All Durham students live out of college for at least one year of their degree, although many live out for two or three years. While living in college is a great experience, living out offers a lot of benefits too. Students have the chance to live entirely independently, cooking and cleaning for themselves, as well as organising their own bills – it may not sound glamorous, but the freedom to live in your own home is incredibly refreshing and is an important part of personal development. Students tend to sign tenancy agreements for the next academic year at the end of first term, or in second term – students are advised to wait until they are certain about the people that you want to live with, and it is a good idea to go to the DSU and Castle-run sessions for soon-to-be livers out.
Students living out tend to live in the following areas:
- The Viaduct – the main area of student accommodation in Durham, there are lots of Victorian terrace houses which are about 15 minutes to Castle and 20 minutes to the Science Site. Houses here are more expensive than some other areas.
- Crossgate – between town centre and the Viaduct, the rent here is slightly less than houses in the Viaduct. There are still lots of other students nearby though, and Castle is only about 10 minutes away, with the Science Site being 20 minutes away.
- Claypath – just up a small hill from town centre, Claypath has plenty of large houses that are reasonably priced. Castle is about 10 minutes from Claypath, with the Science Site about 15 minutes away.
- Gilesgate – past Claypath, Gilesgate is up a steep hill, about 20 minutes from Castle and 30 minutes from the Science Site. The houses here are much cheaper than anywhere else though, and there are several busses, some of which are free to use with a campus card.
- Elvet – the student population here is not huge, but the houses are characterful and mere moments from Elvet Riverside and town centre. Castle is about 10 minutes away, although the rent prices are quite high.
- Bailey/town centre – in the heart of Durham City, these houses are the closest to Castle in Durham. The Science Site is about 15 minutes away, but the rents here are incredibly high.
- Whinney Hill/Church Street/the Science Site area – these houses are reasonably priced and well-situated for students working at the Science Site.
For more information, please consult the Durham Students’ Union’s Livers Out Guide 2016, or talk to College Office or the Welfare Team for guidance and advice. Alternatively, the following sites may provide useful information (though it is wise to explore more than just these):