---
title: "Run ticketing for a university or campus event | Ticket Fairy Guides"
description: "Sell a student ticket that only students can unlock, ask each student for their student number, approve their orders before tickets go out, ask for photo ID at the door, take applications from societies and stallholders, and credit each society rep with the tickets they sell."
canonical: "https://www.ticketfairy.com/guides/run-a-university-or-campus-event"
---

1. [Ticket Fairy](https://www.ticketfairy.com/)
2. [Guides](https://www.ticketfairy.com/guides)
3. Run ticketing for a university or campus event

Playbooks by event type

# Run ticketing for a university or campus event

Students' unions, societies and university events teams sell a cheaper ticket to students and a full-price one to everyone else, and need to know that each student ticket went to a student. You can check every student order before it is confirmed, and see which society rep sold the most tickets for your ball, freshers' night or careers day.

Takes:  20 minutes

- [Start from the template closest to your event](#step-1)
- [Add a student ticket](#step-2)
- [Let only students unlock the student ticket](#step-3)
- [Ask each student for their student number](#step-4)
- [Hold every student order for your approval](#step-5)
- [Check the student number on each waiting order](#step-6)
- [Approve the orders that check out](#step-7)
- [Ask everyone to bring photo ID](#step-8)
- [Take applications from societies and stallholders](#step-9)
- [Invite each society rep as a Promoter](#step-10)
- [Send each rep their link when you publish](#step-11)
- [Get the students on the door ready](#step-12)

## Before you start

- You're an owner or admin on the event, or on the brand that runs it. You can create the event, its tickets, its checkout questions and its access codes, and approve orders.
- You know your student and standard prices, how many student tickets you can sell and what you accept as proof that a buyer is a student.
- You have the email address of each society rep who sells tickets for you and of each student running the door.

1. ## Start from the template closest to your event

   Select **Create Event** and choose where to start.

   - **Club show**: Early bird, advance and door tickets with door and last-entry times, for a student night or a ball.
   - **Conference**: Named Standard and Early bird tickets, for a careers day, a talk or a lecture series.
   - **Start from scratch**: An empty event for anything the templates do not fit, such as a society trip.

   [Create an event](https://www.ticketfairy.com/guides/create-an-event)

   ![Event template gallery with the Club show and Conference templates for a campus event](https://www.ticketfairy.com/embeds/posters/marketing-event-templates--gallery.png)    
   *Create Event, template gallery.*
2. ## Add a student ticket

   Add a ticket type named Student to the template's ticket list, with your student price and the number of student places, before you select **Use this template**. On the **Conference** template, **Add a student ticket** adds a discounted Student ticket for you.

   **Note:** For an event you have already created, add the Student ticket type on **Tickets** instead, with its own allocation, so you never sell more student and full-price tickets together than the room holds.

   [Set up ticket types](https://www.ticketfairy.com/guides/set-up-ticket-types)

   ![The Conference template with the Add a student ticket switch and the ticket list](https://www.ticketfairy.com/embeds/posters/marketing-event-templates--conference.png)    
   *Create Event, Conference template.*
3. ## Let only students unlock the student ticket

   On the Student ticket, turn on **Hidden** and choose **Always hidden**, then attach it with no discount to an access code under **Promotions**. The Student ticket then appears only to a buyer who enters the code, which you share through your union, society and course channels.

   **Note:** Anyone with the code can buy the ticket, so you confirm each buyer is a student when you approve their order in the next steps.

   [Unlock hidden tickets with an access code](https://www.ticketfairy.com/guides/unlock-hidden-tickets-with-an-access-code)

   ![Ticket type with Hidden turned on and Always hidden chosen for a student ticket](https://www.ticketfairy.com/embeds/posters/marketing-tickets--hidden-until-access-code.png)    
   *Event, Tickets, ticket type, Hidden.*
4. ## Ask each student for their student number

   Open **Settings** on the event, select **Create Custom Field** and choose **Order** under **Append to**, with a label such as Student number (Student tickets only). You then see the buyer's answer in each order's details.

   **Note:** The question appears on every order, because you can't limit a custom field to one ticket type. Leave **Required** off, so a buyer of full-price tickets can skip it.

   [Add custom questions to your event checkout](https://www.ticketfairy.com/guides/add-custom-checkout-questions)

   ![The Create Custom Field dialog for a student number question at checkout](https://www.ticketfairy.com/embeds/posters/marketing-checkout-customisation--custom-field-create.png)    
   *Event, Settings, Custom Fields, Create Custom Field.*
5. ## Hold every student order for your approval

   On the Student ticket, turn on **Require order approval for this ticket type** and **Hold payment until approved**, then save the ticket. An order with a Student ticket then waits for your decision, while full-price orders go through as normal.

   **Note:** With **Hold payment until approved** on, we reserve the amount at checkout if the buyer's payment method supports it, and collect it only when you approve.

