
A school and college guide to virtual open days. What are they - and what will they involve?
During the last twelve months, the way in which
we have facilitated open days and events has had
to shift owing to COVID-19 and the challenges that
this has brought about.
As universities we have had to adapt rapidly to
be able to support your students, their families
and yourselves through the journey to higher
education. As such, open days transitioned to
online events.
What to expect from a virtual open day?
Quite simply, expect for your students to be able
to ask all the questions that they would have at a
face-to-face event to both staff and students!
Different universities will do this through a range
of platforms, but there will be the chance to ask
course specific questions of academic staff, as
well as getting the perspective of current students
on their studies and the experience they have had
at the university.
Not only can your students ask questions of our
academic staff and students, but those crucial
support services will also be represented –
finance, admissions, accommodation, student
support, the students’ union etc. We know that
your students and their families may have very
specific questions relating to their individual
circumstances and there will be opportunities
throughout events to ask them.
Virtual open days are more than just a chat platform
For many prospective students, participating in
presentations during open days is very important,
to find out more about the subject area they are
interested in or about topics such as student
finance and the applicant journey.
Universities have also been able to make these
available virtually too. There may be live webinars
running at specific times during an event or
through pre-recorded videos that students can
watch at their convenience.
Students should make sure they plan their time
at the virtual event in order to ensure they can
attend all of the sessions they hope to – in the
same way they would when attending a campus
event. If time is tight, they can always check if the
university is running any webinar sessions at a
different time.
Students can still see the university and campus
In terms of experiencing the university itself, your students will find virtual tours or campus tour videos available to showcase university facilities. There may also be the opportunity to book campus tours at another point to explore the facilities on offer at the university.
Want More Updates & Advice?

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Editorial has been provided by over 35 colleagues at universities and higher education institutions throughout the UK. On topics covering how to support students with their university decisions, university events, widening participation & fair access, UCAS applications (including writing school references) and more. It also includes the key student finance facts from Martin Lewis.
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