Offer holder day FAQs

Attending our offer holder day? Find the answers to your questions here.

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Full details of the activities available at the offer holder day are provided in our offer holder day online guide and we’ve put together these frequently asked questions (FAQs) to help you prepare and make the most of your day in Sheffield.

If you have any further questions or queries, get in touch by email. Our team will also be available via live chat from this page 10am-2pm on the Monday-Friday before the event, and 8am-11am on the morning of the offer holder day.

How to book

Follow the link in your invitation email to book your place. 

What is an offer holder day?

Offer holder days are for prospective undergraduate students who are currently holding an offer to study at the University of Sheffield. You will get to see more of your chosen subject area, meet staff and students and learn more about your course.

How is this different from an open day that I attended before applying?

The offer holder day provides an opportunity to spend more quality time with your chosen subject.

Much more than just a course talk, many subjects will offer taster lectures or seminars, extended question and answer (Q&A) sessions or panels with current students. Some subjects may also offer lab tours or demonstrations.

There will be opportunities for 1:1 conversations with subject staff and current students.

Our central exhibition, and tours of campus, libraries, sport facilities and accommodation are available for anyone who may have missed these opportunities on a previous visit to Sheffield. See our online guide for further details.

How do I book my place on an offer holder day?

Follow the link in your invitation email to book your place.

Remember to check spam folders and add us to your trusted contacts for email.

Please get in touch by email if you haven't received an invitation to book a place on an offer holder day.

Can I cancel my booking?

Yes. You can cancel your booking at any time via the link in your confirmation or reminder emails.

Who can I bring with me?

When booking, you'll be able to reserve a place for yourself and one guest at the subject activities. To ensure safe venue capacities, the subject will be unable to accommodate any additional unbooked visitors.

However, you're welcome to bring additional guests to accompany you on the day, and we would encourage these guests to take part in our range of central exhibitions and tours while the subject activities are running.

Can I bring my dog?

Dogs are welcome in the outdoor areas across campus on our offer holder days, but are not allowed inside buildings unless they are an assistance dog. If an assistance dog supports you, please provide details on the booking form. If you require assistance on the day, our staff and student ambassadors are there to help.

Our Disability and Dyslexia Support Service can also offer further advice on the support that will be available during your studies at Sheffield. Colleagues from DDSS will be available to answer your questions in our central exhibition.

What visitor opportunities are available on the day?

Full details of the activities available at the Offer holder day are provided in our online offer holder day guide.

If you have any questions during the day, there will be lots of staff and student ambassadors available on our general information stand, information hubs, and spread around campus, to help you.

What will I be doing with my chosen subject?

Your invitation email will contain a link to the online itinerary for your subject activities.

These might typically include welcome talks, taster lectures or seminars, extended Q&A sessions, lab tours or other demonstrations, as well as time for informal conversations with subject staff and current students.

What time does the day start and end?

Our offer holder days begin at 10am and finish at approximately 4.30pm.

You will book to visit your chosen subject(s) in a morning sitting (10am to 12.30pm), or afternoon sitting (2pm to 4.30pm for most subjects, 1.30pm to 4pm for engineering subjects).

We ask that you attend your subject activities at the time that you have booked, but all other activities are flexible and how you plan your day is up to you.

Can I see more than one subject?

If you are holding an offer for a dual honours degree, or you are holding multiple offers across different subject areas, you have a number of different options for how to engage with your chosen subjects:

1. Book to see both subjects on the same day. Visit your first subject in the morning (10am to 12.30pm) and your second subject in the afternoon (2 to 4.30pm for most subjects, 1.30 to 4pm for engineering subjects).

You will have limited time in between the subject activities for central activities. Some subject combinations may only be available on certain event dates, and may fill quickly, so we recommend booking as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

2. Book to see schools/departments on separate days.

3. Book to see one subject at an offer holder day, and find out about your other subject at our dedicated day of online sessions for offer holders in May, running as part of our Sheffield Live events programme.

View our A-Z of dual honours courses to see which subjects offer dual study opportunities.

How do I get to Sheffield? 

Access our maps and travel information. Sheffield and the University have excellent public transport links, and we encourage visitors to take advantage of these wherever possible. The University has a tram stop, is a twenty-minute walk from Sheffield train station, and is well served by the local bus network.

Where can I park?

Car parking near campus is limited, and often reaches full capacity at our offer holder days. We therefore strongly recommend those driving to consider one of Sheffield’s several park and ride sites on the tram and train network, which link directly with the University’s dedicated tram stop.

From the M1, exit at Junction 33 for the Nunnery Square park-and-ride site, or Junction 34 for the Meadowhall Interchange park-and-ride site. From either site, take the yellow route tram towards Middlewood. 

