The Sports Forum will review applications throughout term one, but you will not hear a decision until after the application deadline.
Student Union Bye-law 5 outlines some of the requirements to be a Sports Club (Governance). The main ones include 511. Recognising a new Club or Society and 514. 3 Core Exec Members.
To be a Sports Club (and not a society), the sport needs to be recognised by BUCS and/or Sport England. If this is not the case, then you may consider applying to be a new Society instead: Start a New Society.
Please make sure you understand the minimum cost of sport for a Sports Club and that you pass this on to prospective members: How to Join a Club.
Please also check the criteria for being a club in the “Criteria” tab above.
The process and deadlines for applying to be a new Sports Club are as follows:
- Read the criteria outlined on the next tab
- Complete the online form (see tab above). The application window is open from Term 1 Week 5 to Term 2 Week 5.
- Collect 30 signatures and University ID numbers of students who are interested in joining your club if it is successfully formed, and upload them as part of the application form.
- Please make it clear that the people who sign understand the cost and time associated.
- When collecting signatures, please ensure that you get consent to use their data and share it with the SU/Team Warwick. Where possible, Microsoft Forms (or similar) should be used for collecting this data, as only the organiser can view this data rather than an open Word/Google doc where it is available to anyone who clicks the link. All students should have access to Forms through their University Microsoft account.
- Alternatively, signatures can be done in person/handwritten.
- Team Warwick will review applications to make sure they fulfil the required criteria. For applicants of on-campus clubs, this includes consideration of available facilities.
- If appropriate, you will be invited to pitch your club to Sports Forum in mid to late T2. In this time, you'll have around 5 minutes to tell the Forum what your plans for your club are. The rest of the time will be used as a question-and-answer session.
- If successful:
- If you are applying to be an off-campus club, we will set your new club up at the start of Term 3.
- If you are approved to be an on-campus club by forum, this will be on a provisional basis. Your provisionally accepted proposal will then be taken to the facilities allocation meetings over Easter where your facilities will be confirmed, and if successful we will set your new club up at the start of Term 3.
- You will need to complete an official constitution, an exec details spreadsheet, and a Handover Pack.
If you have any questions, please contact sports@warwicksu.com.
Any new Sports Club applications that are deemed to fall under at least one of the following criteria will be rejected by Team Warwick/Sports Forum.
- If the application is submitted by a person who is not a current student at the University of Warwick, there are not 30 signatures from current students, or any of the exec members are not students.
- If the activity cannot be covered under the Students’ Union’s public liability insurance.
- The nature of the activity is deemed to be of such a high risk that it would require a disproportionate amount of funding and/or staff time to monitor to ensure compliance with minimum safety standards.
- Is proposing activities which have the potential to bring the Students’ Union/University into disrepute.
- Is in conflict with the Students’ Union’s values, ethos and/or student-mandated policy.
- Has the sole aim of charitable fundraising (for an organisation external to Warwick SU).
- If the group is constituted or governed by an external body and it conflicts with Warwick Students’ Union’s governance structures, bylaws or regulations.
Other criteria which will be considered by the Sports Forum includes:
- Whether the group duplicates the role of an existing club.
- Whether the group duplicates the purposes of a club which has been de-recognised in the last 18 months.
- Whether the group is being set up for a one-off event.
- Whether the group’s proposed activities are, in the opinion of the forum, not in accordance with the Memorandum and Articles of Association.
- Whether the group is sustainable as a club, including financially - When new clubs are formed, they are expected to be financially self-sufficient . Increasing your club balance can either be achieved through membership fees, or obtaining sponsorship. Your club must be able to function independently.
Please fill this form with as much detail as possible as Sports Forum will review all applications in line with the criteria.
If you have any questions about the application process, please email sports@warwicksu.com.
You will be able to return to update your application up until the deadline of 23:39 Sunday, Term 2 Week 5.