Your guide to university open days in 2022

June 30, 2022

Wondering how to make the most of uni open days this year, and how you can attend? We’ve gathered all the key information for you, including dates you can put straight in your calendar.

A woman in a hat walking up to a university campus

If you’re still making up your mind about what—and how—you’d like to study in 2023, then attending a university open day can be a great way to narrow down your choices.

It doesn’t matter if you’re planning to study online or on-campus. At open day, you can find out about different courses, chat to careers experts and tour facilities, which can give you a lot of clarity around the direction you’d like to take your future.

But how should you prepare to get the most out of the day? And since many open days have moved back on campus in 2022, will you still be able to attend your sessions virtually? Consider this your open day cheat sheet.

What is a university open day?

During a university open day, a higher education institution will open its campus to the public. This allows prospective students to explore everything the institution has to offer. Every university in Australia will hold an open day, so you can attend more than one if you’d like to compare different courses and facilities.

Everyone is welcome to attend a university open day, including high school students, parents and mature-age professionals who are thinking about studying. You can also attend if you’re planning to study online.

What can you expect at a university open day?

At an on-campus open day, you’ll have the chance to:

Attend undergraduate and postgraduate course information sessions
Tour practical course facilities like medical clinics and science labs
Tour campus facilities like the library, student support centres, gyms and cafes
Tour on-campus accommodation
Meet academic staff and other students and ask questions about study life
Check out student social clubs
Chat to staff about anything to do with the application process, including fees, scholarships and admission pathways
Get some free uni swag

Can you attend open day virtually?

While 2021 was a tough year in many ways, it did lead to the rise of virtual open days. This is great news if you want to get to know a uni without stepping foot on campus. In 2022, a lot of universities plan to keep the trend going and offer a mix of on-campus and online open day events.

Virtual open day events can be offered on a specific day only, or for weeks at a time. Some open day content is even available all year long—it really depends on the uni.

But how does a virtual open day work? You’ll generally get to:

Watch live or pre-recorded course information video sessions
Video chat with career advisors and industry experts
Video chat with teaching staff about courses
View virtual campus tours
Attend virtual library tours
Gain backstage access to the online study experience
Attend webinars hosted by admissions staff on the application process, fees, scholarships, course entry requirements and alternative admission pathways

How to prepare for an open day

To get as much as possible out of your day (no matter how you plan to be there), we recommend following this checklist:

Make note of the courses and study areas you’d like to learn about.
Visit the university’s open day page to find out when and how its open day will be held (we have a list of dates below).
Register for the open day online in case spots fill up.
Review the schedule of events and plan out your day. This may be emailed to you after you register.
Prepare a list of questions you’d like to ask teaching staff, current students and admissions staff.
Download a campus map if you’re attending in person.
Pack a pen, notebook and water bottle, plus a carry bag for all the course guides and brochures you’ll receive during the day.

Questions to ask at a university open day

Remember, open day is your chance to speak to current students, teaching staff, career advisors and admissions staff about anything you’d like to know. Don’t be afraid to take advantage of this because their answers could give you a whole new perspective on the study area you’re interested in.

Here are a few example questions to get you started:

How much time will I need to spend on studying every week?
How is this course assessed? Will there be group assignments, solo projects or both?
How much reading is required?
Are there opportunities to gain practical experience in this course (like internships, placements or industry projects)?
Is the course more practical or theoretical?
(If it’s an online course) will I ever be required to come to campus?
How does online study for this course work?
What have graduates of this course gone on to do?
What are job prospects like in the industry?
What are the entry requirements for this course?
What are the study fee options?
What student support is available?
What disability support is available?

When are university open days?

Most uni open days take place on different weekends throughout July, August and September. This gives Year 12 students who plan to study to a traditional calendar time to enter their preferences before 2023 intake deadlines.

Here are the 2022 open day dates to jot down if you’re thinking about studying with any of our partner universities:

Australian Catholic University

On-campus open days:
Blacktown: Saturday 30 July, 10am–2pm
Brisbane: Saturday 6 August, 10am–2pm
Strathfield: Saturday 6 August, 10am–2pm
Melbourne: Sunday 7 August, 10am–2pm
North Sydney: Saturday 13 August, 10am–2pm
Ballarat: Sunday 14 August, 10am–2pm
Canberra: Saturday 20 August, 10am–2pm

Virtual open day: Saturday 10 September, 10am–2pm

Your guide to university open days in 2022

What is a university open day?

What can you expect at a university open day?

Can you attend open day virtually?

How to prepare for an open day

Questions to ask at a university open day

When are university open days?

Australian Catholic University

Australian National University

Bond University

Charles Sturt University

Curtin University

Edith Cowan University

Flinders University

Griffith University

James Cook University

La Trobe University

Macquarie University

Murdoch University

RMIT University

Southern Cross University

Swinburne University

The University of Adelaide

The University of Notre Dame Australia

The University of Newcastle

University of New England

University of Queensland

University of South Australia

University of Southern Queensland

University of Tasmania

UNSW Sydney

UTS

Victoria University

Keep exploring