DD still doesn’t have college or accommodation at Durham - should we panic and who do we call?

[Mommybunny]

DD is definitely confirmed to study at Durham this year but hasn’t received her college allocation (it was her firm choice and she’d been given a provisional allocation before A level results) nor an accommodation assignment. She can’t enrol until that’s all sorted and can’t pick her modules. All her friends who are going seem to be all sorted. Every time she has tried to phone or use their useless chatbot she is told to wait for the email with all the information about getting an email address.

She is really starting to stress about it and frankly so am I because I will need to take time off work and arrange a hotel to bring her up there - we are in the West Country. Does anyone know who we can call to find out what’s going on, or is anyone in a similar boat, or otherwise familiar with the process?

Given that this happens every year, Durham should have been much better prepared. What a disappointing start to things, and especially with fees being what they are. I’d expect and want a lot better for my money.

Thanks for the heads-up @Nothernwannabe

I have now found the update (I would quibble with “on the public website for everyone to see” as it’s actually buried four layers deep - but that’s not your problem and I appreciate your time and help!)

Here’s the link for anyone wondering:

https://www.durham.ac.uk/colleges-and-student-experience/colleges/undergraduate-membership-and-accommodation/august-confirmation---college-allocation/

I see that there is an attempt to manage expectations re final confirmation 5th September as they say for some “it may take a few days more” even after that. DS and I will both have expired by then, for sure

I completely agree. If this happens every year then Durham really does need to expand their college allocation team. There is no excuse for slow admin which causes new students to miss their departmental online introductory sessions and prevents them from choosing their modules on the same date as their peers.
IMHO Durham should have an ethical duty to explicitly advise students about their high reallocation statistics and the impact of delayed reallocation on enrolment. They could very easily include this crucial information in the email they send to every applicant to confirm their preliminary college allocation. This upfront approach would enable applicants to opt for clearing on results day if they so wish, instead of playing the stressful Durham roulette wheel.

I remember the whole application and enrollment at Durham was a nightmare - DD got her offer v late in the process, missed the final offer holders' day (could they not maybe firm their offers before a final offers holder day? Or have another one after their deadline?).

Then she got reallocated for her college - why bother allocating them in the first place? (It worked out fine BTW, she likes her college, and made some great friends).

Then the long delay impacting on enrollment etc - she ended up not being able to take somne of the modules she wanted as they were full by the time she was allocated.

All issues that could be handled better - don't allow enrollment until EVERYONE has their allocation for example.

She's now on a year abroad, but LOVES Durham, so it will all be ok. I completely sympathise with the frustrations while you wait though.

Happens every year, which makes it more disgraceful. Module booking clearly need to be decoupled from accom and they should can the initial college allocation rubbish.

And the tone-deafness about moving someone from an inexpensive college to a dear one is astonishing nowadays.

Wow what a shitshow.

Still no word for us. DD firmed Durham and requested accommodation on time but did not meet her offer conditions, so falls into the second bucket. What is almost as outrageous as the possibility of her missing her module deadline (that really is the worst they can do) is completely throwing away her college ranking if they have to reallocate her. She asked for catered accommodation but if they allocate her self-catered accommodation we are going to have to kit her out with kitchen stuff. I have time to do that now if I have to but I may not as the month progresses.

Agreed this should be an exciting time for her and for all the young’uns who worked so hard to get their places, and it doesn’t need to be this chaotic.

Sorry for everyone in this position, it sounds crap and hugely unfair if those people receiving allocations late through no fault of their own; then also risk not being able to do their choice of modules.

Durham is one of my dd's intended choices but this is putting me right off

Oh no! Really hope it’s sorted soon and your YP loves it once there like mine does. 🤞 Recommend looking at Darlington or villages just outside Durham to stay at and driving in if you can’t find accommodation as it gets booked up so fast! 😊

Day 21, still waiting. 2 A stars and a C vs AAA offer, so straight to offer confirmation on Results day. I think that puts us in Prority 2 so its frustrating to read that we must be in final 10% when I've read about applicants through clearing being allocated.

