Opportunities in and near Aberdeen

Visit the University of Aberdeen’s Sir Duncan Rice Library, Cruickshank Botanic Garden and Zoology Museum as part of Doors Open Day. The experience offers a short walk between two iconic buildings and highlights the university’s collections and spaces. The route showcases examples of art, archaeology and the animal world, giving visitors a chance to explore some of the university’s most interesting public-facing locations. It is a brief, self-guided style visit rather than a formal course or workshop.

RGU CADathon 2026 is a student design challenge sponsored by IMechE and Engineer a Career. Hosted at Robert Gordon University, it brings together students interested in engineering, product design, manufacturing, and innovation for a hands-on CAD-based competition. Teams will be given a problem brief on the day and must develop a CAD model of their solution, alongside a presentation explaining their design process and final concept. At the end of the event, teams will present to a panel of judges. The winning team will receive a prize, a certificate from the Dean of Engineering, and recognition on RGU and IMechE social channels. Participants should bring their own device, and food and refreshments will be provided throughout the day.

The University of Dundee Undergraduate Open Day on Saturday 26 September 2026 is an on-campus event designed for prospective undergraduate applicants and their families to explore the campus and university facilities. Visitors can view teaching and social spaces, find out about accommodation, and get a feel for student life at Dundee. Attendees will have opportunities to meet academic staff and current students, ask questions about courses and entry requirements, and learn about student support services. The event runs from 09:00 to 16:00 and will include sessions and activities across campus to help applicants make informed choices about studying at Dundee. Pre-registration is open so that the University can notify interested visitors when full event bookings and the detailed schedule are published. Booking is required once bookings open; pre-registering does not yet reserve a place but ensures you receive updates about the programme and registration details.

UCAS Discovery Moray 2026 is a campus-based open day giving students a hands-on preview of university life at UHI Moray College. Attendees can explore lecture theatres, libraries, student unions and accommodation, and get a feel for campus atmosphere while comparing multiple institutions in one place. The event features academic taster sessions delivered by university lecturers, opportunities to chat with current students about workload and social life, and on-site support from UCAS advisers and qualified careers advisers who can offer guidance on applications and next steps. The event is designed to help students understand what university study involves and to clarify course and institution choices. The event takes place at UHI Moray College, Elgin on Wednesday 9 September 2026, 09:30-15:00. Places are bookable online via the UCAS event registration page (the event page includes a registration link). This event is intended for school students considering higher education and for school groups booked via the UCAS Enet booking portal.

The University of Aberdeen offers campus visits for prospective students to explore its historic campus and learn more about studying at Aberdeen. General campus visits are available on Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons and can be tailored for prospective undergraduate applicants with optional activities such as visiting Aberdeen Sports Village, meeting an academic in your main subject of interest (or arranging a follow-up virtual meeting), meeting an International Officer for international applicants, and viewing Hillhead student accommodation (room viewings subject to availability). Postgraduate applicants are also welcome to book campus visits and will receive a full campus tour with similar optional elements. Medicine-specific visits take place at the Foresterhill campus on Wednesdays at 11:00 between April and October. The page highlights student support and the Access & Articulation Team as sources of further help; contact emails are provided for student.support@abdn.ac.uk and accessaberdeen@abdn.ac.uk. Prospective visitors are instructed to book a campus visit via the university's online booking form (see the "Book A Campus Visit" link).

The University of Dundee runs a programme of open days, online events, taster days and campus tours to help prospective students explore courses and student life. Activities include subject taster sessions (for example Discover Law and S5-S6 taster days), student panels, moots, campus tours and Q&A sessions. Many events are free but often require booking. Events are offered in several formats: in-person open days and campus tours led by staff or student ambassadors, open evenings (including subject-specific evenings such as nursing at Kirkcaldy and Ninewells), and online webinars for postgraduate and undergraduate course information. International drop-in events are also scheduled for prospective students outside the UK. Booking is usually required for in-person tours and many online sessions; some international drop-in sessions do not require booking. The schedule includes single-day taster events and multi-day tour periods throughout March-June 2026, with specific times listed on the University of Dundee events page.

