Why join?

“Going to [societies] and then having the socials afterwards with a group of different people from different subjects, that was really nice as well. That felt like I felt like I belonged in the university.” 

- Alexa, Biochemistry

Your Social Life

During your time at university, it is important to maintain a healthy work-life balance, specifically knowing when to work and when to rest. Clubs, Societies & Projects (CSPs) can be an important part of this balance. Imperial offers over 340 CSPs in the following categories: academic, arts & entertainment, charitable, cultural, departmental, faith, indoor, outdoor, martial arts, media, social and sports. 

The list of CSPs is very diverse, allowing you to continue a long-loved hobby or try something new. You can meet new people outside your course and from all around the world. You can also join a committee by running for a leadership position in October elections. This is a great way to meet new people and acquire transferrable skills that are highly sought after by employers!  

Not finding what you are looking for? Every year the Union supports the creation of new CSPs that will be beneficial to the student community. Be bold and start something new! Unwind, meet new people, and look after yourself by joining a CSP at the annual Welcome Fair! Hear what other students have to say about CSPs:

Introduction to CSPs

What is a CSP?

CSP refers to “Clubs, Societies and Projects”. They are under the umbrella of the Imperial College Union (ICU). Their variety ranges from sports to cultural, and from departmental to social. CSPs are run by student volunteers, elected yearly by other students.

How to join?

Joining is very easy; just show up! Most CSPs welcome members all year round, but a good chance to meet them is saying hi at the Welcome fair. You can get in touch during the year by searching the Union CSP list, following them on social media or email.

Introduction to CSPs 2

How to get involved?

Student volunteer elections are in October and March. Get in touch with the CSP committee that you want to join, they may have some unfilled positions. Remember the student volunteers running CSPs are full time students as well so the amount of events might vary across the year and between years.

What do student volunteers do?

Student volunteers work in teams, called committees. They organise and host events and try to foster a friendly and inclusive environment for everyone in their CSP. Through this, they lead their CSP and have the chance to gain many essential and transferable skills.

About this content

This guidance was extracted from from the SIDUS-StudentShapers project. The Supporting the Identity Development of Underrepresented Students (SIDUS) Project aims to promote inclusion and support success for STEMM students from underrepresented groups, inspiring students to cultivate a sense of belonging to the academic community and their academic student identity at Imperial.