Postgraduate Fairs: What Can They Really Offer You?

The internet is great. I clearly think so, because I’m currently writing a bit of it. You probably agree, because you’re currently reading that bit of it. We’d probably also agree that the internet is a pretty handy way to research postgraduate courses.

But websites aren’t the only place to find out about Masters and PhD study and, believe it or not, we don’t just do websites at FindAMasters and FindAPhD. We also run quite a few postgraduate study fairs and events.

And we think you should definitely consider coming to one.

You’ll be able to meet university staff face-to-face, ask questions, get those questions answered, ask follow-up questions and get them answered too. You’ll also be able to chat to current Masters and PhD students and find out what further study is actually like.

Plus, if you attend an event like Postgrad LIVE, you’ll be able to hear presentations on different aspects of postgraduate study by various speakers – including me, live, in person, with a microphone.

In the meantime, I'll explain what happens at a good postgraduate fair and how you can make the most of the experience.

There’s a reason most postgraduate fairs run in the autumn and winter. This is when most students – like you – are beginning to think about further study.

Fairs are a brilliant way to ‘break through’ your initial knowledge barrier and introduce yourself to the choices and opportunities available at Masters and PhD level:

• You’ll be able to hear talks that introduce different aspects of postgraduate study – and ask questions afterwards.
• You’ll be able to meet lots of different universities – and ask them questions.
• You’ll be able to listen to students talk about their own postgraduate experiences – and ask questions about them.

In a nutshell, you’ll be able to ask a lot of questions. But that means you should come away with a lot of answers (plus some prospectuses and maybe a few neat freebies). From there you’ll be able to narrow down your options and follow-up on any interesting courses you’ve found.

Know what to ask about

The staff at a fair will have a lot of information about their university’s postgraduate opportunities (that’s why they’re there), but they won’t normally be the course tutors or supervisors responsible for specific Masters and PhD programmes.

That doesn’t mean a fair is only useful for students who haven’t chosen a specific course, but it does mean you should think about the kinds of questions you want answered.

You can (and should) use a fair to find out more about a university’s policies, objectives and specialisms:

• What kinds of research is it focussing on?
• What big projects are coming up?
• Which courses and subject areas does it consider to be its specific strengths?
• Are there any new opportunities or facilities you might not know about?

These are important topics even if you’ve already got a fairly clear idea of the course you’d like to study, or the project you’d like to research.

And remember, even if a university representative doesn’t have the exact answer to a more specific question, they may be able to pass on the details of someone who does – or take your email address and put them in touch with you.

A lot goes on at a postgraduate fair. A good event will centre on a busy exhibition space, with stands featuring a wide range of universities (and other organisations). Many will also have a separate talks programme, often featuring some of their exhibitors.

Getting the most out of these different components means knowing that they involve.

The exhibition room

This is the heart of the fair. Here you’ll find representatives from all the universities and groups exhibiting at the event, each of which will have their own stand with staff on hand to talk to you.

A large, specialist, postgraduate event can involve several types of exhibitors:

• Universities – Most exhibitors will represent a single university. They’ll be able to answer general questions about its postgraduate programmes and research opportunities. They may also be able to provide follow-up contacts for more specific enquiries.
• Graduate schools and research departments – These are the ‘units’ within which a university’s advanced courses and training take place. Sometimes they send their own specific representatives to fairs in order to provide more specific information on programmes and funding opportunities.
• Funding bodies – These organisations support researchers – including postgraduate students. Their representatives sometimes attend fairs to help explain and promote their opportunities, or to take part in presentations and talks programmes.
• International portals – Universities from across the world present at postgraduate fairs and they’re sometimes joined by official agencies responsible for attracting and supporting international students. These are the best source of information on Masters and PhD study abroad in their countries.

Staff at all of these stands will be happy to talk to you – it’s what they’re there to do.

The talks room

A good fair will often feature a talks programme running alongside the main exhibition. This gives you a chance to hear presentations and panel discussions featuring experts on postgraduate study. Most cover key topics like funding, application writing and Masters and PhDs in other countries.

It's definitely worth checking out the talks programme if a fair offers one - you may think you know everything you want to know about postgraduate study, but you could be surprised what else you learn. Plus, you'll normally have the chance to ask questions afterwards.

Presentations normally take place in another part of the venue (things could get a bit confusing, otherwise). Different fairs do things differently, but we usually locate our talks rooms near to the exhibition space, with clear signposting.

Individual talks will be designed for specific audiences, with presentations on funding for particular disciplines or advice on different study abroad opportunities. So, unless you’re keeping your options very open, it’s worth identifying which talks you’re interested in. You can then build your visit around these - knowing when you'll have time to spend in the exhibition hall and when you'll want to make your way over to the talks room.

Most talks tend to last around 20 minutes or so, with a little time afterwards for questions – and for setting up the next speaker.

As someone who compères the talks programme at some of our busy events I can tell you it’s very important keep things on track and avoid disappointing anyone later in the day. So, if you do come along to one of our fairs, try to help us out by turning up in good time.

In theory you could spend a day at a study fair walking through the exhibition hall picking up prospectuses and sitting quietly at the back of the talks room.

It wouldn’t be a complete waste of time – you’d still hear some useful presentations and come away with some helpful information. But you'd have missed out on a lot of what postgraduate study event can offer.

Every exhibitor at a fair is there because they want to talk to prospective students – like you! They’ll be very happy to answer your questions. They’ll also be happy to chat about your academic plans and interests more generally – and perhaps suggest something interesting that you haven’t thought of.

And don’t just speak to the universities on your shortlist (if you have one). Take advantage of the chance to chat with other exhibitors and see what they can offer you. After all, learning more about postgraduate study is why you’re there, right?

. . .and don’t be a stranger

Whoever you talk to, don’t let the conversation end there. Grab contact details for the universities you’ve spoken to and get back in touch with them. They’ll be more than happy to hear from you again.

And finally, if you do come along to any events and spot any familiar-looking members of the FindAPhD and FindAMasters team, feel free to say hi!

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