The University of Dundee Undergraduate Open Days invite prospective students to visit the Dundee campus to explore courses, meet staff and current students, and get a feel for student life. The programme includes subject-specific taster events such as ‘Discover Law’ (moots, student panels, campus tour and Q&A) alongside broader S5-S6 Taster Days with interactive sessions and guidance on courses and entry requirements. These events are designed to help school pupils understand academic options and admissions expectations. The page highlights the University’s strong student satisfaction ("first in Scotland for overall satisfaction in 12 subject areas" - National Student Survey 2025) and offers opportunities to ask questions about degrees, course content, and the student experience. Dates and practical info are provided for each event. All open day sessions listed are free to attend but require booking via the University of Dundee website. The events are primarily aimed at S4-S6 school pupils considering progression to undergraduate study.

The University of Dundee is running Undergraduate Open Evenings for prospective students interested in studying nursing. These are in-person, on-campus events where attendees can tour facilities, learn about course content and entry requirements, and meet academic staff and current students to ask questions about student life and placements. Two open evenings are listed: Thursday 26 March 2026 (Kirkcaldy campus) and Tuesday 31 March 2026 (Ninewells campus). Each event runs from 17:00 to 19:00 local time and is free to attend. Booking is required for all sessions. These events are aimed primarily at prospective undergraduate applicants (typically Year 12 and Year 13 students / school leavers) considering nursing at the University of Dundee, but may also be useful for other applicants wanting to learn more about the campuses and courses.

The University of Aberdeen Undergraduate Open Days invite prospective students to visit campus, meet academic staff and current students, and learn about undergraduate courses, admissions, and student life. The 2026 open days are scheduled for Saturday 6 June (Medicine), Tuesday 25 August and Saturday 3 October. Booking for these events will open in late spring 2026. If you wish to visit the campus before these dates, the university suggests booking a campus tour via the Visit page on their website. These events are aimed at prospective undergraduate applicants (school/college students, particularly Year 12 and Year 13 considering university). Attendees will have the opportunity to explore facilities, ask questions about courses and entry requirements, and get a sense of studying and living in Aberdeen.

University of St Andrews undergraduate visiting days are full-day events designed for prospective undergraduate applicants to explore the University, learn about courses, and understand the admissions process. Visitors meet academic staff, current students and central teams to ask questions about course content, student life, scholarships and practical matters such as accommodation and visas. Typical visiting day activity runs from around 9am to 5pm (schedule date-dependent). Activities include registration (recommended between 9am and 11am at Lower College Hall), subject talks (50 minutes; you may attend up to two or three subject talks depending on the event), admissions talks (30 minutes), study-abroad sessions, university town and halls of residence tours, and information stands from sports, admissions and student support teams. Admissions staff are available during the day for one-to-one queries. Bookings open on the dates listed for each event; virtual visiting options and a separate Talk & Tour programme are available for those who cannot attend in person. For accessibility support or to request a BSL interpreter, email admissions.events@st-andrews.ac.uk. International visitors are reminded to check visa/ETA requirements before travel.

Robert Gordon University (RGU) runs weekly Campus Visit events throughout the year for those who cannot attend larger Open Days or who prefer a smaller-scale visit. Visits are led by Student Ambassadors and include a guided tour of the riverside campus, views of key facilities such as the library and RGU SPORT, and opportunities to speak with current students about student life and support services. If you would like to see student accommodation, a student flat at Woolmanhill Student Accommodation Flats is available for viewing; visitors need to make their own way to the accommodation and viewings are carried out by the accommodation team (no separate booking required). If you have mobility requirements, let your guide know on arrival and an alternative route can be taken where needed. Registration is available via the Campus Visits page ('Register now') and queries can be sent to visit@rgu.ac.uk. The programme runs multiple weekday and occasional morning sessions across February-June 2026 as listed on the RGU site.

UHI Perth is holding an on-campus Open Day on Saturday 3 October 2026 from 10:00 to 14:00. The event is aimed at prospective university applicants considering their UCAS choices and courses starting in January and September 2027. Visitors can explore campus facilities and learn about the range of courses available. Attendees can meet academic and support staff, ask questions about courses and entry requirements, and discover student support services to help with studying in 2027. No booking is requiredsimply visit the Academy of Sport and Wellbeing (ASW) building and follow signs from the car park to be guided to relevant departments. If these dates do not suit, prospective students can arrange a one-to-one conversation by emailing pc.marketing.perth@uhi.ac.uk for further enquiries and guidance on UCAS choices.

Smart Futures is a youth programme run by the EY Foundation that combines paid work experience, interactive employability skills training and mentoring for young people in Year 12 (England) or S5 (Scotland). The programme is run with employer partners and is designed to give participants practical insight into different industries and working environments while building transferable skills and confidence.

