NUS Referendum 2026
Decide whether York affiliates with the National Union of Students
It's time to decide if York will affiliate with the National Union of Students
Every few years, York SU asks all student members to vote whether they would like to affiliate with the National Union of Students (NUS).
Last time an NUS referendum was held in 2022, York SU failed to achieve the minimum turnout required of 5%. As quorum was not met, the referendum was deemed invalid.
To avoid another invalid referendum, we encourage all students at the University of York to vote either Yes, No or Abstain.
Voting will open 12pm on Monday 16th March
Voting will close 12pm on Thursday 19th March
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the NUS?
The National Union of Students is the UK's largest confederate of Student Unions (SUs), with around 90% of UK SUs being officially affiliated. They run campaigns and lobby the government on issues related to student finance, accommodation and the cost of living crisis.
Is York SU currently affiliated with the NUS?
No. The trustee board decided to pull York SU out of NUS affiliation in December 2024. They cited reasons such as alleged antisemitism and intimidation.
Whilst many students accepted the motivation for the disaffiliation, some felt the decision to withdraw should have been made by the student electorate rather than the SU trustee board, which is made up of both appointed and elected members.
What is the cost of affiliation?
The NUS charges all affiliating members a fee based on the Union's block grant (i.e. funding provided by the University of York to the Students' Union). The cost to York SU is around £30k per year. This equates to around 0.5% of the charity's annual income.
NUS vs NUS Charity?
The NUS is the core political and campaigning branch of the NUS, and is the subject of this referendum.
NUS Charity provides resourcing to support SUs more generally with their work, such as training resources and crisis management. York SU maintains its NUS Charity membership at a cost of 1% of the Union's block grant.
It's worth noting that the NUS Charity contribution fee reduces to 0.5% of the block grant if the Union re-affiliates with NUS.
How should I vote?
We encourage all students to take time to understand the purpose of the NUS, and evaluate its worth. You may be interested in reading:
- York SU's Referendum Article
- List of UK Student Unions that are not affiliated with NUS
- NUS's List of Benefits
Alcuin College does not have an official view as to whether York SU should remain affiliated with the NUS or not. Whilst government policy to change the Higher Education funding model looms, choosing whether or not to associate with the largest student lobbying group in the UK could have significant consequences.