When is the best time to visit a campus?

When classes are running, so you can see real student life. Open days are useful for information, while ordinary weekdays show the everyday atmosphere. Visit again if you can.

How long should a campus visit take?

Plan half a day to a full day, including a tour, an information session and time on your own. Extra time lets you explore the area.

A parent, guardian or friend can help with questions and a second opinion, but make sure that you speak to staff and students yourself.

What if I cannot visit in person?

Use virtual tours, online sessions and conversations with students, and try to visit later if you receive an offer.

A notebook or phone for notes, a list of questions, comfortable shoes, water and any documents you need for appointments.

Campus Visit Checklist: What to Do, Ask and Notice

A campus visit is your best chance to see a school as it really is, not as it appears in photographs. You can sit in a lecture hall, taste the food, walk the route from the dormitory to the library and watch how students behave when nobody is selling them anything. The trouble is that visits are short and busy, and it is easy to come home with a fuzzy sense of "it was nice" and no usable information.

This checklist helps you plan the visit, notice what matters and record it so that you can compare schools. Not every item will apply to you, so pick what is relevant. For virtual visits, adapt the list. Details of tours, safety and accessibility vary, so check each school's visitor page.

Before you go

[ ] Register for the tour or session early, and confirm the date and time.
[ ] Check the schedule: are classes in session? Is there an open day?
[ ] Book extra meetings: admissions, your intended department, financial aid and support services.
[ ] Ask about sitting in on a class or having lunch with a student.
[ ] Check accessibility and parking, and request support if you need it.
[ ] Read about the school, so you can ask informed questions.
[ ] Write your questions. Our guide to questions to ask before choosing a school offers a list.
[ ] Plan travel and time, with buffer.
[ ] Decide who comes with you and what each person will look for.
[ ] Pack: notebook or phone, water, comfortable shoes, an umbrella and any documents.

On arrival

[ ] Notice the first impression: signs, welcome, accessibility.
[ ] Check the transport: how easy is it to reach campus?
[ ] Observe how people move: are students relaxed, rushed, friendly?
[ ] Pick up a campus map, the student newspaper and event flyers.

The tour

[ ] Listen to what the guide says and what they avoid.
[ ] Ask the guide about their own experience, including what they find hard.
[ ] Notice the buildings: condition, light, noise, space.
[ ] Look at facilities for your subject, such as labs, studios or workshops.
[ ] Check the library: study spaces, opening hours, quiet areas and access to resources.
[ ] Look at the student center and common areas.
[ ] Check sports and recreation facilities.
[ ] Look at noticeboards for events, clubs and student concerns.

Classrooms and teaching

[ ] Sit in on a class, if allowed. Notice the size, interaction and teaching style.
[ ] Look at lecture halls and seminar rooms: are they comfortable and equipped?
[ ] Ask about class sizes in your first year and later years.
[ ] Ask who teaches introductory courses.
[ ] Visit your department: meet staff and see where they work.
[ ] Ask about undergraduate research or placements.
[ ] Check how advising works.

Housing and dining

[ ] See a typical room, not only the best one.
[ ] Ask about costs, rules and guarantees.
[ ] Check bathrooms, kitchens and laundry.
[ ] Ask how roommates are matched.
[ ] Eat in the dining hall or café, and check prices and options for dietary needs.
[ ] Ask about meal plans.
[ ] Check security, access and quiet rules.
[ ] Ask about off-campus housing and costs.

Support services

[ ] Visit financial aid: ask about total costs and aid examples.
[ ] Visit career services: ask how they support internships and jobs.
[ ] Visit the academic support center: tutoring, writing help and learning support.
[ ] Check health and counseling services: hours, waiting times and cost.
[ ] Ask about disability support and how to arrange accommodations.
[ ] Ask about international student support, if relevant.
[ ] Ask about support for first-generation, adult or transfer students, if relevant.

Talk to students

[ ] Ask students not working for admissions, in cafés, libraries and common areas.
[ ] Ask what they like and what they would change.
[ ] Ask about workload, stress and support.
[ ] Ask how they spend weekends.
[ ] Ask whether they would choose the school again.
[ ] Listen to what they do not say.

Our guide to questions to ask current students has specific prompts.

Explore the area

[ ] Walk around the neighborhood: shops, transport, safety and costs.
[ ] Check the commute from housing to campus.
[ ] Look at jobs and internships nearby.
[ ] Find food, groceries and health services.
[ ] Notice noise, traffic and green space.
[ ] Imagine daily life in rain or winter.
[ ] Check how to get home for holidays.

Culture and safety

[ ] Notice the mix of students and whether you feel comfortable.
[ ] Look for signs of community: clubs, events, shared spaces.
[ ] Ask about safety measures and how students feel.
[ ] Check how the school handles mental health and inclusion.
[ ] Read the student newspaper for issues.
[ ] Notice how staff treat students.

Record and compare

[ ] Write notes the same day, while memories are fresh.
[ ] Rate key areas such as academics, housing, support, location, culture and cost.
[ ] Take photos where allowed, for reference.
[ ] List pros and cons.
[ ] Write follow-up questions.
[ ] Send thank-you notes to people who helped.
[ ] Compare with other schools using the same categories.

Our guide to how to build a college shortlist explains how to turn notes into a decision.

If you cannot visit

[ ] Use official virtual tours. Our guide to how to use virtual campus tours explains how.
[ ] Book online information sessions and chats with students.
[ ] Look at videos made by students.
[ ] Ask to be put in touch with a current student or alumnus.
[ ] Plan a visit after you receive an offer, if you can.

Common mistakes

Visiting only on a polished open day.
Talking only to staff.
Skipping housing and support.
Not writing notes.
Letting parents ask all the questions.
Judging on weather or one conversation.

A quick checklist of checklists

[ ] Have I prepared questions and booked sessions?
[ ] Have I seen classrooms, housing, dining and support?
[ ] Have I spoken to students and explored the area?
[ ] Have I recorded my impressions?
[ ] Do I have a way to compare?

Final thoughts

A good campus visit combines observation, conversation and honest reflection. Prepare, look beyond the tour script, talk to students, explore the area and write down what you notice. Your future self will thank you when the choice comes down to fine differences.