Clubs & Societies: How
to find your tribe at UCA
While we know you’re here to work hard at what you love and earn your creative degree, there’s a lot more to uni life than lectures. You’ll probably have heard people say that university is where you’ll meet like-minded people who become friends for life - but where will you meet them? Well, there’s a good chance it will be through clubs, societies, and identity communities!
06 Mar 2023
/prod01/channel_8/media/marketing-media/blog-imagery/UCASU-at-London-Pride-2022.jpg "A group of UCA students dressed in the rainbow Pride colours for the Pride parade in London in 2022")
Above, UCA students at the Pride parade, London, last year
What are university clubs and societies?
Run through your university’s Students’ Union (SU), clubs, societies, and identity communities, are designed to bring together students with common interests – from a hobby to a curiosity about a particular topic, a shared/aligned identity characteristic, or a commitment to a common cause. Any student with an idea for a club or society can propose it to the SU, which will support them to set it up and run it.
Farnham's K-Pop Dance Club
What are university clubs and societies?
Run through your university’s Students’ Union (SU), clubs, societies, and identity communities, are designed to bring together students with common interests – from a hobby to a curiosity about a particular topic, a shared/aligned identity characteristic, or a commitment to a common cause. Any student with an idea for a club or society can propose it to the SU, which will support them to set it up and run it.
Vanessa Silva, Activities Manager for UCA’s Students’ Union, UCASU, says: “Clubs and societies are a chance to have a break from your hard work and do something different, just for fun. They offer opportunities to meet new people, learn a new skill or develop an existing hobby in a very welcoming, beginner-friendly environment. Many sporting societies are subsidised by UCASU, so joining a sport or fitness club is a budget-friendly way to get some exercise into your routine.”
Members of Epsom and Farnham Cheerleading Club
What's on offer across UCA?
Across our campuses, there’s a unique blend of the conventional and the quirky, from clubs that enhance your learning experience to those that connect you with other people who identify as part of a particular group, support your mental and physical well-being, help connect you to your identiy, home country and culture, or are simply great fun. Choosing which to get involved with is all part of creating your own, totally unique, university experience. But don’t take our word for it – our students have the inside track.
“Joining the Cheerleading Club has been one of my favourite parts of uni life,” says Rebeca Acsinia. “After an intensive week of designing or sewing, going to training has been such a great way to get rid of any stress. You can forget about everything and just have fun, and it’s allowed me to make so many friends and connections throughout UCA.”
.jpg "UCA students celebrating Diwali via Identity Communities")
UCA students at Epsom celebrating Diwali, via one of the UCASU's Identity Communities
Founder of the Anime Society Jaleel Mayers-Greene set the club up to allow people to find a community: “It has brought together so many different people from different places, and I couldn't be happier,” he says.
Alice Biddle is a member of the Farnham Language Café Society. “I love meeting the different students here at UCA, hearing all the different languages people use, and talking to new people every week,” she says. "It has really helped me come out of my shell!”
And Stephanie Zhao is the president of the International Society. “I joined last year when I was in my first year - it was so much fun and I made lots of great friends from different courses,” she says. “It's a place for international and local students to make friends and learn about different cultures. I love this little community so much.”
You can find the complete list of clubs, societies, and identity communities currently on offer on the UCASU website. But don’t forget you can always set up your own, too.
Members of Farnham Musical Theatre Society put on a performance of The Addams Family last year
How do I join a club or society?
If you’re joining us as a new student, head along to the Freshers’ Fair in September to meet society committee members and sign up for taster sessions. After that you’ll have the option to sign up – for some clubs and societies you will need to pay a membership fee, but many others are completely free.
If you’re already studying with us, you can sign up on the UCASU website at any time.