How to get the most from a university Open Day

An Open Day is your chance to find out if a university feels right before you commit the next few years of your life to it. Online, you can see what a university offers. In person, you find out whether you'd belong there.

Here's what you can only get by visiting, and how to make every part of your day count. For a wider overview of how Open Days work, UCAS also has a helpful guide to university Open Days.

In one day, you can:

• Meet the lecturers who could teach you
• Get honest answers from current students
• See the studios, labs and wards you'd learn in
• Tour our student accommodation, or test your journey if you’ll live at home
• Ask about money and support, face to face
• Get a feel for Birmingham

Our Admissions, Accommodation, Student Support, Opportunities, BCU Sport and Apprenticeships teams are all there on the day, so you can get answers on the spot.

Meet the people who could teach you

Course pages list the modules. Subject talks show you what it's really like to study them. You'll hear from the lecturers who teach the course and find out how it's structured and what a typical week looks like.

Stay behind afterwards for a one to one chat. Good questions to ask include:

• How will I be assessed?
• How much time will I spend in lectures, seminars and practical sessions?
• What placements or work experience can I get?
• What do graduates from this course go on to do?

Make the most of it: “Start with the welcome talk, then plan the rest of your day around your subject talk.”

Get the honest version from current students

Our student ambassadors were choosing a university not long ago too. Ask them what a normal week looks like, how they balance study with work or travel, and what they wish they'd known before they started.

For more ideas, see our questions to ask at an Open Day.

Make the most of it: “Ask ‘What surprised you most in your first year?’ You'll get an answer no prospectus can give you.”

See the spaces you'll actually learn in

Photos only show you so much. On the day, you can walk into the spaces where you'd study, from TV studios and a mock courtroom to simulated hospital wards and specialist labs. Standing in them makes it much easier to picture yourself on the course. Explore our facilities.

Our campuses are spread across the city, and you can travel between them for free on the day. Just ask at the Help Desk.

Make the most of it: “Pick the two spaces that matter most for your course and head there first.”

Like what you've seen so far? It's even better in person. Book your place at our next Open Day.

Picture your everyday life

Imagine your first week: finding your favourite study spot, grabbing lunch between lectures and getting to know the people on your course. An Open Day is where that picture starts to feel real.

Moving away from home?

Tour our student accommodation and see the rooms, kitchens and shared spaces where you'd spend your first year. Work out where your desk would go and picture cooking your first meal with your new flatmates. You can also compare our accommodation options online.

Living at home?

You'll be in good company, as lots of our students live at home and travel in. Use your visit as a test run: travel at the time you would for a morning lecture and see how the journey feels. It can soon become your time to catch up on reading or plan your day.

Make the most of it: “Ask an ambassador who commutes how they make the most of campus life.”

Find where you'll fit in

The right course matters, but so does the life around it. Visit our Students' Union, check out the Eagle and Ball pub and Social Kitchen, and see which societies and sports teams you could join. Societies are one of the easiest ways to make friends, especially if you're nervous about starting university.

Make the most of it: “Ask at the Students' Union which societies first years join most.”

Get your money and support questions answered

Student finance, bursaries, disability support and wellbeing are often the things people feel least sure about. At an Open Day, you can talk to the teams who handle them and get answers that apply to you.

If you're the first in your family to go to university, you're not on your own. Lots of our students are too, so no question is too basic.

 Worried about the cost of getting here? Read how to attend an Open Day on a budget and find out about our discounted Open Day travel.

Make the most of it: “Write your money questions down before you arrive, so you don't forget them on the day.”

Get a feel for Birmingham

If you choose BCU, Birmingham could be your home for the next few years, so spend some time off campus. From the historic Jewellery Quarter to the Bullring and leafy Edgbaston, there's plenty to explore. Why not make a day of it?

Your Open Day checklist

Coming as a parent or supporter?

You're very welcome. You can help by noticing things they might miss, asking practical questions about support and accommodation, and talking it through together afterwards. Most of all, let them lead, as it's their decision and their experience.

Frequently asked questions

Is it worth going to a university Open Day?

Yes. An Open Day is the best way to find out if a university feels right for you. You can meet lecturers, talk to current students, see facilities and accommodation, and get a feel for the city, which you can't fully do online.

Do I need to book a place?

Yes, we recommend booking in advance. Once you’ve booked, you’ll get an email so you can build your own personalised digital schedule of talks and tours.

Can I bring my parents or a friend?

Yes. Many visitors bring a parent, guardian, relative or friend for a second opinion.

How long does an Open Day last?

Our undergraduate Open Days usually run from 9am to 3pm. Plan to stay for most of the day to fit in a subject talk, a tour and accommodation.

Is it worth going if I live near BCU?

Yes. Even if you know the city, you can meet your lecturers, see the facilities for your course and try the journey you'd make for lectures.

How do I get between campuses on the day?

You can travel between our campuses for free on the day. Just ask at the Help Desk.

Is there an Open Day for postgraduate study?

Yes. Our postgraduate Open Days let you meet course leaders and ask about funding, study options and careers.

What if I can't make it to an Open Day?

You can explore campus with our virtual tour, sign up to hear from us and book a place at a future Open Day or Open Event.

See it for yourself

A website can tell you what we offer. Only an Open Day can show you how it feels to be here. Meet your future lecturers, walk through the spaces you'd learn in and picture your life in Birmingham, all in one day.

Book your place at our next Open Day and book early to plan your day.