It happened shortly before 2am on Sunday (October 26) at the Nevilles Cross junction in Durham, on the A167.
The 22-year-old, who was on foot at the time, suffered head and chest injuries and was taken to the RVI in Newcastle, but died a short time later.
The car, believed to be a silver VW Golf GTi Clubsport, failed to stop at the scene, Durham Police said.
A spokesperson added: “Her family have been notified and are being supported by specialist officers.
“An investigation has been launched and officers are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed the incident or has dashcam or doorbell footage who has not yet spoke to them to get in touch.”
Nevilles Cross. (Image: ELLA WILSON)
The road was closed overnight with several police vehicles and ambulance teams in attendance. Radar tracking shows the police helicopter circled the area for about half an hour at 2am.
Residents told how they saw police arrive on blue lights.
Olivia, a Durham University student the same age as the victim, living at Nevilles Cross, told the Echo: “I saw the police cars and ambulance but had no idea what was going on.”
A 58-year-old woman who lives off the crossroads added: “I heard a lot of noise up the road and saw a few police cars. I didn’t know what it was but I assumed there had been a crash because that kind of thing happens a lot at this junction.
A North East Amulance Service spokesperson said previously: “We were called at 1.54am this morning for a pedestrian who had been involved in a collision with a car at the junction of Newcastle Road and Darlington Road in Nevilles Cross, Durham.
“We dispatched two paramedic ambulance crews, a specialist paramedic, a doctor and a duty officer to the scene. They treated one patient with injuries to her head and chest before taking her to the RVI in Newcastle.”
Anyone with any further information is asked to call Durham Police on 101, quoting incident number 41 of October 26.