Admissions · United Kingdom

Durham University Acceptance Rate: Admissions Statistics and English Requirements

Durham University made offers on 77.9% of undergraduate applications in the 2025 UCAS cycle (29,150 offers from 37,395 applications), according to UCAS's official end of cycle data; Durham's own report for 2025 entry gives 76% for Home and 85% for Overseas/EU applications.

Durham publishes the number and percentage of applications that receive an offer for each department, split into Home/Islands and Overseas/EU applicants, and UCAS publishes applications, offers and acceptances for every UK university. On this page the acceptance rate is offers divided by applications from those official figures, with the English test scores international applicants need.

Figures read from official sources on 3 October 2026 · LingoLeap Admissions Research

Durham University acceptance rate by year

Durham University applicants, admits and acceptance rate by admission cycle
Cycle	Applicants	Admitted	Acceptance rate
2025 entry (offers)	37,395	29,150	77.9% source
2024 entry (offers)	34,795	24,440	70.2% source
2023 entry (offers)	34,150	22,575	66.1% source

Durham acceptance rate for international students and by department

Durham University acceptance rate by admission round, college or applicant group
Group	Cycle	Rate	Detail
International applicants (outside the UK)	2025 entry	84.0%	9,630 offers from 11,460 UCAS applications; 1,420 accepted. 2024: 8,530 of 11,285 (75.6%). source
Non-EU international applicants	2025 entry	83.8%	8,485 offers from 10,125 applications. source
UK applicants	2025 entry	75.3%	19,520 offers from 25,935 applications. source
Overseas/EU applicants (Durham's own figures)	2025 entry	85%	Offers for the programme applied to or an alternative programme, on 11,425 applications; 83% received an offer for the programme they applied to. source
Home/Islands applicants (Durham's own figures)	2025 entry	76%	On 23,705 applications; 74% received an offer for the programme they applied to. source
Law, Home/Islands applicants	2025 entry	32%	1,770 applications. Overseas/EU applicants to Law: 84% of 1,085 applications. source
Accounting and Finance/Management, Home/Islands	2025 entry	33%	1,000 applications. Overseas/EU: 86% of 915 applications. source
Economics, Home/Islands applicants	2025 entry	50%	1,405 applications. Overseas/EU: 90% of 815 applications. source
Computer Science, Home/Islands applicants	2025 entry	60%	840 applications, including 23% offered an alternative programme. Overseas/EU: 82% of 580 applications. source

What the numbers mean

UCAS's figures count applications made through its main scheme, not Clearing, and every offer, conditional or unconditional. An offer is usually conditional on exam results, so far fewer applicants start than receive offers: UCAS records 6,845 accepted applicants at Durham in 2025.

Durham runs separate recruitment streams for Home/Islands and Overseas/EU applicants. In its own figures for 2025 entry, 85% of Overseas/EU applications received an offer (for the programme applied to or an alternative) against 76% of Home/Islands applications. Durham's counts are rounded using HESA methodology and differ slightly from UCAS's because they are cut by department.

The overall rate hides some very competitive courses for UK applicants. Home/Islands applications to Law received offers at 32%, Accounting and Finance/Management at 33%, Finance at 43% and Economics at 50%. The same courses made offers on 80–90% of Overseas/EU applications. Durham notes that its figures are not contextualised: they do not show how many applicants met the entry requirements.

Offer rates have risen for three cycles in a row, from 66.1% in 2023 to 77.9% in 2025, as offers (up 29%) grew much faster than applications (up 10%).

Durham University TOEFL and IELTS requirements

Minimums for international applicants from the university's own pages. Since 21 January 2026 TOEFL iBT reports a 1–6 band score; the notes give the older 0–120 equivalent where the university states one. Convert TOEFL and IELTS scores.

Undergraduate (university-wide)

TOEFL iBT: 4.5 overall (1–6 scale)

Durham University requires Band B for most undergraduate programmes: 4.5 overall on the 2026 scale with no component below 4.0. Band A (5.0 overall, no section below 4.5) is required for higher-demand programmes such as Law. For tests before January 2026: Band B = 80 overall; Band A = 90 overall.

Official page · checked 22 March 2026

Master's (university-wide)

TOEFL iBT: 4.5 overall (1–6 scale)

Durham University uses Band B (4.5 overall, no section below 4.0 on 2026 scale) as the standard for most postgraduate taught programmes. Band A (5.0 overall, no section below 4.5) is required for some higher-demand programmes. For tests before January 2026: Band B = 80 overall; Band A = 90 overall.

Official page · checked 22 March 2026

Check your score against Durham University

Take a free 2026-format TOEFL mock test for a 1–6 band estimate, then compare it with the minimum above and with other universities' requirements.

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FAQ

What is the Durham University acceptance rate?

In the 2025 UCAS cycle Durham made 29,150 offers from 37,395 undergraduate applications, an offer rate of 77.9%. It was 70.2% in 2024 and 66.1% in 2023. UCAS records 6,845 accepted applicants in 2025.

What is Durham University's admission rate for international students?

UCAS's data for the 2025 cycle shows Durham made 9,630 offers from 11,460 applications from outside the UK, an offer rate of 84.0%; for non-EU applicants it was 83.8%. Durham's own report for 2025 entry gives 85% for Overseas/EU applications, including offers of an alternative programme.

Is Durham University in England hard to get into?

Overall, most applications to Durham receive an offer: 77.9% in 2025. But competition depends on the course and on whether you apply as a Home or Overseas student. Home/Islands applicants to Law received offers on 32% of applications and to Accounting and Finance/Management on 33%, while 22 of 35 departments made offers on 90% or more of Home/Islands applications.

Which Durham courses are the most competitive?

For Home/Islands applicants in 2025 entry, the lowest offer rates were Foundation Centre (27%), Law (32%), Accounting and Finance/Management (33%), Finance (43%) and Economics (50%). For Overseas/EU applicants, Marketing (75% of 330 applications) and Modern Languages & Cultures (75% of 140) were lowest, apart from Primary Education (26% of 25) and the Foundation Centre, which Overseas fee payers are not eligible for.

What IELTS score does Durham require?

Most Durham programmes use English language Band B: IELTS Academic 6.5 with no component under 6.0. Some programmes use Band A, which requires IELTS 7.0 with no component under 6.5. Check the band on your course page.

Does Durham accept the new TOEFL?

Yes. For tests taken from 21 January 2026, Band B requires TOEFL iBT 4.5 overall with no component under 4, and Band A requires 5 overall with no component under 4.5. For tests taken before 21 January 2026, Band B requires 80 overall and Band A 90, with no component under 20.