as-you go mobile phone when you arrive. Some carriers offer deals for calls and texts to international numbers, so make sure you ask around.

Find out more about communication in the UK.

Getting involved...

Join groups, clubs and societies, participate in as many things as you can manage. Go out (even if you don’t feel like it). This may be a once in a life time opportunity for you to live abroad. Make the most of it!

Find out more about the Clubs and Societies on offer at Durham University.

Exploring Durham...

I wish I had read more about the history of Durham and the beautiful places to visit.

Click here to see some of the amazing things you can do in Durham, even on a student budget!

Durham is small town and it is safe, but I wish I had known more about the weather here.

Find out what the weather is like in Durham today.