Joining a Students' Union sports club or society is an excellent way to expand your social circles beyond your course and the people you live with as well as give you the chance to step out of your comfort zone and try something new! You will meet fellow students who share similar interests from a huge range of different cultures and backgrounds.
There is a huge range of sports and societies on offer at Surrey to suit all interests and passions:
- Browse the Students' Union clubs and societies list
- Take the Students' Union quiz to find the right club or society for you
- Or if you know which club or society you would like to join, get a membership online.
Example sports clubs include: American football, boxing, table tennis and volleyball.
Example societies include: craft, LGBT+, musical theatre and video gaming.
Sports clubs and societies are a great way to integrate into university life.
Whether you continue with your favourite sport or try a new one, you will see a change in your social life. Almost every sports club or society hosts regular social events, so you will never be short of something to do. These are a great opportunity to get to know like-minded people and make new friends.
Making time to go and hang out with a different group of people who maybe aren’t on your course or you don’t live with can have a positive impact on your experience at university.
Being a member of a sports club or society will help you to maintain good mental health at university.
Being at university is a learning experience in many ways, and it’s normal for it to feel challenging at times. For instance, you might find yourself feeling alone while you find your feet socially and in relationships. During exam periods, and when coursework deadlines are looming, stress levels can be intense. Being part of a society or sports club can help you build up stress resilience, and can actually help your brain to study more effectively.
Research studies have shown that sports and exercise have a large positive impact on both your physical and mental health, as well as on your ability to learn. Societies and social events have also been shown to increase wellbeing and resilience to stress. Not only do they give you a reason to leave your flat or get out of the library for a break (even it's just an hour), but socialising and fun activities stimulate the ‘relax’ hormones you need to rebalance in times of stress.
Being an active member of a society or sports team can support your career prospects and employability.
Job interviews often require you to demonstrate different skills that you can bring to a role. For example, time management is a key skill in so many jobs, if you can tell an employer that you were able to balance your studies with being in a sports team or regularly participating in a society then this can work in your favour.
But it goes further than that – if you want to work in sustainability, for example, then joining your university’s environmental society shows how passionate you are about the issue. That is the joy of university sports and societies – there is usually one for absolutely every interest; and if there isn’t, you can start one.
Being a member of a society or a sports team is one of the best ways to make the most of your time at university, and here’s a few reasons why.
Anytime! It's never too late to consider joining a society or a sports team.
Sports teams and societies are happy to welcome you all year round and it doesn't matter if you are a first-year student, in your final year or if you are a postgraduate.
Clubs and societies are always looking forward to new prospective members and will often have a dedicated person to help you overcome any new member anxiety.
Wellbeing champions are appointed members of a club or society who work with the Students’ Union to promote positive wellbeing. They receive extensive training in areas such as signposting and bystander invention to ensure that the welfare and wellbeing of their members is paramount throughout the year.
We have more than 160 clubs and societies for you to get involved with. Each group sets it's own membership fee with many societies offering free memberships.
To join a Team Surrey club you'll need to purchase a Team Surrey £40 membership which gives you access to all sports clubs before buying an individual club membership. Feel free to contact the club or society directly for further information.
Find out about the cost of membership for sports clubs and societies.
Yes, however there are a few considerations you need to be aware of, read the Students' Union guidance to find out more.
Different societies have varying roles, so it’s important to find out which roles they have and which are available to you.
Common roles include:
- President and Vice President – they run the society, make crucial decisions and resolve disputes
- Secretary – handles the paperwork, sign-ups and emails
- Treasurer – handles the society’s finances
- Social secretary – organises the social events.
Please do get in contact with the club or society you are hoping to join to find out more about the committee roles that they may have on offer.
It isn’t always easy to step out of your comfort zone and put yourself out there by joining a society or sports team, but it is one of the best things to do at university.
