Student unions are the hubs of student life at UK universities. At most US universities, no umbrella organization oversees both activities and student services. But in the UK, unions – run by students and for students – provide a one-stop shop for all of your needs: from giving advice on accommodation or finances to organizing sports and arts clubs and from running student pubs to planning city clubbing nights.

Read on to find out about their services:

ADVISORY SERVICES
At the union you can get practical advice on such topics as finances, academic concerns, accommodation and job searches and immigration. Unions also provide resources on mental health issues, safe sex and alcohol awareness. Large unions act as drop-in advice centers and often employ full-time staff, while smaller unions rely on volunteers and, at the very least, have information resources.

Clubs and societies
Unions also oversee all student groups. At the union, you can sign up for societies devoted to radio, painting, religion, volunteerism and more. And sports clubs are a popular way to get fit and make friends in a low-key setting.

Entertainment
Providing entertainment is a core function of student unions, most of which run in-house pubs and cafes. Larger unions sometimes have their own dance clubs, cinemas and performance spaces for student and professional groups. In addition to on-campus entertainment, unions often host events like pub and club nights in the local town. And for first-year students, union organizers are the ones that run Freshers’ Week, a series of activities – from parties to club and society sign-ups – meant as a fun way to welcome you to university life.

Democracy in action
Unions have a democratic tradition. Your union will be governed by elected officers and will hold general meetings where you can vote on issues. As the voice of the student body, unions speak on behalf of students to university administrators on academic and welfare topics, and also lobby to the local or national government on larger issues of importance to students. Many of these campaigns are run in conjunction with the National Union of Students, an umbrella organization with which most individual unions are affiliated.