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University sports teams and elite sports

A guide to university sports in the UK with information on representative sports, student-run teams, sports scholarships and elite sports.

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CONTENTS

  1. Representative sports at university

  2. Student-run sports at university

  3. Student coaches

  4. Sporting excellence

Representative sports at university

If you want to take part in higher-level competitive sports, virtually all universities have representative teams across a range of sports, where the teams have been picked to represent the uni. 

In representative sports, student teams take part in matches against other universities and often also participate in local leagues and other competitions.

If you're a member of a representative team, you can expect to play a couple of matches a week: one against another university (usually on a Wednesday afternoon) and the other against a local sports club. You'll also have at least one training and/or coaching session.

Inter-university competitions in the UK are run by British Universities & Colleges Sports (BUCS) and Scottish Student Sport (SSS). From these, teams can go on to compete at European or international level.

British Universities & Colleges Sports (BUCS)

BUCS is the national governing body for higher education sports in the UK, with over 165 member institutions (including universities). It offers chances to compete in more than 50 sports through a comprehensive inter-university competition structure. This includes the BUCS Nationals, the UK's largest annual multi-sport event.

BUCS also aims to help students get into sports. It works with member institutions to help get more students active – whether through competitive sport or activities to support wellbeing. It also aims to influence decision-making, advocating for the positive impact of sport on students' experience and achievement.

The BUCS sporting programme is available to students at many UK universities. Over 100,000 students regularly compete in BUCS competitions, leagues and events. It organises over 100 individual final or championship events each year, with results collated to produce ‘ranking points’ for participating universities. This then shows the overall standard of sports performance across universities.

Scottish Student Sport (SSS)

Similar to BUCS, SSS is a membership organisation representing Scottish universities and colleges. It works to develop sports in the sector and get more students physically active, working with BUCS, sportscotland and the Scottish Funding Council.

SSS offers over 120 competitions a year. The largest annual event is the multi-sport Scottish Student Games.

International university sports competitions

In certain sports, the top university teams in the BUCS competition are eligible to compete in European Universities Sports Association (EUSA) competitions. These are 'Champions League' competitions, providing the opportunity for university teams to compete against the best in Europe.

BUCS also selects the GB Students teams for events such as the World University Games (WUGs), the second-biggest multi-sport event in the world after the Olympics.

University student swimming in a swimming pool

Student-run sports at university

If your goal is simply to keep fit while making friends, there are plenty of student-run sports initiatives available.

You can get involved in university sports through student sports clubs or intramural leagues where you compete against other teams within your university. Team sports are great for finding the motivation to keep fit as well as giving you the chance to widen your circle of friends. What's on offer comes at different levels: intramural sports, social and recreational sports, and health and wellbeing or lifestyle activities.

Intramural leagues

Intramural leagues are where teams within a university play against each other. If you want to play team sports regularly without committing to serious training or competing for university teams, they provide a great opportunity for regular but relatively casual competition.

Most intramural competitions are available for men or women, although there may be mixed teams in sports such as korfball or hockey. Some sports may involve university staff or the occasional graduate as well as students, and there's usually around one match a week during term time.

Student sports clubs

These clubs and leagues are generally operated by students for students but are increasingly supported by permanent professional staff within the institutions. Many universities have over 40 student sports clubs. By joining one (or more) you may discover an aptitude for a particular sport and move from beginner to full international competitor in the few years it takes you to get a degree.

Student coaches

If you'd like to train as a sports coach or referee, you may even get help from your university.

An increasing number of universities now employ professional coaches (either full- or part-time) for most of their student clubs/teams. The professionals are often supported by student members with coaching qualifications.

If you're interested in becoming a coach, the cost of getting the necessary qualification – which looks great on your CV – may be subsidised by the club or sports union. The same goes for umpiring or refereeing.

Sporting excellence

The Brownlee brothers (triathlon) and captain Heather Stanning (rowing) are among the Olympians whose sporting excellence benefitted from doing sport at university. For those with real sporting ability and commitment, going to university isn't only a chance to get a degree, it may be the best opportunity to develop sporting talent.

Sports scholarships

Many institutions offer university sports scholarships or bursaries for promising athletes. They're competitive and the number on offer is limited. Those who get one also usually benefit from additional specialist support services such as free membership of the sports centre, physiotherapy, strength and conditioning advice or special coaching.

Some universities provide limited financial support to help students meet the cost of going to competitions. They may also permit some academic flexibility. In return you’ll be expected to compete and represent the university in your sport, helping to build the university's sporting reputation.

Elite sports at university

The UK has an elite sporting infrastructure with a range of sports institutes and initiatives designed to nurture future talent. Many of these facilities are located at universities, drawing upon their expertise in sports science to hone athletes' talents.

Universities may support sporting excellence by providing scholarships and world-class facilities.

UK sporting scholarships for talented athletes

In England and Wales, elite sports students may be supported by a scholarship from TASS (Talented Athlete Scholarship), and in Scotland by Winning Students. Both are government-funded sports scholarship programmes, delivered in partnership with universities and national sports governing bodies.

Centres of sporting excellence

These can be multi-sport facilities linked to one of the home country's sports institutes, or one or more sport-specific centres. Check university websites to see which ones house centres of excellence. In some cases, these facilities may be used for major regional or national competitions.

Two of the UK's most famous Olympians learned to row at university. Heather Stanning MBE learned to row as part of the GB Rowing Team Start Programme at the University of Bath in 2005. She went on to win Gold at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics with her partner, Helen Glover. Dame Katherine Grainger, who has five Olympic medals, had never rowed before taking it up at the University of Edinburgh. She is now Chair of the board of UK Sport.

You can find out more about what universities offer (including sports scholarships) on our university profiles. Check the facilities section for details of sports facilities available.

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