Savanna Hoffman
Cambridge University has a long history of student elections and student union societies. The Cambridge Students' Union, or Cambridge SU, is the university-wide representative body for students at the University of Cambridge. The SU holds elections annually for 8 full-time officers, several part-time officers, and delegates to the National Union of Students (NUS) Annual Conference. In 2016, Cambridge University Students' Union voted to remain affiliated with the NUS, with the referendum seeing historic levels of engagement. The Cambridge Union Society, or simply 'the Union', is a separate entity, being a private debating society founded in 1815 that is open to all students of Cambridge University and Anglia Ruskin University.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of full-time officers | 8 |
| Number of part-time officers | Several |
| Number of delegates to the National Union of Students (NUS) Annual Conference | Not specified |
| Number of sabbatical officers | 8 |
| Number of students who voted for disaffiliation from CUSU in 2010 | 71% of undergraduates and 86% of postgraduates |
| Number of votes for and against disaffiliation in 2013 | 213 for and 91 against |
| Number of votes for and against amending the constitution to allow women as members | Not specified (majority voted in favour, but it did not meet the 2/3 majority required) |
| Number of votes for and against remaining affiliated with the NUS in 2016 | Not specified |
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What You'll Learn
Cambridge SU elections
Cambridge SU, or Cambridge Students' Union, is the university-wide representative body for students at the University of Cambridge. It was established in July 2020, replacing its predecessor, Cambridge University Students' Union (CUSU). Cambridge SU holds elections annually for 8 full-time officers, several part-time officers, and delegates to the National Union of Students (NUS) Annual Conference. The full-time officers take a one-year sabbatical from their studies or take it directly after graduation.
The Cambridge SU is legally a self-funded charity that owns and has full control over its private property and buildings in Cambridge city centre. It is separate from the Cambridge Union Society (often referred to as 'the Union'), which is a private debating and free speech society founded in 1815. Membership in the Cambridge Union Society is open to all students of Cambridge University and Anglia Ruskin University, while all students at the University of Cambridge are automatically members of Cambridge SU (with the option to opt out).
The Cambridge SU elections are an important process for students at the University of Cambridge to have their voices heard and choose their representatives. The representatives will advocate for students' interests and shape decisions at the local and central levels. The specific roles and responsibilities of the elected officers include positions such as President, Access, Education, and Participation Officer, BME Officer, Disabled Students' Officer, and Welfare and Community Officer.
In addition to the SU elections, Cambridge has a history of student referendum votes on various issues. For example, in 2016, Cambridge University Students' Union voted to remain affiliated with the National Union of Students, while other universities like Lincoln, Newcastle, and Hull chose to break away. This referendum sparked discussions about addressing student concerns, inclusivity, and the direction of the organisation.
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Student representative roles
The Cambridge Students' Union, also known as Cambridge SU, is the university-wide representative body for students at the University of Cambridge. It is the successor to the Cambridge University Students' Union, or CUSU, which was dissolved in July 2020. All students at the University of Cambridge are automatically members of Cambridge SU, although they can opt out. The Union organises and administers student elections and provides support, training, and networking opportunities for elected representatives.
Cambridge SU holds elections annually for several full-time and part-time officers, as well as delegates to the National Union of Students (NUS) Annual Conference. The full-time officers take a one-year sabbatical from their studies or directly after graduation. In 2020-21 and 2024-25, eight sabbatical officer roles were elected, including President (UG), President (PG), Access, Education, and Participation Officer (UG and PG), BME Officer, Disabled Students' Officer, Welfare and Community Officer, and Women's Officer. In 2025, the number of sabbatical officers was reduced to five as part of the 2024 Governance Review.
In addition to the SU officers, there are also subject representatives and representatives for the Council of the School. Subject representatives act as the voice for students within the University, representing their interests and shaping decisions at the local and central levels. They feed into Faculty-level discussions about specific courses and may also hold informal elections for course or year representatives.
The Cambridge Union Society, often referred to as simply "the Union," is a separate entity from the Cambridge Students' Union. It is a historic debating and free speech society founded in 1815, making it the oldest continuously running debating society in the world. Membership is open to all students of Cambridge University and Anglia Ruskin University, and the society is known for hosting prominent figures from various areas of public life.
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Student voter turnout
The Cambridge Students' Union, also known as Cambridge SU, is the university-wide representative body for students at the University of Cambridge. It was established in July 2020, following a merger between the predecessor union, Cambridge University Students' Union (CUSU), and the University of Cambridge Graduate Union.
Cambridge SU holds elections annually for 8 full-time officers, several part-time officers, and delegates to the National Union of Students (NUS) Annual Conference. The full-time officers take a one-year sabbatical from their studies or directly after graduation. The number of full-time sabbatical roles is due to be reduced to five starting in 2025-2026 as part of the 2024 Governance Review.
