Skip to main content

Sport at Durham

Sport at Durham inspires the extraordinary, it always has done and that's why our alumni include Gabby Logan, Jonathan Edwards, Will Carling, Sophie Hosking and Caroline Atkins.

Our students continue to do extraordinary things today whilst making memories and friendships that last a lifetime.
Team Durham
Students playing hockey outdoors on a sports pitch

A leading University for sport

Sport is at the core of Durham student life, and a huge range of sporting opportunities is available. From joining college teams to competing at University level and beyond, we offer exceptional opportunities to get involved.  

At a glance

  • Top 3 BUCS table University since 2012
  • One of Britain’s largest student participation programmes in sport
  • Over 75% of our students engaged in sport and physical activity
  • £47 million invested in sporting facilities since 2012
  • Multiple sporting scholarships per year
  • Our Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences was ranked 2nd in the UK in the Complete University Guide 2023

 

 

 

University student
Before joining my college rowing team I had never even seen an oar – I can’t recommend it enough!

Katie Vause
Liberal Arts
Women's Lacrosse Championship Final team

Bursaries and Scholarships

The University awards approximately 12 sporting scholarships per year which entitle the chosen athletes to £2,000 on an annual basis throughout their undergraduate career.

Team Durham Scholarships

Our Approach

Sport at Durham is built on teamwork: we grow leaders, and we are stronger because of our partnerships. Sport is for everyone. We help our students try new things, to uncover their talents, to make a difference to those around them, to be fit and healthy and be the best that they can be. That is why we hope that you will be interested to know more about Durham University Sport. We find it easy to be proud of the extraordinary people we have at Durham. Through sport we offer the inspiration, they achieve the outstanding.

Our approach has three pillars Performance, Participation and Community.

  • Community Outreach

    We work with our community partners using sport and physical activity to increase wellbeing and social inclusion.
    Basketball team being presented to Princess Anne
  • Membership

    Find out more about student, staff and public membership to our fitness centre.
    Hockey players running towards the camera

Community Outreach

We work with our community partners using sport and physical activity to increase wellbeing and social inclusion.
Basketball team being presented to Princess Anne

Membership

Find out more about student, staff and public membership to our fitness centre.
Hockey players running towards the camera
Over 75% of our students are engaged in sport and physical activity
18 sports to participate in
700 teams at Durham
2,700 community users each week

Performance, Participation and Community

Performance and Leadership

We are Britain's top Team Sport University (ranked Number 1 in the UK by the National Governing Body of University Sport - BUCS, since 2013) and support over 50 capped internationals per year.

Our sporting philosophy is to provide opportunities for exceptional people to do exceptional things, and few universities so successfully and consistently combine sporting and academic excellence. Durham enjoys British Rowing Performance Centre status, First Class County Cricket status, British Fencing Centre status, Tennis Foundation University Performance Centre status, and English Lacrosse High-Performance University status. Our teams also compete in the England Hockey National Leagues, the British Basketball League and the FS Women's Superleague.

Participation

We co-ordinate one of Britain's largest participation programmes with over 75% of our students engaged in sport and physical activity. This is because sport at Durham embraces all levels of skill. Our unique college structure offers many opportunities for you to participate in 18 sports across 700 different teams, on a weekly basis, making it the largest internal sports programme in Britain. This not only helps to keep you active and healthy, but it also provides social opportunities and a sense of belonging that can be particularly important in the early days when you are settling in at University.

Community Partnership

Over 2,700 community users access our facilities each week, working directly with student clubs and volunteers.

We focus on making sport accessible, we provide access to a wide range of opportunities, all of which create a valuable and real-life experience in a setting where you can make a difference. Our extensive Community Sports Development Programme offers coaching and outreach activities to schools and community groups. We also take part in National Governing Body officiating courses, developing your skills so you can go on to coach outside of the University and even on to a professional coaching career.