Durham is a university town: 35 of every 100 residents aged 16 and over are full-time students

Durham University (19,520 students) and New College Durham are inside Durham; the nearest university campus outside it is the University of Sunderland, 11.2 miles away in Sunderland.

University town35% of residents 16+ are studentsDurham University

Within 15 miles

student numbers to come (HESA)

Nearest college

in Durham

Durham University

Full-time students

35%

Above England (8%) · residents 16+

Nearest further education college

in Durham

New College Durham

Nearest university

in Durham

Durham University

Tuition fee

£9,790

a year at most, England, 2026–27

What stands out about college in Durham

Facts about the town and its distance to campus; each college’s own figures follow.

A university town35 of every 100 residents aged 16+ are full-time students, against 8 across England (Census 2021).A university in DurhamDurham University has 19,520 students across its campuses; its main campus is in Durham.A further education college in DurhamNew College Durham: courses from 16, apprenticeships and some degrees.

Every college

Colleges and universities within 15 miles of Durham

11 within 15 miles: 4 universities, 7 further education colleges.

UniversityFurther education college

Durham UniversityUniversity · in Durham19,520students (Wikidata, 2020)Students: Wikidata’s count for the whole institution until HESA’s are loaded.

New College DurhamFurther education college · in Durham—students: HESA figures to comeStudents: Wikidata’s count for the whole institution until HESA’s are loaded.

East Durham CollegeFurther education college · 8.8 mi · Peterlee—students: HESA figures to comeStudents: Wikidata’s count for the whole institution until HESA’s are loaded.

City of Sunderland CollegeFurther education college · 10.1 mi · Sunderland—students: HESA figures to comeStudents: Wikidata’s count for the whole institution until HESA’s are loaded.

Bishop Auckland CollegeFurther education college · 10.3 mi · Bishop Auckland—students: HESA figures to comeStudents: Wikidata’s count for the whole institution until HESA’s are loaded.

University of SunderlandUniversity · 11.2 mi · Sunderland—students: HESA figures to comeStudents: Wikidata’s count for the whole institution until HESA’s are loaded.

Derwentside CollegeFurther education college · 11.7 mi · Consett—students: HESA figures to comeStudents: Wikidata’s count for the whole institution until HESA’s are loaded.

Gateshead CollegeFurther education college · 12.9 mi · Gateshead—students: HESA figures to comeStudents: Wikidata’s count for the whole institution until HESA’s are loaded.

Newcastle CollegeFurther education college · 13.1 mi · Newcastle upon Tyne—students: HESA figures to comeStudents: Wikidata’s count for the whole institution until HESA’s are loaded.

Northumbria UniversityUniversity · 13.6 mi · Newcastle upon Tyne—students: HESA figures to comeStudents: Wikidata’s count for the whole institution until HESA’s are loaded.

Newcastle UniversityUniversity · 13.8 mi · Newcastle upon Tyne—students: HESA figures to comeStudents: Wikidata’s count for the whole institution until HESA’s are loaded.

What it costs

What would you pay?

Fees are set nationally, not by each university: in 2026–27 an English university can charge a home student up to £9,790 a year, and so can a Welsh one; Northern Ireland’s charge their own students up to £4,985; Scottish students pay no tuition fee at a Scottish university. Further education colleges are free for most 16 to 18 year olds. There is no family-by-family price to show, so this page doesn’t make one up.

Questions about college near Durham

Is Durham a university town?

Yes. 35 of every 100 residents aged 16 and over are full-time students (Census 2021), against 8 across England.

What colleges are in Durham?

Durham University (19,520 students); New College Durham.

Where can you study after 16 near Durham?

New College Durham, 1.5 miles away in Durham, teaches courses from 16, apprenticeships and some degrees.

What does university cost here?

Neighbours talk college

Students, parents, alumni and the neighbours next door.

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Colleges and universities: Wikidata (CC0): each institution with a UKPRN, its point and its students count, and, for Scottish colleges and university campuses away from the seat, our list placed from postcodes (postcodes.io, OGL). To come: Discover Uni teaching locations and HESA student numbers (CC BY 4.0). Students: Census 2021 (England, Wales, Northern Ireland) and Scotland’s Census 2022, full-time students among residents aged 16 and over (OGL). Straight-line distances from the centre of Durham. Colleges are described, not graded; the University town label marks towns where 15% or more of residents aged 16 and over are full-time students. Fees: the UK and devolved governments, 2026–27. Photos: Wikimedia Commons, through each institution’s Wikidata item; author and licence on each.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026 (ONS boundaries). Northern Ireland: Source: NISRA; contains Land & Property Services data and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland information, © Crown copyright, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Scotland: contains National Records of Scotland data, Registers of Scotland data and SEPA data, © Crown copyright / © SEPA 2025, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.