Open Days: 6 good reasons to attend if you want to study abroad
6 good reasons to attend
There’s no better way to find out about the universities you’re considering applying to than by visiting them in person. You’ll be able to get a feel for the setting and infrastructure, and ask all your questions about the curriculum, teaching methods, accommodation and student life! During open days, you’ll be able to see these universities from the inside, and put yourself in a student’s shoes for a day. It’s an opportunity to discover the university environment and talk to students and professors, so you can choose the one that best suits your profile and expectations.
Taking part in an open day offers many advantages.
Discover the university environment and atmosphere
The atmosphere on campus can really help you to plan your future (or not) at the university in question. This experience will make your study plans more concrete, and help you choose the university that’s right for you. It’s also a good time to visit the university’s buildings and infrastructure: the departments you’re interested in within the university, sports facilities, canteens or cafeterias on campus, and student accommodation.
Visit the city or region where the university is located:
During open days, teaching staff and student ambassadors are on hand to answer any questions you may have. Many universities even organize introductory courses to allow applicants to put themselves in the shoes of a student and get an idea of the type of teaching provided at the university. You can also attend one or more introductory sessions to find out how the university works and answer any questions you may have. Don’t hesitate to ask students who are already at the university any practical questions you may have. Their information, assessments and impressions will be invaluable in helping you understand the advantages and possible disadvantages of university.
Compare universities:
If you’re hesitating between several universities, attending open days will give you the concrete information you need to make the right decision. Comparing the experiences you’ve had during these days will undoubtedly make it easier for you to make your choice. It could be a question of environment, atmosphere, courses, structure, reputation, location or simply feeling or intuition.
Get advice from friends and family
Can help you weigh up the pros and cons of each university. During these open days, your family and friends (parents, siblings or friends) can accompany you and help you analyze the advantages and disadvantages of each university. Since they know your personality, they’ll undoubtedly be able to give you food for thought that you might not have thought of on your own!
Show your motivation :
In your cover letter or during your admission interview, mentioning your attendance at an open day organized by the university may provide the jury with evidence of your university, which could work in your favor. However, this will not be the case at all universities: in the UK or Canada, for example, this information will not be taken into account, but it may be the case at some universities in the USA (demonstrated interest).
In any case, it will generally be easier for you to write your application once you’ve visited the university and talked to admissions officers or students from the program in question. You can also explain the different aspects of the program that attracted you during your visit.
When do they take place?
Open days are held throughout the year, usually at weekends. To consult the calendar of university open days, it’s best to go directly to the university website, or refer to opendays.com, which lists a number of them. Don’t hesitate to contact the university by e-mail or telephone for further information or to plan a visit to the university outside the open days. Many universities, notably in the USA, Canada, the Netherlands and the UK, offer information sessions and campus tours several times a week throughout the year!
Sample calendar of open days at several universities
| Establishment | Date(s) | Location |
| University of Oxford | Around July 3-4September 20 | Oxford, England |
| University of Cambridge | Around July 4 | Cambridge, England |
| University College London (UCL) | Around June 28-29 September 7 | London, England |
King’s College London (KCL) | Around June 22 around July 6 around September 7 | London, England |
LSE – London School of Economics | Around July 4 | London, England |
University of Warwick | Around June 21-22October 5October 19 | Coventry, Angleterre |
University of Bath | Around June 21-22September 14 | Bath, Angleterre |
| University of Exeter | Around September 7around September 21around October 19around October 23 | Exeter, Angleterre |
Trinity College Dublin | November | Dublin, Ireland |
IE University | MadridAround June 14Around July 5SegoviaAround June 15Around July 15 | Madrid or Segovia, Spain |
Rotterdam School of Management (RSM), Erasmus University College(EUC) | Saturday, October 5th | Rotterdam, Netherlands |
ESADE | Around March 28 | Barcelona, Spain |
University College Utrecht (UCU) | Friday, November 15Saturday, November 16 | Utrecht, Netherlands |
Bocconi | Friday, February 22 | Milan, Italy |
EHL | Saturday, October 5th | Lausanne, Switzerland |
McGill University | Around October 25 | Montreal, Canada |
HEC Montréal | Around January 28 | Montreal, Canada |
New York University (NYU) | Around October 19-20 | New York, United States |
Visit universities online
If you can’t make it to the open days, there are plenty of resources available online today, particularly on YouTube, that can provide you with valuable information about the university and even take you on a virtual tour of the campus. In our opinion, it’s interesting to watch both official university videos and student testimonial videos in which students talk about all aspects of their experience: accommodation, food, courses and their social life on campus – this will give you a more personal and intimate perspective of student life at this university.
In addition, there are country-specific sites, such as campusreel.org for the USA, offering themed videos on over 300 American universities.
Find all the answers to your questions about studying abroad in our book “Etudier à l’étranger après le Bac” (Studyrama Editions).
Do you need personalized support to make your plans to study abroad a reality? Don’t hesitate to contact us to discuss how we can help you!