In addition to the SU-level elections, each year, students at Cambridge University also elect subject representatives and representatives for the Council of the School. These roles are discipline-specific and feed into faculty-level discussions.
While specific voter turnout numbers for Cambridge University student elections are not readily available, there is evidence of student engagement in the electoral process. For instance, in 2016, the Cambridge University Students' Union (CUSU) voted to remain affiliated with the National Union of Students (NUS), with the referendum receiving historic levels of engagement, according to then-CUSU president Priscilla Mensah.
Furthermore, in college-wide ballots, students have also demonstrated their voting power. For example, in 2010, a referendum on disaffiliation from CUSU at Corpus Christi College saw 71% of undergraduates and 86% of postgraduates participate, with the majority voting in favour of disaffiliation.
The Cambridge Union Society, often referred to as 'the Union,' is a separate entity from the Cambridge Students' Union. It is a historic debating and free speech society founded in 1815 and is the oldest continuously running debating society in the world. Membership is open to all students of Cambridge University and Anglia Ruskin University, but it is a private society independent of the university.
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Student body demographics
The Cambridge Students' Union, also known as Cambridge SU, is the university-wide representative body for students at the University of Cambridge. Membership is open to all students at Cambridge University, but they can choose to opt out. The Cambridge SU is partially funded by grants from the university.
The Cambridge Union Society, often referred to as 'the Union', is a private society that is completely separate from the Cambridge University Students' Union. It is a debating and free speech society founded in 1815, making it the oldest continuously running debating society in the world. Membership is open to all students of Cambridge University and Anglia Ruskin University. The Cambridge Union Society is a self-funded charity that owns and has full control over its private property and buildings in Cambridge city centre.
The Cambridge SU holds elections annually for 8 full-time officers, several part-time officers, and delegates to the National Union of Students (NUS) Annual Conference. The full-time officers take a one-year sabbatical from their studies or take this role directly after graduation. The number of full-time sabbatical roles is due to be reduced to 5 for the 2025-26 academic year.
The Cambridge SU is not to be confused with the Cambridge University Graduate Union, which was specifically for graduate student affairs. In 2019, the two unions merged to form the Cambridge SU.
In 2016, the Cambridge University Students' Union voted to remain affiliated with the NUS, joining Exeter, Warwick, and Surrey. In contrast, Lincoln, Newcastle, Hull, and Oxford universities voted to break away.
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Previous election results
The Cambridge Students' Union, also known as Cambridge SU, is the university-wide representative body for students at the University of Cambridge. The SU holds elections annually for 8 full-time officers, several part-time officers, and a number of delegates to the National Union of Students (NUS) Annual Conference.
In 2006, the largest Cambridge college students' union, Trinity College Students' Union, voted to disaffiliate from CUSU for the 2006/2007 academic year. Trinity College Students' Union reaffiliated in early 2007. In November 2010, the JCR and MCR of Corpus Christi College disaffiliated following a college-wide ballot that saw 71% of undergraduates and 86% of postgraduates vote in favor of disaffiliation. Gonville and Caius College also disaffiliated in November 2013, with 213 votes for and 91 votes against.
In 2016, Cambridge University Students' Union voted to remain affiliated with the National Union of Students (NUS). This vote came after several other universities, including Hull, Lincoln, and Newcastle, had voted to break away. The CUSU president, Priscilla Mensah, expressed pride in the high levels of engagement in the referendum and stated that the vote provided a strong mandate to address the concerns raised by Cambridge students.
Between 2020 and 2024, Cambridge SU had seven SU campaigns, six of which represented a particular subsection of the student body. During this period, the 8 sabbatical officer roles elected at Cambridge SU included President (UG), President (PG), Access, Education and Participation Officer (UG and PG), BME Officer, Disabled Students' Officer, Welfare and Community Officer, and Women's Officer. In 2024, a Governance Review was conducted, which resulted in a reduction of sabbatical officer roles from 8 to 5 for the 2025-26 academic year.
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Frequently asked questions
It is unclear exactly how many students vote in the Cambridge University Students' Union (CUSU) elections. However, it is known that all students at the University of Cambridge are automatically members of Cambridge SU (although they can opt out).
Cambridge SU holds elections annually for 8 full-time officers, several part-time officers, and a number of delegates to the National Union of Students (NUS) Annual Conference.
The Cambridge Union Society, often referred to as "the Union," is a historic debating and free speech society in Cambridge, England. It is a private society with membership open to all students of Cambridge University and Anglia Ruskin University. The Cambridge Union is legally a self-funded charity that is separate from the Cambridge University Students' Union.
