In June this year Univ opened its doors to prospective students as part of the the first in-person annual open days since 2019. The College welcomed 2500 visitors across the two days, and each day saw the College brimming with excitement as prospective students explored Univ for the first time since the outbreak of COVID-19.

The programme for each day was packed full with admissions and super-curricular talks, ‘Meet the Tutors’ sessions, and guided tours of the College from our lovely student helpers. Following a trail of chalk Martlets that adorned the paths of Main and Radcliffe Quads, prospective students were given the opportunity to chat to some of Univ’s undergraduate community about life as a Univ student and see some of the Colleges impressive grounds and accommodation.

Of course, no Univ open day would be complete without tea and cake, so with the assistance of our wonderful Hall Team and Domestic Bursary, the Dining Hall, decorated in a sea of Univ’s notable blue and yellow bunting, was transformed into our welcome desk and refreshments area. Throughout the days, visitors were invited to the welcome area to ask questions of student helpers and staff over teas, coffees and, of course, cake as they sat down for some much-needed rest after their tours.

Not even the heavy rainfall on the second day could dampen the high spirits, and the student helpers continued to radiate the enthusiasm and friendliness for which Univ is well-known.

A very big thank you goes out to all our student-helpers and College staff for all their hard work as part of the days!

Hear from two of our student helpers, Hamzah and Nidhi, about their experiences of the helping out with the Open Days:

“The Open Day was the first time I had ever seen Oxford, and the first time I’d ever set foot into a College. It was daunting, a little overwhelming but very, very exciting. I was really glad to be there at the Open Days in June to meet some of the prospective applicants, alleviate some of their worries and share their excitement. There’s no doubt that being able to walk around Univ in-person, picturing yourself studying here and meeting the undergraduates, is a vital part of the application process. Coming to the Open Day is when you realise that you could belong here and you absolutely have to apply. Suddenly, Univ isn’t the mystical ‘oldest college in Oxford’, but a thriving, friendly community with gorgeous buildings (and even a tortoise).” – Hamzah, Chemistry

“It was a great pleasure helping out at the Univ Access Open Day and interacting with so many prospective applicants about their academic passions and interest in our college community. All the staff and fellow student helpers were lovely and made the experience all the more enjoyable. I’m super grateful to have received the opportunity to help out!” – Nidhi, PPE

We look forward to opening our doors again in September for our final annual open day of the year.

If you are interested in finding out more about our upcoming Open Day, or wish to explore some of our resources ahead of the day, please see our Open Days page.

Published: 5 August 2022

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