Open day FAQs

Full details of the activities available at our undergraduate open days will be provided in your open day guide. An online copy of this guide is available, and you will also be able to collect a printed copy when you arrive on campus. In the meantime, we’ve put together these FAQs to help you prepare and make the most of your day in Sheffield.

If you have any further questions or queries, get in touch by email using myday@sheffield.ac.uk

Who is the open day for?

These events are for prospective undergraduate students who are interested in starting their studies at Sheffield in September 2023 or beyond. If you make an undergraduate application to study with us, we’ll also invite you to one of our offer holder days which normally take place between February and April. If you are a prospective postgraduate student, see information on our Postgraduate open days.

Do I need to book?

Yes, booking is essential for these events. Due to the finite number of places the venue can safely accommodate for each subject talk, you need to book your attendance, to ensure that there will be space for you on the day.

Please use our online booking form where you will be prompted to book places at subject talks as part of your day. If no places are available for your preferred subject talks, you can explore alternative opportunities to visit us.

Will I receive a booking confirmation?

When you book a place on one of our open days, you will receive an email confirmation with further useful information and a link to manage your booking. If you do not receive this email after you have made this booking, please check your spam folder, and failing that, contact us at myday@sheffield.ac.uk.

Can I change or cancel my booking?

Yes! You can change or cancel your booking at any time via the link in your confirmation email (see above). Please note that there may be limited availability to change subject talks as we get closer to the event.

Who can I bring with me?

Our booking form will allow you to book spaces for yourself and one additional guest at any of our subject talks, as capacity will be limited. However, you are welcome to bring more than one guest to accompany you on the open day and take part in any of the central talks, tours, and exhibitions.

Where do I get my open day guide?

An online copy of the open day guide is available, and you will also be able to collect a printed copy when you arrive on campus, from either our General Information stand or any of our Information Hubs across campus.

What time does the day start and end?

Our open days begin at 10am and finish at approximately 4pm. We ask that you attend your subject talk(s) at the time that you have booked, but all other activities are flexible and how you plan your day is up to you.

How long do subject talks last?

The duration of subject talks varies depending on the talk and any other activities the department may be offering as part of the session. The duration for each talk is given on the booking form.

Can I attend more than one subject talk?

Yes. Our booking form will allow you to book places at more than one subject talk. You should plan to leave at least 20 minutes between talks to enable you to travel between venues. We also recommend allowing sufficient time in your day to take part in our central talks, tours and exhibitions.

How do I get to Sheffield?

Maps and travel information can be found here. Sheffield and the University have excellent public transport links, and we encourage visitors to take advantage of these wherever possible. The University has a tram stop, is a twenty-minute walk from Sheffield train station, and is well served by the local bus network.

Where can I park?

Car parking near campus is limited, and often reaches full capacity at our open days. We therefore strongly recommend those driving to consider one of Sheffield’s several park and ride sites on the tram network, which link directly with the University’s dedicated tram stop. 

From the M1, exit at Junction 33 for the Nunnery Square park-and-ride site, or Junction 34 for the Meadowhall Interchange park-and-ride site. From either site, take the yellow route tram towards Middlewood.

If you're coming to Sheffield from the West (via the A628 or A61) then use the Middlewood park-and-ride site. Take the yellow route tram towards Meadowhall.

If park and ride arrangements are not suitable for your circumstances, the most convenient car parks for access to campus are the Q-park on Durham Road, the Q-park on Rockingham Street, and the NCP at Solly Street.

I am a blue badge holder and will be travelling to the university by car. Where can I park?

We recommend using one of the 32 blue-badge parking spaces available in the Q Park at Durham Road. An additional 20 blue-badge parking spaces are available in the Q park at Rockingham Street. Alternatively, you can park in any of the blue badge bays available on campus.

Do you have disabled access?

All our venues have disabled access. If you have any accessibility or additional support requirements to facilitate your full participation in the event, please detail these on the booking form. If you require any assistance on the day, our staff and student ambassadors are there to help. Our Disability and Dyslexia Support Service can also offer further advice on the support that will be available during your studies at Sheffield. Colleagues from DDSS will be available to answer your questions in our central exhibition.

I am travelling to Sheffield by train. How do I get to the University from the station?

Sheffield Railway Station is situated approximately a mile and a half away from the University of Sheffield. It is advisable to catch either a tram or a bus to the campus. 

Trams run directly from the station to the University every 12 minutes. You need to catch the blue line heading towards Malin Bridge and get off at the University of Sheffield tram stop. The journey time is approximately nine minutes. 

The main University of Sheffield campus is easily accessible by public transport. From the transport Interchange (opposite the station), a range of buses go to and from this area, including the 30, 120, 123, 51 and 52 and all pass by the University. 

Alternatively, a taxi from the station will cost around £5. 

Can I get support with travel costs?

The Access+ Travel Bursary is available to eligible students for undergraduate open days, on-Campus subject tasters, offer holder days and interviews.

This bursary is available to support undergraduate applicants to the University of Sheffield. See here for further information.

Where should I go when I arrive?

You don’t need to register on arrival, as your attendance will be recorded upon entry to your pre-booked subject talks. Our Central Exhibition is a great place to start no matter what time you arrive at the University. You can pick up key information, get tips for planning your day, and speak to experts from our student service teams.

Where can we eat and drink on campus?

A number of catering outlets will be open across campus for the Open day, including several outlets in our Students’ Union. Outlets will also be open at our Endcliffe accommodation site.  All of our campus outlets are now cashless, but there are nearby cafes and convenience stores which may take cash.

What should I wear?

Our central campus is approximately one mile across, and so we recommend wearing comfortable footwear and suitable clothing including waterproofs in case of rain, as most visitors will be walking between different locations for talks, tours and other activities.

Are there places to stay overnight close to the University campus?

There are a number of hotels and B&Bs in Sheffield. Visit the Welcome to Sheffield website for more information.

I am a teacher and would like to bring a group of students to one of your open days. How can I make a booking?

For further information about visiting an open day as a school group, please contact the open days team: myday@sheffield.ac.uk

How can I prepare for the open day?

Once it's available, we’d recommend looking through the full details given in the online open day guide to begin planning your day. 

What Covid mitigations are in place?

In line with government guidance, many of the controls that were previously required have now been removed, enabling us to return to a much more familiar campus environment. However, the safety and wellbeing of our community remains our utmost priority.

We are therefore continuing to encourage all campus-users to continue washing or sanitising hands regularly, and to stay at home if they feel unwell (see question below re covid symptoms). Ventilation systems are still supplying the maximum amount of fresh air possible to buildings, and our heightened cleaning regime and touchpoint cleaning will continue, in line with government guidance.

Do I need to wear a face covering?

Face coverings are no longer legally required anywhere on campus. However, please respect others’ choices to wear face coverings.

What if I start to experience Covid symptoms?

While you’re no longer required to self-isolate if you have Covid-19, the government advises that you should try to stay at home and away from others if you have tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19), or have symptoms of COVID-19. If you begin to experience any of these symptoms during your visit, please self-isolate in line with these government guidelines, and leave campus immediately.

What is the University doing to keep the community safe from Covid-19?

You can read more information about on our web page: coronavirus: how we're keeping our community safe.