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Our community
We are an academic community: our students, teaching and research staff and our Fellows all contribute to the intellectual and creative life of the College.
Home to around 600 undergraduates, 280 postgraduates, and 100 students at Cranmer Hall, St John’s is large enough to offer real breadth and opportunity, yet small enough for everyone to be known. Around 270 students live in College each year, but whether you live in or out, we encourage our students to see John’s as their home away from home.
What defines St John’s most is our people. Students and staff work side by side to make College life rich and rewarding – from academic and creative pursuits to sport, music, and volunteering. It’s a place where we encourage curiosity, practise kindness, and seek to live in gratitude.
Independent by nature
As a recognised college of Durham University, we are proudly independent in our governance and finances. That independence allows us to shape our own character, combining the best of tradition with innovation and inclusion.
It means we can respond to the needs of our community and take a considered, long-term approach to the future of the College. Our strategy, Our Vision 2025–2035, sets out how we are building a community of belonging, supporting students to thrive, and strengthening our academic and research life. It reflects what we are about as a College: a place where people are known, where ideas are taken seriously, and where students are supported to make the most of their time at Durham
College news
Discover what’s happening across College with the latest updates and news.
30 October 2026
Walking a Tightrope – Book Talk
Last week, in conjunction with the Centre for Contemporary Chinese Studies, St John’s was delighted to welcome Olivia Cox-Fill to speak about her new book Walking a Tightrope: Memories of Wu Jieping, Personal Physician to China’s Leaders. Olivia brought to life a remarkable chapter in Chinese history and shared her own fascinating experience of working, […]
14 August 2026
Welcoming Grant Jones
We are delighted to announce that Grant Jones will be joining St John’s as our Student Support & Enrichment Officer, while Jasmine takes up the role of Assistant Principal during Indre’s parental leave. Before joining St John’s, Grant worked in student support roles at Grey College and Josephine Butler College, alongside teaching in Durham’s Department […]
20 July 2026
Our Resident Tutors for 2026-27
We’re delighted to introduce the Resident Tutor team for the 2026–27 academic year. Resident Tutors are an important part of life at St John’s, responding to overnight incidents and emergencies, organising events and helping build our community. This year, George and Leanna join returning Resident Tutors Aurelia and Felipe. We’ve asked each of them to […]
St John’s calendar
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS: JOHN’S BAR
Join us for a celebration marking 50 years for St John's Bar
Gresham in the North: The Life Cycle of a Holiday
Join us for this public lecture that unmasks the hidden biological debt incurred by global mobility.
St John’s in Hong Kong
We’re planning an informal St John’s alumni gathering in Hong Kong this autumn.
Cranmer Hall: a community within a community
Cranmer Hall, founded in 1958 as a distinct but integral part of the College, trains women and men in theology and for ministry in the Church of England and other denominations.
This means that Cranmer is a community within a community, enjoying the fellowship of a small college and the riches of a world renowned University.
