Durham University

Age: 179

History: Durham was founded in 1832, and developed in Durham and Newcastle until 1963, when the Independent University of Newcastle upon Tyne came into being. The University's Queen's Campus in Stockton (23 miles south) opened in 1992, and now houses more than 2,000 full-time students.

Address: Mostly in the centre of the medieval city except for Queen's Campus, Stockton, 23 miles south.

Ambience: Flanked by cobbled streets and dominated by the Norman cathedral, the older parts of the university are steeped in history; 20th-century additions are leafy and green, with the newest being Josephine Butler, a new self-catering college, which opened in Autumn 2006.

Vital statistics: England's third oldest university has a strong collegiate system. With its academic reputation, venerable traditions and college set-up, it attracts top-notch applicants. Two-thirds come from the state sector and one-third from private schools. Social life (although not, as at Oxbridge, teaching) revolves around colleges which are all co-ed. Most students live out of college for at least a year.

Added value: Big rowing events include the annual boat race against Newcastle University on the River Tyne and the age-old Durham Regatta. Around 800 students are involved in voluntary community projects. The university runs add-on courses in IT and language learning. Comprehensive welfare provision includes student reps and a personal tutor system in colleges. Durham has an excellent reputation for success in sport and in 2008 finished 4th in the British Universities Overall Championships.

Easy to get into? Not really. It is very competitive, particularly in popular subjects such as law, English and history. It does not use the UCAS points system, with entry requirements asking for certain A-level grades. Top courses ask for three As at A-level, and the university takes previous extra curricular activity into account. Students are encouraged to choose a college when they apply.

Glittering alumni: Mo Mowlam former secretary of state for Northern Ireland; Will Carling, Phil de Glanville and Will Greenwood, England rugby players; Nasser Hussain and James Foster, England cricketers; Harold Evans, former newspaper editor.

Transport links: Good road and rail links on East Coast line and A1. Half an hour from two regional airports. No need for a car: it's too small and you can't park.

Who's the boss? Professor Christopher Higgins, former director of the Medical Research Council.

Teaching: Ranked 15th out of 116 in the Complete University Guide.

Research: Came 14th out of 115 in the Research Assessment Excercise.

Overall ranking: 5th out of 116 in the Complete University Guide.

Nightlife: All colleges have bars and social life - central student's union has more entertainment; there are pubs, restaurants and clubs in Durham, more in nearby Newcastle. The two colleges at Stockton have shared dining, bar and social facilities.

How green is it? Durham has been awarded Fairtrade having made efforts to increase equality in international trade through supporting and promoting Fairtrade. In April 2008,the Sustainable Living Action Group was given a Green Gown award by the Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges. It came 41st out of 138 universities ranked by People and Planet in their 'Green League 2011'.

Any accommodation? Yes – the 15 undergraduate colleges offer accommodation for first year students.. The cost varies depending on whether you opt for accommodation on the basis of self catering, part or fully catered lets.

Cheap to live there? Based on room only it is around £65-£85 (Durham City) and £45 (Queen’s Campus) per week. However, this is highly variable depending on exactly where you choose to live.. The college bars have very competitively priced drinks as well.

Sports ranking: Came 4th in the BUCS league.

Fees: £3,375 per year for undergrads starting in 2011. The university plans to charge the maximum annual tuition fee of £9,000 as of September 2012.

Bursiaries: £1,000 is guaranteed to all full-time undergrads in receipt of a full maintenance grant. There are also a number of scholarships offered by the university. See the website for more details.

Prospectus: 0191 334 6128; www.durham.ac.uk

UCAS code: D86