Starting a New Student Group is a great way to make the most of your time at the University of Leicester and find a group of likeminded individuals that share your interests and hobbies.

New Student Group Applications are reopening on the 18th December 2025 at 9am. Please see below the dates and deadlines for the remainder of the 25/26 academic year:

Applications Open:	Application Close:	Hear Back By:
18th December @9am	12th January @ 9am	16th January @ 4pm
30th March @ 9am	27th April @ 9am	30th April @ 4pm

 

Please ensure that you read through the New Student Group Handbook, before submitting an application. 

The Application Form Can Be Found Here

Criteria

Unique: Please ensure that your Student Group is different to the current existing Student Groups. You can find the full list of existing groups here. Groups that are too similar to others or one that could fit underneath an existing group will not be approved. Below is a breakdown of what that requirement means:

• Purpose and Aims - Your group's core purpose should not duplicate the mission, theme, or objectives of an existing Student Group. Clearly state what specific need, interest, or community your group will meet that is not currently addressed.
• Activities and Events - Describe how your planned activities differ from what similar groups already offer. If any activities overlap, you must show how your approach, focus, or format is fundamentally different.
• Target Auidence - If your group appeals to a particular demographic or interest community, explain how this differs from existing groups with similar audiences.
• Why does this matter? Groups that are too similar will not be approved, as duplication can dilute membership, resources, and student engagement. Your application should demonstrate a justified and sustainable gap within the current Student Group landscape.

Feasibility: Running a Student Group offers valuable opportunities to gain leadership, organisational, and teamwork skills. However, it also comes with ongoing responsibilities. Before applying, ensure that:

• Time Commitment - You can realistically manage the additional time commitment alongside your academic and personal responsibilities.

• Delegation - Your committee is willing to work collaboratively, communicate regularly, and share tasks fairly.

• Workload - You have considered the planning required for events, finances, administration, and member engagement.

Any proposed groups must have the following core roles filled by different and current UOL students:

• President
• Treasurer
• Wellbeing and Inlcusion Ambassador

Please check the role descriptions linked here before confirming roles.

Process

Don't have enough people to start a group yet?

If you have an idea for a group but don't have students to start it with yet, share your idea to meet likeminded students! We have a page where you, and others, can suggest new groups, or clubs, and find others who are interested. If your idea is popular we can help you promote it or students may comment on your idea to get involved. It's a great way to meet students you wouldn't normally and spread your idea across course as well as campuses.

Click here for the page to submit your idea!

Why not Restart a Society?

Below is lists of all of the Student Groups that don't have a committee anymore, but are more likely to be approved during the Start a Society process and may have some pre-existing resources (e.g. funding/equipment).

This means that students can take these societies and restart them if it is something they are interested in! 

If you have any questions about restarting a society, make sure to get in touch with the Union Activities team at unionactivities@le.ac.uk.