We are still waiting too. I think we are priority 2 also.
I didn't know that meant we would be the last to have accommodation confirmed?

Such a stressful time. I'm dreading being told there are now no longer any college rooms available, (despite applying on time), and that we will have to look elsewhere.

We are still waiting too. I think we are priority 2 also.
I didn't know that meant we would be the last to have accommodation confirmed?
Such a stressful time. I'm dreading being told there are now no longer any college rooms available, (despite applying on time), and that we will have to look elsewhere.

@SlightlySalty @MyCheekyHazelOrca agree with every word. ☹️

I agree - my fear is my daughter being allocated non-college based accommodation which would remove the collegiate aspect of the place, which is a main reason for wanting to go there. I agree also with something said upthread - I recognise it’s a tricky process but it’s the fact that their communication is atrocious. We had a quick response from the head of chemistry which has helped my daughter calm down a bit about module choices, but so many other emails left unanswered. I would not recommend them as a uni to be honest and my heart sinks when I read comments that say the admin shitshow continues the whole three years.

Just to reassure you, my YP was further down the chain last year, it was their insurance choice and they were still allocated college accommodation so I’m sure it will be fine albeit late finding out! Their admin is slow however it seems to always work out ok. Like another poster said this laid back approach continues even for payments due which is actually a nice perk! 🤣 next year you won’t have to deal with them as your YP will be in a house so please don’t let it put a downer on things 😊

Oh and when you do get there moving in day everyone is SO lovely! The amazing plotters, freps looking out for newbies even in the city for nights out during freshers week, all the lovely staff, the welcoming atmosphere and effort to help, plethora of support and friendly faces, so many exciting things going on….it’s just the blip with admin! 😬

*porters not plotters! 🤣

Personally I am quite surprised that Durham’s appalling admin isn’t more widely known or acknowledged in the public realm. I’ve never read anything about Durham in the press or in university reviews/rankings that even hints at this systematic problem which clearly prevents numerous students from enrolling and choosing their modules in a timely manner. I suppose that’s how they’ve managed to get away with it for so many years.

I suppose nobody wants to rock the boat once they’re there?

But yes you would think it would be better known (it’s on TSR at the moment but the relevant threads will have dropped away by the time current applicants are firming up their options) I’m tempted to do a search on student newspapers etc but alas I have no energy any more

I don’t even know if there is a complaints system or whether this sort of generalised incompetence would be covered by it!

You could send a message & report it here 😊

thetab.com/university/durham

This FOI from 2022/23 may be of interest to future candidates as it shows the numbers who were reallocated that year. The numbers are surprisingly high and goes some way to explain why it takes so long. (For example, if I read it correctly, 210 were reallocated from Collingwood.) Perhaps it will help future applicants when they make their college choice.

You have to scroll a long way down to get to the spreadsheet.

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/college_allocations

I hope all of you who are still waiting hear tomorrow. Best of luck.

Not helpful probably but Durham was a shitshow 4 years ago for my ds. He applied to Collingwood, was assigned Hatfield and then re-allocated last minute to a third college. I assumed it was just a Covid thing, but sounds like it's pretty standard for them. My dd not applying there anyway, but if she was I would think long and hard. Starting Uni is challenging enough without this kind of behaviour.

This sounds like chaos to me. So are Durham basically mixing it all up so that all colleges/halls of residence include students doing all different subjects?

Thankfully my DD got her accommodation at Lancaster sorted months ago but she chose it based on proximity to her departments and cost. Surely the Durham system means that can't happen?

You always get a mixture of subjects in all colleges. It’s always been that way.

The whole College selection process is a waste of time. They are asked to rank their College preferences, then get their 5th choice and then, once you are accepted, told it means nothing. A total bait and switch, appalling misrepresentation, and completely deflates all the joy of 3 weeks ago