Prepare a campus tour route as a student ambassador

Confirm the tour's audience and purpose

Ask who is attending, how long the tour should last and which stops the programme expects you to cover. A prospective-student tour may have different priorities from a visit for supporters or school groups. Confirm the meeting point, group handover and person responsible before and after your tour. Read the current briefing instead of copying a route from a previous event. If your role includes participants who require specific supervision arrangements, follow the programme's training and staff instructions. The ambassador task is part of an organised visit, so responsibilities should be clear before the first visitor joins your group.

Rehearse the approved route as a guide

Walk the route with the tour's stopping points in mind. Check where the group can stand without blocking entrances, pavements or other activities. Allow time for the whole group to arrive before speaking, rather than measuring only your own walking time. Ask the programme team about temporary works, closed buildings and any required accessible route. Do not add a controlled building simply because your student card opens it. Note where the tour can be shortened under the team's guidance if it runs late. A simple route sheet on a clipboard may help during preparation, but familiarity comes from following the actual sequence.

Separate confirmed facts from personal examples

Use the university's current information for facilities, services, courses and visitor questions that require an official answer. When sharing your experience, make clear that it is your own example and may differ for other students. Do not generalise from your accommodation, course or society to everyone at the institution. Prepare a response for questions you cannot answer, including where visitors can find the relevant staff or official resource. It is more useful to direct someone accurately than to guess a fee, admissions requirement or service arrangement. Ask the programme team which topics should always be referred to staff.

Keep the group informed during transitions

Introduce yourself, explain the route and tell visitors how to ask a question or raise a practical need. At each stop, choose the agreed position and make sure people can hear or access the information through the arranged format. Before moving, say where the next stop is and check the group is ready. Follow the programme's procedure if someone becomes separated or cannot continue the route. Avoid walking backwards while speaking or improvising shortcuts to recover time. The tour should give visitors enough attention to understand the campus, rather than requiring them to keep up with a guide who is focused only on finishing the script.

Finish at the agreed handover point

Return the group to the stated place and explain the next part of their visit. Direct unanswered questions to the appropriate staff rather than leaving visitors with an informal promise of information later. Return any programme materials and report a route problem or recurring question to the coordinator. Afterward, update your preparation notes using the team's guidance, especially where a stop took longer than expected or a fact needed clarification. Do not retain visitor personal details outside the approved process. A successful tour gives people an accurate sense of the campus and a clear route to the information your role cannot provide.

Your next steps

• Confirm the audience, route, duration and handover responsibilities.
• Rehearse stopping places and current access arrangements.
• Use official facts and clearly label personal examples.
• Finish with a clear handover and referral for unanswered questions.

Keep planning

• Prepare for an employer insight visit away from campus
• Carry your laptop to campus through rain
• Open journal articles through your university when studying off campus
• Connect to eduroam before your first lecture