All routine matters concerned with the allocation of rooms and the day-to-day administration of College accommodation are handled by the Accommodation Manager, Sue Beckwith, who can deal with more complex enquiries. 

The Domestic Bursar or the Dean should only be approached with regard to particularly unusual welfare or health circumstances. 

The Accommodation Office is located in the Rayne Building, adjacent to the Porter’s Lodge, and is open Monday – Friday, 8.30am – 4.30pm.

Email: accommodation@darwin.cam.ac.uk [1]                   Tel: 01223 335682

There is accommodation for 114 members in the main body of the College. Some rooms on site have river views whilst the remaining rooms either overlook Queens' Meadow with Silver Street intervening, or have garden views. Many have their own hand basins and telephone points. The rooms in Newnham Grange, the Rayne Building and the Old Granary have IT connections. The College also operates a wireless network system to enable other areas of the accommodation to access the network with appropriate equipment. There are shared kitchen (Gyp Room) facilities for all rooms. The majority of College accommodation has shared bathroom facilities, with a very limited number having private showers. A further 160 graduates can be housed in rooms in College hostels offsite.

There are22 self-contained flats for couples, in nearby accommodation owned or leased by the College. A small number may be suitable for families with one child. Basic kitchen equipment is provided in some of the flats, but bed linen and towels are not provided by the College.

Residents in all accommodation will find it useful to have some crockery and cooking utensils, etc. for their own use. Each group of rooms has access to an ironing board. A copy of an inventory is left in all accommodation for new residents to report discrepancies within 4 weeks of arrival.

No animals may be kept in, or brought into, the College, Hostels or Lodgings without permission in writing from the College.

The allocation of particular rooms, types of rooms, and locations is determined by the Accommodation Manager. Where possible this will take into account any personal preferences that members have expressed; however, the overriding consideration is to offer some form of college accommodation to the maximum number of members.

1. Licence fees for College study-bedrooms are calculated as follows:

2. In 2015/6, just over 50% of rooms were size Grade B; and 87% of rooms were facilities Grade 2.

3. Appeals regarding room grading should be made to the Domestic Bursar. Whilst room sizes are a matter of fact (although subject to checking), facilities grading is subjective and at his discretion according to the guidance at Paragraph 1b.

Students living in hostels, flats or private accommodation may receive demands from the City Council for the payment of Council Tax. However, students are exempt from payment and if demands are received, the Deanery will provide affected students with a certificate confirming their student status. It should be noted that non-student partners sharing a student’s accommodation may remain liable for payment and students in this situation should seek advice from the Deanery or the Accommodation Manager.

It is your personal responsibility to purchase a TV licence for any television receiver brought into College, including for the use of your computer to watch broadcast programmes. Your home licence will not cover you and there is no College-wide cover. TV licensing authorities make checks on a regular basis and you are personally liable for any fines imposed.

Internet access from student rooms on the main site and in College hostels is available through high-speed wired connections for use with the Ethernet/LAN socket on most computers. Standard LAN patch cables can be purchased from the Porter's Lodge or local electronics shops if required. Before internet access is activated a registration process must be initiated by plugging in the computer to the wired network and opening a web browser, which will redirect to pages with further information.

Wireless network access is also available in most public areas and being gradually rolled out to residential areas of the College. Initial access can be made to the Darwin Wireless network using the username and password issued to members when they first arrive but all members are encouraged to configure their devices for eduroam as soon as they can, since this is available across the University and beyond. Further information about the use and configuration of eduroam is available directly from the Darwin Wireless login screen.

All internet access within the College is governed by the rules set out by the College and University. 

Guest Rooms are automatically registered for Internet access, which can be used immediately after connecting to the wired network sockets in the room. If a cable is needed, this can be obtained from the Porter's Lodge. Guest Room 1 has wireless access and the password for non-members for this can be obtained from the Porter's Lodge.

