What is the NUS UK?
The NUS UK represents university and college students across the United Kingdom and has been doing so since 1922. Currently, there are around 600 Students’ Unions across the UK, and the University of Birmingham Guild of Students is one of these members. The NUS UK also has devolved sub-institutions in Scotland, Wales, England, and Northern Ireland.
Being a member of the NUS UK entitles the Guild to:
- Input into the direction of the NUS UK, influencing national policy and campaigns
- Send student Reps to the NUS conference
- Vote in the NUS Executive Officer elections
The UK’s National Union of Students is comprised of two shoulder-to-shoulder organisations:
NUS UK
Is the political and campaigning union, which conducts student conferences, develops policies, and sets the campaigning priorities- you can find out more about the National Union of Students UK
NUS Charity
Provides general support and advice for Students’ Unions, providing core training, research, governance and advice support, community and networking opportunities, and crisis support.
This referendum is only in relation to the Guild’s membership to NUS UK, not NUS Charity.
How much does Membership to NUS UK Cost?
The current affiliation fee for the Guild to be a member of NUS UK is £30,700.
Affiliation fees are calculated based on the block grant the Guild receives from the University of Birmingham.
What does the NUS UK do and How does it work?
The National Union of Students is governed by its Articles of Association. Priorities from member Students’ Unions (and supported by the polling platform What Students Think) help to shape the direction of the NUS UK across 4 National Conferences (NUS England, NUS Scotland, NUS Cymru & NUS USI) and the Liberation Collective.
The NUS also has full-time officers with various portfolio, and they are responsible for taking priorities passed at conference forward.
The Guild sends NUS Reps to NUS England and the Liberation Collective, where these Reps represent the Guild and the views of our members. The Reps have full voting rights and make decisions such as who gets elected to be the NUS England President, NUS Vice President Higher Education (England) and NUS Vice President Liberation and Equality (UK).
Types of NUS Membership
The term ‘affiliation to NUS’ can be ambiguous since there are different levels of membership related to the two separate organisations of which the NUS is comprised. These are the ‘National Union of Students (UK)’ and ‘NUS Students’ Unions Charitable Services Ltd’ (aka NUS Charity).
The differences between the components of the NUS and its tiered membership system are outlined below:
National Union of Students (UK) Membership
This is a membership to the student voice organisation ‘NUS (UK)’ which delivers campaigns and national representation, and currently cost Students’ Unions the equivalent of two percent of their block grant. To end membership at NUS UK, students must vote on affiliation by a secret ballot (a referendum).
NUS Students’ Unions Charitable Services Ltd membership
Also known as ‘NUS Charity’, this is a membership to the development and support aspect of NUS, and currently costing Students’ Unions, the equivalent of 0.5% of their block grant.
The Guilds referendum is not in relation to its affiliation to NUS Charity.
You also may have heard of NUS Services Limited (NUSSL) - this is the trading section of NUS or the ‘buying consortium’ where Students’ Unions procure supplies for bars and entertainment via a collective buying power facilitated through the NUS. This is automatically included within the NUS Charity membership (it is a social enterprise subsidiary of NUS Charity).
Find out more about the terms of membership with NUS.