College residence fees will rise to £7,422 a year

In an email sent out earlier today, Durham University announces that college residence costs are set to increase in the academic year of 2018/2019.

A catered single undergraduate room for which current students pay £7,171 will then cost £7,422, a 3.5% increase.

A self-catered standard room will cost £5,195 per year, up from £4,891.

The 3.5% increase is, according to Durham’s Pro-Vice Chancellor Owen Adams, in line with the Retail Price Index (RPI), a standard rate estimate of inflation.

In the email Mr Adams states: "Before reaching this decision, consultation meetings were held with the Student’s Union (SU) and student representatives during the 2016/17 academic year and a full range of views were presented by the student representatives and the price-setting group. While the SU endorsed the consultation process it did not support the recommended price increase for 2018/19."

Mr Adams further adds: "In 2018/19, additional support of £1,000, in the form of a College accommodation bursary, will be provided to all first year students for whom the SLC ‘residual household income’ is between £25,000 (the current bursary threshold) and £35,000."

The Durham Grant, which provides support to undergraduate students from households with a residual income of £25,000 or less, will continue to be available.