Durham University is a world-leading collegiate university in the historic city of Durham, North East England. Founded in 1832 by Act of Parliament and granted a Royal Charter in 1837, it is the third oldest university in England — the first to be established after over 600 years of Oxford and Cambridge's duopoly. Durham operates a collegiate system of 17 colleges, each with its own identity, dining hall, common rooms and sports teams. University College is housed in Durham Castle, a Norman fortress that, together with Durham Cathedral, forms a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In 2026, Durham was named Times University of the Year — the first time in 32 years of the ranking that neither Oxford nor Cambridge appeared in the top three. The university ranks in the QS World Top 100, holds 22 subjects in the global top 100, and achieved 90% world-leading or internationally excellent ratings in the Research Excellence Framework. With approximately 21,000 students from over 150 countries, a 640-acre campus incorporating 112 hectares of woodland, and landmark investments including the £42m Mathematical Sciences Building and the new Waterside Building for Durham Business School, Durham combines centuries of tradition with cutting-edge modern facilities.
