International Study Centre
Durham students walking together outside

STUDENT LIFE AND CAMPUS FACILITIES

Experience two UK locations 

Student life at Durham is about more than just your learning in the classroom. At the International Study Centre, you are in a fantastic place to develop and improve yourself. Durham University has two locations in North East England: Queen’s Campus in Stockton-on-Tees, and Durham City. 

When you arrive in the UK you will live and study at Queen’s Campus, where you will complete your pathway programme at the International Study Centre. After you successfully complete your pathway programme and achieve the required grades, you will move to Durham City for your undergraduate or postgraduate degree.

It takes 45 minutes to travel between Queen’s Campus and Durham City by bus.

Beginning your journey in Stockton-on-Tees

You can find the International Study Centre at Queen’s Campus in the town of Stockton-on-Tees (also called ‘Stockton’). Set beside the River Tees, Queen’s Campus has an excellent range of facilities but is small enough to feel safe and welcoming.

Queen's Campus

Welcoming and international, Queen’s Campus is the perfect introduction to Durham University. It is easy to find your way around on this small campus, and you’ll be fully supported by our on-site staff. Located in Stockton-on-Tees, you can relax by the riverside after class or walk into Stockton town for shops and restaurants.

Stockton town centre is a short walk from Campus, meaning the exciting student life Durham has to offer is right on your doorstep. It has brand-name shops, restaurants, bars and two shopping malls.

While at the International Study Centre, you can take full advantage of the multi-million pound sports centre based at Queen’s Campus, Stockton-on-Tees.

Facilities include:

  • a fitness suite
  • exercise classes
  • sports hall
  • floodlit Astroturf pitch
  • spinning room
  • multi-activity studio.

A gym membership for three months costs only £30, including all exercise classes. Check out the Queens Campus Sport Facebook for more information.

If you'd like to try something different, there is also an Olympic-standard white water course just 15 minutes' walk from Queen's Campus. 

International Study Centre staff organise trips throughout the year to introduce students to new UK places and experiences. In the last year, these have included street food markets, gigs and sports events.

You can travel on the X12 bus for just £2.50 per day or £12 per week, making it easy to explore the local area. The bus route connects nearby cities including Sedgefield, Newcastle and Durham.

Find more information and view timetables here.

Student life at Durham is about more than just your learning in the classroom. At the International Study Centre, you are in a fantastic place to develop and improve yourself.

On Queen's Campus, you’ll find plenty to do with our fantastic enrichment activities. These are all designed to help you feel at home in the UK, and confident in exploring everything Durham has to offer.

Concert in Durham

There's plenty of opportunities to get out and experience culture with the International Study Centre

Students playing basketball

Get involved with sport at Queen's Campus

Students playing volleyball in a sports hall

Your wellbeing and physical health is a top priority for staff at the International Study Centre

Continuing your journey in Durham

When you successfully complete your pathway programme, with the required grades, at Queen’s Campus you will relocate to Durham City. The University's colleges, academic departments and student facilities located at different sites throughout the city. As a Durham student, you will have access to the facilities at your college, the University’s shared facilities, and all the shops, amenities and historic attractions of Durham City centre.

Durham City is a beautiful, historic city in North East England. The University’s academic departments, sports facilities, social areas and colleges are located across this compact city. You will be studying in a part of history with cobbled streets and old English architecture.

When you move to study at Durham City, you can make the most of the 200+ student clubs and societies. You can get involved in everything from art and music, to fundraising and theatre productions.

Get involved:

  • Student Community Action –volunteer with one of the 84 outreach projects.
  • DUCK – Durham University Charity Kommittee raises money for more than 120 charities.
  • Palatinate – the University’s award-winning student newspaper is published every two weeks.
  • Purple Radio – the University’s student-run radio station broadcasts 24 hours a day, seven days a week during term time.
  • Durham Union Society – the debate society is the University's oldest society.
  • Music Durham - join one of 79 music societies including orchestras, choirs and bands. 
  • Durham Student Theatre - Durham's 26 theatre companies produce 90 shows every year.

Discover more reasons to join a club or society at Durham on our blog, written by a progressed International Study Centre student.

The University has 650 different college teams, playing 18 different sports. Sports include football, volleyball, rugby, rowing and tennis.

University sports facilities in Durham City include:

  • an indoor rowing tank
  • a world-class fencing piste
  • indoor cricket nets
  • a performance analysis suite
  • football pitches
  • rugby pitches
  • squash courts
  • 4-lane athletics track
  • floodlit Astroturf
  • netball courts
  • tennis courts
  • cricket pitches.

What to do near Durham 

Student life in Durham has a lot to offer with regular train services connecting you to the big city life of Newcastle, Manchester and Edinburgh, or you can explore the countryside and coastline just outside the city. Newcastle offers a larger choice of shops and restaurants and is less than 15 minutes from Durham by train. You can also explore: 

  • Durham coastline 
  • Seaham beach walks and harbour 
  • Forest cycling 
  • Nature walks 
  • Waterfall trails 
  • Teesdale Alpacas farm 
  • Castles and forts  
  • Historic streets of Durham City. 

Cost of living 

Durham University International Study Centre is located in the north of England, making it cheaper to live in than places like London. As a student, you will also be able to take advantage of exclusive student discounts available in both local and national chains. 

Durham Map

Durham University location

Download a map of the two campus locations.

Download Map
Shuhei from Japan

The scenery of Durham City is so wonderful. I am from Tokyo, and the buildings in Tokyo, everything is just skyscrapers and it is so modern architecture, but Durham…architecture is so medieval style and it is so classic, and it is classy. So, I do love it.

Shuhei from Japan
Studied International Foundation Year in Humanities, Law and Social Science
Now studying BA (Hons) Education Studies

Become a Student Ambassador

We have an exciting opportunity available at the International Study Centre to develop your social media skills and contribute to our social channels!

Get involved in taking over our social media, writing fun blogs, hosting Q&A sessions, shining bright at events, starring in our marketing materials, sharing your daily activities, and creating engaging content through photos and videos.

Of course, this would also be an impressive experience worth adding to your CV. Once your Student Ambassador role comes to a finish, you will receive a LinkedIn recommendation from us based on your performance.

“Choosing to apply to the student ambassador position was way out of my comfort zone, I can just be honest about that. But I'm grateful for the opportunity and it made me get more skills and apply them in my daily life. It made me more open to speaking to different people and getting different perspectives from other ambassadors” – Awrad, a previous Student Ambassador

Students in class

Pathway programmes

Choose from a range of pathway programmes leading to degrees at Durham University when you achieve the required grades.

Tutor talking to students on campus

How to apply

Ready to join us? Discover how to apply to study with us and learn more about fees, entry requirements and term dates.

Durham University students sat on stairs on campus

Discover Durham ISC Live Virtual Events

We're running a series of Discover Durham ISC Live virtual sessions covering everything from our pathway programmes to accommodation options and pre-arrival! Engage with tutors, support services and ISC ambassadors to learn about their own experiences of student life at Durham ISC.

READY TO JOIN US?

Our student enrolment advisors are here to help with your application and answer any questions you have about studying with us.