Durham University Colleges

Durham University has sixteen colleges. During your stay in the UK, you will be assigned to one of the four Durham University colleges below. You will eat your meals in this college and have many opportunities to make English speaking friends as well as join clubs and societies. 

St Mary’s College

St Mary’s College was established in 1899 and is Durham's third oldest College. It is a small, traditional and friendly community situated in a great location. It has beautiful buildings, gardens and views of Durham Cathedral. There are many events that you can participate in during your time at Mary’s – formal dinners, winter ball, summer ball, music events and drama performances. The college has a shop and bar as well as sports facilities and communal relaxation areas. The food at St Mary’s is very nice and the kitchen staffs are very helpful. Mary’s students are very friendly and interested to meet international students. There are always opportunities to make friends and speak English at St Mary’s College.

Van Mildert College

Van Mildert College is named after William Van Mildert – the last palatine Bishop of Durham and one of the founders of Durham University. Van Mildert has many sports clubs, societies and events to offer and they are always eager to involve the Teikyo students. Students in recent years have been part of their football club, rowing club, basketball club and their music and drama societies. Involvement in the drama and music society can lead to roles productions and concerts! Van Mildert is renowned for its scenic lake and its duck mascot. There are many events in the summer that take place by this lake, and it is very likely that you will see the mascot at these events! Another exciting event at Van Mildert College is formal dinner. These dinners take place throughout the year and the most exciting formal of them all is Christmas formal! It is a great college to be a part of and you will never forget your time at Van Mildert College.

Collingwood College

One of the most modern colleges in Durham, Collingwood concentrates less on tradition and formality and instead values a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Collingwood has a shop, café and relaxation area, as well as a modern and well-equipped gym. Collingwood is highly-regarded amongst Durham University colleges for its excellent performance in sports. There are a large variety of Collingwood sports teams that you can join - from rugby to tennis - usually over a range of levels from beginner to expert. So whether you are a skilled athlete or a more casual player, you’re sure to find a college team perfect for you. Of course, sport isn’t the only thing you can do in college, Collingwood has many other societies too, including some very successful music and drama societies. Collingwood has many formal dinners, though in keeping with Collingwood’s less-formal style, these are often fancy dress formals, with a prize for the person with the best costume! Collingwood’s large and vibrant student community makes it a fantastic place to chat to English-speaking students from Britain and around the world, you’re sure to make many new friends here! 

Grey College

There are over 850 undergraduate and graduate members of Grey College, which was founded over 50 years ago. It’s a relaxed, enthusiastic and friendly community. Grey College has a range of fantastic facilities, whether that be the large College Library, College Theatre, the table-tennis room or the Bar and there are so many opportunities to get involved. In the last few years, Teikyo students have joined such groups as the basketball club, the badminton club, the Disney society, the language society, the photography society and been part of the Arts committee. Grey College also hosts lots of special events during the year. These are great opportunities to meet Durham students, make new friends and have lots of fun. These events include the largest firework display in Durham held in November, the informal ball and Grey Day, a day in the summer where you can celebrate Grey College! As well as these, there are monthly formal dinners where everyone dresses smartly in suits or dresses and academic gowns are worn. You look like you are in the Harry Potter movies! It is a brilliant college to be a part of and you will make many lifelong friendships and lovely memories here.