How to plan your day

Follow our top tips to get the most from your day:

Plan in advance: use our agenda builder and create a personalised timetable for yourself. View the Open Day programme
Include general talks in your day: attend talks on student finance, careers, accommodation, study abroad opportunities and much more.
Head for the Open Day Dome when you first arrive: check-in and explore all that the University has to offer, including subject areas and support services.
Visit subject departments: meet and chat with staff and students from the courses you might like to study.
Attend our ‘Why Study…’ talks: talks provide you with an introduction to studying your subject of interest here at Reading.
Join a tour: explore our award-winning campus and the wide range of accommodation options. Tours leave from the Palmer building.
Chat with current students: find out about University life, including social, sporting and extra-curricular activities.
Take a break: Try one of the many places to eat and drink on campus, including the Street Food Market.
Visit Reading town centre: catch the bus into Reading; it’s easy and free for Open Day visitors.
Have fun: remember to enjoy yourself.

Travelling to the University on Open Days

The easiest way to get to the University on Open Days is by public transport, and we provide a free bus service between Reading train station and the University for all Open Day visitors.

Visit our Open Days travel guide for information on how to reach the University.

360 video – Experience an Open Day

Explore the University of Reading's Whiteknights campus in 360 degrees during an Open Day.

Our campuses

Student life is based primarily at our two campuses in the heart of Reading. Our Whiteknights campus, set in 130 hectares of beautiful parkland, acts as the main hub for Open Days.

Our historic London Road campus is home to our education and architecture courses. Although it’s only a 15-minute walk away, a free shuttle bus will run between London Road and Whiteknights on Open Days.

You will receive an Open Day campus map when you check-in on the day.

Open Day example schedules

Unsure of what to expect from an open day? We have created four example schedules to help you plan your day.

Examples include:

studying for single degree -a full-day schedule
studying for a joint degree - a full-day schedule
studying at London Road campus - a full-day schedule
studying for a single - afternoon schedule

Full day schedule, Psychology

Time	Activity
09:00-09:45	Register at the Dome and speak to representatives from Psychology, accommodation and catering, careers, student finance and funding and study abroad
10:00-10:45	Attend talk on Psychology at Reading
10:50-11:10	Tour of the Psychology department
11:10-11:30	Go to the Exhibition to see display of current students’ work
11:30-11:50	Talk to Psychology staff and students
12:00-12:30	Lunch at Dol.cHe Vita cafe
12:30-13:00	Attend ‘Why choose Reading?’ talk (University life information session)
13:00-14:00	Take a tour of accommodation
14:00-14:30	Attend Student Life talk (University life information session)
14:30-15:00	Attend accommodation and catering talk (University life information session)
15:00-15:30	Take a guided campus tour
15:30-16:00	Take time to reflect on your Open Day experience, in Café Mondial

Full day schedule, joint degree in Art and English Literature

Time	Activity
09:00-09:15	Register at the Dome
09:15-09:45	Attend accommodation and catering talk (University life information session)
10:00-10:45	Attend talk on English Literature at Reading
10:45-11:00	Speak to English Literature staff and students in the department
11:00-11:30	Attend talk on joint degree programmes (University life information session)
11:30-12:30	Take an accommodation tour
12:30-13:00	Lunch from Street Food Market
13:00-13:45	Speak to representatives from Art, English Literature, accommodation and catering, careers, student finance and funding and study abroad in the Dome
14:00-15:00	Attend talk on Art at Reading
15:00-16:00	Attend Art final year degree show and speak to Art students

Saturday full day schedule, London Road campus, Education degree

Time	Activity
09:00-09:30	Register at London Road campus
09:30-10:00	Tour of London Road campus and facilities for education and teaching
10:00-10:45	Attend talk on BA Primary Education (QTS) at Reading
10:50-11:35	Attend talk on BA Primary Education (QTS) general pathway
11:40-12:00	Talk to staff and students from the Education and Teaching department
12:00-12:25	Head to Acacia car park to pick up the shuttle bus to Whiteknights campus
12:30-13:00	Attend ‘Why choose Reading?’ talk (University life information session)
13:00-13:30	Lunch at Café Mondial
13:30- 14:00	Take a guided campus tour of Whiteknights campus
14:00-15:00	Take an accommodation tour
15:00-15:30	Attend Student Life talk (University life information session)
15:30-16:00	Visit the Dome to speak to representatives from Education and Teaching, accommodation and catering, careers, student finance and funding and study abroad

