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Higher Education Information

The Office for Students (OfS) is the regulator for English Higher Education and has the primary aim to ensure that English Higher Education is delivering positive outcomes for all students. New College Durham is registered on the OfS Register, which means we meet their requirements to be a registered Higher Education Provider.

Follow the links below to find out what this means to you: 

About Registration with the Office for Students 

QAA Quality Code

HE Hardship Bursary

The Higher Education Hardship Fund is available to provide help to those students with genuine financial needs relating to their course of study.

Please download a  document HE Hardship Fund (63 KB)  application form or for further information please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Access & Participation

The Higher Education and Research Act 2017 (HERA) requires all providers of Higher Education in England that charge above the basic tuition fee cap to have an approved Access and Participation Plan. In accordance with HERA, New College Durham has taken all reasonable steps to fully comply with these requirements.

New College Durham has published an Access and Participation Plan (APP) approved by the Office for Students (OfS) that describes our commitment to widening participation.  We are committed to being a place where learning and working exists in an environment that advances equality of opportunity, celebrates diversity and allows everyone to achieve their fullest potential. 

pdf Access and Participation and Plan 2019/20 (451 KB)  
pdf Impact Report for 2019-20 (146 KB)  
pdf Access and Participation Plan 2020-21  (343 KB)  
pdf Access and Participation Plan 2023-24 (Summary) (81 KB)  
pdf Access and Participation Plan 2023-24 (346 KB)

pdf Fee Summary 2021/22 (116 KB)  
pdf Fee Summary 2022/23 (123 KB)  
pdf Fee Summary 2023/24 (32 KB)
pdf Fee Summary 2024/25 (36 KB)

The Access and Participation Plan replaces previous Access Agreements which remain in force for students who started their course before 2018-19. Previous Access Agreements are available to view below:

  document Access Agreement 2018-19
(62 KB) document Access Agreement 2017-18 (63 KB)

Students also benefit from a dedicated HE Student Handbook, accessible online.

Student Protection Plan

The Student Protection Plan sets out what students can expect should a course close. All Higher Education providers registered with the OfS must have a Student Protection Plan in place. You can access New College Durham’s Student Protection Plan below:

pdf Student Protection Plan 2024/25
(163 KB) pdf Student Protection Plan 2023/24 (160 KB)  
pdf Student Protection Plan 2022/23
(178 KB) Student Protection Plan 2021/22
Student Protection Plan 2020/21 
Student Protection Plan 2019/20 

Transparency Return 2021-2022

The information published below shows:

The number of students who attained a particular degree or other academic award, or a particular level of such an award, on completion of their course with us.

It shows these numbers by reference to:

  • The gender of the individuals to which they relate
  • Their ethnicity
  • Their socioeconomic background.

pdf Transparency Return 2021 2022
(92 KB) pdf Transparency Return 2020-2021
(93 KB) pdf Transparency Return 2019-2021 (97 KB)

Transparency Return 2018-2019

Applications, Offers, Acceptances and Registration Data (AOAR) 2018-19

The AOAR information published below shows:

  • The number of applications for admission onto recognised, undergraduate higher education courses received from UK domiciled applicants.
  • The percentage of offers we made in relation to those applications.
  • The percentage of those offers accepted.
  • The percentage of applications which led to those registering with us.

  pdf Transparency Return 2018-2019 (115 KB)

Attainment Data 2017-18

The attainment data published below shows:

  • The number of students who registered and went on to complete their course with us.
  • The number of students who attained a particular degree or other academic award and the percentage of each classification awarded.

  pdf Transparency Return 2017-2018 (95 KB)

The Open University regulations 

These Regulations apply to all new student cohorts leading to an Open University (OU) validated award with effect from 1st September 2023 (or earlier if deemed appropriate by the Partner institution and the OU).

document Regulations for the validated awards of the Open University (610 KB)  
Open University Student Guide 

BTEC Higher Nationals Centre

Download the BTEC Higher Nationals Centre Guide to Quality Assurance and Assessment

Academic Regulations

New College Durham policies and procedures

document Academic Appeals Application (44 KB)

pdf Academic Appeals Guide (88 KB)

pdf Academic Appeals Policy (292 KB)

pdf Academic Integrity Charter (100 KB)  

pdf Academic Integrity Policy (121 KB)

pdf Academic Malpractice Procedure (233 KB)

pdf HE Admissions Appeals Policy  (115 KB)

pdf HE Admissions Policy (136 KB)

document Application for Mitigation (49 KB)  

pdf Assessment Board Management Policy (206 KB)

Complaints Procedure 

pdf Fitness to Practise Policy (262 KB)

pdf HE Admissions Procedure Flowchart (125 KB)

pdf HE Withdrawals Policy (113 KB)

pdf HE Suspension of Studies Policy (140 KB)

pdf Higher Education Fees Sanctions Policy until 31 October 2022 (170 KB)

pdf Higher Education Fees Sanctions Policy from 1 November 2022 (77 KB)

pdf Procedure for the Consideration of Extenuating Circumstances/Mitigation (93 KB)

Refund and Compensation Policy 

pdf Refund Policy (76 KB)  

pdf Recognition of Prior Learning Policy (174 KB)  

pdf Student Engagement in Learning Policy (242 KB)  

pdf Student Guide Programme Transfers (1.87 MB)  

document Student Transfer Procedures (33 KB)

pdf Suspension of Studies - Student Guidance (1.55 MB)

pdf Tuition Fees Policy (77 KB)  

document University Centre Terms and Conditions (108 KB)  

pdf HE Withdrawal Procedure (155 KB)

pdf HE Withdrawal Procedure – Sponsored Students (106 KB)

Got a question?

For general enquiries

If you have a general question or enquiry, you can use our contact form to get in touch with our admissions and student support teams

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For course enquiries

If you want to ask a question about a specific course or subject area, you can use our course explorer to find the course and use the Ask a Question button.

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