Uni Open Day Questions to Ask (That Most People Forget)

6 min read · Aura

The best uni open day questions to ask cover three things: the course (how you're taught and assessed), accommodation (cost, contracts, who you'll live with) and student life (societies, support and what people actually do on weekends). Ask lecturers about teaching, ask accommodation staff about money, and save your most honest questions for current students, who'll tell you what the brochure won't.

If asking a stranger a question makes your voice shrink and your eyes drop, Aura finds that exact leak and gives you one small fix a day: Find my aura leak.

How to use your open day

Open days (UK), open houses (Canada) and campus visits or tours (US) are busy. Without a plan you'll spend three hours wandering and leave with a tote bag and no answers.

Before you go:

1. Book the talks you need. Subject talks fill up.
2. Pick 5 to 8 questions from the lists below. Not all 40.
3. Note them on your phone so you're not fumbling.
4. Plan your route: subject talk, accommodation tour, students' union, then wander.

On the day:

• Write answers down straight after. By the third uni they all blur together.
• Take photos of the halls kitchens and the library, not just the pretty buildings.
• Notice the vibe. Could you see yourself walking here on a rainy Tuesday?

What to wear to a uni open day

Comfortable shoes (you'll walk a lot), layers and whatever makes you feel like yourself. Nobody's judging outfits. But feeling put together does make it easier to walk up to a lecturer.

Course questions

Ask these at the subject talk or the course stand. Lecturers usually love good questions.

1. How many contact hours will I have per week in first year?
2. How big are lectures, and are there smaller seminars or tutorials?
3. How is the course assessed: exams, coursework or a mix?
4. Does first year count towards my final degree?
5. Can I choose modules, and when?
6. Is there a placement year, year abroad or industry project?
7. What do graduates from this course go on to do?
8. Who would I go to if I'm struggling with the work?
9. What entry grades do offers usually ask for, and is there an interview or portfolio?
10. What's one thing students wish they'd known before starting this course?

That last one is a great question to ask a lecturer at open day. It gets real answers, not marketing.

Accommodation questions

Halls (UK), dorms (US) and residence (Canada) shape your first year massively. Ask the accommodation team:

Questions to ask about halls socially

• Are there events in halls during freshers' week?
• Is there a common room or shared space beyond the kitchen?
• Are there quiet or alcohol-free halls?

Once you're there, our guide on how to make friends in the dorms covers halls and residence.

Student life questions

This is what most people forget to ask, and it's what decides whether you're happy.

• What societies and sports clubs are most popular?
• What does a typical weekend look like for students here?
• Is the campus busy at weekends or does everyone go home?
• What mental health and wellbeing support is there, and how long are waits?
• Are there part-time jobs on campus?
• How easy is it to get into the city, and what does it cost?
• What's the nightlife like, and what's there if you don't drink?
• How do international students or commuters get involved?

Check what societies exist before you go, then ask about the ones you care about. Our list of the best uni societies to join shows which types are the most social.

Questions for current students

Student ambassadors in branded T-shirts are there to be asked things. Use them. Students on stalls in the students' union are often even more honest.

Good openers:

• "What do you wish you'd known before coming here?"
• "What's the worst thing about this uni?" (They'll usually laugh and actually tell you.)
• "How did you make friends in first year?"
• "Which halls would you pick again?"
• "Is the course workload what you expected?"
• "Where do people actually hang out?"

Here's the catch: lots of people write these questions down, then never ask them. You see a student ambassador, rehearse it in your head, and walk past. Then you replay it on the train home.

Aura sees that pattern for what it is, maybe your voice gets lost or you shrink when you approach someone, and gives you a daily move to fix it. You answer 16 questions, get a plan of 14 moves and a one-tap check-in each night. Find my aura leak

Script for approaching a student

"Hi, sorry, are you a student here? I'm thinking about applying for [subject]. Can I ask you a couple of quick questions?"

That's it. They said yes to this job. You're not bothering them.

Printable checklist

Copy this into your notes app before each open day:

Course

• Contact hours and class sizes
• How it's assessed
• Placements or year abroad
• Support if I struggle

Accommodation

• Guaranteed for first years?
• Price, bills and contract length
• Catered or self-catered
• Kitchen and bathroom sharing

Student life

• Societies I'd join
• Weekend vibe
• Wellbeing support
• Transport and part-time jobs

Current students

• "What do you wish you'd known?"
• "How did you make friends?"
• "Which halls would you pick?"

My gut feeling (1 to 10): ____

That's your uni open day guide. For virtual open days, the same questions work. Type them in the live chat.

Ask the question instead of walking past

Your open day is only as useful as the questions you actually ask out loud. In the next minute Aura asks you 16 questions, gives you an aura tier and builds a 14-move plan for whatever's holding you back, like eye contact or your voice. It's a one-time payment with nothing to cancel.

Find my aura leak

FAQ

What are good questions to ask at a uni open day?

Ask about contact hours, how the course is assessed, accommodation costs and contracts, how first years make friends and what support exists if you struggle. The most useful question for current students is "What do you wish you'd known before coming here?"

What questions should I ask about accommodation at a university open day?

Ask whether first-year housing is guaranteed, what's included in the price, how long the contract is, how many people share a kitchen and how far it is from your lectures. Also ask how flatmates are allocated.

Is it worth going to uni open days?

Yes. You get a feel for the campus, the city and the people that no website can give you. Many students say the vibe on the day helped them choose. If you can't travel, virtual open days are a good backup.

What questions should I ask current students at an open day?

Ask what they wish they'd known, how they made friends in first year, which halls they'd pick again and what the worst thing about the uni is. Current students are usually more honest than the official talks.

What should I ask at a university open house in Canada?

The same questions work: residence costs and meal plans, class sizes, co-op or placement options, and how first years settle in during frosh week. Ask student guides how they found their friends.