Which Student Societies You Should Join in London

Most Unis in the UK have a wide plethora of student-led societies which you can join. Although the websites may all be different and confusing, this guide should help you figure out which societies you may like to join.

Course Related Societies

You’ll commonly find that all Universities will have a society that relates to your course in some way, shape, or form. Joining one of these societies is a great way to socialise with your coursemates and make friends who study something similar to you. These societies also open up opportunities for you to interact with students who are a year or two ahead of you on your course, and they can provide valuable insight and advice on studying.  

Cultural/Religious Societies

Whatever cultural background or religion you identify with, there is generally a society that you can join which will allow you to celebrate and participate in cultural/religious events. For example, at UAL you can Christmas with the Christian Union or your Italian Heritage with the Italian Society.

Sports Societies

Some of the biggest social events at university are organised by sports societies. Traditionally for the majority of courses, no lectures are timetabled for Wednesday afternoon to allow students to participate in sporting societies. These societies will generally cater for all abilities, such as the UCL Tennis Club who run multiple sessions throughout the week ranging from beginners who haven’t really played before all the way up to students playing at team level. 

Even if physical sports aren’t your thing, it is highly recommended to stay active during your studies as a form of stress relief. Societies such as the Yoga and Meditation Club at UCL allow you to keep your body active and mind at peace! 

Arts Societies

Arts societies are widely varied depending on which university you go to. Whoever you are, and no matter how creative you are, there is bound to be something that captures your interest and imagination. Just to demonstrate the range of societies on offer, here are a few London-based arts societies:

• UCL Film and TV Society boasts notable alumni such as Christopher Nolan. This society focuses on both providing filmmaking experience and also creating a social circle where discussing film and TV is the main focus.
• UCL Drama Society aims to put on two large-scale productions a year. For anyone interested in acting on stage, this society will give you the opportunity to explore the theatre. They provide weekly workshops in order to help their members develop their skills in all aspects of amateur dramatics.
• UAL Ceramics Club was founded in order to help students experience the often expensive world of ceramics at much more student-friendly prices than external companies offer. The fun thing with ceramics is the ability to express yourself creatively and then also have something to take home with you after the session.

Random Societies

Fan of something other than sports and arts or looking for something more niche?  Here we’ve just picked out some other interesting societies at UCL and UAL just to give you a taster of what’s on offer:

• Ever fancied taking up knitting? Well if you study at UCL you’re in luck as they have their very own Knitting Society! From learning how to knit from scratch to holding inter-university competitions, this society might be a great way to develop a new skill and start a lifelong hobby.
• For new or hardcore fans of Anime, UCL Anime Society welcomes all types of members and has weekly socials in addition to various anime screenings.
• UCL Baking Society hosts a bake share every two weeks and is a great way to connect with fellow bakers at your university. Alongside these bake shares, they also host socials such as afternoon high teas and cake crawls (a spin on traditional bar crawls). 
• Love video games? UAL Social Video Gamers helps you to connect with other gamers at your university. They facilitate group gameplay, as well as a fun social space where you can discuss everything about your favourite games.

No matter what university you go to or what you’re interested in, there’s a society out there for you. The friends you make in societies often stay in your life long after your studies as a result of your shared interests. Go out and try something new!