University open days are often a rite of passage for prospective undergraduate students. Going around new cities and exploring the campus can give you an idea of whether this is the right university for you. 

It gives you an opportunity to meet lecturers and other potential students, sit in on sample classes, explore the accommodation and get a feel for the surrounding area. 

Quite frankly, it’s difficult to be sure about a university unless you have been there and had a feel for it in person, so we recommend going to a few different university open days to get an idea of what you are looking for.

Of course though, we understand that open days can be a bit overwhelming; while there are swarms of student helpers ready to answer questions and point you in the right direction, it can be helpful to go into an open day with some level of knowledge. 

That’s why we’ve created the ultimate guide to university open days, so you know what to expect and going into them, and how to make the most out of your visit.

What are university open days?

Put simply, university open days are a few days over the year where universities open their doors to prospective students who are thinking of applying to study at their institution.

During them, you are able to walk around the campus, explore the accommodation options and sit in on some sample lectures for the subject you’re looking to study. This is a great opportunity for you to explore the area, meet the lecturers on your course and get a clearer idea of what is on the syllabus. 

University open days also often have various stands and stalls around the campus for you to visit, showing off the best extracurricular activities, societies and clubs you could join. This is another aspect of the experience that is really useful for potential students and could be the reason you end up choosing that university.

For example, if you have a particular love of netball and you are able to meet the members of the netball society at a particular university, this will further inspire you to go and study there. This will also help you to feel more settled when you do move to the university come September, as you’ll already know a group of people and have an activity to do. 

Why are university open days important?

University open days are important for you to get an idea of where you want to study and some clarity on your course choices. Each university syllabus is slightly different, meaning the topics a subject will cover at one university might be totally different to another. So, it’s really important you choose one that covers topics you’ll enjoy. 

University open days are also so important to attend as you’ll get a chance to experience the town or city around the campus. For example, it’s the perfect opportunity to see how fast the bus takes to get into town, or what coffee shops are closest. These are things you wouldn’t easily be able to learn unless you visit the area and experience the environment for yourself. 

As I’ve mentioned, there tend to be lots of student volunteers working at open days who are available to you to give their experience of the uni and the area. This is a great chance for you to get some expert insight on the institution. They will be able to tell you their favourite parts of the campus and the city, what modules on the course they best enjoyed and which accommodation they stayed in. 

This unique look into a students’ life at the university is priceless and will give you clarity on whether it’s the right place for you to study. 

Immersing yourself in the campus for a day, meeting students who already study there as well as potential future peers is a perfect opportunity to give you clarity on where you want to study. There is no better way to find the perfect university for you.

Do parents go to university open days?

In short, yes. Your parents can absolutely go to university open days with you! 

In fact, it might be helpful to bring them along as they’ll have questions to ask and can help you navigate the campus and the city. 

In the UK, bringing your parents and carers to an open day is quite a common thing to do - especially because they want to be sure that the place you choose to study is safe, accessible and most importantly, nice! Data from 2019 showed that 56% of parents had gone to at least one university open day with their child. 

It doesn’t have to be your parents though, you can bring anyone to your open days; friends, siblings, grandparents, anyone! You are welcome to explore the campus and the city for as long as you like, However, the accommodation tours and the sample lectures are usually just reserved for the potential students - so you may have to meet your parents after this.

It can be really fun to bring your parents or siblings to your open day as they’ll be able to give you tips and insight if they’ve been to university themselves. If not, they can help you to get excited about your university future! 

Although we know that sometimes bringing a plus one isn’t possible as parents and friends have their own commitments and can’t make it. But that’s okay! Going to a university open day alone can be a really great experience - you get to explore the areas you want to and can take your time looking around the campus. 

As the sample lectures and the accommodation tours are for prospective students only, you won’t feel left out as everyone will be on their own for these parts. This can be a fun time to explore the city and make some new friends on the open day. 

Can you visit a university not on an open day?

Absolutely! Universities understand that the open day dates won’t work for everyone, so often you can visit a university on a separate date when it’s not an open day. 

However, it’s worth noting that if you do this, you may not get a chance to look around the accommodation as they won’t be set up and people will be living in there (probably best to wait until you can see a tidy room). 

If you are going to look around a university when it’s not open to the public, it’s a good idea to call or email ahead of time to let them know you will be coming. They will be able to tell you if anyone is available to show you around or if any tutors will be free for you to speak to. 

While you’ll be able to have a look around the campus, and most likely be able to explore the library and study areas, you won’t be able to speak to any societies or student ambassadors unless there is someone available to show you around. 

By giving the university as much notice as possible that you’ll be visiting on a different day, they may be able to organise a guided tour for you. Speaking to a student will give you a unique point of view into the pros and cons of the university, so we would definitely recommend that if you are visiting on a non-open day, you try to arrange a guided tour with a student.  

If it isn’t possible to get a tour from a university student, it’s definitely still worth going to visit the university before you put it as a choice on your UCAS application. This will give you an idea of how the campus works, where everything is and whether you’ll have to walk 20 minutes from your accommodation to the lecture hall. As well as this, exploring the city where the university is located is crucial to be able to choose the best fit for you. Do you prefer a quieter town or a bustling city? How good are the transport links? These are the sort of questions you’ll be able to answer when visiting a few different university options. 

