Your open day guide

You've made a great choice to visit the University of the Year - as chosen by students at the Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2024! You can use this guide to plan your visit with us. We’re regularly updating it with key information, so don’t forget to check back here for the latest details.

Image of two female and one male students at Bole Hill

Welcome to our open day

The open day is as flexible as you want it to be. You don’t need to register on arrival, as attendance will be recorded at your pre-booked subject talks, and the rest of the day’s activities can be done in any order.

Once you arrive on campus, simply pick up a tote bag and campus map from our General Information stand outside the Students' Union, or from any of our Information Hub tents spread around campus. Our staff and student ambassadors will also be on hand to talk you through the activities outlined in this online guide, and to help you navigate the day.

Open day frequently asked questions

Getting here

We recommend travelling to the University via public transport. 91ֱ�� has great transport links, with several park and ride sites, and is easily accessible by train. We are unable to offer visitor parking on campus and the public 'pay and display' parking close by is very limited.

Find more travel advice and plan your journey to our campus.

If you or your guests have a disability read our access information.

Subject talks

These are the only fixed part of the day, which you choose when making your open day booking. You can book places for yourself and up to one additional guest. You are welcome to bring further guests to accompany you on the day and take part in central tours, talks and exhibitions, but in order to maintain safe room capacities, we cannot guarantee spaces for them in the subject talk(s).

You will receive a reminder email before the event with details of your pre-booked subject talks, and your QR code for entry.

If you have changed your mind about which subject talk you want to attend, details are available in the subject talk schedules. However, please be advised that booked visitors (prospective students and up to one additional guest) will be seated first, and only then will any remaining seats will be offered to unbooked students, then unbooked guests.

Some subject talks do become fully booked, but our faculty exhibitions and subject drop-ins offer a great opportunity to meet representatives from the department and find out more about the courses on offer.

View 19 October subject talk schedule

View 23 November subject talk schedule

Central talks

These 20-minute presentations run throughout the day, to ensure that you can attend one that fits in with your schedule.

Welcome to our University

Firth Court - Firth Hall

10am, 12pm, 1.30pm

Learn what our University stands for and how our values guide everything we do.

Student life

Firth Court - Firth Hall

10.45am, 12.30pm, 2pm

Students talk about why the 91ֱ�� experience is consistently voted as one of the best in the UK.

University accommodation

Firth Court - Firth Hall

11.30am, 1pm, 2.30pm

Find out about all the different locations, rooms and prices. You’ll also hear about and the events and support available for residents.

Sport and Physical Activity at 91ֱ��

Firth Court - Council Room

10.15am, 1.15pm

Everything you need to know about sports, fitness & physical activity at the University.

Funding your studies

Firth Court - Council Room

10.45am, 1.45pm

All the information you need about fees and finance for university.

Global opportunities and exchanges

Firth Court - Council Room

11.15am, 2.15pm

Find out more about opportunities to spend a period abroad studying, working or teaching.

All about starting university: A guide for parents and supporters

Firth Court - Council Room

11.45am

Find out about the application process and practical information about guiding your child through the process of starting university.

Applying to University

Firth Court - Council Room

12.15pm

Learn all about how to navigate the UCAS application process and all of the key dates.

Languages for All: Learning a language alongside your degree

Firth Court - Council Room

12.45pm

Learn how you can experience language learning at University even if you’re not planning to study a language degree.

Advice for local and commuting students

Firth Court - Council Room

2.45pm

Students share practical advice and talk about their experience of studying at 91ֱ�� as local students.

Visit our accommodation

9.30am - 4pm

Visit our award-winning Endcliffe accommodation site. View our en-suite and shared-bathroom accommodation, the outstanding facilities and beautiful green spaces, and get your questions answered by our accommodation experts at The Edge Hub.

Take our free accommodation shuttle bus from beside the Information Commons on Favell Road, or from outside the Wave on Whitham Road. The last bus departs Favell Road at 4pm, and returns to campus at 5pm. We advise allowing one hour from stepping on the bus shuttle to stepping back off at campus.

Alternatively, you can walk to or from the accommodation using our online walking maps.

Please note: our accommodation tours tend to be busiest between 12-2pm, where visitors may encounter a short wait for buses and/or small queues at Endcliffe. We would encourage visitors to take an accommodation tour outside of these times, where possible.

