For parents of students in Year 12, it can be difficult to know when university visits should move onto the family calendar. If your child is already in Year 13, you may be wondering whether there is still time to look around before they apply.

There isn't a point by which Open Days have to be ‘done’. UCAS says university Open Days take place throughout the year, and returning after an offer can serve a very different purpose from visiting before an application. What matters is where your child is in the decision-making process and what they are trying to find out.

The roadmap below shows how those opportunities can fit around the UCAS application journey.

Year 12 is when students start thinking more seriously about what they might want to study and where, but they don't need to have it all figured out before they begin looking at the options. If your child is unsure, we've looked separately at how you can help if they are not yet clear what they want to study.

Open Days are only one way to explore. Depending on the university, there may also be subject tasters, summer schools, webinars and online events that can help students investigate subjects or experience university learning.

Although Open Days take place throughout the year, late Year 12 is one of the main periods to watch. Many universities schedule undergraduate Open Days in June and early July, giving students an opportunity to explore before Year 13 and the application process gathers pace.

It isn't a cut-off. Another common window comes in the autumn at the start of Year 13, so you do not necessarily need to have visited every university you are considering by the end of Year 12. At this stage, the aim is to explore, compare and begin narrowing down the possibilities.

The second important window is in the autumn of Year 13, when many universities hold further Open Days. These can be particularly useful as students narrow down their options and their applications start to take shape.

The timetable is tighter for some. For 2027 entry, conservatoire music applications have a 1 October deadline. Applications to Oxford and Cambridge and most courses in medicine, dentistry and veterinary medicine/science have an equal consideration date of 15 October. For most other undergraduate courses, it is 13 January 2027.

This makes late Year 12 university visits particularly important for those who need to finalise their choices to apply in October. For most other applicants, autumn Open Days can still form part of their research and decision-making before the January deadline.

Schools and colleges may set earlier internal deadlines for applications and choices, so check your child's timetable as well as the UCAS dates.