Going to open days can be costly, especially if you’re planning on going to more than one in a short space of time. Here’s how to save your pennies and pounds when attending open days.
Updated: 18 Aug 2026
The minute you’ve got your place on an open day, research and book your travel as quickly as humanly possible. No matter what mode of transport you’re planning on taking, car, train, bus, plane, jetpack, DeLorean, they’ll all be much MUCH cheaper if you book them as far in advance as possible.
NEXT: If you're yet to book open days, find and book open days across the UK now.
If you don’t have a 16-26 railcard you’re seriously missing out. Costing just £30, you’ll save 1/3 off rail travel for an entire year. So even if you just use it for a single trip, you’ll practically get most, if not all, your monies worth. Plus, it’s a great way to continue going on adventures using the railways when you’re not studying!
Check out our calendar of upcoming open days and virtual tours at unis across the country and book your place now. Don't forget to bring snacks for the journey!
One of the cheapest modes of travel you can possibly take, and taking the same amount of time as a car trip, don’t underestimate how good travelling to open days via bus can be. Some bus companies even have stops at or very near universities, so you could be saving yourself from walking around aimlessly trying to make sense of your Google Maps too!
Are some of your friends considering the same uni as you? Take a trip to the campus as a group and you'll be able to save money whether you're all bundling into one car, or taking the train (there are discounts if you're travelling as a group - just take a look at the train ticket website). Plus, they'll be able to help keep an eye out for interesting stuff when you're at the uni.
Your school will be really keen for you to make sure you’re picking the right university, so if there’s a big enough group of you interested in the same uni, or unis in the same region, why not ask if a minibus could be arranged to take you? If you don’t ask, you’ll never know…
Away from the travelling talk now, and into something more fun; FOOD.
If you’re at an open day for several hours (which in theory you should be!) you could be splashing out on breakfast, lunch and even an evening meal, and depending on where you are regionally, it could end up being pretty pricey!
So why not save yourself some monies, and make your open day nerves slightly more relaxed by bringing your own food and having a picnic at lunchtime? As well as stuffing your face you will also be creating a nice atmosphere where you can relax and reflect on what you’ve seen and heard so far with whoever came with you.
If you find yourself interested in visiting more than one university in one particular area, it might be worth creating a timetable and visiting them all in one day. It’ll save you from travelling back and forth to the same location (which can be costly and quite tedious), as well as helping you make up your mind about which is the right uni for you a lot quicker.
Check out what open days are available in these regions...
This is especially important if you’re planning on seeing more than one university in a single day. Universities can be very large and overwhelming places when you go to visit them, but not everything will be relevant to you.
For example, if you’re planning on studying history, then you probably don’t need to see their facilities for medical students. Want to study something sciencey? Then you should probably go and see the state of their labs.
So before you head off, grab a prospectus and find out which parts of the university you’re eager to see, which you’re vaguely interested in and what you have no desire to see whatsoever.
Some universities love giving out freebies to open day visitors, and it would be rude not to take them off their hands! Whether it’s a lolly and a tote bag, or branded stationary and vouchers off the nearby cafes, it’s all stuff you don’t have to spend money on yourself!
Did you know you don’t actually have to leave the house to attend an open day? Many universities now run virtual open days where you can visit the campus and see their facilities without leaving your pyjamas. Now that’s the ultimate money saving way to do open days!
NEXT: Our ultimate guide covers everything you need to know about open days
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