You get a highly ranked collegiate university in a storybook setting, with the cathedral and castle a UNESCO World Heritage Site right in the centre. It is small and safe, so your college and friends are all within a short walk.

• Durham University (Russell Group, collegiate) consistently ranks near the top of UK league tables.
• The Norman cathedral and castle form a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the heart of town.
• Its small scale means everything and everyone is close.

Social life revolves around the colleges, with their formals, bars and fierce sporting rivalries. The city's pubs are traditional, and for bigger nights people hop the train to Newcastle.

• College formals, JCR bars and the Durham Regatta shape the social calendar.
• The Bailey and Market Place pubs like the Swan and Three Cygnets and the Shakespeare are the classics.
• The Studcasa Durham group helps international students plug into college events.

College accommodation often bundles rent and meals, which simplifies budgeting. Nights out are cheaper than nearby cities, though the choice is limited and Newcastle fills the gap.

• Budget around GBP 800-1,300 a month, with catered colleges bundling rent and food.
• Durham Market Hall does affordable lunches and local produce.
• A 16-25 Railcard pays off quickly on trips to Newcastle and beyond.

Most students live in college for at least the first year, then move to private houses in the Viaduct or Gilesgate. The city is tiny, so rooms go fast.

• Many students live in college for at least their first year.
• The Viaduct and Gilesgate are the main private student-housing areas.
• Book early, because supply is small and demand is high.

Durham is steep but tiny, so you will walk almost everywhere, with a small bus helping on the hills. The station puts the whole North East and beyond within easy reach.

• The Cathedral Bus and Arriva and Go North East services handle the hills.
• You can walk across the compact centre in minutes.
• Durham station (East Coast Main Line) reaches Newcastle in about 15 minutes and London in about 3 hours.

The collegiate system is the whole social and academic structure, so choosing a college matters. Terms are short and intense.

• Durham University's colleges shape both study and social life.
• The three short terms (Michaelmas, Epiphany and Easter) are intense, so plan around them.

Since Brexit, EU citizens no longer have free movement, so most non-Irish students need permission to study. For an exchange of up to six months you can often come under the Short-term study route or simply as a Standard Visitor, depending on your nationality and course length. For a full year you will need a Student visa sponsored by your host university.

What applies depends entirely on your passport, so confirm with the university and official UK government guidance early. The Student visa needs a CAS reference from your uni, proof of funds and usually the immigration health surcharge, so budget both time and money for it.

• Exchange under 6 months, often Standard Visitor or Short-term study
• Full year, Student visa with a CAS from your uni
• Irish citizens, no visa needed under the Common Travel Area
• Budget for the immigration health surcharge on longer visas

Food leans on North East staples, and college formals are a genuine rite of passage. The city also hosts a spectacular light festival every other year.

• Try a stottie sandwich and pease pudding, North East staples.
• College formals, in gowns and over three courses, are a Durham tradition.
• The biennial Lumiere light festival transforms the whole city.

The historic peninsula holds the colleges and cathedral, with student housing spreading to the Viaduct and Gilesgate. Each offers a different balance of atmosphere and price.

• The Bailey and peninsula for historic, central college life.
• The Viaduct for lively student housing.
• Gilesgate for cheaper rooms a short walk from town.

The North East's cities, coast and countryside are all quick day trips. The main line makes longer weekends easy too.

• Newcastle is about 15 minutes by train for nightlife and shopping.
• Beamish open-air museum is about 30 minutes away.
• The Durham Dales, High Force waterfall and York (about 1 hour) make great days out.

The cobbles and hills are punishing in the wet, so wear proper shoes. Lean into college life to build your circle quickly.

• Wear shoes with grip, as the cobbles and hills are lethal in the rain.
• Klute, the famously ropey student club, is a Durham rite of passage.
• Join a college society early to make friends fast.