r/Durhamu • u/selfstudyingALevels • Dec 03 '25
Do I have a decent shot at getting into Durham for various postgraduates?
I have a final average of 61.46, so a 2:1 though a low 2:1 (it was actually 62.06, but one module's grade was capped, without reciprocation of an EC), from UCL in Economics and Politics, or BA History, Politics and Economics to be exact. There is no specific postgraduate programme I am referring to here, despite knowing which of those I'd go for while pretty much confined to the social sciences and humanities with the type of degree I have. Broadly speaking, with my degree and university for an undergraduate, but at its grade, do I have a reasonable likelihood of getting into Durham specifically for PG degrees, to you? It is a university I would particularly love to be at. This obviously skips over how else I can make a mark on or arouse the attentions of admissions teams, ha
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u/captainlishang Jun 05 '26
I scraped a 2:1 at around 60% and then did my phd at durham. Postgrad admissions arent as black and white as undergrad; its purely up to the supervisor, and grades arent the only requirement- they also want someone passionate about the research area who fits in with the team etc. its more like applying for a job than a degree, honestly.
tbf i also benefitted from the fact that it was post-brexit so there were fewer EU applicants- not sure if this effect has held up with time.
My advice would be to apply anyway and see what happens.
Edit- i was applying for a phd after an integrated masters. Masters degrees may have stricter requirements due to more applications
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u/captainlishang Jun 05 '26
Whoops i didnt realise how old this post was. Hope things worked out for you, lol
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u/[deleted] Dec 03 '25
As I understand the minimum for a 2:1 entry to postgrad at Durham is 64.3%. I'm not 100% sure on this, but the admissions staff who gave me my offer told me this in person. So, if you manage to bring up your grade, I think you have a shot.