If you're coming to Sheffield from the West (via the A628 or A61) then use the Middlewood park-and-ride site. Take the yellow route tram towards Meadowhall.

If park and ride arrangements are not suitable for your circumstances, the most convenient car parks for access to campus are the , the , and the .

I am a blue badge holder and will be travelling to the University by car. Where can I park?

We recommend using one of the 32 blue-badge parking spaces available in the . An additional 20 blue-badge parking spaces are available in the .

Alternatively, blue badge bays at the following locations on campus provide good access to key locations used for the offer holder day, but are subject to availability on the day:

  • Central campus - The Arts Tower, Bolsover Street, S3 7NA
    • Seven blue badge spaces
    • Access from at rear of Arts Tower, press intercom to request raising of barrier
  • West campus - The Wave, 2 Whitham Rd, Sheffield S10 2AH
    • Six blue badge spaces
    • Access from , press intercom to request raising of barrier 
  • East campus - The Heartspace, Abney Street, S1 4AT
    • Four blue badge spaces
    • Access from , off Portobello Street
  • Accommodation residences - Stanage Car Park, S10 3AF
    • Access from

If you or your guests have specific access requirements that you wish to raise with the event team, you will be prompted to disclose these as part of the booking form.  Alternatively, contact us at myday@sheffield.ac.uk

What is the Sheffield Clean Air Zone?

From Monday 27 February 2023, a class C chargeable zone came into effect for the most polluting heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), light goods vehicles (LGVs), vans, buses, coaches and taxis that drive within the inner ring road and city centre.

Private cars and motorbikes won't be charged. For further details, .

Do you have disabled access?

All our venues have disabled access.

If you have any accessibility or additional support requirements to facilitate your full participation in the event, please detail these on the booking form.

If you require any assistance on the day, our staff and student ambassadors are there to help.

Our  can also offer further advice on the support that will be available during your studies at Sheffield.

Colleagues from DDSS will be available to answer your questions in our central exhibition.

I am travelling to Sheffield by train. How do I get to the University from the station?

Sheffield Railway Station is situated approximately a mile and a half away from the University of Sheffield. It is advisable to catch either a tram or a bus to the campus. 

Trams run directly from the station to the University every 12 minutes. You need to catch the blue line heading towards Malin Bridge and get off at the University of Sheffield tram stop. The journey time is approximately nine minutes. 

The main University of Sheffield campus is easily accessible by public transport. From the transport interchange (opposite the station), a range of buses go to and from this area, including the 30, 120, 123, 51 and 52 and all pass by the University. 

Alternatively, a taxi from the station will cost around £5.

Can I get support with travel costs?

The Access+ Travel Bursary is available to eligible students for undergraduate open days, on-campus subject tasters, offer holder days and interviews.

This bursary is available to support undergraduate applicants to the University of Sheffield.

Where should I go when I arrive?

As you enter campus, offer holders will be able to collect an event pass from our General Information stand outside the , or from one of our Information Hubs tents.

Each pass contains a QR code linking to this page, plus a £5 voucher to spend in one of our food and drink outlets across campus.

You don’t need to register on arrival, as attendance will be recorded at your pre-booked subject activities.

Where should I go for my subject activities?

This information will be provided in the online itinerary for your subject activities, linked from your invitation email.

Please look out for this email, and check your spam folder if necessary. If you lose this information, head to our General Information stand outside the  where event staff will be able to assist you.

Where should I go if I’m late?

If you are running late for your subject activities, head to our General Information stand outside the , where event staff will be able to assist you.

Where can we eat and drink on campus?

A number of catering outlets will be open across campus for the offer holder day, including several outlets in our Students’ Union, and some at our Endcliffe accommodation site. Further details are available in our offer holder day guide

All of our campus outlets are now cashless, but there are nearby cafes and convenience stores which may take cash.

All offer holders will also receive a £5 tear-off voucher in their printed event pass, which can be spent in one of our catering outlets open across campus.

Are quiet spaces and prayer rooms available?

Dedicated quiet spaces and prayer room facilities are available in several key buildings on the day of the event. If you need help finding your way around, please feel free to ask our staff at the Information Hubs.

What should I wear?

Our central campus is approximately one mile across, and so we recommend wearing comfortable footwear and suitable clothing including waterproofs in case of rain, as most visitors will be walking between different locations for talks, tours and other activities.

Are there places to stay overnight close to the University campus?

There are a number of hotels and B&Bs in Sheffield. Visit the website for more information.

How can I prepare for the offer holder day?

We recommend looking through our online offer holder day guide to begin planning your day.