What is a society and why should you join one?
Explore the benefits, opportunities and "how to" guide of getting society memberships and hear from previous members.
What are societies?
Societies cover everything from academic support to performance, campaigning to networking, culture, language, hobbies, gaming, charity, and much, much more. We have more than 50 societies for you to join, and if you can't find one you're interested in you can start your own!
Societies are an excellent source of entertainment and networking outside of your studies that can improve your student experience,
What are the benefits of joining a society?
What do current members have to say?
“No matter who you are, someone else enjoys the society activity you’re doing too and you’ll have someone who can support and encourage you”
– Rock Music Society member, 22-23
“I joined the society to be part of a community, somewhere that was accepting and welcoming to everyone with no pre-judgement. It is so nice to be a part of something where you know that you will be accepted for who you are matter what and you can truly be yourself”
– LGBTQIA+ Society Member 22-23
“I was eager to meet new people and widen my network and as an international student, I always want to connect with diverse groups. Society was a place where I could meet new people and have a calm distraction from my coursework. “
– Art Society Member 22-23
Who can join a society?
How to join a society
- Find a society (or more) that you’re interested in
- If you’re not sure on whether you want to purchase the membership straight away you can sign up to their interested list and check their events calendar for any upcoming taster sessions
- When you’re ready to purchase a membership go to the society’s webpage
- On the page there will be the option to add the membership you’d like, this will show in your shopping basket
- When you’ve added all the memberships you would like to join, click on your basket to view all and proceed to payment
- You will need to purchase a one-off annual subscription of £3 to join any sports club or society (you only need to pay this once in an academic year); the subscription can be added to your basket at checkout
- Proceed to input your preferred payment method and complete the transaction.
And that’s it! You’re officially a member of those societies.
What are taster sessions?
Taster sessions are one off opportunities for you to go along to society activities without needing to purchase a membership. These are usually offered during welcome periods however some societies may run taster events all throughout the year. If you plan to attend more than 3 or 4 society events throughout the year we recommend you purchase a society membership to keep you up to date with society communication and ensures that you are insured at society events.