Durham visit

Durham University Orientation Session

 

Downloadable pdf version of Durham University Orientation Session (2.4mb)

Some key information and links from the presentation (above) are available on this page.

 

There are some pre-visit tasks for you to complete.

Welcome to Durham University

From your University of Durham team

Cultural Visits

As part of your stay with us in Durham you will be participating in a number of cultural visits to the following locations.

• Durham Castle
• Durham Cathedral
• Edinburgh
• Newcastle

• University Botanic Garden

• University Oriental Museum

Durham Weather Forecast for June 2024

Although we have a forecast for June's weather, be aware that the weather can sometimes change frequently and it is not unusual to experience sun, clouds, rain and wind on the same day. It can also be normal for the temperature to drop down to single figure celsius at night.

Packing Checklist

The following are recommendations to consider when packing for this visit:

• Warm jacket with long sleeves.
• Raincoat or folding umbrella.
• Sweater / jumper / fleece for daytime wear.
• Comfortable shoes (preferably waterproof) for longer walks - don't bring too many shoes as they will fill up your luggage and you will probably not wear them.
• Nice pair of floaters or sandals for evening walks.
• Traditional clothes for social events.
• Day bag - this might be a folding backpack, cross-body bag or fanny pack to carry any daily essentials and souvenirs.
• Sunscreen - especially if you have sensitive skin - on warmer days the sun can be particularly strong.
• Mobile phone - the university will supply a local SIM card to each visitor with a minimum. balance for emergencies. Make sure your mobile phone is unlocked for international use and will accept an alternative SIM card.
• Wi-fi - the university has reliable wi-fi in all buildings including your accommodation - you will be issued with a password after you arrive.
• Travel adaptor for mobile charging: The UK operates on a plug type G (it has 3 rectangular pins in a triangular formation). It's also good to note that the UK uses a 230v supply voltage at 50Hz, although most modern mobile chargers will accept this.
• Keep your luggage weight under the permitted allowance - this allowance should be on your tickets. Leave some space for any shopping in the UK and be aware that if you go over your allowance you may have to leave things behind or pay for an extra bag.

And...

Cobbled streets

In Durham and Edinburgh there are lots of areas with cobbled streets (old roads and paths made of flattened or rounded stone cubes). Flat comfortable shoes or trainers are best on these surfaces.

 

Bank notes

You will be visiting Edinburgh in Scotland. English bank notes and Scottish bank notes look different, but both can be spent in either country. At the time of writing £1 (UK) is worth about 106 Rupees.

 

Travel money

You should carry sufficient UK pounds sterling for your personal expenses and any treats you want. As an estimate, anything between £100 and £200 (10,000INR - 20,000INR) should be enough. Shopping in the UK and Duty Free can be expensive so plan accordingly. Not all Indian bank cards will work in all places. Never buy your UK pounds from an unauthorised seller in India, even if they give a great rate, as fake/invalid notes are a risk.

 

Emergency Services

Once you are connected to a UK phone network (with your own SIM or the UK SIM supplied by us) you should be able to contact police, ambulance and fire services by dialling 112. In some rare circumstances this might not work with your Indian SIM card, try 0044999 instead.

 

Now go ahead and complete your Pre-visit Tasks:

Pre-visit Tasks