Darwin College Accommodation

About accommodation at Darwin

We can usually house you for the duration of your course, and offer rooms to suit most budgets.

Living in College allows you to fully participate in Darwin life. There are a range of accommodation options both on the College site and nearby. To give you realistic sense of what’s available, you can find a folder of photos of rooms in each building here.

Whether you’d prefer to live in a single room, shared flat or studio, we’ll aim to find something to meet your needs. You can apply for this once you have accepted your offer.

Continuing students are invited to apply for accommodation each spring for the coming academic year.

• A quick guide to Darwin accommodation is available here.
• More detail on pricing and your options for living in College can be found here.

Applying for accommodation

If you have been offered a place as a student at Darwin, and wish to apply for College accommodation, you can do so via our portal.

Rent prices for the 2024/25 Academic year can be found here

Rents have been updated for the 2025/26 Academic Year and can be downloaded here

We offer a standard licence to occupy for our student members living in shared accommodation. The 2025/26 version can be viewed here

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Guest Rooms

Darwin has two guest rooms available for official guests of the College.

When not required for College business, these are released for the short-term accommodation of current members or their guests 30 days before the booking date. These rooms are often in short supply and should be booked directly through the Accommodation Office by emailing accommodation@darwin.cam.ac.uk.

Guest rooms are for shorter stays and may be booked by current members and Fellows for themselves, visiting academics or relatives. The rooms are equipped with a double bed and ensuite bathroom, and offer tea and coffee making facilities.

Rates will be provided on enquiry to the Accommodation office, but as a guide they range from £80-£100 per night plus VAT where applicable.

A continental breakfast is available from the cafe during normal operating hours and is not included in the cost of the room.

Guest can check in from 2pm, and must check out on the day of departure by 10am.

Cancellations: Any booking cancelled less than 48 hours before the expected time of arrival will be charged in full.

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Equality Access Statement & Accessibility in Darwin accommodation

Darwin College offers, allocates, and charges accommodation in a fair and transparent manner.  In accordance with the legally protected characteristics, no person or group of persons is treated less favourably than any other person or group of persons.  All procedures for the allocation of our accommodation comply with the relevant legislation, particularly the Equality Act 2010.

The Equality Act (2010) prevents higher education institutions from discriminating against disabled students based on the following:  ‘A person has a disability if they have a physical or mental impairment, and the impairment has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his or her ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities’.

The Equality Act also imposes a duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled students in relation to a provision, criterion or practice, physical features, and auxiliary aids, where the provision of these adjustments overcomes a disadvantage arising from the impact of their disability.

Darwin College assists disabled students to access and utilise all areas of the College wherever possible and practicable.  Darwin does not charge for any additional costs related to such disability adjustments or provision.  The College has a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments so that disabled students are not put at a substantial disadvantage in accessing education.

Darwin’s college-owned student accommodation is accredited by an external organisation (ANUK) and its Code of Standards for student accommodation.  The Code establishes a set of management standards for all residential developments managed and controlled by educational establishments (except for head leased properties) and specifies appropriate controls to ensure that the particular needs of students are delivered effectively.

The Code states:

2.0. The educational establishment will develop an equality access statement, or equivalent, in respect of their managed and controlled accommodation;

2.1. All procedures for the allocation of accommodation comply with any equality and inclusion policies that apply to their educational establishment and in accordance with the law, in particular the provisions of the Equality Act 2010;

2.2. The educational establishment will ensure that no person or group of persons applying for accommodation will be treated less favourably than any other person or group of persons in accordance with the legally protected characteristics;

2.3. Charges for rooms adapted for use by disabled students do not exceed the ordinary average room rate charged by the educational establishment across its full range of rents;

2.4. An assessment is carried out, if appropriate, to determine the specific needs of the individuals concerned and where these needs are reasonable, as defined within the Equality Act 2010, they are fulfilled in accordance with clauses 2.0, 2.1, 2.2 & 2.3. Educational establishments will comply with legal requirements to make reasonable adaptions.

The Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education (OIA) uses the following questions to determine reasonableness, which may also be of use:

1. Is the student disabled?
2. If so, what provisions (for example, policies and procedures) are we now applying to him or her?
3. Do these provisions place him or her at a disadvantage?
4. What could be done to prevent that disadvantage?
5. Would it be reasonable for us to take those steps?

Further information on the ADRC and their role at the University can be found here

Further information on accessible rooms and emotional support animals (ESAs) can be found here and here

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