Membership and access

Ordinary members

All current students at the University of St Andrews automatically become ordinary members of the Students' Association when they matriculate, though they may decide to opt out of membership.

This applies to all students: undergraduates, postgraduates, full-time, part-time, commuters, and remote students.

Only ordinary members can stand and vote in our elections.

Other members, listed below, cannot stand or vote in our our elections. However, they have all other rights of membership, including the right to use our facilities and sign in guests.

Associate members

All members of staff, at both the University and the Students' Association, are associate members.

Anyone with a strong connection to the Association, who is not already an ordinary, life, or associate member, may purchase associate membership by emailing [email protected]. For example, the partner of a member, or a long-standing member of an affiliated society.

Alumni access

All St Andrews alumni may access the Union without signing in, but will need ID; old matriculation cards are accepted.

Acceptable forms of ID

Anyone accessing the building at night will need to show a matriculation card upon entry, or be signed in by a member.

To purchase alcohol, you may be asked to show ID. We accept these forms of ID. Anyone who appears to be under the age of 25 should expect to have to show ID.

See drinkaware.co.uk for more information.

Signing in a guest

All members and alumni may sign in up to 4 guests (guest must be over 18). Guest entry costs £1 in addition to your ticket price.

Guests can be signed in at upon entry. If attending a busy event, please check that sign-ins are allowed by emailing [email protected], and ensure you arrive early.

Note that members may be held accountable if their guest breaks our discipline guidelines and your ticket does not guarantee you entry if you're not a member.

Under-18s

If you are a matriculated student at The University of St Andrews you are able to enter all our events in The Union Building.

People aged 16 or 17:

Non-reciprocal members and non members cannot access the licensed areas of the building after 7pm
Non-reciprocal members and non-students may be able to access licensed areas of the building after 7pm only for ticketed events, if access is arranged and advertised in advance

People aged 0-15:

Will not be permitted access to licensed areas during semester
May be permitted access to licensed areas during University vacations, at the discretion of the Personal Licence Holder on duty, if they are the child/dependant of a member

Lost property

Any lost property handed in or found by our staff is kept at reception for approximately 2 weeks. This also applies to unclaimed items in the cloakroom.

After this 2 week period, valuables are handed to the local police and clothing is donated to charity.

Please phone 01334 462700 or email [email protected] for more information.

Reciprocal membership

If you are currently a student at a reciprocal University, you do not need to sign in, but will need ID.

Reciprocal students' unions

We have a reciprocal agreement with the unions listed below. This means members of these unions can access our building with their student ID, and vice versa.

