Standing outside a university building you’ve only seen in photos and attempting to determine whether it feels right has a strangely particular quality. Exeter University’s open days are specifically intended for that moment, which is half-curious and half-nervous. And as autumn 2026 approaches, the university appears to have a better understanding of that than most.
The undergraduate open days for this year have three confirmed dates. The Penryn Campus in Cornwall, close to Falmouth, will open on October 10th, while the Streatham and St Luke’s campuses in Exeter will open on October 3rd and 24th. The university is already gathering expressions of interest through a mailing list, but reservations are not yet open; they are anticipated to open towards the end of August. Signing up for the reminder is not the same as making a reservation; this is a minor but important logistical point. That step comes later, separately, and it’s probably best to do it sooner rather than later given how quickly popular events fill up.
Prospective students are given the impression that they have come to a place worth staying at Streatham Campus, which is situated on parkland with lakes and woodland winding through it. It’s one of those campuses that looks better in person than it does on camera, which is, when you think about it, a good reason to go in the first place. The Medical School, the Academy of Nursing, and Sport and Health Sciences are all located at St Luke’s, which is tucked away on Exeter’s east side and exudes a more concentrated energy. On open days, the two campuses work together, allowing students to experience different environments in one visit.
Penryn is a completely different experience. It draws students looking for something truly different from the typical university setting because it is coastal, small, and has a social atmosphere that feels more festival than formal. Students who enroll at Penryn seem to have already made up their minds about the kind of life they want in addition to their degree, and the open day there usually confirms whether or not that intuition is correct.
The actual days are organized from nine in the morning until four in the afternoon. There are general talks, campus tours, and those casual moments of time that often result in the most candid conversations, in addition to subject-specific sessions that must be reserved in advance. You can often learn more about everyday life from a conversation with a second-year student at a coffee shop than from a formal presentation. There are faculty members on hand at all times, and visitors can choose to spend the entire day concentrating on one department or exploring widely, depending on their preferences.
Given demand, it’s still unclear exactly how the autumn days will be organized, but prior sessions sold out fast; the May 2025 dates were sold out well in advance of the events. This pattern indicates that autumn registration will proceed quickly once it opens.
Exeter does provide online resources and virtual tours for those who are truly unable to attend, but the university’s own materials seem to be honest enough to acknowledge these as second-best options. It’s just not the same to walk around a campus and watch a video of it. The important details don’t translate very well to a screen, such as how far the library is from the lecture halls, what the canteen smells like at noon, and whether the campus feels too big or just right.
Only the visitor can respond to the question of whether Exeter is a good fit. However, it appears that the open days are at least intended to give that question a fair shot.
