Uni clubs are a great way to meet like-minded people, hang out and socialise, and get the most out of uni life. If you’re keen to join a club, there are a few ways to do it. Attending Club Day (during the first week of session one) will let you meet the clubs currently operating on your campus. You can also check out the full list online. But what do you do if there’s no club that sparks your interest? Well, you make your own! Starting a uni club is really rewarding, and leaves you with a bunch of soft skills for your resume, too.

Step one: think about your new club

Come up with an idea that will unite people, provide interesting ideas for excursions and social dates, and most of all, bring together the type of people you wanna hang out with.

It’s research time.

Make sure you’ve checked to see there aren’t any clubs around that are too similar to what you’re thinking of, so there aren’t any double-ups. There are a few sports clubs and clubs for cultural and religious identities on each campus, but you could consider a club for:

• your hobby, like collectible card games or tabletop roleplay
• a social cause, like an environmental or women’s empowerment group
• fans of someone or something, like Taylor Swift or The Office
• your favourite thing, like a group for people who all love dogs
• performances, like stand-up comedy, slam poetry or Shakespeare
• fitness and health, like a hiking or cycling club that meets up regularly

Step two: reach out to get started

Have a chat with your Student Representation and Clubs Officer to begin your new club journey. They’ll take you through the whole process step by step, giving you their expert advice and assistance with paperwork so you can thrive. They’ll make sure you’re ticking all the right boxes, and even show you how to access club funding for activities!

Step three: take advantage of leadership training

If you’re the president, vice-president, treasurer, secretary, or any other leadership role within the club, you can take advantage of free student leadership training! If you complete a majority of the online self-guided modules on all things leadership, you’ll receive a certificate from us. It’ll show you’re a trained leader, and give you skills you can take out of uni and into the world.

You’ll also have a pool of tools, resources and tips to bring into heaps of different situations, and you can refer back to it at after you’re finished. You’ll be amazed what a bit of leadership training can help with, from defusing a complex group assignment situation to organising who’s bringing what to the SRC BBQ.

You can also connect with other uni club leaders or reach out to your Student Representation and Clubs Officer if you need any more help.

Step four: practice your soft skills

Starting a uni club is going to net you heaps of great skills for the future. You’ll develop leadership, resilience, administrative and technical knowledge. You’ll learn how to work through uni processes and how requesting grants and accessing funding works. And you’ll even learn more people-focused skills, like compassion, empathy, and active listening. Soft skills like these are super important to modern employers, and in your daily life, too.

If you need anything at all, reach out to your Clubs Officer, or check the student clubs info page. There you’ll find all the paperwork and resources you need, and information on how to find anything else or who to contact for assistance.

Step five: have a great time!

With your fresh new Charles Sturt club created, you’re ready to take uni life by the horns! Meet new people, take part in new adventures, and build up that life experience. You’ll be high in demand and can take advantage of new and emerging careers. It’s no wonder that we’re the #1 public uni for undergrads who get jobs!¹

¹ Good Universities Guide 2024/25