Saturday afternoon schedule, Biological sciences degree

Time	Activity
11:30-12:00	Register at the Dome and speak to representatives from Biological Sciences, accommodation and catering, careers, student finance and funding and study abroad
12:00-12:30	Lunch at Eat at The Square
12:30-13:00	Attend ‘Why choose Reading?’ talk (University life information session)
13:00-13:20	Visit the Cole Museum of Zoology
13:30-13:50	Take part in a teaching lab activity: ‘Meet the elusive Tardigrade’
14:00-14:45	Attend talk on Biological Sciences at Reading
15:00-15:20	Take a tour of the Biomolecular Research Laboratory
15:20-15:30	Take part in a teaching lab activity: ‘How big are your lungs?’
15:30-16:00	Take a guided campus tour of Whiteknights campus

Example schedules

Aerial view of the Great Hall and the London Road campus

Interested in architecture, education or teaching?

Our historic London Road campus is home to our architecture, education and teaching courses. There will be a range of talks and tours for these subjects on the London Road campus during the Open Day.

Make sure you also visit the Whiteknights campus during your day to discover more about life at Reading, see some of our accommodation and find out more about student life.

Accessibility

We aim to provide an accessible environment for all our staff, students and visitors. If you or a member of your party have any particular accessibility needs or special requirements, we recommend you contact the Open Days team directly.

Travel to the University

For more information on travelling to the University, please visit the travel guide for Open Days page.

The Whiteknights campus

Our main campus is set in 130 hectares of predominantly flat parkland. Paved paths run across the campus connecting all buildings and points of interest.

If you or a member of your party needs assistance moving around the campus, then try our Readibus service, the stop for which can be found in car park 10, opposite the Open Day Dome. Ask at the information point in the Dome for more information or simply approach the Readibus and tell the driver where you’d like to go or what you’d like to see.

The Open Day Dome

The Dome is a large inflatable meeting space which acts as the central information point for Open Days. Please be aware that as all our staff and students representing the University's schools, departments and services are represented in the Dome, this can create a noisy and bustling atmosphere. If necessary, we can organise an alternative space for you to meet academics (by prior arrangement only).

Disability Advisory Service

The Disabled Advisory Service (DAS) offers expert advice and guidance to prospective and current students. DAS run a series of visit days outside the public Open Days. For more information and guidance, please view our disability information pages.

For more information

What to expect from an Open Day

Student life

Enjoy the best of both worlds. Experience life on a beautiful green campus in the heart of a lively town. Find out more about student life at Reading.

Prospective students should choose the University of Reading because of the vast amount of opportunities available here, whether it's study abroad, taking a placement year, or just the enthusiastic and amazing teaching staff. I, myself, chose Reading after attending an open day and the enthusiastic staff helped me make my decision.

Infographic of an inflatable exhibition space, shaped like a dome

Your first stop of the day: the Open Day Dome

The Dome is the heart of our Open Day experience and should be your first stop of the day. Check in and collect your Open Day bag, including your programme and campus map.

The Dome showcases all that the University has to offer; every subject area is represented here with current students on hand to answer your questions. All other aspects of University life are also represented.

Read more

Attend university life sessions

Want to know more about student life? Interested in studying abroad? Questions about student finance? Our university life information sessions cover these topics and many more.

Select the talks you would like to attend and fit them around your departmental activities; don't worry if you can’t fit everything in, the information provided in all of these talks will also be available from staff in the Dome.

Read more

Focus on your subjects of interest first

Our Open Day is your chance to get a taste for the courses you might like to study at Reading. Our ‘Why Study…’ talks provide you with an introduction to studying your subject of interest. You can also enjoy a host of taster lectures, demonstrations and facility tours relevant to your subject.

Read more

Visit student accommodation

A selection of catered and self-catered halls are open to visitors throughout our Open Days.

Tours are available between 09:00 and 16:00 on each Saturday. Tours start from outside the Dome and the Palmer building.

If you do not have time to visit our student accommodation, staff are available in the Dome to answer your questions.

We also offer accommodation talks as part of our Open Day programme in the university life information sessions.

Read more

Take a guided campus tour

Campus tours are available every 15 minutes between 09:00 and 16:00 on each Saturday. Tours start outside the Palmer building.

Guided by our current students, tours take in the main campus highlights.

If there is something you particularly want to see, chat to your guide who will be happy to help.

Read more

Take a break: eat on campus

The Open Day isn't all about attending talks and tours. Take time to have a break and reflect on what you've seen and heard.

There are plenty of places to eat and drink around the campus, from small coffee shops serving hot beverages, sandwiches and snacks to large eateries serving a wide range of hot food.

Read more

Ready for more?

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