Participants take part in up to two weeks of employability training and workshops, receive a business mentor who supports them through the programme and beyond, and complete paid work experience placements during school holidays. Programmes are industry-specific in some locations (for example Business & Finance, Tech Futures, STEM Futures, Real Estate Futures, Data/Actuarial streams) but are suitable for young people unsure of their exact career path.

Smart Futures runs across many UK locations (including London, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, Newcastle, Leeds, Liverpool, Bradford, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Reading and Luton) with multiple term-time, February, Easter, spring and summer cohorts. Applications are via an online form and shortlisted applicants are invited to a short telephone interview.

Tune Supply’s online "Dance the Tune" workshop with Nic Gareiss explores the musical potential of percussive step dance. Through imitation, idiomatic ornaments, and extended techniques for shoe sounds and textures, participants learn how to shape rhythm lines that echo melody and create rhythmic counterpoint, while developing listening, responsiveness, and sonic awareness.

The workshop is designed for dancers and interested instrumentalists of all levels. It is taught by ear and recorded for registered students, so you can join live or catch up later. Participants should wear comfortable smooth-soled shoes with a low or no heel to get the most from the session.

Hearing the Archive is an online Tune Supply workshop led by Cleek Schrey that explores how contemporary traditional musicians can learn from historic audio and digitized field recordings. The session focuses on listening deeply to archival sound, identifying what counts as musical information, and translating older styles into present-day playing.

Participants will take part in shared listening, close analysis of specific historic performances, and practical discussion of the technical, technological, and aesthetic challenges of working with archive recordings. The workshop is designed for players of all melody instruments and all levels, and it is presented in a way that welcomes both new and experienced participants.

Attendees receive a curated roadmap of historic performances, a resource guide for finding online traditional music archives, and a framework for turning style, tone, and inflection from old recordings into usable ideas in their own music-making. Registered students also receive the class recording after the session, so they can revisit the material later.

This online Tune Supply workshop focuses on building strong tune sets for traditional music performance and session playing. Participants will explore how to construct consonant sets by paying attention to keys, moods, and the movement from one tune to the next, including both seamless and more dramatic transitions.

The session draws on historic sets as a template, but it is also highly practical and participant-led: learners will work with family favourites and ideas shared in the Zoom room. The workshop is suitable for all melody instruments, and accompanying players may also find useful material for their own playing.

The class is taught by ear and is open to all levels. Registered students receive the recording after the workshop, so it can be useful both for live participation and later review.

This workshop looks at the music of Pádraig O’Keeffe through his manuscript notation and the slides and polkas that have come down through the Sliabh Luachra tradition. It introduces the ideas behind his notation methods and how his bowing directives shape the rhythmic personality of these tune types. Participants will learn a number of tunes from the manuscripts while also gaining context about one of the most influential Irish traditional musicians of the twentieth century. The class combines ear learning with sheet music, and the recording is made available to registered students after the workshop.

This conversational workshop explores the elements that make a beautiful Irish slow air, with an emphasis on listening, discussion, and practical application. Although the class is based around whistle playing, the ideas and techniques are framed so they can be adapted to any musical instrument. Class participation is encouraged throughout, with time for shared reflection and musical exploration. The workshop is taught by ear and includes a recording for registered students, so it can be enjoyed live or revisited later.

This online Tune Supply workshop explores how to build tasteful variations into traditional Irish flute and whistle playing. The session focuses on why tunes often change subtly from one repeat to the next, and how players can use chord structure, rhythmic shifts, and melodic ideas to create variation that still feels authentic and musical.

The workshop goes further into the instrument-specific details that shape variation on flute and whistle, including octave jumps, breathing placement, and characteristic notes such as the hard D and bent C natural. Participants will also look at how these ideas can be applied to specific well-known traditional tunes, making the material practical and directly usable in performance or session settings.

The class is suitable for flute and whistle players at all levels, and it is taught in a combination of ear learning and sheet music support. Registered students receive the class recording immediately after the workshop, so it is designed to work both for live attendance and for later viewing.

This workshop focuses on effective chord shapes and progressions for Irish guitar playing in standard and drop-D tuning. The class is centred on building ease and fluidity in accompaniment, with an emphasis on supporting traditional Irish music and songs. The session is taught by ear and is designed for players who want practical tools they can use straight away in session or performance settings. A class recording is provided to registered students, making it suitable for both live attendance and later practice.