Ahead of the start of a new academic year for the Students’ Union, we wanted to provide an update for members regarding membership fees for Societies and Sports Union. 

Society memberships 
Introduced in 2011 to support society grants and professional staff support, the societies membership fee is charged to any student wanting to join a Students’ Union affiliated society. It is an annual payment that allows the Students’ Union to continue to support the effective administration (the implementation of an improved finance system for society purchase orders and expense claims, financial processing, online card payment transaction fees, risk assessments, and compliance monitoring) of student societies as well as collaborative society grants made by the Communities Zone Executive. A single societies membership then permits a student to join individual societies, some of whom may have a joining fee of themselves. The Students’ Union is very proud to have been able to freeze this individual fee for 14 years. However, in order to maintain our position to support societies, we have taken the difficult decision to increase membership fee from £5 to £7.

Sports Union memberships  
Sports Union membership fees which support sports club grants, insurance and professional staff support are charged to each student wishing to join the Sports Union. It is an annual payment that allows the Sports Union to continue to support the effective administration (the implementation of an improved finance system for club purchase orders and expense claims, financial processing, online card payment transaction fees, risk assessments, and compliance monitoring) of sports clubs as well as grants made by the Sports Union Executive Committee. A single Sports Union Membership then permits a student to join individual sports clubs. The last increase to fees was made in 2015 moving from £20 to £25 and the Sports Union is very proud to have been able to freeze this individual fee for 10 years. However, in order to maintain our position in supporting sports clubs, as well as pay for appropriate levels of insurance, we have taken the difficult decision to increase membership fees for 2025/2026 from £25 to £27.  

 If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at theunion@stir.ac.uk