Our Tips for Making the Most of Uni Open Days

A university open day can answer loads of questions about the next step in your education, letting you see first-hand what your studying experience will be like, where you’ll be living, and who you’ll be studying, or partying, with.  

But it can also be a bit overwhelming. There’s so much to see and so much information to take in, it can be easy to let it all go straight over your head. Our guide is here to help, giving you all the key things to look out for so you can make the most of your day.  

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Step 1: Plan ahead 

Open days seem miles away when you’re doing your A Levels, but before you know it they’ll be popping up all over the country. Planning is key. Figure out where you’d like to go and when their open day dates are, then work out how you’ll get there. Can your parents or guardians take you? Will you need a train? Are your mates free to come with you? Getting all your ducks in a row early will make the experience much less stressful when the time comes.  

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Step 2: Do your research 

Find out what kind of reputation the uni has, learn about the courses it offers, and arrive ready with questions to ask. Remember: this is your day to find out what you need to know. The university will have things it wants to tell you about, but you need to dig deeper than the marketing material and uncover what things are really like. Ask about where first years will live, how much coursework is involved, and whether there’ll be any exams at the end of the year. That kind of thing. Get your detective hats on - you’ve got a case to solve.   

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Step 3. See your course in action 

Remember that while you’re on campus, the current cohort studying your course will be in lectures happening around you. Try and gauge the atmosphere - is there a buzz around that you’d love to be part of? You might even be able to sit in on a lecture while you’re there, giving you the chance to experience the learning environment and see some of the staff in action.  

Current students sometimes also run sessions where you can ask about life on campus, student safety and student accommodation. There may even be sessions exclusively for parents and carers, giving them to ask the questions that will put their minds at rest.  

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Step 4. Read the schedule 

When you register for an open day, you’ll usually get a schedule emailed to you about a week before the event. This will show you all the events that are planned for the day, letting you figure out where you need to be and when. You should also be sent a campus map, which will come in very useful. No-one wants to get lost before they’ve even enrolled! It’s worth noting that some uni open days will need you to book on for certain talks, so make sure you read the small print to avoid missing out.  

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Step 5. Bring someone with you if you can 

While you can’t have someone with you throughout your whole degree, taking a friend or family member with you to an open day will make it much easier to retain any useful information. Share your questions with them before you go so, if you forget to ask anything, they’ll be there to remind you.  

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Step 6. Dress sensibly 

We’re not talking about wearing your Sunday best or buying a new suit for the occasion - instead we mean wearing sensible shoes and dressing appropriately for the weather. Uni campuses are big places and you’ll be doing a lot of walking, so being comfortable and warm enough for the day ahead is key to making the most of it.  

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Step 7. Take notes, lots of them 

Whether you’re a pen and paper kind of person, prefer a tablet, or are happy to tap away on your phone, notes will be key when it comes to making your mind up about where to study. The uni should send you all the key bits after the event is over, but your notes will be where you capture the answers to all your questions and jot down any extra information you gather during your trip - as well as how you felt while you were there. 

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Step 8. Highlight the key points 

When you get home, put all your notes in order. Highlight bits, use post-it notes, make charts, whatever you need to make sense of everything you’ve just learnt. This will make it so much easier to compare all the universities once your open days are over, and future you will thank you for it.  

Happy uni hunting! We can’t wait to see where you end up. And remember, further down the line when you come to student house-hunting, at UniHomes we work with letting agents and landlords across the UK to showcase the best student accommodation in one convenient place - and all with utility bills already included.