Undergraduates College Membership 2026 Entry

Every undergraduate student at Durham University is allocated to a college as part of their offer. Your college is a central part of your University experience, providing academic, social, and pastoral support throughout your time at Durham. College membership applies to all students, regardless of where you live.

This page explains how undergraduate college membership is allocated, what you need to do, and when you will receive your preliminary and finalised allocation.

Submitting College Preferences

Once you receive an academic offer from Durham University, you can submit your college preferences through the Undergraduate Applicant Portal.

• College preference submission opens from 14 January 2026
• You may submit preferences as soon as you receive an offer
• The deadline to submit your preferences of on-time applications is 2pm (BST/GMT+1) on 7 May 2026
• If you receive your offer later, access will be available once your offer is made

You will be invited to rank up to 16 colleges in order of preference. While your preferences are always considered, submitting preferences does not guarantee allocation to a specific college.

How College Membership Is Allocated

College membership allocations are made using a structured and fair process that considers:

• your stated college preferences;
• any confirmed Disability Support recommendations (where applicable); and
• the need to maintain balanced, multidisciplinary college communities.

Allocations are made using published criteria to ensure fairness, consistency, and transparency. The University does not operate a discretionary or negotiable college allocation process outside this policy.

Disability Support and Adjustments

If you have a disability or medical condition, you are encouraged to disclose this as early as possible.

Confirmed recommendations from Disability Support are considered as part of the college allocation process. Where possible, reasonable adjustments are made within your allocated college. In some cases, allocations may be adjusted once recommendations are confirmed.

Adjustments are made to remove barriers to access and participation and are not based on personal preference.

College Membership Timeline

• Preliminary college membership allocations are communicated from May 2026
• Final college membership is confirmed following A-level results and confirmation of student status

All undergraduate students will receive a college membership allocation, including those who do not want University accommodation.

Communication

All communications about college membership are sent directly to you by email. Please ensure your contact details are up to date and check your emails - including spam and junk folders - regularly.

College membership allocations are made in line with the published process  and cannot be negotiated or reconsidered outside this policy.