2017 Guide to Uni Open Days

Hi guys! If you're currently looking into universities, you'l know that most open days are coming up in June/July. Most universities hold two open days in the summer, and another one or two in September, and booking is already open for most summer open days. I think that open days are the most important part of the decision-making process, so it's integral to be prepared before going. To book your open day place (plus any talks/tours you want to go on), go to the university website and find the open days page. I recommend going to about 6 open days to keep your options open, but there is absolutely no upper or lower limit, just do what's right for you. At the end of this post is a comprehensive list of all the Russell Group universities and some non-Russell Groups along with links to their Summer open day pages. Please note that open days are taking place in September/October and later on for nearly all of these unis, but I have not included these dates on the list.

What to do pre-open day
- do your research
Know the facts about the uni; know what subjects you'd be studying, know if it's an old/new building,  know the entry requirements (A Level results, GCSE results, and/or specific subjects at A Level or equivalent).
- book!
For most universities, you'll need to book your place (and your guests' places) for scheduled talks and tours. For some universities, you'll need to book to even enter the open day. Make sure to book ASAP, because places disappear quickly.
- transport
Decide how to get to the uni. Car, train, or park and ride are normally the best options, but make sure you know how and when you need to get there so you don't have to panic on the day. Also, make sure you're aware of how and where to park (by car) or if you need to make a booking (for park and ride).
- look around online and compare unis
University websites are generally very helpful, with almost all the essential information on them. Branch out, and check out unis that you may not be interested in going to. I personally prefer to see all the doors in front of me and close them one by one as opposed to just searching for the one right door, if you understand my analogy. Go to at least one campus uni and one off-campus city uni if you can, no matter whether you feel you've decided to be on or off campus. Who knows, you might change our mind.
- make a schedule
Allow time to get there, plus allow about 15/20 minutes to get to each talk/tour/college (more time if someone in your party has a mobility disability). Know exactly when you have to be exactly where, to save stress on the actual day. Remember to leave time for lunch!

What to take on the day
- laptop and/or paper and pens
Especially if you're attending talks, you may want to make notes so that when you come to decide on where to apply, you'll remember the good and bad points of each uni.
- your booking info
Talks and times, parking/park and ride information, and tickets to get in, plus any other documents you'll be requiring.
- a list of questions
After the talks, there'll usually be a time of Q&A with course leaders/current students, so make sure to make a list of anything you want to ask, and (even more importantly) make sure you listen to other people's questions and their answers, as you may want to know something but didn't think of it straight away.
- info about the uni
Do they do a year out? Is it a campus university? Do they even do the subject(s) you want? Do they do combined honours? These are questions that you could ask someone on the day, but are easily found out by a little bit of research that could end up saving both you and the people at the uni precious time. Write down the key points of each uni and take them on the day, for easy access to vital information.
- an open mind
Ugh, that was cringey. Sorry. Seriously though, if you go to a uni thinking that you'll hate it, then you will hate it. Come with a mind that is open to discovering hidden gems, or on the flip side, don't overlook the bad points of your favourite uni. You'll be spending at least 3 years there, so you don't want to make the decision on a misconception.
- the essentials
Money (food, possibly parking, gifts etc), phone, keys, parent(s) and/or guardian(s), directions (both to and within the uni) and/or google maps, etc.

Helpful Links (all open in a new window)
Open Days pages
Russell Group
Birmingham (Friday 23 and Saturday 24 June)
Bristol (Friday 16 and Saturday 17 June)
Cambridge (Thursday 6 and Friday 7 July)
Cardiff (Friday 7 July)
Durham (Monday 26 June and Saturday 1 July)
Edinburgh (Friday 9 June)
Exeter (Friday 2 and Saturday 3 June)
Glasgow (Thursday 15 June and Wednesday 30 August)
Imperial College London (Wednesday 28 and Thursday 29 June) (Taster Courses (Tuesday 11 and Tuesday 25 July))
King's College London (Guy's Campus Saturday 10 June and Saturday 8 July, Strand Campus Saturday 24 June)
Leeds (Saturday 17, Thursday 22, and Friday 23 June)
Liverpool (Friday 23 and Saturday 24 June)
LSE (Thursday 6 July) (Taster Courses (Tuesday 13 June))
Manchester (Friday 23 and Saturday 24 June)
Newcastle (Friday 30 June and Saturday 1 July)
Nottingham (Friday 30 June and Saturday 1 July)
Oxford (Wednesday 28 and Thursday 29 June)
Queen Mary University of London (Friday 23 and Saturday 24 June)
Queen's University Belfast (none in Summer, closest is Thursday 7 September)
Sheffield (Wednesday 21 June and Saturday 8 July)
Southampton (Saturday 8 July)
University College London (Friday 30 June and Saturday 1 July)
Warwick (Friday 23 and Saturday 24 June)
York (Friday 30 June and Sunday 2 July *RECENTLY CHANGED FROM SAT 1ST TO SUN 2ND*)
Non-Russell Group
St Andrews (none in Summer, closest is Wednesday 27 September)
Loughborough (Friday 30 June and Saturday 1 July)
Bath (Thursday 15, and Friday 16 June)
Reading (Friday 16 and Saturday 17 June)
Surrey (Friday 30 June and Saturday 1 July)
Leicester (Friday 7 July)
Nottingham Trent (Tuesday 11 July)
Lancaster (Friday 14 and Saturday 15 July)
Royal Holloway (Wednesday 14 and Saturday 17 June)
SOAS (Wednesday 14 June)
Sussex (Saturday 24 June)
Kent (Medway Campus Saturday 17 June, Canterbury Campus Saturday 1 July

Other Helpful Links
Russell Group
UCAS

I hope this has been helpful, and please let me know if any of the links stop working! <3