When it comes to viewing our student accommodation, we’ve already blogged about our 360 and virtual tours. And over the coming weeks, we’ll share more of them on the Host blog. But what about the uni? Now’s the time when applicant and open days would be happening near enough every weekend.

No doubt you will have had a plan in your head. A day out with your parents, explore the uni, find out all about your course. Then pop into the nearest Host accommodation and have a good look around. Followed by a nice meal before heading home.

Unfortunately, Coronavirus and social distancing have put a stop to all that. But don’t worry. Even though you can’t currently visit them in person, for the bulk of universities you will be able to attend a virtual open day at university.

UCAS have done the hard work for us and have written a handy list of virtual tours and videos for universities and colleges throughout the UK.

From Aston to Westminster nearly every uni close to your Host accommodation is listed.

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Virtual open days – How do they work?

As you can imagine every university is doing their virtual days a little differently.

Bristol uni for example is running a series live virtual event for offer holders. They also have a virtual tour and also recordings of previous events.

While the University of Southampton is holding a full virtual open day which includes videos…

…and 360 tours, the open day website allows you to explore the campuses and find out just what Southampton’s going to be like as a student. The virtual tour covers the campus, student life, the city, your course, fees and funding and career opportunities.

Planning on attending Southampton uni?

If you’re considering studying at Southampton this September then our brand-new student accommodation, Southampton Crossings is a perfect choice. Situated in the heart of town, it’s just a 20-minute bus ride to the main campus.

Send me to Coventry…

Coventry University have a whole host of 360 tours for you to explore the campus from the campus facilities to student life and subject areas.

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Virtual Open Day Checklist.

UCAS have you covered again with a checklist of things to make sure you don’t miss out.

Make sure you understand the format.

As we said earlier every university is doing it a little differently, so take some time to understand how the university you’ve applied for is conducting their open or applicant days. The uni website or email invitation should explain it all to you. Make sure you’ve prepared and get the most out of the virtual experience. Some are holding live events that are tailored to your course while others have a full open day available 24/7.

Check out the buildings, facilities, and any other areas relevant to your course.

Some universities are doing live-streamed tours with campus guides while others are linking to YouTube videos or full 360 tours. Whichever way your university is doing it, these tours will give you an idea of the size of the campus, your study spaces, the library, sports facilities and of course the good old SU.

Think about what you want or need to know before you start.

Consider what you want to have a look at. Some universities have divided their open days by school or subject area, meaning that you can select the most relevant.

Keep a notebook to hand with notes you’ve made and questions you want to ask. Some universities are running live Q&A sessions as part of their open days, while others are allowing you to submit questions beforehand, so again check what your university has planned.

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What questions should I ask?

If you can ask questions, consider ones like these:

• What facilities are available for my course specifically?
• How many contact hours does my course have?
• What is the percentage ratio of exams/coursework?
• What careers have recent graduates progressed on to?
• How many students are on my chosen courses?
• Are there any grants or bursaries available to me?
• Is there any support if I have any concerns/worries?

Use the opportunity to ask as many questions as you can, as you would at a regular open day. Believe us you won’t embarrass yourself or be remembered as the one who asked a silly question. However, if the question is personal, it may be best to drop the uni a message directly rather than an open forum.

Another thing to bear in mind is that with the current situation, everything is up in the air right now so don’t be worried or alarmed if the uni can’t give you concrete dates or guarantees on things like start dates and exam grades. Like everything else right now I’ll all become clearer as we grind slowly to normality and the university will keep you updated as they learn more.

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When it comes to deciding where to study don’t let Coronavirus rule your decision making.

Okay, like everyone you’ll be concerned about the impact that Coronavirus could make on your time at university. But, remember going to university is at least a three-year commitment and who knows where we’ll be in three weeks or three months let alone three-years’ time.

There are way more long-term important things to consider, from career opportunities to university reputation and teaching standards. By all means, ask what the university are doing regarding Coronavirus but think of the wider picture. And be assured that just like us at Host the university will be doing everything it can to ensure that you will be safe while living and studying at university.

Keep your focus. Whatever happens between now and September/October 2021 with Coronavirus and universities, you should keep on track with your plans for the future and as soon as they have an update the university will be in touch.