A College Open Day Checklist for Students and Parents

A college open day is most useful when you leave with better evidence for a decision, not simply a bag of brochures. Use the visit to test how a course is taught, what students actually do and whether the practical arrangements fit your life. A welcoming atmosphere matters, but it is only one part of the choice.

This checklist is for students, adult learners and parents comparing college options. Some visits are for further education and others for higher education taught at a college. Confirm which course and campus the event covers, then adapt the questions to your intended qualification.

Choose the decisions the visit should help you make

Write down three uncertainties before booking. You might need to understand assessment, compare workshop access or check whether travel fits the timetable. A short list makes it easier to choose talks and speak to the right people rather than spend the whole event following a general tour.

UCAS open-day guidance recommends planning questions and sessions in advance, looking at facilities and following up unanswered questions. Its page is aimed at university visits; the same planning principles can help when visiting a college, while the course details must come from that provider.

Review the course page before you go. Our course comparison guide helps you identify information already available and the gaps worth discussing in person. Save the current page or note its date so you can resolve differences with an older prospectus.

Check the practical arrangements for the event

Confirm whether booking is required, which entrance to use and whether subject sessions have separate reservations. Check travel time for the event, then consider how the journey would work on an ordinary teaching day. An easy Saturday trip may not reflect a weekday morning commute.

If you need access arrangements, contact the college in advance with the relevant practical request. Ask whether the facilities and sessions you want to see will be accessible and who can help on arrival. This is more effective than discovering an obstacle halfway through a tightly scheduled visit.

Bring a short question sheet and a way to take notes. Avoid collecting unnecessary personal information from staff or students. A name, role and official follow-up address are usually enough to identify the person who answered a course question.

Ask how learning happens in an ordinary week

Ask a tutor to describe a recent week on the course. What did students attend, practise, read or submit? Which activities required specialist facilities, and what work happened independently? A concrete example can reveal more than broad claims about practical or supportive teaching.

Ask how assessment is distributed through the year and whether students complete examinations, projects, observations or presentations. Find out what feedback they receive and when they can act on it. Do not assume that a vocational course has no written work or that online materials replace attendance.

For each facility you see, ask how students on your exact course use it. An impressive workshop may serve a different programme or be available only during supervised sessions. Our learning format comparison helps you connect facilities with actual study requirements.

Speak to students without treating one story as universal

Student ambassadors can explain the experience of a timetable, an assignment or asking for help. Ask what surprised them and what they wish they had known before starting. Their perspective is valuable, but it may reflect a different year, teacher or course version.

Keep personal experience separate from formal policy. If a student says they rarely attend on Fridays, ask the course team for the actual attendance expectations. If someone describes a generous bursary, check the current eligibility conditions with the funding team rather than treating that award as your own likely entitlement.

Parents can help by listening and noting unanswered questions while giving the prospective student room to speak. Compare impressions afterwards. A parent may prioritise travel and costs, while the learner notices the teaching environment; both can contribute without one person taking over the decision.

Check entry, support and progression carefully

Bring your actual qualification details when asking about entry. Use our entry requirements and conditional offers guide to separate general expectations from a personal admissions decision. An encouraging conversation at an event is not necessarily an offer.

Ask what progression claims mean. If a course can lead to a degree, is there a formal arrangement, a competitive application or simply a possible route? Ask who decides acceptance and what grades, modules or additional experience are needed. Avoid translating a possible destination into a guaranteed next place.

For support, ask how to access the service and whether arrangements need to be discussed before enrolment. A general statement that help is available is less useful than knowing the contact, process and information required. You do not need to disclose sensitive details in a busy public corridor to begin that enquiry.

Compare the evidence after the visit

Within a day, record what you learned, what remains unclear and which points matter most. Separate observations from assumptions. You saw a facility; you may still need confirmation of access. You heard a timetable example; the final timetable may not yet be issued.

Use the same headings for each college. A simple comparison is more reliable than choosing whichever event had the most memorable presentation. If a major question remains unanswered, contact the provider before committing. The aim is an informed course choice, not a perfect visit.

Common questions

Should I attend if I have already read the prospectus?

A visit can help you test how published information works in practice. Use it for questions about teaching, facilities, support and travel that a brochure cannot fully answer. Prepare those gaps in advance so you do not spend the whole event collecting information you already have.

What should I ask a course tutor first?

Ask for a concrete example of an ordinary week and a typical assessed task. This opens a useful discussion about attendance, independent work and feedback. Follow with the question most important to your decision, such as equipment access, entry requirements or progression to another course.

Can parents attend and ask questions?

Check the event’s arrangements, including any booking requirements for guests. Parents can help organise questions and compare practical details, but the prospective student should remain central to the conversation. Agree beforehand which points each person will cover so important questions are heard without taking over.

Does seeing a facility mean I can use it?

No. Ask whether your exact course uses it, when access is available and what supervision or booking is required. Some spaces serve several programmes or are shown only as examples. Record the answer so an attractive tour does not become an unsupported assumption about everyday access.

How reliable are student ambassadors’ answers?

They offer useful personal experience, especially about learning and settling in. Formal requirements, current fees and future timetables should still be confirmed with the responsible team. Treat one student’s story as a perspective to explore rather than a guarantee that every learner will have the same experience.

What if I cannot attend in person?

Ask about virtual events, recorded subject sessions or a separate conversation with the course team. Use the same question sheet and request specific examples. You may need another way to assess travel or practical facilities, so keep those unresolved points visible when comparing options.

Should I apply immediately at the event?

Follow the provider’s deadlines, but do not let event pressure replace checking important details. Confirm the course, entry conditions, costs and application process. If you still have a major unanswered question, ask how to resolve it promptly before making a commitment based only on a positive first impression.

What is the best way to compare two open days?

Use the same evidence headings for both: teaching, assessment, facilities, support, progression and costs. Add your own priorities and separate facts from impressions. Follow up gaps before scoring the options, because a missing answer is different from evidence that a course does not meet your needs.

Sources and further reading

• UCAS: preparing for an open day

Source checked on 22 October 2026. The college visit worksheet is an original editorial framework; confirm event and course details directly.