   [Approve orders before buyers receive tickets](https://www.ticketfairy.com/guides/approve-orders-before-buyers-receive-tickets)

   ![Ticket type with Require order approval and Hold payment until approved turned on](https://www.ticketfairy.com/embeds/posters/marketing-tickets--ticket-type-order-approval.png)    
   *Event, Tickets, ticket type, order approval.*
6. ## Check the student number on each waiting order

   Open **Orders**, select **Needs Approval** and select **View** on an order. The student number is in the order's contact details, beside the buyer's name and email address.

   **Note:** Check the numbers against your own membership or student list before the payment hold on the order expires. Each order has one number, so the ID check at the door is how you check each Student ticket holder.

   ![The Needs Approval tab with two student orders waiting and the Approve and Decline actions](https://www.ticketfairy.com/embeds/posters/marketing-orders--needs-approval.png)    
   *Event, Orders, Needs Approval.*
7. ## Approve the orders that check out

   Select **...** on the order, then **Approve**, and confirm **Approve**. We collect a held payment and issue the student's tickets.

   **Note:** Select **Decline** instead if a number doesn't check out. That closes the whole order.

   ![The Approve Order confirmation for a student order](https://www.ticketfairy.com/embeds/posters/marketing-orders--approve-pending.png)    
   *Event, Orders, Needs Approval, Approve.*
8. ## Ask everyone to bring photo ID

   On **Tickets**, open **Settings**, select **Settings** under **Anti-Scalping/Fraud Settings**, then turn on **Names required** and **ID required**. Each ticket then has its holder's name, and the confirmation email asks every buyer to bring a valid photo ID with their tickets.

   **Note:** Your door team compares the name on the ticket with the student card or other ID in front of them.

   [How do you keep touts and bots off your tickets?](https://www.ticketfairy.com/guides/keep-touts-off-your-tickets)

   ![The Anti-Scalping/Fraud Settings with Names required and ID required for a campus event](https://www.ticketfairy.com/embeds/posters/marketing-event-settings--anti-scalping.png)    
   *Tickets, Settings, Anti-Scalping/Fraud Settings.*
9. ## Take applications from societies and stallholders

   Optional: Open **Forms** and select **Add New Form**, or **Create Form** once the event has forms, for the societies, performers or stallholders who want a place at your event. You read every application in one list and accept or decline each one.

   [Build an application or sign-up form for your event](https://www.ticketfairy.com/guides/take-applications-with-a-form)

   ![The Custom Form list with two application forms and their addresses](https://www.ticketfairy.com/embeds/posters/marketing-custom-forms--forms.png)    
   *Event, Forms.*
10. ## Invite each society rep as a Promoter

    On the Team page of the event, select **Add Team Member**, enter each rep's email address and choose **Promoter**. Each rep gets a promoter link of their own, and the tickets sold through it are credited to them.

    **Note:** Event-team access covers only this event, so next term's event starts with a clean list.

    [Invite your team to your events and choose what each person can do](https://www.ticketfairy.com/guides/invite-your-team)

    ![The Add Team Member dialog on an event with the Promoter permission level chosen for a society rep](https://www.ticketfairy.com/embeds/posters/marketing-promoter-links--invite-event-promoter.png)    
    *Event, Team, Add Team Member.*
11. ## Send each rep their link when you publish

    When you publish the event, tick **Send Promoter Links** under **Promoters**, and each rep gets an email with their own link. **Sales by Promoter** then shows which society sold the most.

    **Note:** If you schedule the publish, promoter links aren't sent, so send them separately.

    [See which team members sell your tickets](https://www.ticketfairy.com/guides/see-which-team-members-sell-your-tickets)

    ![The Promoters section with Send Promoter Links ticked and each rep's link](https://www.ticketfairy.com/embeds/posters/marketing-event-publish--promoter-links.png)    
    *Event, Publish, Promoters.*
12. ## Get the students on the door ready

    Invite the students running the door to the event as **Door Staff**, so each of them scans tickets with the Entry Fairy app on their own phone. The door team guide takes you from their logins through the guest list to a test scan before the doors open.

    [Prepare your door team for event day](https://www.ticketfairy.com/guides/prepare-your-door-team)

## Or have it done for you

Fai, your AI teammate, can check sales, update your event or change a ticket when you ask.

Fai can build the event from a template with a student ticket, hide that ticket behind a no-discount access code, add the student number question, turn on order approval and ID at the door, approve or decline a waiting order, invite your society reps and door team, and read the applications on your forms. She shows you each change and asks you to approve it before she makes it, and asks again before she approves or declines an order.

### In your dashboard, with Fai

```
Help me set up <EVENT NAME> on <DATE> for our students' union; ask me about the student and standard prices, how many student tickets there are, the access code for students, the student number question and whether I approve each student order, then show me the proposed setup before changing anything
```

## From your terminal

Install the CLI from [our CLI page](https://www.ticketfairy.com/cli), sign in with `ticketfairy auth login`, and choose the brand you are working on with `ticketfairy brand use <BRAND_ID>`. `ticketfairy brand list` and `ticketfairy event list` show the IDs the other commands use.

