Careers: Focus on Open Days

For students considering studying at TAFE or university after school, it is crucial to attend Open Days.

Throughout the year, vocational and tertiary institutions open their doors to the public and showcase the courses, accommodation, scholarships, pathway courses, student services on offer, as well as their ‘point of difference’. Attending Open Days gives students the opportunity to experience campus life as well as find answers to relevant questions.

At an Open Day, you will be able to:

Get a feel for the culture of the campus
Learn about courses and career options
Undertake campus and accommodation tours led by current students
Speak directly to students and lecturers about the courses or careers you are interested in
Compare the course area you are interested in at different institutions
Learn about student sports and societies you can join and be active in
Get course counselling and guidance
Attend information sessions and workshops
Watch live demonstrations
Listen to bands, eat lots of food, participate in activities and have fun!

Points to keep in mind:

Don’t just pick a course at an institution without visiting the campus – you potentially will be spending several years studying there and spending tens of thousands of dollars on your course and accommodation. It is worth making the effort to find out what it’s like.
By now you should have identified institutions you would like to visit, found out their open day dates and downloaded their open day programs.
Once you have the programs, make a list of the information sessions you would like to attend.
If you have time, try to attend information sessions on topics like pathways, scholarships, accommodation and overseas exchange programs.

Typical Questions to ask:

Are there any prerequisite subjects I need to study for this course?
What study scores/ATAR do I need to achieve to get into this course?
Do I need to attend an audition, have an interview or present a folio as part of the selection process?
Are there any other ways into this course other than through a VTAC application?
What is the difference between TAFE and university study?
Can I do a vocational course first which might then lead into a university course?
If I can’t get into this course, is there a similar course at this institution I can apply for?
What are the core subjects for this course and are there any electives?
How many hours per week are spent in class and can I study part time?
Can I defer the course?
What kind of jobs do graduates of this course generally get?
Are there any scholarships available?

Upcoming Open Days:

Swinburne University, www.swinburne.edu.au/openday

29 July – Hawthorn

La Trobe University, www.latrobe.edu.au/openday

3 August – Shepparton
5 August – Melbourne
12 August – Albury-Wodonga
15 August – Mildura
26 August – Bendigo

Monash University, http://bit.ly/1pmUEzv

4 August – Peninsula
5 August – Clayton & Caulfield
19 August – Parkville

RMIT, http://openday.rmit.edu.au/

5 August – Bundoora
12 August – City

University of Tasmania, http://info.utas.edu.au/openday

5 August – Hobart
12 August – Inveresk & Newnham

CQUniversity, https://bit.ly/2rP34Cc

15 August – Online
16 August – Melbourne

Australian Catholic University, www.openday.acu.edu.au/

12 August – Melbourne
26 August – Ballarat

University of Melbourne, https://openday.unimelb.edu.au/

19 August – Parkville & Southbank

Deakin University, http://openday.deakin.edu.au/

5 August – Warrnambool
19 August – Geelong
26 August – Melbourne

Victoria University, https://openday.vu.edu.au/

19 August – Footscray

Federation University, https://bit.ly/2uwYPgX

26 August – all campuses

List of Victorian Open Day dates for private providers and TAFE institutes: https://bit.ly/2NQdoEY
For Open Days at all other states and territories go to https://bit.ly/2mh7bFu

University Accommodation
Colleges ‘Open for Inspection’ on Open Day.
For students considering living at the residential colleges when they study away from Bendigo, such as in Melbourne, sometimes making a decision about which residential college or type of accommodation to live in is difficult – with so many options, it can seem overwhelming.
However, by visiting the colleges on Open Days during August, students can get a feel for them, as they will all be open for tours. Many current students made their choices by visiting on Open Days. It is also possible to have tours at some residences by making prior appointments outside of Open Days as well.
For more information, please visit the Careers Page on Schoolbox – https://schoolbox.cmc.vic.edu.au/homepage/1747