Course pages and league tables can only tell you so much. An open day is where you actually feel whether a university might suit you, walking the campus, sitting in on a real lecture, and talking to current students who have no reason to sugarcoat their answers. Going in with a plan turns a day that could easily become a blur of buildings and brochures into something genuinely useful for your decision.
This guide covers how to prepare for open days, what to actually do once you’re there, and how to compare universities afterward.
Before You Go: Preparing Properly
- Book in advance, since most open days require registration and popular sessions, such as specific subject talks, can fill up quickly.
- Check the specific schedule for your course, since general campus tours run alongside subject-specific talks and facility visits that won’t happen automatically unless you sign up.
- Research the university and course beforehand, so your questions on the day go beyond information already available on the website.
- Prepare a list of specific questions, tailored to what you actually want to know rather than generic queries with obvious answers.
- Plan your travel and timing, particularly if visiting more than one open day in a short period, to avoid an exhausting, rushed day that leaves little room to actually absorb anything.
What to Actually Do on the Day
| Activity | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Attend a subject-specific talk | Gives a realistic sense of teaching style and course structure, not just marketing content |
| Talk to current students | Often the most honest source of information, since they have no institutional stake in impressing you |
| Visit accommodation | Photos rarely capture the real size, location and condition of student housing |
| Explore the surrounding area | Where you’ll actually live day to day matters as much as the campus itself |
| Check specific facilities | Labs, studios, sports facilities or library resources relevant to your specific course |
Good Questions to Ask
- To academic staff: “What does a typical week look like for a student on this course?” and “How is the course assessed across the different years?”
- To current students: “What would you change about the course if you could?” and “What’s the workload really like during busy periods?”
- To accommodation staff: “What are realistic costs beyond the advertised rent?” and “How does the allocation process actually work?”
- To careers or employability staff: “What kind of support is available for placements or internships specific to this course?”
Making the Most of Talking to Current Students
Current students, often working as volunteer guides or simply around campus, tend to give the most candid picture of university life. Ask about the things prospectuses rarely mention directly: how easy it actually is to get help from tutors, what the social scene is really like outside organised events, and whether the course matched their expectations when they first arrived.
What to Do If You Can’t Attend In Person
If travel, cost, or timing makes an in-person visit difficult, most universities now offer virtual open days with live-streamed talks and campus tours. While a virtual visit can’t fully replace walking around in person, it still offers a genuine opportunity to hear directly from staff and ask questions in real time, and it’s considerably better than relying on course pages alone.
Comparing Universities Afterward
- Write notes immediately after each visit, while details are still fresh, since universities can blur together after visiting several in a short space of time.
- Compare against your original priorities, whether that’s course content, location, accommodation, or specific facilities, rather than simply which one felt most impressive on the day.
- Revisit if you’re still unsure, since many universities also run smaller “applicant days” later in the cycle, offering a second, more targeted visit once you hold an offer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to attend an open day before applying?
It’s not a formal requirement, but attending in person or virtually gives a much clearer sense of whether a university genuinely suits you than course pages and rankings alone.
How many open days should I attend?
This depends on how many universities you’re seriously considering, but visiting your realistic shortlist, rather than every possible option, generally makes for a more useful and less exhausting comparison.
Is a virtual open day worth attending if I can visit in person later?
Yes, particularly for narrowing down an initial list, since virtual open days can help you decide which universities are worth the time and cost of an in-person visit.
What’s the most useful thing to do at an open day?
Talking to current students on your specific course tends to give the most honest, practical insight into what studying there is actually like day to day.
An open day works best when you treat it as active research rather than a passive tour, asking specific questions and paying attention to how you actually feel in the environment. Once you’ve narrowed down your options, our guide to choosing a university course covers the wider decision-making process in detail.
