Tips and insights for making the most of a Leeds Beckett Open Day

I think that attending a university Open Day is an essential step needed prior to making an informed decision for your next stage of education. Open Days give you the opportunity to visually see and engage yourself within a university setting, whilst also allowing you to meet future lecturers and peers who share the same passion for the subject. As a second-year Psychology student entering my final year, I found that attending the Leeds Beckett Open Day helped me decide to choose here!

I attended the Open Day with my friends from Sixth Form who were also keen to study at Leeds Beckett, here are some of my biggest tips below to ensure that you make the most of your open day visit!

1. Researching the university beforehand

Prior to visiting the Leeds Beckett Open Day, I researched the university and what it had to offer - I would suggest looking into the courses that you are interested in, the elective modules they have to offer (universities tend to offer different ones – I found that Leeds Beckett offered extremely interesting electives), and other facilities such as the option for a placement year or study abroad programmes! This background knowledge will allow you to prepare and ask more informed questions during your visit.

2. Preparing questions

Open Days give you the opportunity to have your questions answered by the support teams, lecturers themselves and student ambassadors! Before your visit, prepare a list of questions about accommodation, student life, careers services and other academic programmes.

For me personally, I am known to be hesitant when it comes to raising my hand in a room of other people, so I found it better to stay behind after talks to gain a one-on-one chat with the lecturers (don’t let this stop you from being inquisitive though!).

3. Planning ahead

As a self-proclaimed stress-head, I found that by downloading/screenshotting the campus map, the schedule of events that were taking place and planning where to go beforehand allowed my visit to go a lot smoother! Especially as I was attending the Open Day with my friends who were interested in other courses, planning ahead of the day allowed us to attend all the talks and events we wanted to go to – and prevented any clashes…

The university itself has two campuses; City and Headingley – these are dedicated to different courses so it is worthwhile familiarising yourself with the different campuses and the buildings located in each, so you don’t get lost! However, in the eventuality that you did happen to get lost, there are lots of friendly staff and ambassadors around to get you back on the right track.

4. Exploring the facilities

Leeds Beckett has an array of facilities to offer to their students, one of my favourites is the Careers Team! They are extremely knowledgeable and can help you look into potential future career paths – for me this was a blessing as I still at the age of 20 find it difficult to decide what I want to do and how to get there (I know I am not on my own here)! I would advise that you to dedicate some time during your visit to see the library, study spaces and other key facilities around the university as these are the spots you will find yourself in during your time at Leeds Beckett! DEFINITELY check out student accommodation too if you get chance! I did this and found it helpful when it came to deciding where I wanted to live during my first year! - Marsden House is where I stayed, and I had the best first year student experience.

5. Take the time to explore Leeds!

Leeds is a great city, and if you’re like me; love retail therapy and cannot turn down a shopping trip, trust me Leeds has so much to offer! On a serious note, take the time to explore the city of Leeds as it could be your future home, given you decide to study here. It is important to consider local amenities, transportation, and the vibe of the city! Living somewhere you enjoy is just as important as the university itself.

I knew instantly that Leeds was for me from the moment I first visited! I found that the lively city had so much to offer – there is always something happening in Leeds (I am a huge fan on the Leeds light night and Christmas Markets– this is a core memory from my first few months in the city). Spots such as Hyde Park and Headingley are also great for when the sun decides to come out – and as a plus they are super easy to get to from the center using the bus routes! Areas such as Trinity, The Light and Briggate have some great spots to grab lunch or browse around inbetween your Open Day events.

Areas such as Trinity, The Light and Briggate have some great spots to grab lunch or browse around in-between your Open Day events.

6. Follow up

 Finally, if you have any other lingering questions or need further reassurance or clarity about the course you are interested in, accommodations, or student life, do not hesitate to either use our 'speak to a student' platform or reach out to the university's admissions team - they are there to provide any additional information that might aid in your decision making process.

I hope you find these tips & insights helpful when visiting our next Open Day - all the best and good luck!