Extending the Open Day: Virtual Tours for Universities
An open day that runs all year, in every time zone.
Industry Playbooks · 6 August 2026 · 2 min read
Written by the Biztour team - Google Trusted Photographers since 2013.
International recruitment is where a university tour earns its keep. A student in Lagos or Kuala Lumpur is choosing between institutions they will never visit before accepting an offer, and the campus they can actually walk is the one that feels real.
We filmed Covid-19 research facilities at UCL and the University of Birmingham for the Government's Science Is GREAT campaign, and photographed St Mary's University Twickenham, so working around teaching timetables and research protocols is familiar territory.
- Recruits international applicants who genuinely cannot visit before accepting an offer
- Shows halls, labs and libraries honestly, the things prospectuses gloss over
- Runs an open day permanently, not twice a year
- Supports clearing, when decisions are made in hours, not weeks
What applicants and parents actually want to see
Prospectuses show the university at its most flattering. Applicants and parents want the things it glosses over: what the halls actually look like day to day, how far the library really is from the accommodation, whether the labs look modern or dated. A tour answers all of it honestly, at any hour, in any time zone, which matters enormously for an applicant deciding from another continent.
Clearing is where it works hardest
Clearing decisions happen in hours, not weeks, often with a student and their family sat around a kitchen table trying to choose between offers they've never seen in person. A student who can immediately walk your accommodation and campus is far more likely to accept your offer over one from an institution they can only picture from a prospectus photo.
Phased capture, building by building
Most universities capture the campus in phases, building by building or faculty by faculty, which spreads the cost across budget years and keeps disruption to teaching low. Campuses typically need our Large tier at £950 or the XL rate of £300 per additional 10 scenes, quoted as one project across the phases.
Questions people ask
Can we capture the campus in phases?
Yes, and most universities do. Each building or faculty is a phase, which spreads cost across budget years and keeps disruption low.
Is a tour useful during clearing?
Very. Clearing decisions happen in hours, and a student who can walk your accommodation and campus immediately is far more likely to accept.
How much does a university tour cost?
From £950 for up to 30 scenes, with additional scenes at £300 per 10. Phased campus captures are quoted as one project. All prices are plus VAT.
What universities clients book
The services your kind of space actually books. Combining them in one visit costs less than separate shoots.
Also on the menu: Google Virtual Tours · Matterport Virtual Tours · Property Virtual Tours · Bespoke Virtual Tours · Google Street View Mapping · Interior Photography · Exterior Photography · Property Photography · Event Photography · Industrial Photography · Drone and Aerial Photography · Lifestyle Photography · Video Production — all shootable in the same visit.
Trusted by
Ready to open your doors 24/7?
Our prices start at £435 and are based on your specific requirements. We endeavour to respond to all form submissions and email enquiries within 15 minutes.
5-star rated on Google
