University open days 2026: the questions worth asking before you apply
Open day season runs July to September, peaking in August — right as university applications open. Here's how to use a campus visit to ask the questions that actually shape a confident application.
By EduTrail Team ·
If your family is heading toward a university application this year, open day season has arrived — and it's one of the most useful free things you'll do all year. Most Australian universities run open days between July and September, and they're built for exactly this moment: the window before applications close, when you're still deciding what to put down and in what order. This guide is for school-leavers and the parents alongside them. It covers when open days happen, why timing them before you apply matters, and — the heart of it — the questions worth asking while you're actually on campus.
When open days happen — and why the timing matters
Open days cluster in the second half of the year. As UAC (the tertiary admissions centre for New South Wales and the ACT — the body that processes university applications there) puts it, "most institutions hold open days for prospective students in the second half of the year," with the heaviest concentration in August. Many big universities share a single late-August weekend, so you can't see all of them — you'll need to choose.
The reason to go now, rather than after you've applied, is that open days line up almost exactly with the application window. In Victoria, timely applications from current Year 12 students for 2027 entry open on 3 August 2026 and close on 28 September 2026 through VTAC (Victoria's tertiary admissions centre). In New South Wales and the ACT, UAC applications for 2027 opened back on 8 April 2026, with the lowest-fee deadline of 30 September 2026 for Year 12 students. So an open day in July or August isn't a day out — it's research that directly shapes the preferences you're about to lock in.
Each state has its own tertiary admissions centre — the body you apply through (rather than to each university directly): VTAC in Victoria, UAC in NSW and the ACT, QTAC in Queensland, SATAC in South Australia and the Northern Territory, and TISC in Western Australia; in Tasmania you apply to the University of Tasmania (UTAS) directly.
| State | Admissions centre | Applications open (2027 entry) | On-time deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| VIC | VTAC | 3 Aug 2026 | 28 Sep 2026 (timely) |
| NSW / ACT | UAC | Already open (8 Apr 2026) | 30 Sep 2026 (lowest fee) |
| QLD | QTAC | Around early August 2026 | Confirm on qtac.edu.au |
| SA / NT | SATAC | See satac.edu.au | See satac.edu.au |
| WA | TISC | See tisc.edu.au | See tisc.edu.au |
| TAS | UTAS (apply direct) | See utas.edu.au | See utas.edu.au |
TODO(reviewer): confirm QTAC's exact 2027 application open date and on-time/lowest-fee deadline on qtac.edu.au before publishing (a University of Queensland guide cites 4 Aug 2026 open and 30 Sep 2026 on-time, but this was not confirmed on QTAC's own site at drafting time). Likewise add the confirmed 2027 dates for SATAC, TISC and UTAS if you want them in the table.
The pattern across the country is consistent even where the exact dates differ: applications open in August, and the on-time deadline that keeps your fee low and your options open falls in late September or early October. Going to open days first means you arrive at that deadline knowing what you want.
Before you go: a few minutes of prep pays off
A bit of planning turns a crowded campus into a productive afternoon:
- Register early. UAC notes that "popular sessions fill quickly," so book the course talks and tours you most want before the day.
- Confirm the details. Check the date, campus and session times on the university's own open day page — some universities run different open days for different campuses.
- Split the load as a family. A common approach: the student heads to course talks and finds current students to ask; a parent gathers information on fees, scholarships, accommodation and support services. Compare notes over lunch.
- Bring your shortlist and your questions. Two or three courses you're genuinely weighing, and a written list of what you need to find out about each.
The questions worth asking on campus
The whole point of being there in person is to ask things a website won't fully answer. Here's a practical set, grouped by what they help you decide.
| Theme | Ask about | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Getting in | The exact prerequisites, selection rank and any adjustment factors or bonus points for this specific course | The same course name at different universities can have different requirements |
| Early offers | Whether there's an early-offer or recommendation scheme, and its deadline | These often close earlier than the main deadline — e.g. UAC's Schools Recommendation Scheme closes 11 September 2026 |
| The course itself | First-year subjects, contact hours, majors, work placements, double-degree options | Tells you what the next three-plus years actually look like, not just the brochure version |
| Money | Scholarships, equity access schemes, and the fee structure including HECS-HELP (the government loan scheme that lets eligible students defer tuition fees) | Scholarships and equity schemes can change what's affordable — and some have their own deadlines |
| Support & life | Academic support, accommodation, clubs, what a typical week is like | Fit and belonging shape whether a student stays and thrives, not just whether they get in |
| Pathways | What graduates go on to do, and whether you can transfer or switch later | Reassures you that one choice now doesn't close every door |
A few of these deserve a closer look.
Ask precisely about entry requirements
This is the highest-value question of the day. Don't ask "what ATAR do I need?" in general — the ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank, the rank used to compare school-leavers for university entry) is only part of the picture. Ask about the specific course: Does it have subject prerequisites you must have studied? What was last year's selection rank (which can sit above or below the published ATAR once adjustments are applied)? Are there adjustment factors — extra points for where you live, subjects you took, or circumstances you've faced? The staff at the course's own stall are the best source, and the answer can differ from the university next door.
Ask about early-offer and access schemes
Many universities make offers before final exams through early-offer or recommendation schemes, and these run on earlier deadlines than the main round. In NSW and the ACT, for instance, UAC's Schools Recommendation Scheme (SRS) early-offer applications close on 11 September 2026 — weeks before the main on-time deadline. If an early offer would take pressure off the end of Year 12, the open day is the place to find out whether the course offers one and what it asks for.
Talk to current students
Staff will tell you what the course offers; current students will tell you what it's like. Ask them what they didn't expect, what a normal week involves, how much support they get, and whether they'd choose the same course again. It's the closest thing to a test drive you'll get.
What an open day can't tell you — and that's fine
An open day is for narrowing and confirming, not for getting a verdict. No one on campus can promise you an offer, and no single visit will tell you the "best" university — that depends entirely on the person, the course and the life around it. Treat what you hear as evidence to weigh, not a guarantee, and always confirm the specifics — prerequisites, ranks, fees, deadlines — against the official course page and your state's admissions centre afterwards. They're the source of truth, and they change year to year.
Turn what you learn into a plan
The families who get the most out of open day season are the ones who treat it as research with a purpose: a few campuses, a clear set of questions, and a way to capture what they find before it blurs together. If you'd like a structured way to turn those notes into next steps — connecting your child's interests and strengths to courses, prerequisites and the deadlines that matter — a Career Action Plan (CAP) walks through it stage by stage, from getting clear on a direction to acting on it. It's a calm way to make a busy season feel like progress rather than pressure.
Frequently asked questions
- When are university open days in 2026?
- Most run between July and September, with the busiest weekend in late August. Dates and campuses vary by university, so confirm each one on the institution's own open day page before you travel — some run separate days for different campuses.
- Do I have to apply before I go to an open day?
- No. Open days are designed to happen before you finalise your application. In most states, applications through the tertiary admissions centre open in August, around the same time, so a visit in July or August can directly shape the preferences you list.
- What's the single most useful question to ask?
- Ask about the exact entry requirements for the specific course you're interested in — prerequisites, the selection rank, and any adjustment factors or early-offer schemes. The same course name at different universities can have different requirements.
- Can parents go to open days?
- Yes — families are welcome, and many sessions are aimed at parents too. It helps to split up: the student talks to course staff and current students while a parent collects information on fees, scholarships, accommodation and support services.
- What if we can't attend in person?
- Many universities run virtual open days or keep recorded sessions and course information online. Test your login and audio in advance, and prepare your questions the same way you would for an in-person visit.