Accommodation information points

Our accommodation team will be ready to answer all of your questions about our award-winning accommodation. Their information point gazebos will be based in the following locations:

Opposite the Information Commons library, near to the accommodation tour bus shuttle departure point
Outside the Wave
Outside the Medical School

A current student talking to prospective students at an open day

Tours

The best way to find out about our world-class facilities is to see them for yourself.

Our accommodation tours start at 9.30am.
All other tours start at 10am.
All tours finish at 4pm, and the last accommodation bus leaves Favell Road at 4pm.

Campus tours

Duration: 45 mins

10am - 4pm

Collect a wristband from the campus tours stand in the Arts Tower car park for one of our walking campus tours, departing every 30 minutes. Our students will show you some of our iconic buildings and excellent teaching spaces. Alternatively, explore campus at your own pace with a self-guided tour leaflet and online audio guide.

City tours

Duration: 45 mins

10am - 4pm

Walking tours of our vibrant, green, modern city depart every 30 minutes from the yellow city stand outside Jessop West. Alternatively, collect a self-guided tour leaflet from here to explore the city at your own pace.

Library tours

Duration: 15 mins

10am - 4pm

Meet our student ambassador tour guides at the reception of the Information Commons and Western Bank Library.

The Information Commons offers a comfy, inclusive study environment with bookable spaces, core reading books, and a Garden Room for relaxation. Western Bank Library, a Grade II listed building, has 1.2 million texts, 730 study spaces, and serene views of Weston Park for a tranquil study experience.

Sport and physical activity tours�ċ�ċ

�ċ�ċ�ċDuration: 10 mins

10am - 4pm

Meet at the Sports Hall Foyer at Goodwin Sports Centre for a tour of the site’s impressive facilities, including synthetic 3G pitches, sports hall, studio spaces, squash courts and brand new Fitness Suite.

Students’ Union tours�ċ�ċ

�ċ�ċ�ċDuration: 15 mins

10am - 4pm

Departing from just inside the Students’ Union main entrance, learn why our SU is consistently voted the best in the country and how it makes the student experience at 91ֱ�� exceptional.

General information stand

9am to 4pm, Arts Tower car park

Head here to ask our event staff and student ambassadors your questions and to get some tips on what to do next.

Central exhibition

9.30am to 4pm, The Octagon Centre, Students’ Union, and Goodwin Sport Centre

Showcasing everything you need to know about the support and services on offer at the University. Talk to the experts and start thinking about your future at 91ֱ��. The first hour of the exhibition (9.30 to 10.30am) in the Octagon will be a dedicated quiet hour.

In the Octagon Centre:

Access 91ֱ��
Admissions - application advice
Careers and Employability Service
Degrees with a foundation year for mature students
Disability and Dyslexia Support Service
Global Opportunities (spend time abroad)
IT Services
Learn a language
The University Library
Safety on campus
Guidance for parents & supporters
Student Support Services
Student Fees and Funding
301 Academic Skills Centre
91ֱ�� - Your University City

In the Students’ Union:

Students’ Union information stands (plaza)
Sport and Physical Activity information stand (plaza)
Society stands in the Activities Zone

In Goodwin Sports Centre:

Sports clubs in the Sports Hall Foyer

Subject exhibitions

Which course is for you?

It's not unusual if you haven't decided exactly which course you want to do. You will have the opportunity to chat to staff and current students about the different subjects and specialisms you can study.

Arts and Humanities Faculty Exhibition

10am - 3.30pm, Jessop West

In the Faculty of Arts and Humanities we believe that an understanding of people's lives, experiences, beliefs and values - both past and present - is vital in tackling the greatest issues facing humanity today. Our flexible and wide-ranging degrees, taught by world-leading researchers, allow you to shape your course around what interests and inspires you.

East Asian Studies
English
History
Languages and Cultures
Law and Criminology
Music
Philosophy

Engineering and Computer Science Exhibition

10am - 3.30pm, The Diamond and Heartspace

Head first to the Diamond building, home to specialist labs, flight simulators and the UK’s first student-led 'makerspace', providing you with the experience to become a world-class engineer or computer scientist. Next, visit the nearby Heartspace for a showcase of our student-led engineering projects and societies. Also located in the Heartspace, is the Digital Innovation Zone (DIZ), acting as a living lab to assist students to gain the digital skills they will need in an ever changing engineering landscape.

