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How do I join a club or society?

All club and society memberships can be purchased on our clubs and societies directory .

If you are under 18 years of age, you will need to request membership of specific clubs and societies here, in order to purchase your membership.

If you are not a UCL student, you can still apply to become an associate or visiting member of Students' Union UCL. You can find everything you need to know about this here.

Do I need previous experience to join?

Every club and society is open to all UCL students, and you are welcome to join regardless of any previous experience. Lots of clubs and societies will work with trained coaches and instructors to help members of all abilities and levels.

How is my membership fee used?

The money you pay for your membership goes directly to the club or society that you join, and contributes to their overall activities.

The amount you pay is set by the club or society each year, and varies depending on the type of activities they provide.

What should I expect as a member?

Every club or society is different. As a minimum, each must provide its members with at least two events per term, but most provide much more than this.

You can find out more about what each club or society has to offer by looking at this page on this directory, or checking the What's On Calendar.

Once I've joined, what should I do next?

Get involved with the club or society - attend their events and make sure you're getting your money's worth!

Hold the committee to account - make sure they are running your club or society in a clear and transparent way and are keeping you regularly informed about their events and activities.

When and where do groups meet?

Most clubs and societies meet once a week for training, rehearsals or their regular meeting, but they all set their own times. There are a few ways to find out where they meet:

Come along to our Welcome Fair (October) and meet the existing members of the group.

Have a look at the group's page on our directory, which should direct you to their website or social media pages, which will have all the information you need about their meetings, as well as contact details if you still have questions.

Get in touch with the Student Activities Reception - they can help you find out when and where clubs and societies are meeting.

How much commitment do I need to put in?

Your involvement in the club or society is completely up to you. You can attend as few or as many events as you wish, though some sports clubs or arts societies may need more dedication, if you are part of a competitive team playing matches, or a production with regular rehearsals, for example.

If it's not the right fit for me, can I get a refund?

Sometimes things don't go to plan, and you might find that you no longer have the time to take part in a club or society, or you may find that events don't fit with your schedule. We're happy to support with offering refunds for club/society memberships if this is the case. 

In the first instance, please contact the club or society president to discuss further. It may be that the group is able to offer you further information, or has alternative events coming up which you can get involved with. 

If you decide you would like to go ahead and request a refund, please submit our online Refund Request Form.

We will then contact the club/society on your behalf, and refund requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Once approved, the Union Finance Team will pay the refund directly to the bank account you purchased membership/ticket with.

What is the Student Activities Reception?

The Student Activities Reception is your first point of contact for all club and society enquiries.

Location: 2nd Floor, Bloomsbury Theatre Building (15 Gordon Street)

Contact: [email protected] / 020 7679 723

Opening hours:

Monday - Friday: 10:00 - 21:00

Saturday: 11:00 - 19:00

Our reception is open during term time only.

Can non-UCL students join a club or society?

UCL alumni, UCL staff, and higher education students from outside of the university are all elible to apply for Visiting & Associate Membership. Visit this page for more information.

Question not answered here? Get in touch with us at [email protected].