February 2023

Applicant Days v Open Days – what’s the difference?

By Killoran Wills

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Read time: approx 4 mins

Some students make the mistake of thinking that because they have been to an open day, they won’t bother going to an applicant day. It’s the same thing, isn’t it? Well, it’s not.

Open days are more general in nature, are not course specific and are aimed at students who have just started to look at their options. You can expect to be shown around and have lots of questions answered, but there is no guarantee you can talk to course leaders in depth at these events.

If you are hoping to study at University College Birmingham, chances are you will have received an invitation to attend one of our applicant days. And it is an opportunity you certainly won’t want to miss.

Applicant days are reserved for students who have applied to University College Birmingham and received an offer, either conditional on future results or unconditional, with nothing else to prove. You don’t even have to have accepted the offer to attend.

Think of it as a ‘making your mind up day’, a VIP pass to experience a day in the life of a University College Birmingham student with ice-breakers, interactive sessions and lunch. And because sessions are course-specific, it is a great way to get to know your tutors, lecturers and, most importantly of all, your potential fellow students. Plus, it is a chance to dig a little deeper into your chosen subject area, look under the bonnet, so to speak.

Activities are very hands-on and practical, but you won’t be judged or marked, so just have a go and have some fun. For example, at a recent events business management applicant day, students were tasked to explore learnings from Meredith Belbin and The Thunderbirds, marketing students were given the chance to work with profiling tools, while aviation students were treated to a virtual flight experience. Culinary arts students should expect to get their hands dirty, or at least covered in flour, in their session.

Be prepared for a full day, meeting lots of new people and navigating new sites.

Applicant days cover both university and college courses, so everyone has the chance to understand what life at University College Birmingham is all about and that is important when you are deciding what and where you are going to study. We want to help you make the right decision, which is why applicant days are a valued element of our admissions process.

As Sandra Kovac, University College Birmingham events and marketing officer, sums up, ”an applicant day is an essential part of your decision-making process. It will allow you to experience what it would really feel like to study at University College Birmingham.”

The day is about you. So, while friends or family can come with you, they will not take part in your sessions. In fact, they will have a whole itinerary of their own to understand more about studying and living at University College Birmingham, what support can be expected and how they can help you to make the most of the experience. There will be campus and accommodation tours running during the day for them and you.

So, you can see why an applicant day is so important and why you shouldn’t confuse it with one of our open days or a campus tour.

For more information on open days click here. And if you have an offer to study at University College Birmingham, but haven’t received your applicant day invitation, get in touch. We don’t want you to miss out.