Student life starts here. We're run by students for students. And we'll help you make the most of UCL.

Whether you're new to our community, or you're just settling into a new term, we've got hundreds of different ways to help you make friends, experience new things, and have fun.

January is the perfect time of year to join a new group, find a volunteering opportunity, make new friends, and be part of a community of people helping make more happen.

From club nights to society events and volunteering opportunities, here's everything you can get involved with this term...

The Take Over Day

If there’s one thing you really won’t want to miss, it’s our Student Takeover Day on Wednesday 17 January in the South Cloisters.

We will have 50 of our societies joining us who you can meet, and sign up for free taster sessions with. Our advice service, representation and democracy team, TeamUCL and our volunteering team and many more will also be there. They'll be able to tell you everything you need to know from money and budgeting advice to how to vote to how to join a club and society to how to get involved with varsity and the leadership race - it's all there!

Make the most of your time at UCL

Whether you're here for one year or seven years, there will be a group for you - to help you feel at home, or spark a new passion or interest.

So make 2024 the year you get involved and try something new.

Try something new

Upgrade that new year's resolution by joining a group, learn a new skill or build new connections. From Dodgeball Club, to Ukrainian Society to Hiking Club, we've got more than 400 student groups who can all help you make the most of your time here.

Find something to do

Did you know that we help host over 6,000 events every year? From society socials, to cultural celebration to nights out and so much more all our events are designed to help you meet people, try new things and have fun.

Check out our what's on calendar to find out what's happening every week and across term.

Get active with us this January

From a great value gym offer, to beginner-friendly, inclusive activities, we'll help you keep moving in a way that works for you.

Move to feel good

Start your year with our great value Bloomsbury Fitness January gym offer - 6 months for just £119.

For beginner-friendly workouts, check out the Project Active 'Learn To' programme of inclusive activities.

We're also launching Men's Health Active this month - a programme of weekly sports, fitness and activity sessions to support your mental wellbeing.

 Eat, drink and shop with us

Our cafes, bars and shops are a little different to high street chains - every penny of profit we make goes back into funding student events and activities.

Our spaces are here for you

Your morning latte, your lunchtime meal deal or your Friday night pizza and pint - we've got all of that and more at our cafes, bars and shops. Our prices are a lot more pocket-friendly than your average coffee shop or central London pub, too.

New for Jan: A whole new menu is coming to George Farha Cafe watch this space for more info soon!

Get support when you need it

We're here to help

University is a big, exciting place. But life isn’t always easy. We’re here to give you support when you need us, care about the things you care about, and fight for you when need someone in your corner. Our job is to make sure you feel supported every day.

We can help you with a range of things, from financial help to academic support, housing and employment.

Got questions?

Here are some answers. But if you're still unsure, we're always available to help you over on our Instagram page @studentsunionucl

What is Students’ Union UCL?

UCL is a huge community, and at the heart of that community is the Students’ Union. We’re here to help you make the most of your time at UCL, we’re the place where more happens. Your route to 400+ clubs and societies, countless volunteering opportunities, events and opportunities to socialise, great places to eat, drink and chill in, an Advice Service when you need it, and if you want to make lasting change at UCL, we can help you do that too. 

We’re led by students, democratically. Students decide what we do and how we do it and 1,000’s of students are elected each year to do just that. Six students even take a year out of their studies each year and get paid to make decisions, influence UCL, and represent you. They’re called Sabbatical Officers.

We’re separate from UCL, which means, whatever happens, we’ve got your back. We’re only ever working for you

How can I make friends?

Come along to our events, join our clubs and societies, chat to people on your course, strike up a conversation in one of our cafes, join a pub quiz or bingo team at our bars, attend a Project Active class... the list is endless. Here's a few ways UCL students met their friends.

What can you help me with?

We can help you do more at UCL, but what does that mean?

Volunteer. We have a team of people here to help you find ways to volunteer (online and in-person) in the local community. An amazing way to discover London, develop skills and give back. Find out more and browse their directory here.

Lead. We support 1,000’s of different student leaders each year. These leaders run the clubs, societies, campaigns and networks that help make our community at UCL truly special. 

Make change. We help students make change at UCL, from small changes on your course to institution-wide changes. Elected Representatives are working all year-round to make your life a UCL better.

Support. When times get tough, we’re here for you. Our Advice Service can support you with academic issues (like complaints), money issues (like debt and budgeting), housing issues (like contract checking) and lots more. We’re here for you.

Where can I hang out on campus?

Our bars, cafes, shops and gym will be open and ready to welcome you in January. Pizza from Stone Willy's, Pints in the Huntley, Paninis in Gordon’s Cafe, or pull-ups in Bloomsbury Fitness – we’re here for it all, including things that don’t start with ‘p’.

Our bars, cafes, shops and gym work a little differently to the kind you might be used to. We live by four promises; we put every penny of profit back into your community, we’re always better value than the high-street, we’ll choose planet over profit every time, and we’ll be at the centre of your campus community from start to finish.

How do you join clubs and societies?

Clubs and Societies are run by students, supported by us. They’re groups of students connected by a shared interest or passion - like K-Pop, or football. There’s a lot of groups so we’re sure you’ll find the one for you.

You can join online through our website. Have a browse through the Clubs and Societies Directory. Come along to our Welcome Fair and meet clubs and society committees and ask them about what they do.

Where can I get more info about UCL?

UCL is regularly updating its FAQ pages for new students, follow the links below for the latest information:

Your journey joining UCL

Accommodation FAQs