Tips for UCAS Discovery Days

UCAS Discovery days (sometimes called a university fair) are held nationwide. These days are perfect for students looking to take their next steps. Here, you will find exhibitions from leading universities, seminars, workshops on personal statements and more.

What are UCAS Discovery days?

UCAS Discovery days are exhibitions for prospective university students. These exhibitions, presented by the University and College Admissions Service (UCAS), can be held in person or virtually.

These days are here to help you with anything you need with applying to university. There are workshops for those struggling with writing their personal statement or university applications. There are also seminars, lectures and opportunities to meet universities.

Why should I attend a UCAS Discover day?

UCAS Discovery days allow you to learn about the university experience. Representatives from different universities will use this to sell you on possibly studying with them. You will also be able to take prospectuses and branded items like pens and pads from UCAS exhibitions.

These days allow you to ask questions you need answering and to find out what your next steps are. Many students find themselves overwhelmed by the university application process, so this is your chance to learn more about how to make things easier for you.

Personal statement workshops are equally important. These workshops help you with various aspects of writing your statement, whether writing your introduction or just knowing what to include.

Check out the list of exhibitors

Speaking to the different exhibitors is the best thing you can do when at UCAS Discovery. You are there to ask questions and learn things you didn’t know before, so take the chance to speak to the exhibitors.

This is also a chance to learn more about the universities you hadn’t considered. Open days are a good way to find information about courses and facilities, but if you cannot make an open day, then Discovery days are perfect.

Write down any questions you may have

Use this as your chance to speak to representatives from universities. There are no stupid questions when it comes to applying to university, so anything you can think of, write it down and ask.

Some example questions to get you started are:

• Is your application process different from other colleges/universities?
• What are some of the clubs and societies on site?
• What are your funding options?
• What is the local area like?
• What’s the typical career path for graduates of this course?

The universities and UCAS representatives will be only too happy to answer them.

Plan your journey

Planning your journey is an important part of your visit. You’d be surprised just how many good plans are wrecked by train strikes, roadworks or traffic, so having your route planned ahead of time will help you out in the long run.

Sometimes, Discovery days will be held far away. If this is the case, we recommend staying overnight in a hotel or an Airbnb to reduce travel time.

Log in to your UCAS Hub beforehand

You’d be surprised how much of a life-saver your UCAS Hub can be when at a UCAS event. You will want to make a note of everyone you speak to and keep them in your UCAS Hub.

When your place on Discovery day has been confirmed, you will be given a full list of exhibitors. Once you have this, it will be easy to determine who you want to speak to and when.

Attend the talks and presentations

UCAS Discovery days have all manner of talks, seminars and lectures for students. These can be anything from advice on your UCAS application to simply giving you advice on how to write a personal statement.

Not all talks at UCAS fairs will be relevant. When you receive confirmation that you will be appearing on the day, you will be given a list of exhibitors and events, meaning you can easily pick out which pens you want to attend and which you don't.