Accommodation needs can be discussed with the Accommodation Department at any time and the College will take into account any extenuating circumstances, such as a medical disability. However, requests for a change of room during the year may be difficult to achieve because of the generally limited room availability. If a change of room is possible, an administrative fee of £25 will be applied.

Accommodation on the main college site is normally allocated for one year only to give as many members as possible a chance to benefit from living for a period on or near the Domus. A waiting list is held in the Accommodation Office for students seeking accommodation in further years; please contact the Accommodation Manager for details of eligibility and to apply. 

Short-term accommodation may be available throughout the year but typically during the summer - from about 1 July through to mid-September. This accommodation is allocated by the Accommodation Manager entirely at the College's discretion. Please speak to the Accommodation Manager about availability and rates and note that the full charge for the duration of the stay is payable in advance.

College rooms are provided for the sole use of the designated College member; long-term sharing or sub-letting is not allowed.

Occasional overnight guests are permitted, providing your guest is signed in using the Guest Book in the Porters’ Lodge. 'Occasional' means just that: once in a while or now and then. For example, once or twice a term for one or two nights would be 'occasional'.  Only one guest per room is allowed.  Long-term or regular sharing is not allowed and is in breach of your license conditions.  You must register any overnight guests with the Porters' Lodge in order to comply with fire evacuation procedures.

A spare mattress can be requested from the Porter for your guest for a maximum of two nights, and collected from the main College building. Additional beds, mattresses (including blow-up mattresses) and futons are not permitted in student rooms, without written permission from the Domestic Bursar.

The College has 7 guest rooms (5 twin, 1 double and 1 single), located in the main College Buildings and at the Malting House.

Current members and Fellows may book guest rooms through the Accommodation Office for themselves or close relatives – rooms are available for up to three nights (or exceptionally for five nights on application to the Domestic Bursar). Alumni may only book guest rooms for their own use. The rooms are not suitable for children under 12 years of age or for babies.

All rates apply to the guests occupying the room not the member booking the room

Breakfast is available on normal kitchen opening days from 8.00am to 9.30am (Monday to Friday) and Saturday and Sunday from 8.30am-10.00am.

To make a booking please visit or email the Accommodation Office on guestrooms@darwin.cam.ac.uk [2], giving as much notice as possible.

Cancellations: A booking cannot be cancelled or amended less than 48 hours before arrival. After this time you are liable for the cost equivalent to the first 2 days of the confirmed booking (full cost for bookings of only 1 night).

Most Guest Rooms have eduroam access for academic visitors (check with your home institution for further information) and all other visitors can obtain guest passwords from the Porter's Lodge. All Guest Rooms also have wired network sockets which will give automatic Internet access when plugged in. If a cable is needed, this can be borrowed from the Porter's Lodge.

Check in time for guest rooms is from 2pm and check out on the day of departure is by 10am.

The DCSA [3] Welfare Officer can advise and assist members, and regularly liaises with the Accommodation Manager and the Domestic Bursar. 

Further Information on accommodation and availability can be obtained from the University Accommodation Service website and their address is Kellet Lodge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge

CB2 1QJ (Tel: 01223 338099). There are also various estate agencies in the City and further information is frequently published in the local newspaper The Cambridge News about accommodation. http://www.accommodation.cam.ac.uk/ [4]

Darwin College follows a distinct set of standards for our student accommodation, called the ANUK/Unipol National Codes. The purpose of these Codes, membership of which is voluntary, is to provide students with professional housing services.

The standards chosen for the Codes reflect a balance of common sense obligations and responsibilities between landlords and tenants. They also reflect established best practice in the sector and are based on what an average student and their parents would expect of a good quality housing supplier. The standards are supported by the voice of students themselves through the National Union of Students.

What does being a member of the codes mean?

•             both parties can enjoy the benefits of good standards of housing management and practice

•             misunderstandings and disputes are reduced

•             where problems do occur, they can be promptly resolved, and where they are not the Codes operate an independent complaints procedure.