2024 and 2025 entry undergraduates: thoughts on open days

TSR Insight: How many on campus open days do 2024 and 2025 entry undergraduates plan to attend?

Number of open days 27% 23%

23% 18%

17%

11%

Methodology

11%

10%

7%

7% 7% 5%

4%

0

1

17%

8%

5%

2

3

4

2024 Entry

5

More than 5

Prefer not to say

2025 Entry

Respondents most frequently planned to attend around 3 on campus university open days. 2025 entry respondents were significantly more likely than 2024 entry respondents to be planning to attend more than 5 on campus university open days in total (18% cf. 8%).

TSR Asks online omnibus survey via The Student Room Community st th Fieldwork between 1 and 4 September 2023 Data includes 362 complete and partial responses

Target audience Prospective undergraduate students, aged 16 or above planning to begin a university course in 2024 or 2025

Q: How many on campus university open days do you plan to attend in total? (Single response) (Overall Base: 362, 2024 Entry 169 respondents, 2025 Entry 193 respondents) For further information, to find out how we can meet your research needs or to add your own confidential ad hoc or tracking questions to our monthly TSR Asks surveys, please contact us: hello@tsrinsight.com © The Student Room Group 2023

TSR Insight: How do 2024 and 2025 entry undergraduates feel about visiting university open days?

What one word describes how you feel about open days Respondents’ feelings about visiting university open days varied. Excited was the most frequently used word among both 2024 and 2025 entry respondents, interested, intrigued and curious were also mentioned. However nervous, apprehensive and anxious also featured for both audiences. Overwhelmed also appeared in the 2024 entry respondents’ list.

I think they are good because its different seeing the university on campus than seeing it through a screen. it can really make or break whether you attend the university. (2024 entry) It’s inaccessible to me because I live too far away. (2024 entry) Excited, however I don't know how I will afford the travel (2024 entry)

Q: What one word describes how you feel about visiting university open days? (Open Comment) (Overall Base: 277, 2024 Entry 138 respondents, 2025 Entry 139 respondents ) For further information, to find out how we can meet your research needs or to add your own confidential ad hoc or tracking questions to our monthly TSR Asks surveys, please contact us: hello@tsrinsight.com © The Student Room Group 2023

TSR Insight: What do 2024 and 2025 entry undergraduates want to find out from an on-campus open day?

Important things to find out The atmosphere / vibe of the university

74%

What the campus / accommodation is like

68% 74% 68% 71%

What a typical day would look like (e.g., timetabling) What the facilities for the course / department are like

68% 66%

Specific detail about the course (e.g., module information)

66% 70% 63%

Whether the course is the right choice for me 55%

Whether I would fit in at the university Meeting current students / other offer holders

50% 50%

Meeting the lecturers

49% 43%

Other

82%

72%

62%

Opinions remained relatively consistent among 2024 and 2025 entry respondents as to the most important things they wanted to find out from an on campus open day. Most frequently identified as important by both cohorts were the atmosphere / vibe of the university and what the campus / accommodation is like.

2025 Entry respondents were slightly more interested in finding out whether their course is the right choice for them (72% cf. 63%), and whether they would fit in at the university (62% cf. 55%).

2024 Entry

1% 0%

2025 Entry

Q: What are the most important things you want to find out from an on campus open day? Please select all that apply (Multiple response) (Overall base: 356, 2024 Entry 167 respondents, 2025 Entry 189 respondents) For further information, to find out how we can meet your research needs or to add your own confidential ad hoc or tracking questions to our monthly TSR Asks surveys, please contact us: hello@tsrinsight.com © The Student Room Group 2023