Open Days
Making the most of your Open Days
Let us help you plan your Open Day. Find out what you need to know before visiting campus.
University Open Days can seem overwhelming, but at York St John University we want you to have fun and get the most out of your visit to us.
The most important part of an Open Day is making sure you get all the information you need so that you can make the best decision for your future.
Read on for our advice on making the most of your time on campus.
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Your Open Day schedule
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Your Open Day schedule
You've booked your place, and now you need to plan your day.
Our full programme of talks and tours will be released 2 weeks before our Open Day. Whether you are visiting us for the whole day or you only have a couple of hours, you can still experience the range that York St John has to offer.
Here's what we recommend for your visit based on how long you'll be with us.
If you have 2 hours
If your visit time is limited, we have two suggested schedules for how to spend your time on campus.
Schedule 1 - If you want to explore our campus and experience the York St John community, try a little bit of everything:
- Take a campus tour (45 minutes)
- Hear from academics at a subject talk or drop-in (30 minutes)
- Grab a coffee and chat to support teams at their drop-ins
Schedule 2 - If course information and accommodation is your priority:
- Attend your subject talk (30 minutes)
- Ask questions at a subject drop-in
- Visit your preferred accommodation site
If you have 3 to 4 hours
If you are with us for half a day, you probably won't be able to experience every tour and session. We recommend getting an overview of each Open Day area with this schedule.
- Attend a welcome talk for an introduction to York St John (30 minutes)
- Take a campus tour (45 minutes)
- Hear about your chosen course at a subject talk or drop-in (30 minutes)
- Grab lunch at one of our campus food and drink locations
- Visit 1 of our accommodation sites
- Head back to campus and chat to support teams at their drop-in
Depending on your priorities, you could switch some of these suggestions. For example, if you're interested in exploring more of our accommodation sites, you could visit a second site instead of your subject talk. If you want more details from our academics, you could attend 2 subject talks instead of hearing from support teams.
If you have a full day
We're so glad you can spend the whole day with us! Our Open Days normally begin at around 9.00am and end at around 3.30pm. There is still lots to take in, so it's best to plan your day and figure out what you want to prioritise.
Here's what you can experience during a full Open Day:
- Attend a welcome talk for an introduction to York St John
- Attend 1 or 2 talks by our support teams, such as Student Funding, Accommodation, and Admissions
- Take a campus tour
- Hear about your course options in 1 or 2 subject talks or drop-ins
- Have lunch and snack breaks on campus
- Visit a couple of our accommodation sites
- Chat with our support teams and ask questions in their drop-ins
- At the end of the day, head into York to explore the city
Please note that for all of our Open Days, programme details and timings may change at short notice due to unforeseen circumstances. We try to keep any altered sessions as close as possible to their advertised timings, to minimise inconvenience to our visitors.
More ways to explore
No matter how long you spend on campus, we know that you will probably come away from an Open Day keen to know more. There are plenty of ways to experience everything we have to offer.
If you want to visit another big York St John event, you can find our upcoming Open Day dates on our booking page.
If you apply for a place with us and receive an offer, you will also be invited to a Decision Day event. This is like an Open Day, but more in depth and tailored for applicants. Decision Days are usually held between January and April.
To explore more at a time that suits you, you can book a campus tour, or take a look at our On Demand Open Day page.
Making the most of your visit
You probably have an idea of the things you want to prioritise at your Open Day visit, but there are some tried and tested tips to make sure you get the most of your day.
- Think about what is most important to you. What are your expectations from a university, and what is non-negotiable? What do you want your university experience to be like? Make a list of your answers, and keep them in mind during the Open Day.
- Prepare a list of questions. At our Open Day, you'll have the chance to ask both staff members and students all your important questions. They are here to help, so don't be afraid to ask what you want to know. During your Open Day, make a list of useful contacts so that you can ask any questions you have after you leave.
- Plan your day. Our online programme is released 2 weeks before each Open Day. Use it to figure out the talks and tours you want to prioritise, and make a plan of must-sees!
- Take photos and notes. If you're visiting multiple university Open Days, it's easy to mix up campuses and courses. Take pictures and notes during the day to help you remember key details.
- Bring someone with you. Family and friends are always welcome at our Open Days. They can help give you a second opinion, note down things you might have missed, and contribute to your decision about which university is right for you.
- Enjoy yourself! Open Days are a fun introduction to your future life as a student. Make sure you take time to absorb the atmosphere and enjoy your day. There are plenty more opportunities to visit us during the year, so don't worry if you can't cram everything into one visit. We will see you again soon!
Now it's time to book your place
You've read all of our tips and now you're prepared for your Open Day. We can't wait to see you soon!