FAQs

Complimentary parking for the day is available at the following locations:

• Education Car Park
• Lot N
• Lot U
• Stadium Car Park
• Varsity Car Park
• Windsor Car Park

Note: ALL other parking lots at the U of A and in surrounding areas, other than the locations listed above, are NOT complimentary and you must pay to park at them.

Open House does not require registration to attend. However, there are perks to doing so:

• Register and then check-in at Open House for a chance to win prizes! 
• Registering provides access to our Open House desktop app, which you can use to browse all opportunities and plan your day. 
• Registering provides quick and easy access to sign up for our guided tours once they become available at 9 a.m. on October 2.

GUIDED TOURS do require registration. Each member of your group must have a ticket.

Half of all guided tour spots are released online at 9 a.m. on October 2 and the other half are released online at 9 a.m. the morning of Open House. Most of our tours sell out, so register early to avoid disappointment.

Presentations and special events do not require registration.

All tours will depart from the Tour Departure Zone in the Butterdome. Please check-in no earlier than 15 minutes before your scheduled tour start time.

We are happy to offer shuttle service to you and your chaperone from Calgary to North Campus on the Red Arrow & Ebus service. Please visit our Calgary Ebus event page for more details and to reserve your spot. Please note, students under 18 years of age must be accompanied by an adult.

Capacity is limited, so reserve your spot early!

Stay close to the action! Lister Centre, which is just steps away from the Butterdome, is offering a special rate of $119 per night for the weekend of Open House. When booking, please ask for the “University of Alberta Open House 2025” rate. Please note: This special rate is subject to availability.

Presentations are 45 minutes long. Walking shuttles are available to each presentation location and depart 15 minutes prior to the presentation start time from the Walking Shuttle Departure Zone on the Butterdome second-level concourse.

Special Events work on a drop-in basis. Guests can come and go anytime between the hours indicated.

Open House is one of the largest events of the year, welcoming over 10,000 guests to campus in one day! Everyone experiences events differently, so we encourage you to choose the time that feels best for you:

• If you’re eager to start exploring the U of A and don’t mind the bustling energy in the Butterdome, don’t hesitate to join us right at 9 AM when the event opens.
• If you prefer a quieter experience, we recommend visiting the Butterdome later in the afternoon. You might enjoy exploring campus, attending presentations and taking part in other events earlier in the day, then wrapping up with a more relaxed visit to the booth fair toward the end of the event.
• You can also rest and recharge from the busyness of the Butterdome in our Calm Room, located by the north entrance of Social Street. 

No matter your pace or preferences, Open House is designed to help you feel welcome and supported every step of the way.

There will be plenty of places to purchase food and drinks on campus:

• Butterdome Concession
• Food Trucks at Celebration Plaza
• HUB Mall
• Lister Dining Hall
• Peter Lougheed Dining Hall
• Students' Union Building (SUB)
• Tim Hortons in CAB and ETLC
• Starbucks in Cameron Library and ECHA

Yes! We will have a variety of prizes!

• Register for Open House before the event and check-in at Open House for a chance to win$1,000 tuition voucher, or one of two ultimate green and gold prize packs of an iPad, Herschel backpack and U of A hoodie.
• Complete the Open House Exit Survey and you could win an ultimate green and gold prize pack of an iPad, Herschel backpack and U of A hoodie.

View contest rules on the Open House webpage.

Contact the team at [email protected]