Every Important Question You Should Ask at a University Fair

When it comes to picking which universities to apply to, there’s no better way to get a feel for whether an institution is right for you than attending an open day or visiting the university in person. Unfortunately, this isn’t always possible. It might be your preferred universities are abroad and too difficult to visit, or you’re unable to find time to travel and visit. Whatever the reason, your next-best option is to attend a university fair near you.

Packed to the rafters with admissions staff and current students from dozens (if not hundreds) of top universities, fairs such as those organized by QS allow you to speak to people who will be directly involved in assessing student applications, allowing you to get first-hand advice on how to catch their eye. They also allow you to learn more about each university than you could possibly get just from looking at a prospectus or a website, helping you to whittle down your list of preferred universities to a select few.

The one down-side of these events is it can be tough to fit everything in. With multiple universities to speak to, and only so many hours in the day, it’s important you head into a university fair with a clear idea of what questions you’re going to ask. To help, here’s our list of the essential questions to ask at a university fair.

Does your university offer the course I’m interested in?

This might seem obvious, but it really needs to be the first question you ask. Don’t waste time on a university that can’t offer what you want. Even if you’ve found the course advertised on their website or in their prospectus, it’s worth double-checking as there might be plans to change the course format or remove it altogether.

Why should I apply to your university?

University staff at fairs will be in a relentless PR mode, repeating the same sales pitch to student after student. That doesn’t mean it’s not worth hearing though, as you’ll surely still learn something from hearing what they think the university’s best qualities are. Don’t be afraid to ask follow-up questions either, as this will be your opportunity to break away from their pre-prepared script and get information which might be a little more honest.

What are the university facilities like? Is the library open 24 hours a day?

It’s easy to forget in the rush to learn about a course and its structure that you also need to get a feel for what it will be like to actually study at the university. Learning more about the facilities, whether it’s labs if you’re a science student or provision of library books if you’re a humanities student, will give you a better idea of the wider university experience and also how well you’ll be supported academically. If a university hasn’t bothered to invest in upgrading their teaching facilities and keeping their library stock up to date, how can you trust them to bother investing in you?

Is accommodation guaranteed? How much do students typically pay in rent?

Away from the academic side of university, you’ll also want to learn more about university accommodation. Not all institutions guarantee accommodation to students, so find out if you’ll definitely have somewhere to live. This, and financial considerations such as how much rent costs, might be the decisive factor if you’re struggling to choose between two university offers.