Aberdeen University Students’ Union (1987)
Abertay University Students’ Union (1993)
Aberystwyth University Guild of Students (1993)
Aston University Students’ Union (1980)
Bath University Students’ Union (1993)
Birbeck College
Birmingham University Guild of Students (1991)
Bradford University Union (2002)
Bristol University Students’ Union (1993)
Cardiff University (2001)
Caledonian University (Glasgow) (1996)
Cambridge University Students’ Union (1993)
Cheltenham & Glouchester College Students’ Union (1999)
City University Students’ Union (1988)
College of St Mark and St John (1999)
Coventry Student Union (1998)
Cranfield Students’ Association (1999)
De Montford University Students’ Union (1993)
Derby University Students’ Union (1993)
Dundee College of Further Education Students’ Association (1993)
Dundee University Students’ Union (1991)
Dundee University Students’ Association (1993)
East Anglia, University of (1998)
Edinburgh College of Art (2002)
Edinburgh King’s Buildings Union (1993)
Edinburgh University Students’ Union (1993)
Glasgow University Queen Margaret Union (1991)
Glasgow University Students’ Union (1993)
Goldsmiths College
Heriot Watt University Students’ Union (1993)
Hertfordshire University Students’ Union (1993)
Heytrop College
Hull University Union (1998)
Humberside University Students’ Union (1993)
Imperial College Students’ Union (1993)
Institute of Education
Jewel and Esk Valley College (1998)
Jordanhill College Students’ Union (1991)
King's College London
Kingston University Guild of Students (1993)
Leicester University Students’ Union (1993)
Leeds University Unnion TAFO (2001)
Liverpool Hope Students’ Union (1999)
Liverpool Students’ Union (1999)
London Business School
London School of Economics
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Manchester Metropolitan University (2002)
Manchester University School of Medicine (2006)
Middlesex University Students’ Union (1998)
Moray House Students’ Union (1991)
Napier University Students’ Union (1991)
Newcastle University Students’ Union (1993)
Newi Students’ Union (1999)
Northern College Union (Aberdeen) (1995)
Northumbria University Students’ Union (1991)
Nottingham University Students’ Union (1987)
NUI Galway Students’ Union (1999)
Open University (2003)
Oxford University Union Society (1991)
Paisley University Students’ Association (1992)
Plymouth University Students’ Union (1993)
QM College (Edinburgh) (1999)
Queen’s University of Belfast Students’ Union (1980)
Reading University Students’ Union (1991)
Robert Gordon University Students’ Union (1993)
Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama (1999)
Salford Unviersity (2001)
Sheffield Hallam Student Union (1998)
Sheffield University Students’ Union (1993)
Southampton University Students’ Union (1993)
St Andrews College Union (1993)
St David’s University College Students’ Union (1987)
Staffordshire Polytechnic Students’ Union (1991)
Stevenson College Students’ Union (1993)
Stirling University Alangrange Student/Staff Club (1984)
Stirling University Students’ Union (1993)
Strathclyde University Students’ Association (1993)
Surrey University Students’ Union (1993)
Sussex University Students’ Union (1981)
Swansea University Students’ Union (1987)
Queen Mary University
Royal Academy of Music
Royal Holloway University of London
Royal Veterinary College of London
School of Oriental and African Studies
School of Pharmacy
St George’s Hospital of Medicine School
UMIST Students’ Union (1991)
University College London
University of Central Lancashire Students’ Union (1991)
University of Kent Students’ Union (2001)
University of London Union (1993)
University of Portsmouth Students’ Union (1999)
University of Wales, Bangor Students’ Union (1999)
Warrington Student’s Union (1999)
Warwick University Students’ Union (1993)
West of England University (1998)
Wolverhampton University Students’ Union (2001)
York University Students’ Union (1993)

Opting out of membership

Under the 1994 Education Act, all students have the right to opt out of Students' Association membership:

How to opt out

Contact [email protected] with the words ‘Membership Opt-Out’ in the title of the email. You will need to tell us your University email address and matriculation number.

We will then contact you, and if you confirm to us your intention to opt out, we will remove your membership and notify the University that you are no longer a member of the Association.

The University and Students' Association are committed to ensuring that all students are treated in a fair manner, and that students who choose to opt out of membership are not unfairly disadvantaged. Notwithstanding this, for various reasons there will be some aspects of the Association that non-members can’t take part in. For members who opt out, this means:

You will be able to make appointments to see our advice staff as normal, for help with problems such as appeals, complaints, and University discipline.
You can use any of our commercial services, but for those such as bars which are only available to members, you will need to sign in as a guest.
You won’t be able to sign guests into the building.
You won't be able to stand for election, nominate a candidate, or vote in Association elections.
You won't be able to vote in Association referendums or general meetings.
You won’t be considered a member of Association subcommittees, such as Mermaids, STAR, Charities Campaign, or Saints LGBT+. This may restrict your ability to participate in some of their activities.
You may be able to join affiliated societies depending on their own constitution, but it’s unlikely you would be able to hold posts such as President or Treasurer.

If you later decide to opt back in, whilst still a student, contact [email protected] with the words ‘Membership Opt-In’ in the title of your email, providing your University email address and matriculation number.