Accommodation

A sunny view looking down a narrow historic street lined with traditional red brick and stone college buildings, with lush greenery overhanging a wall on the right.

Accommodation at St John’s is full of character, blending historic architecture with modern comfort. Living in College means being part of a friendly, close-knit community right in the heart of Durham, just a short walk from lectures, the library, and the city centre.

Accommodation overview

We have around 220 undergraduate bed spaces and 50 postgraduate rooms. Most of our rooms are single standard rooms, each with a single bed and shared bathroom facilities, while 42 are ensuite. About 30 rooms are shared (with two single beds), and some feature double beds. All bedrooms include a bed, desk and chair, storage, and most have a sink.

Most first-year undergraduates live in College accommodation, second-years typically live out nearby, and many finalists return to College for their final year.

What’s included in your College accommodation

Fully catered (three meals a day) during undergraduate term (All accommodation on the Bailey is catered. We can offer a very limited number of self-catered postgraduate
rooms located outside of the Bailey.)
Room-only accommodation during University vacations
Wi-Fi throughout the College
Cleaning during vacations
All utilities included (gas, electricity, and water)
Access to laundry facilities, including washing machines, dryers, ironing boards and irons (subsidised pay-per-use system)
Access to a secure bike shed.

Accommodation costs

St John’s broadly aligns with Durham University’s pricing for College accommodation, with some minor variations. For example, we do not apply additional charges for ¾ or double beds, and rooms without sinks are not discounted.

View College accommodation charges 2026-27

It’s hard to put into words just how much St John’s has meant to me, but if I had to choose one word, it would be ‘home’.

Haneen, Law graduate

Our buildings and rooms

Most of our accommodation is housed within Georgian townhouses on the Bailey, alongside two purpose-built student residences: Cruddas, built in 1912, and the Garth, opened a century later. As a result, student rooms at St John’s vary in shape, size and character.

Did you know?

St John’s is accredited under the UUK/GuildHE Student Accommodation Code of Practice, which sets standards for the management of student accommodation, including safety, wellbeing, maintenance, complaints and clear communication with residents.

You can view the approved Code of Practice here:

UUK/GuildHE Student Accommodation Code of Practice

Contact us

Accommodation at St John’s is coordinated by the Vice Principal’s Office and wider College team. Please get in touch with any queries: the team is available during office hours.

Email: [email protected]

St John’s College, Durham

3 South Bailey

Durham DH1 3RJ