List of students' unions in the United Kingdom not affiliated with the NUS

This article lists most of the students' unions in the United Kingdom that are not affiliated with the National Union of Students. Around five per cent of student unions in the UK are not affiliated with the NUS,^[1] including 2 students' unions (8%) who represent Russell Group Universities (the Aldwych Group).^{[Note 1][2]} Some of the institutions have disaffiliated from the NUS, whereas others such as those in the previous Scottish Ancients Group (see: Coalition of Higher Education Students in Scotland) have never been affiliated.^[3]

Durham Students' Union voted to disaffiliate in March 2010^[4] but subsequently voted to reaffiliate in January 2011.^[5] Oxford University Student Union was reported as having voted to disaffiliate in 2014,^[6] but this was overturned after voting irregularities were uncovered.^[7] Four unions voted to leave the national body in 2016 Lincoln, Newcastle, Hull and Loughborough (Lincoln later rejoined but has since again disaffiliated).^[8][9] In 2022, Reading University Student Union voted to leave the national body ^[10] citing a lack of representation and concerns over the direction of the NUS.^[11] As of December 2022 Brighton Students' Union also decided to leave NUS stating that the NUS do not offer value for money. ^[12]

Non-affiliated students' unions

• Open University Students Association Never affiliated.^[13]
• Glasgow University Students' Representative Council Formerly a member of the Scottish Union of Students (SUS) until it merged with the NUS in 1971.^[14]
  • Glasgow University Union
  • Queen Margaret Union
• University of St Andrews Students' Association Formerly a member of the SUS, it joined the NUS but disaffiliated in 1975.^[15][16]
• Dundee University Students' Association Formerly a member of the SUS, it joined the NUS but disaffiliated in 1994.^[17][16]
• University of Southampton Students' Union Disaffiliated in 2002.^[18]
• Imperial College Union Disaffiliated in 2008, but is now a member of NUS's trading consortium.^[19]
• Cardiff Met SU Disaffiliated in 2009.^[20][21]
• Loughborough Students' Union (LSU) Disaffiliated in 2016, but have since joined NUS's trading consortium.^[22]
• University of Surrey Students' Union (USSU) Disaffiliated in 2017.^[23]
• University of Essex Students' Union Disaffiliated in 2017.^[24]
• Queen Margaret University Students' Union (QMUSU) Disaffiliated in 2019.^[25]
• University of Portsmouth Student's Union Disaffiliated in 2019.^[26]
• University of Brighton Students' Union Disaffiliated in 2022, but are members of NUS's trading consortium.^[27]
• Birkbeck Students' Union Disaffiliated in 2023.^[28]
• University of York Students' Union Disaffiliated in 2024 through a Trustee Board resolution citing intimidation and concerns over antisemitism, islamophobia and racism.^[29][30]

See also

• List of students' unions in the United Kingdom

Notes

1. Out of the 24 Russell Group Universities, five have Student Unions which are not affiliated (Glasgow, Imperial College London, Queen Mary, Warwick and Southampton)