Get the most out of a Higher Education Convention

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Attending an HE Convention lets you find out more about different universities and colleges without having to attend every single open day.

It’s also your opportunity to speak face-to-face with uni and college representatives and ask them questions about the different courses they offer, the entry requirements and campus life in general.

Some conventions offer seminars throughout the day on a range of topics including gap years, a student’s perspective and UCAS applications.

It's your chance to ask all your questions in one place, and good preparation will help you get the best answers.

Our news and events section has all the details on when and where your local HE Convention is happening.

Before the event Read more

If your school or college hasn’t organised a group trip, you can book a place at an HE convention by visiting the UCAS website. The choosing courses advice on UCAS could help you start thinking about where and what you want to study.

It's useful to check out who will be attending, and decide in advance which institutions you most want to talk to, and which seminars you'd like to attend. Then, you can make a plan for how you'll spend your time at the convention.

Asking the right questions

In advance, put together a list of questions that will help you to make a final decision about your course choices.

Possible course questions:

Will the course help me to achieve my career goals?
How will the course be taught? Mainly lectures or classroom tutorials? Will there be a work placement?
How much choice do I have over the subjects I study within the course?
Will the minimum entry requirements be enough to be accepted onto the course or realistically will I need to do more?
What are the deadlines for applying?

Student life questions:

What accommodation is on offer? Is there guaranteed accommodation for first year students? What's the cost of staying in halls? How easy is it to find a student house to live in?
What are the campus facilities like?
What kind of uni/college activities can I get involved in?
What’s the local nightlife like?

Helpful tools and content

My World of Work has several tools which you can use to help prepare for the event.

My Strengths will give some suggestions of jobs and subjects which might suit your strengths. This can help when you’re making a decision about what course to do
Course Choices lets you search through a comprehensive range of courses, including those available through UCAS. This will give you an idea of who to talk to at the convention
Careers A-Z and Meet the Industries let you research job profiles and key sectors in Scotland, and the kind of qualifications employers are looking for. You can also use Careers that match you in My Account to find suggestions
Check out College or uni? for a guide to weighing up which way to go; or our Insider’s guide to uni for a taste of life on campus.

At the event Read more

Make sure you...

Visit all the stands and seminars you want to even if it means splitting up from your friends
Bring a notepad and pen and write notes as there will be a lot of information to take in
Chat to the uni and college reps, using the questions you've prepared. Every institution has its own teaching style and campus atmosphere. This will help you get a feel for each place
Make a short list of those unis and colleges you really like and find out when their open days are happening

After the event Read more

Things to do when you get home:

Look back over your shortlist and research your favourite courses, unis and colleges.
Find out when their open days are. Our news and events section has details of all the open days taking place across Scotland. You can also email course tutors, and finding out what you can from current students or information online
Our UCAS application section has advice on how you can make your decision, what to consider, and how to put together a great application