Taster Day vs Open Day: What’s the Difference

Choosing where to study is a huge decision. This is why some universities and Higher Education Providers offer taster days as well as open days - to help you make the right choice.

They might appear similar, but taster days are designed to give you very different insights. Understanding the difference can make your decision-making process clearer, more instinctive and a lot less overwhelming.

WHAT IS A TASTER DAY?

At Escape Studios, instead of touring the whole campus like an open day, you’ll sit in our studio-style classrooms for a taught session in your chosen discipline. You’ll follow a tutor as they demonstrate the industry-standard software used on our courses – giving you a real taste of student life at Escape and helping you decide if the subject is right for you.

Taster days are especially helpful if you:

• are torn between more than one subject
• want a hands-on feel for what the subject involves
• are looking for a realistic preview of day-to-day academic life.

WHAT SUBJECTS CAN I TRY AT A TASTER DAY?

Escape Studios taster days offer sessions covering 3D modelling and animation, drawing and 2D animation, game art and level design in Unreal Engine, and more. Our taster days are based on our undergraduate degree courses in the following subjects:

• BA Hons Immersive Media
• BA Hons Comics and Visual Storytelling
• BA Hons Concept Art and Experience Design
• BSc Hons Programming for Games and VFX
• BA Hons Motion Graphics
• BSc Video Games Design
• BSc Technical Art for Games and VFX
• BSc Character Creation for Animation, Games and VFX
• BA The Art of Video Games
• BA Hons The Art of Computer Animation 2D
• BA Hons The Art of Computer Animation 3D
• BA Hons The Art of Visual Effects

HOW DOES THIS DIFFER FROM AN OPEN DAY?

Our open days are larger, campus-wide events that give future applicants a sense of the institution, while taster days offer a more intimate, hands-on experience of the specific subject you want to study. At an open day, you can meet tutors, admissions staff and current students, and join multiple talks to learn about student life. At a taster day, you don’t just hear about the experience – you live it.

Family members and carers are welcome at open days so they can see where you’ll be studying, but taster days are studio-based sessions designed solely for prospective applicants.

SHOULD I ATTEND BOTH AN OPEN DAY AND TASTER DAY?

Absolutely!

Attending both an open day and taster day can give you a complete picture of your future studies. An open day helps you understand the institution as a whole and is the best time for you to ask all your questions. A taster day, on the other hand, lets you experience real teaching and get a sense of what studying that particular subject is actually like. Together, they help you make a confident and informed decision about both the university and the course.