Your Open Day Guide

As well as learning more about your course and seeing the University, you can also get expert advice on applying to uni, funding your studies and writing your personal statement. Here’s a rundown of everything you can do on the day. 

Don't forget to book your place >

Checking in

When you check in, we give you everything you need to enjoy your visit.

Main Check-in: 

• Ravelin Park (next to Ravelin Sports Centre, Cambridge Road)

Faculty Check-in locations:

• Park Building (King Henry I Street)
• St Michael's Building (White Swan Road)
• Richmond Building (Portland Street)
• Portland Building (Portland Street)
• Eldon Building (Winston Churchill Avenue)

If you’re running short on time you can head straight to your subject talk and check in later in the day.

Key talks

Subject talks and tours

The subject talks give you the chance to find out more about the courses you’re interested in and take a look at where you’ll be studying. You can also speak with teaching staff and current students. We’ll send you details of your course talk time and location before you visit.

If you change your mind about which course talk you’d like to attend or you want to see what other courses can offer on the day, it’s not a problem to switch talks or fit in an extra one if you have time.

Halls tours

We know that moving away from home is a big step. We want to make sure you find accommodation to suit your needs.

Our Open Days give you the chance to look around many of our halls of residence to compare options and see where you’ll be living. Tours start at 9.30am with the last tour departing at 4.00pm. There’s no need to book – just turn up and join the next tour. Please note our halls tours are very popular and you may have to queue for up to 30 minutes.

Remember, you’re guaranteed a room in halls if you apply as a new, full-time undergraduate student starting in September or October 2023 or 2024 and make us your firm choice.

Campus and city tours

Student Support Services information fair

Want to know more about tuition fees or studying abroad? Need help with your uni or student finance application? Got questions about where to live?

Our Student Support Services Information Fair takes place from 9.30am – 4.00pm in the Students' Union. You can put your questions to our student finance, admissions and housing experts and find out more about our sport and rec, study support and wellbeing service.

Food and drink

There’s a lot to do on an Open Day but there are plenty of options for keeping your energy up.

You and your guests are entitled to free tea and coffee at the cafes in Anglesea Building, Cafe Coco (next to Students' Union), Dennis Sciama Building, Eldon Building, Park Building and Portland Building. For something more substantial, you can take advantage of our special Open Day meal deals.

Get your hot dog fix from our pop-up food stall located in the foyer of Dennis Sciama building.

If you’re out and about in Portsmouth, there are loads of cafes and restaurants throughout Guildhall Walk, Southsea and Gunwharf Quays featuring well-known names and independents.

Planning your day

The day before, check the weather forecast so you can dress appropriately come rain or shine – you’ll likely spend a few minutes outside getting between venues on our city campus.

And, don’t forget to charge your phone so you can take snaps of anything you want to refer back to when you get home.

Experiencing Portsmouth – Discounts and Offers

Getting here

Please note there is NO parking at Ravelin Sports Centre. If you choose to drive, please take a look at the options available to you:

Park and ride

Portsmouth has a handy Park and Ride service to save you the hassle of finding parking in the city, for only £4 per day, per vehicle. The car park allocated for Open Day visitors is at:

Park & Ride Portsmouth
Tipner Interchange
M275 Junction 1
Portsmouth
PO2 8AN

Payment will be taken on the bus with cash or contactless bank card.

The University Park and Ride bus service runs every 10 minutes and will drop you off just outside the Ravelin Sports Centre next to Ravelin Park. Please allow about 30 minutes to get to us from the car park.

If you need help on arrival at the Park and Ride or when you get dropped off, look out for our student ambassadors (dressed in purple).

University car parks

Open Day visitors can park for free in the University car parks listed below so please ignore any payment machines. They can be used on a first-come first-served basis and tend to fill up quickly on the day. Take a look at their locations below and plan your journey.

City centre parking

To get to car parking closest to the University, use the M27 (from the west) or A3(M)/A27 (from the east) and take the M275 into Portsmouth (signed 'Portsmouth West'). Ignore the M27/A27 junctions signed to Southsea and Hilsea.

On-street, pay-and-display parking is available close to campus and to the check-in venue. There are also public car parks throughout the City. There's more information about city centre car parking on the Portsmouth City Council website.

Trains

The closest station to the University is Portsmouth and Southsea. It’s a 5-minute walk from the nearest University buildings and close to all parts of the campus.

Plan your train journey to Portsmouth on the National Rail website.

Further travel information

There's more travel information on our maps and directions page.

Need to know more?

If you’ve got questions, give our Open Day team a call on 023 9284 2748 or email opendays@port.ac.uk.