"Uconn virtual tour" was a BREAKOUT query on Google Trends this month — a signal that interest in virtual tours for educational institutions is at an all-time high. Schools, colleges, and universities around the world are using virtual tours to attract students, showcase facilities, and remove geographic barriers to enrolment. Here's the complete guide.
Why Educational Institutions Need Virtual Tours
Prospective students increasingly research schools online before visiting in person — or instead of visiting at all. A compelling campus virtual tour can be the deciding factor for a remote applicant choosing between two equally ranked institutions. Universities that publish virtual tours report 30–50% higher open day registrations from out-of-state and international students.
What to Capture in a School or University Virtual Tour
For a complete campus virtual tour, capture: main entrance and reception, lecture halls and classrooms, laboratories and specialist facilities, student common areas and cafeteria, library, sports facilities and gym, student accommodation, outdoor areas and gardens, and the surrounding neighbourhood.
How to Create a School Virtual Tour with Travvir
Plan Your Route
Map out the logical flow of a prospective student's visit: entrance → reception → academic spaces → social spaces → accommodation. Capturing in this order makes the tour intuitive to navigate.
Capture Each Space
Use the Travvir app to capture 360° photos of each area. For large spaces like lecture theatres, capture from multiple positions to give viewers a full sense of scale. For smaller spaces like labs, a single central capture is sufficient.
Add Information Hotspots
Travvir lets you add text hotspots with facility information — class sizes, equipment specs, opening hours, and links to enrolment pages. These information layers transform a visual tour into an interactive prospectus.
Embed on Your Admissions Page
Embed the finished tour directly on your admissions or "Visit Us" page. Add a clear CTA ("Book an Open Day" or "Apply Now") near the tour to capitalise on the high engagement these tours generate.
Benefits for Student Recruitment
Virtual tours reduce the cost per enrolled student by removing the need for expensive open days for remote applicants. International students — who cannot visit in person — rely almost entirely on digital resources. A high-quality campus virtual tour is one of the most cost-effective recruitment tools available.