What to ask at a university open day

We know you probably have lots of burning questions that you want to have answered at your university open day. But if you’re stuck and looking for ideas, take a look at these commonly asked questions below.

• What study areas are available for students to use?  

You will definitely get shown around the library when you go to your university open day, however it’s a good idea to ask about other study spaces available to use. During exam season, the libraries tend to be full of students, so it’s good to know you have a backup study zone that you can make use of during peak time. This will usually be some designated classrooms, a computer suite or some rooms that are available to book out in the library.

Knowing where you will be revising and studying (and probably spending a few all-nighters) will help you to get a clearer idea of whether this is the university you want to attend. If they have an abundance of study space available for students, this is a more suitable option for those students who hate working in their rooms. 

By asking these questions at the open day, you will be able to picture yourself as a student there, and if you do choose to study at that particular university, you will already feel somewhat settled as you know where to do your coursework!

• How many students will be on this course?

Now, this is a really important question to ask when attending your university open day and can be answered by the lecturers who are presenting your sample class. 

Some students learn better in an environment with many other students; there are more ideas to share and different perspectives to consider, peers can work together and help one another. On the other hand, some students prefer working in close knit groups on a course that is small in class size. It can be beneficial to have a smaller course group as the students will become familiar with each other, rather than being on a course of 200+ students and not knowing anyone's name. 

If you are choosing a more popular course, like Psychology or Law, it’s more likely that your course size will be larger than others. However this doesn't necessarily mean that you will always be in a lecture theatre that’s full of hundreds of students, as module groups break down the course into smaller classes. Asking how many students will be on the course and subsequently on each module will give you a better idea of what the course at this university will be like. 

• Can I take a placement year?

Being able to take a placement year from your university degree is definitely something you should consider when looking at universities. As finding a career after uni is becoming more difficult for postgraduates, a placement year can increase your chances of employability as you gain a year of practical work experience in the industry you want to pursue a career in. 

You don’t have to decide straight away, but knowing that you have the option for a placement year or not will help you decide on a university that is best for you. Placement years are taken in the third year of your undergraduate course, and you are given the option to travel abroad and do anything that relates to your course and future ambitions. This is an ideal opportunity for you to decide if you want to pursue a career in a particular field, or - deciding whether a particular career path is right for you at all. 

When applying for jobs after completing university, having relevant work experience will give you a competitive edge over those who don’t and is something employers are looking for. Knowing if you are able to take a placement year could be a deal breaker for you deciding on universities, so make sure you ask this at the open day. 

• How is this course graded?

Understanding how your work is assessed at university can be a huge deciding factor as to whether a particular course is right for you or not. You will know from school whether you perform well in exams or if you prefer to do coursework to demonstrate your knowledge. This doesn’t change when you get to university. 

It’s important to know how your course will be graded - if you hate exams and this course is 100% exam based, maybe this isn’t the one for you. 

Finding out how your course is graded will either be through a printed prospectus which you will receive on the day, or through speaking to the tutors of your course at the university open days - they will be able to talk you through the percentages of coursework, exams and submissions that are expected of students on the course. 

Choosing a university course that is graded in a way that suits you and means you can perform to the best of your ability is a big priority for choosing a university - so make sure you ask this question at all your university open days!

• What careers have previous students gone on to do?

Knowing what careers previous students on your course have gone on to do is a great insight into what your future could look like. If the university has a successful list of alumni who have gone on to do great things in their industry, this could tip the scales in favour of studying there.

By asking this question at your university open day, you might find that previous students are now employed in industries you hadn’t even considered as a future career choice. This will give you a deeper understanding of the possibilities for you and your future career. 

When do universities have open days? 

Universities in the UK have an open day at least every year, with most institutions having two or three across the year. Open days tend to start in October and go to June of the following year, though this varies amongst institutions. 

For your benefit, there is a helpful calendar of all UK university open days here.

University open days are often on the weekend, so it’s unlikely that you’ll need to take time off from school or work to attend. This year, many universities are doing virtual open days so you don’t need to go in person and can do it all from your house. This is a great alternative to travelling to the university if you have a busy schedule or live abroad, however we would recommend visiting the campus before deciding on a university if you can.

Open days can last all day with sample classes and tours running frequently, when you sign up for an open day you will get a timetable of what’s available and you can arrange your schedule around that. You may have to book to sit in on a sample class and tour but the universities make this easy for you to do ahead of time. 

Summary

University open days are a brilliant opportunity to get to know the campus, speak to the lecturers and get a feel for the city. You are able to get a unique insight into the accommodation options, meet students and explore the different societies and clubs on offer. 

Open days can be overwhelming if you haven’t done one before but it’s so worth going to visit and getting an idea as to whether you want to study there. Also - don’t forget to grab your freebies, you usually get a great branded tote bag.

At Melio, we offer university guidance to 16-17 year olds who have university admissions on the horizon. We know this can be a stressful time, so our course gives you clarity on the admissions process, support when writing your UCAS personal statement, tools on managing your time and building confidence ahead of your further education. 

At the end of the course, your guidance counsellor and parents have a session with you to discuss your application and university options, meaning you don’t have to worry about doing it alone. 

For more information, please contact our admissions team or visit our website.