Durham 2022 applicants

[NinaProudman2022]

New thread for those applying to Durham for 2022. What time of year do Durham usually make offers please and do they interview? DS applied early and we are new to all this but are wondering if he has now missed the deadline for ranking Colleges (unlike most of his friends applying who managed not to miss this and did this early on) as he can’t now see this option in the portal or if he hasn’t missed it then is their a deadline for doing this please? I know in previous years college rankings may have been irrelevant. Thanks

Just to correct- Some of the accommodation for castle college ( university college) is modern, self catered at Kepier court. I think it’s only a few years old . Next year Dc says the college is using Rushford court for self catered accommodation (which is also a modern block) . The accommodation for Castle is very varied ie-single, single ensuite, shared ensuite, catered or self catered in blocks ranging from historic buildings ( ie the castle itself and Owen gate ) to more modern ( bailey court, moat side ) to very recently built blocks ( Kepier, Rushford court) . Some of the accommodation ( ie in the Castle itself and some in Owen gate) has to be vacated during holidays as it is used for functions ( ie weddings) .Its really worth looking at accommodation info v carefully! Castle has video clips on its Instagram page I think.

I think the way accommodation is allocated has changed over the years, DS didn't get his choice, he got one geographically near, not a Bailey so I assume they took that into account. We were told they wanted each college to have a good mix of students studying different subjects and with different outside interests and sports, so as not to have a rowing favourite, science student favourite etc. His college previously had the reputation for maths and science students and very musical, he didn't tick any of those boxes:).

Still waiting for an offer / rejection here too!

By any chance are you waiting to hear from Comp Sci? I haven’t seen anything on the offer/rejected forms lately.

Still waiting for Durham. Do we think that's it for offers until after the Easter break?

Has anybody got to this point and withdrawn the application so they can firm another uni? I'm so fed up of waiting.

I think a lot of people have- according to TSR. My DD is hanging on in there for combined honours ☹️ If no offer forthcoming, she’ll probably firm Exeter for which she has an unconditional and there’s no hurry to apply for accommodation so she’s of the view that she can wait it out (Durham would be her firm choice given the chance!). Her exams start in 3 weeks however so I am worried a rejection will come right in the middle of them.

Still waiting for history, also waiting for Edinburgh. DS likely to firm Exeter if the wait continues.

Still waiting for physics (also UCL). Ds went to offer holder day at Bristol and really liked it so thinking of firming it and forgetting Durham. It's.a shame, though, as think the collegiate approach would suit him

My niece got her offer yesterday. Geography now its between there and St Andrews.

Durham is always very late in the day with offers, every year. It is awful waiting even though it isn't us actually waiting just our children. Doesn't stop it being frustrating though.

@Watsername just thought I would come on here to say Ds1 is at Durham doing computer science in his first year. He is at South college which was his first choice mainly for the en-suite high probability and definitely no sharing. He does love it there. I think being so new though it hasn't really got an identity yet, still finding its feet.

@Igglepigglesblankie Ds is self-catered in an en-suite room sharing a kitchen with 7 others. We are paying £6335 for the year as the room comes with a small double bed. Durham is a set price with a either an increase for things like en-suites or a decrease for things like sharing. It is hit and miss re room sizes depending on the college and how many you share a kitchen with etc. I can't say what this year's prices are but Warwick for Ds if he went there was going to be £6050 for Heronbank which I believe was the cheapest en-suite or £6840 for Sherbourne but those kitchens are for 14 people!

Durham is positively bargain priced compared to some universities and not even London ones. I think Bristol is much higher if memory serves. Ds said the issue he believed with Warwick was the 2nd year accommodation as lots of students live in Leamington Spa due to lack of housing near the university.

@Oblomov22 yes my calves also burned going up the hill to the cathedral. We walked all the way from the top of the hill colleges when touring the town. Ds said he got used to it really quickly. Spoken like a fit and active 18 year old.

Good luck to those still waiting for offers.

DS has just got an offer. It's nice to have, obviously, but also frustrating as we've never visited and now it's too late, certainly too late for offer holder days. I think he'll probably stick to St Andrews, which is a lower offer too.

What I don't understand is how to pick a college. I understand Oxbridge much better but it feels as at Durham they're are half way between colleges and halls of residence. Or have I got that wrong?

@Valleyofthedollymix Congratulations on the offer!

I took DS to the offer holder day. Not sure we fully understand the college system either though. DS picked the four main self-catering colleges first (best chance of an ensuite too) then those with tennis courts. But the university works to ensure all colleges have a mix of students by subject and interests so not sure where a choice sits between good chance and wishful thinking.

@EachandEveryone More congratulations in order!

@Valleyofthedollymix congratulations on your son's offer, if you can still visit before firming you can . We did once lockdown restrictions were lifted, walked around the town itself and walked down to the hill colleges. There are lots of videos online from students, a day in the life sort of thing to get a feel. Ds firmed Durham before setting foot in the place due to lockdown.

@EwwSprouts Yes the colleges are a weird hybrid between normal accommodation blocks and Oxbridge ones. The only uni I know of that is similar is Loughborough as Dh went there. Unlike Oxbridge the college is literally a place you live, it has its own bar, song etc but all lectures/tutorials take place in academic buildings. There is a massive amount of pride in your college, they have their own sports teams who compete against the other colleges. Some colleges have gowned formals some don't. A bit like Oxbridge you can apply for one but no guarantee you will get it but no restrictions on we can only have 4 students taking X. There is lots of friendly rivalry and opinions about the type of person who lives in Collingwood etc but all jolly japes type not serious. Some colleges send out questionnaires so they can put like-minded people in the same flat, some just mix with no sorting just allocate rooms.

Ds's criteria for a college was high chance of en-suite and zero chance of sharing. If you are interested that is Snow with 94% chance of en-suite, South with 90% and Butler 81% for undergrad room allocation.

How is everyone doing? DS has finally got around to firming Durham and choosing his insurance choice.

Does anyone know when colleges are likely to be allocated for 2022 entry and when deposits to reserve accommodation are required please?

Thanks

@Wordlewobble Congratulations on the button pushing! So glad you are asking about accommodations deposits as I've been convinced Ds has missed an email, with so many friends having to pay deposits now.

@OnTheBenchOfDoom Thanks for explaining more. DS would be keen to play in college sports fixtures.

I don't know when college allocations will take place but there are no deposits for college accommodation. They move in for freshers week which is a week of jollies before the course starts but the first payment for accommodation is not until 1st December if paying by direct debit. It allows plenty of time for money to be put in the account the direct debit you set up goes out of. Next payment date is 1st February then 1st June. Tenancy runs until Saturday 25th June 10am but they finish their exams well before that.

dates
finance

College allocations we’re v late last year as they were trying to get people to defer and were reallocating right up to the last minute over the summer
bend is right though.. there was no deposit.

I hope college allocation isn't soon... we've yet to hear from them!

Long is correct, it was all last minute due to all universities being oversubscribed so there was a scramble for accommodating all first years. I have just looked as Ds had his UCAS emails forwarded to me as a safety net. He was allocated his college on Monday 23rd August but I know others were later that week. Trust me when I say Durham send a lot of emails once you firm them.

Thank you!

Sorry @NCTDN not trying to rub salt in. Everything crossed an offer suddenly appears on the tracker.

@NCTDN Durham are notoriously last minute, always. Due to covid there may well have been staff shortages too for admissions people. I will keep my fingers crossed for you.

Thanks eww and doom. Tbh I think even if an offer comes through, she'll automatically reject it in favour of Bristol! It will have to be an amazing offer to change that idea

College allocations start next week. Son had E-mail the other day from Durham telling him