A melting pot of talks, activities, events and entertainment – Open Day has a lot to offer, and some smart preparation can help you gear up for a smooth experience. Go in with a plan and you'll leave feeling totally satisfied, your questions answered, your curiosity fulfilled.

Think of these tips as your guide. Use them to navigate the day confidently, and walk away with all the info you need to make your next move. Oh, and when you arrive, fuel up with a free coffee or hot beverage from one of the kiosks around campus. There’s a big day ahead! 

What is Open Day?

Open Day is your chance to explore a university, connect to staff and students, and get your questions answered. At Swinburne, the atmosphere is a bit like a festival – think food trucks, fun activations, a buzzing vibe and live music. You'll also get guided tours of our Hawthorn campus and facilities, subject area talks, and time for helpful face-to-face conversations with academics, staff and current students.

Why should you go to Open Day?

Come for the free food, stay for the:

  • dare-we-say excellent campus vibes
  • in-depth sessions on subject areas
  • friendly conversations with academics (your future teachers)
  • insider intel from current students
  • chance to get all your questions answered.

Tip 1. Register to attend

It all starts when you register to attend Open Day. Registering means you’ll receive key event info in advance, useful notifications, and a virtual tour so you can familiarise yourself with the Hawthorn campus. Plus, you’ll automatically be entered into the draw for our Giveaway Giveaway competition – $1000 for you, and $1000 for a cause you care about, so you can win big and give back.

Plan your day and navigate campus with help from staff and student volunteers.

Tip 2. Plan your day online

With over 300 sessions and activations, you can use the Open Day Planner to streamline your day and ensure you don’t miss any of your priority sessions. Browse talks, info booths, workshops and more by study area. Or, make it even simpler by selecting a pre-made schedule based on your study area or interests.

Open Day planner

Tip 3. Ask all your questions

Campus will be full of staff and students ready to help you. Ask anything about subjects, placements, career paths, or recommendations – there are no silly questions. For face time with academics, catch a talk and have your questions ready for the Q and A. Or, head over to an info booth, checking the planner for your study area's location. For the real scoop on Swinburne life, look for students in Swinburne t-shirts. They're friendly, promise!

Get face time with friendly academics from your study area at info booths.

Tip 4. Check out facilities and workshops

Attend tours and hands-on workshops in areas that match your interests. Engineering students can watch an earthquake simulation in the Smart Structures Lab. Film buffs can get behind-the-scenes in the production studio. Health students won't want to miss the Digital Anatomy Lab, or the 3D motion capture demo for Exercise and Sport Science. Whatever you’re planning to study, now’s the time to explore the facilities and picture yourself there. How does it look?

Tip 5. Save all the info you need digitally

Open Day can be a whirlwind, so bookmark relevant information in your phone by scanning the QR codes you see around campus. This way, you can easily review course material later. We use QR codes over paper handouts at Swinburne Open Day, so you can save the trees while saving important info for later. Conserve your brain power for making the most of the day, and let the supercomputer in your pocket remember the finer details.

Try hands-on workshops in labs around campus.

Bonus tip: Find one fun thing outside your course

There’s more to Swinburne than just studying, and Open Day is the perfect time to discover how you can upgrade your uni life. Find clubs at the Student Association booth in the Indigenous Learning Circle, explore overseas study with Swinburne Abroad in the Atrium, or discover our industry experience guarantee at the Next in Industry showcase and talk to current students about their projects and placements.

As you leave Open Day, your next steps will come into focus. Are you going to join our network of innovators, creators and entrepreneurs? Embark on a study tour, secure a professional placement or join a club? Whatever you choose, by coming to Swinburne Open Day, you're already on your way.

Keep exploring

  • Plan your Open Day

    There are hundreds of events and activities to discover across campus this Open Day. Browse the Planner to see everything on offer, then save sessions to your schedule so you can plan your day, your way. 

    Find out more (Plan your Open Day)
  • Three students sit outside in the Hawhtorn campus gardens, one male wears a red shirt

    Hawthorn campus

    Located in the heart of Hawthorn, our main campus location 10 minutes from Melbourne’s CBD offers the perfect mix of  state-of-the-art learning facilities and unforgettable  student experiences.

    Find out more (Hawthorn campus)