Virtual open days

Thinking of attending a virtual open day? Here's how to make the most of the experience. 

1. GO TO
2. Book an upcoming virtual open day

Keep exploring

At a virtual open day, you can still see the campus in all its glory. Virtual tours are an option for almost every university in the UK. They let you watch videos and use interactive maps so you can get a feel of the university and its surroundings. Make sure you see examples of accommodation, lecture halls and the city/town streets. This way, you can get as good a feel of the place as possible. 

Do as many tours as you can

You can sit in the comfort of your own room and visit a range of universities without worrying about the cost and practicalities of travelling the entire country. Use this to your advantage to compare and contrast each city/town and uni. Think about the accommodation and facilities, and how each university ticks the boxes you’re looking for. 

Ask lots of questions

Most universities will offer tours with current students and staff. Use the opportunity to ask as many questions as you can, as you would at a regular open day. You won’t embarrass yourself or be remembered as the one who asked a silly question. You could ask parents/family to log in too and ask questions relevant to them. This way, no one is embarrassed!

Treat it as a live chat and Q&A rather than an open day. You won't really get the feel of a campus or accommodation online, or really grasp how far the accommodation is from lectures, or how safe the area is where the university is based (although the CUG crime tables can help), so this is more of a fact finding mission.

James Seymour, University of Gloucestershire 

Don’t fixate on coronavirus

It’s good to remember that going to university is a three-year (or more) commitment. There are a lot of other things to ask, to see and to compare that’ll affect your experience and lifestyle over your entire time there. By all means, ask what you need to know about the current situation, but be aware of things to consider outside of the immediate situation, such as accommodation, clubs and societies, and transport links. 

Call a friend

Perhaps a friend is looking at the same universities, or similar subjects. It might be a good idea to chat with them and discuss what you’ve seen at different universities so far. Two people looking at the same place may notice different things, so you can discuss the pros and cons together.