Around 95 per cent of all students’ unions throughout the country are affiliated to NUS. These range from those based at small specialist colleges through to general further education colleges, large universities and higher education colleges.
National voice
That diversity of members is NUS' strength. Collectively, students through their students’ unions invest in a national movement, able to assist individual students and students’ unions in taking control of their educational lives, campaigning to defend and improve their rights nationally.
In addition, NUS provides an infrastructure that helps individual students’ unions to undertake their own work supported by the research it carries out, the training, advice and information it offers, the materials it produces and the documents it publishes.
By affiliating to NUS, students' unions will have access to training and research, and discounts for students. There are plenty of reasons why you should affiliate to NUS.
Who can affiliate?
Your students’ union decides whether to affiliate to NUS based on the views of its individual members. Not all students unions are able to affiliate. Only UK based students' unions whose institutions receive public funding for the provision of education and training of learners aged 16 and over are able to affiliate. This institution could be a private training provider, a charity, a further education college (as defined by schedule 3 of the Instruments & Articles of further education colleges), school sixth form, college of higher education or university.
Don't have a students' union? Find out how to set one up.
Sixth forms within schools
Sixth form unions within schools are able to affiliate to NUS and can also apply for Extra Card without being affiliated. Contact NUS Extra Card for more details.
How do we apply?
To apply for affiliation you need to submit:
- a completed application form;
- a copy of your constitution;
- a copy of the financial statement of the union;
- a copy of the college prospectus.
Please send all materials in one pack to:
George Yeorghaki
NUS HQ
Floor 2, Centro 3
19 Mandela Street
London
NW1 0DU
Download your application form here
Further queries:
- We don’t have a constitution
You will need a constitution for your student union to affiliate to nus. Our Model Constitution will provide you some assistance in writing one.
- We don’t have any financial records?
When you send your application pack, please include a letter stating why you do not have any financial records.
- How much does it cost to join?
We charge an annual affiliation fee to constituent members (affiliated unions). This includes the provision of NUS Cards, access to NUS services and training, and participation in our democratic structures.
The fee covers the period 1 July to the following 30 June, and is payable in October. The fee itself will depend on your student numbers and students' union income. The minimum affiliation fee is £250. The fee varies due to the amount of full and part time students that are studying at your institution, and by the block grant you receive.
Calculate your affiliation fees
- How long does the process take?
Your application will initially be checked by a member of the NEC and then voted on at an NEC meeting (held approximately every six weeks). After the application is accepted it will be ratified at Annual Conference.