What is NUS?

The National Union of Students

NUS is a voluntary membership organisation comprising a confederation of local student representative organisations in colleges and universities throughout the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland which have chosen to affiliate and which pay a membership fee. We have nearly 750 constituent members (CMs) - virtually every college and university in the country.

NUS is one of the largest student organisations in the world and represents the interests of around three million students in further and higher education throughout the United Kingdom. NUS provides research, representation, training and expert advice for individual students and students' unions. We deal with over 15,000 welfare enquiries each year and train over 3,000 students' union officers.

NUS represents and helps students

NUS campaigns around issues which affect students, safeguarding their rights, realising their aspirations and providing quality services for students' unions, including research, advice, casework and training.

The objectives of NUS

• to represent UK students locally, nationally and internationally
• to promote the views of students on the education system
• to promote the interests of students in economic, social and youth issues which have a direct effect on the status and welfare of students
• to promote and assist the improvement and development of students' unions
• to campaign on issues which affect students
• to advise, inform and train student officers
• to arrange services and benefits for members of NUS
• to provide an infrastructure which enables students' unions to undertake their own work with the help of NUS research and documents
• to encourage participation of its members in determining NUS policy
• to encourage students to engage in a diverse range of activities through their own students' union.

Students' unions or associations

Students' unions are the backbone of NUS and are integral to student life. They provide a broad range of services, welfare advice and information, clubs and societies, bars, shops and catering services, student community action projects and charity fundraising events.

Students' unions also play a vital role in facilitating the representation of students' views within the institution. Students' union officers often sit on the board of governors of the college or university and students' unions help student course representatives at a departmental level as well as supporting students in academic appeals.

Elected student officers conduct the affairs of the students' union and implement policy. Every student has the opportunity to take part in making decisions on policy and areas of work through general meetings or elected councils. In larger students' unions, some elected officers spend a sabbatical year working full time for the students' union whilst many unions also employ professional staff. Students' unions decide whether they wish to affiliate to the National Union of Students.

For further information, please visit:
» www.nusonline.co.uk