Aerospace Engineering
Mechatronic and Robotic Engineering
Computer Systems Engineering
Bioengineering
Chemical Engineering
Civil and Structural Engineering
Computer Science
Electronic and Electrical Engineering
Materials Science and Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
General Engineering
AMRC Degree Apprenticeships

Health Faculty Drop-ins

10am - 3.30pm, The Medical School and School of Clinical Dentistry

The Faculty of Health provides excellent student support, practical experience and high-quality learning facilities, in a range of undergraduate courses across medicine, dentistry and allied health professions, including nursing, orthoptics and speech therapy. Courses are delivered by a mixture of academic staff and clinical staff, all of whom bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to their world-class teaching, guided by the latest research in the field.

Dental School - Dental School main entrance
Speech and Language Therapy - Medical School Foyer
Adult Nursing - Medical School Foyer
Orthoptics - Medical School Foyer
Medicine - Medical School main entrance
Pharmacy - Medical School Foyer

Science Faculty Exhibition

10am - 3.30pm, Students’ Union and Psychology building

Science at 91ֱ�� spans biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics and psychology. Discover how you can explore the ideas and develop the practical skills that will help us solve challenges such as antibiotic resistance, plastic waste and how to build a quantum computer. Find out how we've designed our degrees to help you get the experience employers are looking for.

In the Students’ Union Level 4 Gallery

Biosciences
Chemistry
Mathematics and Statistics
Physics and Astronomy

In the Psychology building

Psychology

Social Sciences Faculty Exhibition

10am - 3.30pm, The Wave

The Faculty of Social Sciences has a long-established reputation for producing world-leading research (REF2021). This means that you'll be taught and supervised by researchers, writers and thinkers who are leaders in their fields. Many of our teaching staff are also professional practitioners, bringing their rich experience into the classroom.

Applied Social Sciences
Architecture
Business and Management
Data Science
Digital Media and Society
Economics
Education
Environmental Science
Geography
Global Sustainable Development
Journalism
Landscape Architecture
Politics
Politics, Philosophy and Economics
Sociology
Urban Studies and Planning

Additional information

Food and drink

�ċThere are loads of places to eat on campus, whether you want to grab a quick sandwich on the move or a chance to sit down and reflect over lunch. You can take food away from any of our venues. Please note that all campus outlets are now cashless.

In our Students’ Union:

Coffee Revolution (8.30am - 4pm), Level 3
Grill & Go (11am - 3pm), Level 3
Our Shop (8.30am - 4pm), Level 3
Pearls Bubble Tea (11am - 4pm), Level 3
Bar One (11.30am - 4.30pm), Level 1

In our academic department buildings:

Arts Tower Cafe (8am - 3pm)
Information Commons cafe (9am - 4pm)
Jessop Cafe (9am - 3pm, take-out only)
Diamond Kitchen (9am - 4pm)
Krebs cafe (9am - 4pm)
Heartspace cafe (9am - 4pm)
Wave Kitchen (9am - 4pm)
Cafe 1828 at the Medical School (9am - 4pm)

At Endcliffe student accommodation:

Endcliffe - Edge Bar (9am - 4pm)
Endcliffe - Village Store (10am - 4pm)

Next to our Campus tours in the Arts Tower car park:

Greedy Greek food van (9-3pm)

Quiet spaces and prayer rooms

Dedicated quiet spaces and prayer room facilities are available in several key buildings on the day of the event. If you need help finding your way around, please feel free to ask our staff at the Information Hubs.

Access+ Travel Bursary

If you meet our Access+ criteria we might be able to refund your travel to our open day. You can ask about this at the Access 91ֱ�� stand in our central exhibition.

Talented Athletes: Unleash Your Potential

Are you a talented athlete, competing at a national or international level, and aiming to excel in both your sport and academics? Our Elite Sport Performance Scheme (ESPS) provides a unique support system to help you flourish on the field and in the classroom. You can get mentoring and coaching, discounts on physiotherapy and potentially a financial award - and more. We’d love to tell you more in person as part of your open day visit.

Drop us an email performance-sport@sheffield.ac.uk or give us a call 0114 222 8735 to arrange your session.