Uni Open Day—The Best Way to Get a Real Taste of University Life

1. What is an open day？

The Open Day, also known as Open House in the United States and Canada, is an annual event organized by universities in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and Canada. The primary objective is to provide prospective students with an extensive opportunity to familiarize themselves with the university and assess whether it aligns with their future career aspirations.

Throughout the day, participants will be given a guided tour of the campus, attend taster lectures, and engage with faculty and current students. Additionally, first-hand information on the application process, entry requirements, scholarships, and campus life is available to attendees. It is noteworthy that certain institutions offer taster lectures, which enable prospective students to gain insight into the teaching styles and academic ambience of the institution.

At Valour, we believe that attending university open days is a crucial aspect of the college application process, as it provides the most authentic understanding of the institution and the program being applied to.

2. Requirements

While there are no registration requirements or limitations, it is more common for high school students to attend the events.

3. Registration and fee

Please note that to register for the event, you will need to visit the university’s website and there is no registration fee.

4. On-line open days

A number of UK universities offer virtual open days, including University College London, which holds its virtual open day from the 24th to the 28th of April, and King’s College London, which also provides a virtual open day that will be announced on the school’s website.

5. The importance of attending open day-experience sharing by founder of Valour, Kensilina

“Prior to attending the University of Bath’s open day, my primary objective was to pursue an undergraduate degree in Pharmacy. However, upon attending a taster lecture in the Department of Life Sciences, I discovered that the program was not what I had anticipated in terms of course curriculum and career prospects. As a result, I decided to change my academic pursuit and opt for a degree in Chemistry at the university. Looking back, I feel grateful for having attended the university’s open day and for having discovered the program. Pursuing a major in Chemistry provides me with the opportunity to conduct extensive research in my preferred area. I am pleased that I have been able to choose a program that aligns with my academic aspirations and preferences for a suitable study environment.”

6. 2023 Overall Open Day/ Open House Date

We have compiled a list of open-day events for universities in the United Kingdom, Australia, the United States, and Canada in 2023. Please refer to the following information.

U.K.
UK universities host open-day events in April, June, and September, with some offering virtual options as well. The registration link typically opens one to two months in advance. Check the university’s website for the latest information.

QS Ranking	University	2023 Date	Registration Link
4	University of Oxford	28 – 29 June (in-person) September 15 (in-person)	University of Oxford
2	University of Cambridge	6 – 7 July (in-person & virtual) Registration starts in May. 15 September (in-person) Registration starts in the Summer.	The University of Cambridge
8	University of College London	24 – 28 April (virtual) 30 June (in-person) 1 July (in-person)	University of College London
56	London School of Economics & Political Science	19 April (in-person)	London School of Economics & Political Science
6	Imperial College London (South Kensington Campus)	28 June (in-person) 29 June (in-person) 16 September (in-person)	Imperial College London
37	King’s College London	Spring/ Summer TBD (in-person & virtual)	King’s College London

Australia
The Australian National University’s open day has already started. Australian universities have additional information sessions from February to March for high schoolers looking to learn about the application process, admission requirements, course curriculum, and other related topics.

QS Ranking	University	2023 Date	Registration Link
30	Australian National University	18 March (in-person)	Australian National University
33	The University of Melbourne	TBD	The University of Melbourne
41	The University of Sydney	26 August (in-person)	The University of Sydney

U.S. (=Campus Day, Open House)
Most universities in the United States offer information sessions and campus tours. If you are interested in attending one of these events, please refer to the respective university’s website for registration details.

QS Ranking	University	2023 Date	Registration Link
1	Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)	N/A	Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
3	Stanford University	N/A	Stanford University
5	Harvard University	N/A	Harvard University
39	New York University	Fall TBD	New York University
44	University of California, Los Angeles	Fall TBD	University of California, Los Angeles

Canada (=Campus Day, Open House)
Canadian universities typically hold their annual open houses during the fall term, with varying dates and times across campuses and departments. Registration for these events has not yet begun. To stay informed, please visit the respective university’s website for the latest updates.

QS Ranking	University	2023 Date	Registration Link
34	University of Toronto	Fall TBD Dates vary by campus	University of Toronto
31	McGill University	22 October	McGill University
46	University of British Columbia	Fall TBD Dates vary by department. 2 March (History Major)	University of British Columbia

7. Alternative-Campus tour

A University campus tour will be a great alternative to open day. Led by current university ambassadors, these guided in-person tours offer a chance to explore the facilities, dormitories, and more, while ambassadors answer any questions about the application process. To register for a campus tour, visit the university’s website. Tour times vary by school, and some universities also offer taster lectures that you can attend.

University	Types of tour	Time	Link
University of Oxford	Campus Tour (virtual)	N/A	University of Oxford
University of Cambridge	Campus Tour (virtual)	N/A	University of Cambridge
University College London	Guided Campus Tour	January – April 2023	University College London
Imperial College London	Campus Tour (virtual)	N/A	Imperial College London
King’s College London	Guided Campus Tour	Typically, campus tours are offered on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, but the specific days may vary depending on the campus and department.	King’s College London
London School of Economics & Political Science	Guided Campus Tour	Open days are typically held on the last Wednesday of every term.	London School of Economics & Political Science
Australian National University	Campus Tour (in-person)	Currently accepting reservations up to November.	Australian National University
The University of Melbourne	Campus Tour (in-person)	Every Tuesday and Friday.	The University of Melbourne
The University of Sydney	Campus Tour (in-person)	First Friday of every month.	The University of Sydney
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)	Campus Tour & Info Session (in-person)	Currently accepting reservations up to May.	Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Stanford University	Campus Tour, Info Session & Student Forum available (in-person & virtual)	Currently accepting reservations up to June.	Stanford University
Harvard University	Campus Tour & Info Session (in-person & virtual )	Currently, reservations are open for registration in April and May respectively.	Harvard University
New York University	Campus Tour & Info Session (in-person & virtual )	Currently accepting reservations up to April.	New York University
University of California, Los Angeles	Campus Tour (in-person & virtual)	Currently accepting reservations up to March.	University of California, Los Angeles
University of Toronto	Campus Tour (in-person & virtual)	Currently, reservations are open for registration in July and June respectively.	University of Toronto
McGill University	Campus Tour (in-person & virtual)	Currently, reservations are open for registration in December and April respectively.	McGill University
University of British Columbia	Campus Tour (in-person & virtual)	Currently, reservations are open for registration in September and August respectively.	University of British Columbia