Planning your visit

There is so much to see and do on Open Days that we recommend you arrive early (first events start from 08:00) and be prepared to spend a full day in Oxford (last events end at 18:00). Remember, there is no central campus in Oxford so you’ll need time to walk between venues.

Our Open Days attract lots of visitors so you need to allow plenty of time to travel– we recommend adding up to one hour to the usual journey time. As some events fill up quickly, we’d encourage you to arrive early. Please read our travel advice for more information. 

Whether you need guidance on choosing which colleges to visit or tips on how to pick a course, our Open Days newsletters provide you with everything you need to make the most of an Open Day. 

We’d recommend reading about the Oxford application process before you come to Oxford. This will enable you to know which questions you haven’t been able to find an answer to. We hope you find all the information you need at the departments and colleges, but if you have any more questions, the admissions staff at the Open Day Information Centre will be more than happy to chat.

Choosing a course is a really important decision and as departments are not normally open to visitors, we’d recommend focusing on this first. A good idea is to read about the courses you’re interested in before you come to Oxford and then work out which events to attend at which department. Most sessions don’t need booking but make sure you turn up early as they can get very busy.

The most popular question on Open Days is ‘which college should I visit?’ Visiting any of the colleges will give you a good idea how the college system in Oxford works and you won’t have time to visit them all! We’d recommend drawing up a shortlist before you come: first check which colleges offer your course and then use our advice on how to choose a college.

Oxford offers generous financial support, with 1 in 4 UK students in receipt of a bursary. You can pick up information about these scholarships and bursaries at most colleges and departments. If you have specific questions, the Fees and Funding staff will be at the Open Day Information Centre on the High Street.

Lots of students apply to a course with a career in mind, but it’s important to realise careers are not always linked to the degrees you would expect. Why not ask staff about what former students are doing now; or ask students about their future plans? If you have a specific question about the support we offer, you can visit the Careers Service staff at the Open Day Information Centre on the High Street, or at the Careers Service on Banbury Road.

Lots of prospective students come to Open Days with their family, friends or in school groups. If you’re visiting with your friends or school, be aware you will need to split up unless you are interested in the same course. If events are particularly busy, family members may be asked to give up their place for prospective students. However, there are many events specifically tailored to parents and carers.

• Your plan for the day (including a shortlist of colleges to visit)
• Confirmation of any events you have booked to attend
• A raincoat, sun cream or both!
• Comfortable shoes

Don’t bring

• The car, if you can avoid it. Parking in Oxford isn’t easy... especially on Open Days.

If you are lucky enough to stay in Oxford the night before the Open Days (maybe even in an Oxford college), make the most of it by sampling student life by heading out to a café or maybe catching a show at the Oxford Playhouse. Don't stay out too late though, because being first in the city means you can get ahead of the crowds.

Visiting Oxford for the day? We encourage you to prioritise learning all you can about your course, while setting aside time to visit some colleges and exploring the city centre.

Short on time? If you really can't manage to spend a whole day in Oxford, we encourage you to prioritise learning all you can about your course.