Use the CLI to create the hidden student ticket and the standard ticket, publish the event and read arrivals. Set up the access code, the student number question, order approval, the ID setting, forms and team invitations in the dashboard or with Fai.

### Create a Student ticket that never shows on your public event page until a buyer enters its access code.

```
ticketfairy ticket create <EVENT_ID> --name "Student" --price 8 --max-inventory 400 --hidden --hiding-option always_hidden
```

### Create the full-price ticket.

```
ticketfairy ticket create <EVENT_ID> --name "Standard" --price 20 --max-inventory 200
```

### Publish the event.

```
ticketfairy event publish <EVENT_ID>
```

### Read arrivals for each ticket type on the night.

```
ticketfairy checkin status <EVENT_ID> --breakdown ticket-types --output json
```

## Questions you might have

**How do I keep the student ticket for students only?**

 Hide the Student ticket behind an access code that you share only with students, ask for a student number at checkout, and require approval for the Student ticket. You then approve each student order after checking the number, and a buyer whose number does not check out gets no ticket.

**Is a student charged while I check their order?**

 With Hold payment until approved on, we reserve the amount at checkout if the payment method supports it, and collect it only when you approve. With other payment methods, the student is charged at checkout and refunded if you decline the order.

**Can a society sell tickets without a login to our dashboard?**

 A rep you invite as a Promoter gets a login that shows only their own link and sales, not your whole event. To let a society hand out a fixed number of free tickets without a login, give them a delegation instead, which works from a link you send them.

**Can I run a free event that students register for?**

 Yes. Set the Student ticket's price to zero, and keep the access code and approval if the places are for students only. The Freefund RSVP template adds a refundable deposit that students earn back at check-in, for a free event where no-shows are a problem.

**How do I see which society sold the most tickets across the year?**

 Open Promoters on your brand. It adds up every rep's visits, tickets and revenue across all your events, and you can narrow it to a period or to specific events.

## Still have a question?

Book a demo and we will answer it on a call, on your kind of event. Or create your account and see it for yourself.

   [Book a demo](https://www.ticketfairy.com/event-ticketing/book-a-demo) [Create a free account](https://manage.ticketfairy.com/welcome)

No setup fees. No monthly fee. No credit card required.

## Related guides

- [More ways to use Ticket Fairy](https://www.ticketfairy.com/solutions/university-and-campus-events)
- [Unlock hidden tickets with an access code](https://www.ticketfairy.com/guides/unlock-hidden-tickets-with-an-access-code)
- [Approve orders before buyers receive tickets](https://www.ticketfairy.com/guides/approve-orders-before-buyers-receive-tickets)
- [Add custom questions to your event checkout](https://www.ticketfairy.com/guides/add-custom-checkout-questions)
- [Build an application or sign-up form for your event](https://www.ticketfairy.com/guides/take-applications-with-a-form)
- [See which team members sell your tickets](https://www.ticketfairy.com/guides/see-which-team-members-sell-your-tickets)
- [Prepare your door team for event day](https://www.ticketfairy.com/guides/prepare-your-door-team)
- [Use Freefund to reduce no-shows at free and RSVP events](https://www.ticketfairy.com/guides/reduce-no-shows-at-free-rsvp-events)
- [Run a conference on Ticket Fairy](https://www.ticketfairy.com/guides/run-a-conference)
- [Every Ticket Fairy guide](https://www.ticketfairy.com/guides)

## Do this on your own event

Create your account, build your event and follow the steps in your own dashboard. You do not need to book a sales call.

  [Create a free account](https://manage.ticketfairy.com/welcome) [Book a demo](https://www.ticketfairy.com/event-ticketing/book-a-demo)

## Sell tickets with Ticket Fairy

Start free with unlimited events and no monthly fee, and choose a paid plan when you need more.

- Set up your event in minutes
- Free events are free
- Fai, your AI teammate, is built in

 [Create a free account](https://manage.ticketfairy.com/welcome)

No setup fees. No monthly fee. No credit card required.

## See it on a call

Book a demo and we will show you how Ticket Fairy handles your kind of event.

 [Book a demo](https://www.ticketfairy.com/event-ticketing/book-a-demo) [More ways to use Ticket Fairy](https://www.ticketfairy.com/solutions/university-and-campus-events)

### Tips for selling more tickets

Practical advice from working event organizers, and every new guide as it is published.

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---

This page is on Ticket Fairy, a ticketing, marketing and operations platform for live events and the venues that host them: festivals, club nights, concerts, conferences and tours, and night clubs, beach clubs and concert venues. It grows revenue with fan rewards that turn an audience into a sales channel, and runs the money side with payments and payouts, Vault business banking, and working capital advanced against ticket sales. [How Ticket Fairy ticketing works](https://www.ticketfairy.com/event-ticketing) · [Ticket Fairy for AI assistants](https://www.ticketfairy.com/llms.txt)