UK Postgraduate Research Students Before You Arrive

Welcome and Orientation 2026

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Before you arrive: Essential steps for new postgraduate researchers

There are some steps that you must to take to become a Durham student – such as enrolment and registration. There’s also some other things we recommend that you do so that you're ready to study and live in Durham.

Get started

1. Enrol and register online

This is the first and most important step you should take before you arrive.

This will make you an official Durham student, and give you access to all of our internal systems.

How to enrol and register

2. Get connected with My Digital Durham

Once you are enrolled, you get access to a range of digital services such as your university email account, FREE Microsoft 365 and Office subscription, plus a range of teaching and learning apps to help you with your studies.

Visit My Digital Durham

3. Plan your Welcome Week

Use the handy Online Planner to create your personalised schedule, simply select:- Your Department - Your College - Your Level of Study (Undergraduate, Postgraduate Taught or Postgraduate Research). This will then show the events most relevant to you.

The timetable has been designed so your College events don't clash with your Academic Department events. It provides lots of opportunities for you to meet fellow students, find your way around and settle in at Durham.

Create your Personal Welcome Week Planner

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4. Get to know your Department

There are a number of different ways you can get to know more about your department before you arrive, including looking at their Welcome webpages and exploring their Induction Site on Blackboard.

Find your Department's Welcome pages

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5. Find out more about your College

Your College is waiting to welcome you, visit their Welcome webpages to find out more. Your College will contact you directly with more information.

Find your College's Welcome pages

Explore more

We can't wait to welcome you to Durham and we're excited for you to experience everything the University has to offer. Explore our New Postgraduate Research student information for more ways that you can prepare for living and studying in Durham.

Return to the Postgraduate Research student information