Its sister institution, St Hild's College, was opened for the education of women on an adjacent site in 1858.

Both colleges initially specialised in teacher training but in 1892 for Bede and 1896 for Hild they became associated with the federal University of Durham, offering BA and BSc degrees alongside teaching in education.

The original college consisted of several distinct buildings, including the main Hild building, which was the administrative hub of the college containing the main offices, computer room, common rooms and a large number of student rooms; other larger accommodation blocks, such as Thorp, Christopher, Bede; and several smaller houses such as Hild Gym, Bede Gym, Charles Stranks, Gables, Manor House, Manor Lodge, Belvedere, and, as of 2021, Ernest Place.

At the centre of college was the Caedmon Complex, which contains a dining hall, the bar (The Vernon Arms, named after the original Hild Bede Principal, Dr Vernon Armitage), music rooms and the only student-run cinema in Durham, Bede Film Society.

The Rushford Court site is based around the Victorian buildings of the former County Hospital, with new accommodation blocks surrounding it.

As part of the move, the University built a new 'Heart' building on the site to house further student spaces, including the bar.

Held in the Joachim Room, these are formal, gowned, black tie dinners that happen four times per year.

This day usually includes a champagne breakfast on the college lawns; an optional service in the cathedral; a buffet lunch in the dining hall and a marquee; picnics and barbecues on the lawns; and entertainment throughout the day including bands, fairground-style events, disco, ceilidh and college olympics.

[8] In late April, the college is host to the sounding retreat ceremony in conjunction with the Durham Light Infantry Association.

The SRC does however contain a special postgraduate committee and maintains the physical Junior and Middle Common Rooms, both in the Hild Building.

Hild Bede Theatre is the biggest college drama society in Durham and puts on at least three productions annually, including a musical at the beginning of the third term.

The society was started over fifty years ago, before the merging of the two colleges, showing films on a 16mm projector.

In addition, it has been known for the Social Secretary to appoint a "Head of Quizzes", from within Ents Comm, to help run these events.