College Day FAQ
What is USA College Day?
USA College Day offers students and parents the unique opportunity to meet with representatives from US universities in London. Held annually for more than 45 years, USA College Day is the largest American university fair in the UK and attracts more than 120 university exhibitors.
Where will this year's event be held? How do I get there?
College Day is held at the ILEC Conference Centre (47 Lillie Road, London, SW6 1UD) located in Central London. It is easily accessible via London's public transport network and is located less than a five-minute walk from West Brompton station. For travel within Central London, please see Transport for London’s journey planner.
If you are unable to travel by public transport, ILEC Conference Centre has a car park on site. The standard rates are posted here, but attendees can speak to the staff at reception for a discounted rate.
Which universities will be exhibiting at College Day this year?
You can see all of the universities that attended College Day 2023, in our College Day university search or view them (with a brief description) on our interactive map.
How should I prepare for the event?
To get the most out of College Day, you should spend time before the day reviewing our Study in the US undergraduate pages.
Do I need to bring anything with me?
You may also wish to bring a notebook and pen. Note that security bag searches will be in effect and large bags and luggage will not be allowed in the venue. You can review our security policy here.
When should I arrive?
We recommend arriving around 30 minutes before your slot and you will wait outside the venue to enter. This time can be used to read through the event programme and plan your time in the fair.
If you miss your entry time on the day of the event, you can queue for day-of registrations. However, you will only be granted entry if capacity allows and entry is not guaranteed, so you should arrive promptly for the time on your ticket.
Is the venue wheelchair accessible?
Yes. If you would like to discuss specific access needs, please email advising@fulbright.org.uk.
I can't attend the event. What should I do?
If you cannot attend, please check the extensive advice on our Study in the USA webpages. We host a variety of webinars and seminars throughout the year - all upcoming events are posted on our events page.
I am a student/parent/adviser interested in attending College Day. Do I need to register in advance?
Yes! To receive free entry to College Day, each person in your party must register on Eventbrite. If you are a teacher/adviser registering a school group, please be aware that all students will be required to register in advance of the event. Please have each student register for the time slot when your group is arriving. If you are absolutely unable to have students register in advance, your students will need to register on the way to the venue, which they can do directly on their mobile phones. You will need to email us at collegeday@fulbright.org.uk to estimate the number in your party and receive instructions on how students can register before the event.
How much does it cost to attend?
College Day is free if you pre-register.
How many tickets should I register for?
Each individual person in your party will need to register on Eventbrite. If you do not register, you will not be admitted to the event. If you are a teacher/adviser registering a school group, please see the instructions above. Please do not submit multiple registrations under your name in Eventbrite.
Can I register to attend on Saturday and on Sunday? Is there a difference between the Saturday and Sunday sessions?
You should only select ONE entry time into the fair, on either Saturday or Sunday. Because College Day has sold out in previous years, we have extended the event to cover both Saturday and Sunday to help ensure all students who are interested in attending have the chance to do so. The even on Saturday will be in the exact same format as the event on Sunday, with the same exhibitors. To accommodate all interested students, your ticket will only allow you entry to the fair for your two designated hours. It is important that you select your timed entry intentionally.
I would like to stay for longer than two hours - can I register for multiple time slots?
In order to make sure everyone who wants to attend can, your ticket will only allow you entry to the fair for two hours. Previous attendees reported that two hours was more than enough time to speak to all of the exhibitor they wanted to. To make the most of your time at College Day, you should arrive promptly for your entry tome and be as prepared as possible.
I understand that I should only register for one entry time slot, but what will happen if I register for more than one entry slot?
If you register for more than one entry slot, we will notify you by email that you have done so, and will ask you which time slot you would prefer. We will then cancel the other ticket so other students will have the opportunity to attend. If you do not respond to our email withing 48 hours, we will cancel one of your tickets and notify you which one is still valid.
I am interested in postgraduate study in the US. Should I attend College Day?
College Day is predominantly an undergraduate study in the US fair. As university representatives are usually undergraduate admissions officers and recent alumni, they may be unable to answer specific questions that you have about postgraduate study or the postgraduate admissions process.
The Fulbright Commission hosts PostgradUSA seminars throughout the year. These seminars are tailored to postgraduate study in the US and covers application components, admissions exams, choosing the right programme and funding opportunities, including the Fulbright postgraduate scholarships. Please check our website for more information on upcoming PostgradUSA seminars or sign-up to be notified for upcoming events.
Security Policy
The security of everyone attending College Day is our top priority. To make sure your visit to the fair is as safe as possible, enhanced security procedures will be in place.
We will have security staff in place both inside and outside of the venue. They will assist our staff and volunteers in making sure that there is proper flow through the venue. As you are attending College Day, we expect you to follow their directions and failure to do so may result in you being expelled from the fair.
Bag searches
A strict bag search policy will be in effect. Luggage and oversized bags (larger than 30cm x 30cm x 15cm) will not be allowed inside the venue. There is also no place to store luggage at the ILEC Conference Centre or the adjoining Ibis Hotel, so we strongly suggest that you leave all oversized bags at home. If you need to store a bag nearby, you can use services such as CityStasher or Luggage Hero.
At the discretion of our security team, any bag may be subject to security searches.
Fire safety
In the unlikely event of a fire or other emergency while attending College Day, follow the direction of our security team, as well as Fulbright staff and volunteers, who will be wearing bright red shirts.
Seminar sessions at USA College Day
We are running free sessions throughout USA College Day to build out your knowledge of the US admissions process.
Delivered by university representatives and Fulbright Commission staff, these seminar sessions will cover a variety of topics, from finding your best fit university to funding US study, and from becoming a student athlete to writing a US admissions essay.
If you have a more general question about applying to US universities, be sure to visit the Advising Zone where staff will be on hand to answer questions about a variety of US admissions topics.
2023 Programme and floor plan
You can view this year's event programme and floor plan below. Hard copies will be distributed at the event.
- Event programme
- Floor plan
You can also view a list of exhibitors and their details here: Who will be at USA College Day 2023?
Other US study events
We are running a webinar specifically for people who have registered to attend College Day. Make the most of the event by learning more about the American university admissions process beforehand, including choosing, funding and applying. Registration required - find out more here.
EducationUSA runs free events throughout the year designed to help UK students, parents and teachers learn more about the US admissions process. Attend one of our regular Study in the USA seminars to find out how to choose where to apply, what the application process and admissions tests looks like and how funding works, or sign up for our webinars on general US study or specific admissions topics such as sports scholarships and community colleges.
JetBlue
College Day is proudly supported by:
Discover the JetBlue Experience
Now flying daily from London to Boston and New York
Our airline partner has fantastic options for students and their families to travel to the United States. Check out their student-friendly offers here.
Volunteering
We love to invite local UK students, study abroad students, alumni, and local teachers or parents to volunteer at USA College Day. If you are interested in helping out at the event, please sign up here. We will be in touch in August to confirm your availability and assign roles!