Something for everyone – if you can afford it: Costs of University social life causing festive misery

‘Hidden costs’ of socialising on campus have left students shunning societies and sports clubs over budgeting fears, an investigation by The Boar has found.

Societies and sports clubs are an integral part of any student’s university experience. Look on any university’s website, and the chances are you’ll find an article outlining the pros as to why you should join a society at university. Warwick is no different, and with over 300 societies and sports clubs to choose from, there is something for everyone. That is, if you can afford it.  

Despite the Students’ Union (SU) reducing joining fees for societies and sports clubs this year, the ‘hidden costs’ of socialising at university mean that many students still feel left out, as they struggle to balance maintaining a social life with not breaking the bank. 

An investigation by The Boar has found that 87% of students feel having an active social life at Warwick can be too expensive, with over two-thirds (67%) of students previously deciding against joining a society or sports club because they couldn’t afford it. Even for those who have joined, over half (57%) said they were unhappy at the cost of memberships. 

Joining an on-campus sports club at Warwick currently costs £101.50, despite a 25% reduction in the Sports Federation fee this year. £71.50 of that cost is made up of purchasing the Warwick Sports Club Pass, which gives access to training facilities and personalised support for development. Societies vary in cost, but all students wishing to join a society must pay a one-off fee of £16 for a Societies Federation membership. 

61% of respondents […] found the Societies Federation fee too high, whilst 83% said the same about the Sports Federation fee

For many students, the price of joining societies is too high, despite the cut in fees. One student said that “the expense is quite unjustifiable”, while another said the cost is “not worth it”. 61% of respondents to The Boar’s survey said that they find the Societies Federation fee too high, whilst 83% said the same about the Sports Federation fee (£24). 

What’s more, membership fees are only the first financial barrier for some when it comes to socialising at university. Whether it be an infamous Warwick circle before POP! or an international tour jet-setting to a European destination, students are faced with a slew of events to choose from in every society and sports club. These activities aim to bring society members together and forge lifelong friendships, but for many people who are already financially excluded from clubs, they make them feel even more like an outsider as they struggle to afford the extra costs.  

One student in The Boar’s survey said that they feel society events “make working-class students feel excluded from properly getting involved in societies”. It’s perhaps no surprise, therefore, that a 2020 study by Sheffield Hallam University found that poorer students are less likely to take part in sports at university, with only a third (34%) of students from the lowest socio-economic group being a member of a sports club, compared to 63% from more affluent backgrounds.  

When asked to name the most expensive aspect of participating in societies, an overwhelming number of respondents simply said ‘anything involving alcohol’. The cost of alcohol can make events such as circling and bar crawls quickly add up in price. 65% of respondents said that they find drinks prices at SU outlets too high, with the average person spending £21 at a circle. Some respondents even admitted to spending as much as £40 at the SU on a Wednesday night. For some however, the cost of drinks is simply too much, with one student telling The Boar: “Even when at socials, I often drink very little or don’t eat, so I can still socialise without going broke.” 

Though less frequent than drinking socials, balls and tours were also mentioned by some as expensive aspects of participating in societies. From a selection listed on the SU website, The Boar found that the average ticket price for a ball is £69. As one second-year student put it: “That is literally about two weeks of groceries for three hours of mediocre dance and music, with possibly mediocre food”.  

The SU barely assists the societies in their activities and are really stingy with funding. Where does all our money go?

Surveyed student

The festive season also increases the strain on some students’ wallets, with events in the second half of Term 1 – including trips to Birmingham’s Frankfurt market and Christmas meals – often more frequent and more expensive. One student said that they had chosen to miss events organised by Warwick Snow due to the expense, with the club’s annual Christmas tour costing £439. 

When approached, the club told The Boar that they aim to make society events accessible for all, despite the high costs. 

They said: “Snow sports are expensive and as a club, we do all we can to reduce that barrier to entry by running our socials for free. We lose money on all the skiing events we run by fully subsiding any transport costs and partially subsiding ticket costs. Unfortunately, skiing abroad is expensive, however we carefully chose our location and tour provider to make sure it is as cheap as possible for all those going.”  

While societies receive grants from the SU each year based on membership numbers, some students have raised concern about a lack of clarity as to how their Federation fees are spent. One student said that: “From what I’ve gathered, the SU barely assists the societies in their activities and are really stingy with funding. Where does all our money go?” 

When contacted about this, Joe Stanley, SU Vice-President for Societies, stressed that Federation fees go back into supporting students, through projects like the Advice Centre and the Free Breakfast Club, as well as running events such as the Societies Fair. He added that: “Other fees, such as membership fees and ticketing for society events, goes solely to the societies who can spend this money on their activities.” 

Despite this, The Boar has spoken to some societies who have said that the financial support they receive from the SU does not go far enough. One club, who wished to remain anonymous, said that “there is only so much we can do with the funds provided to us”, while another added that “we struggle to get members to attend competitions, as we cannot subsidise entry and transport costs due to a lack of funding.”  

We would like to remove the Societies Federation fee completely in the future, if it is financially viable

Joe Stanley, Vice President for Societies, Warwick SU

With societies often unable to support members directly, students are often left to seek out other ways to fund society activities. While the SU provides most support to clubs directly, Joe Stanley told The Boar that: “The SU is aware that many students continue to struggle with the cost of living, and we do our best to keep the cost of joining societies as low as possible”. As such, some societies including cultural societies are exempt from the Federation fee, which is something Stanley wants to see extended to other clubs, where possible.  

SU officers have also stressed their desire to eventually abolish Federation fees for all clubs. Former SU Vice-President for Societies, Max Pike, told The Boar in August that the Societies Federation fee has “existed for far too long and I’m glad we’re going in the right direction to hopefully eliminate it someday.” His successor Stanley echoed this, adding that: “We would like to remove the Societies Federation fee completely in the future, if it is financially viable.” 

Warwick Sport, who provide facilities for sports clubs and operate the Sports and Wellness Hub, told The Boar that they also provide a range of support for students in order to reduce barriers to taking part in sports clubs. The Sports Officer Bursary, which is run in collaboration with Louis Gosling, SU Vice-President for Sports, removes the cost of joining a sports club for over 50 students, with a record number of applications received for the bursary this year. Other initiatives like Rock Up and Play and support for Warwick Scholars also aim to broaden access to university sport and sports clubs. 

The University has also taken steps this year, in collaboration with Warwick Sport, to assess participation and inclusion in university sport, with a new Active Wellness and Sport strategy being adopted to “engage as many students as possible in active wellness, enhancing wellbeing, belonging and engagement”. The University has also outlined a continued focus on work to tackle the effects of the cost-of-living crisis on students’ engagement with sports clubs.  

We continue to work closely with University and SU colleagues to identify students for whom the cost of being active is a barrier whilst also remaining proud of the breadth of opportunities there are to be active for free at the University

Warwick Sport spokesperson

A spokesperson for Warwick Sport told The Boar: “Warwick recognise the challenges that some students face in finding the cost of joining a sports club or gym. There are several positive steps we have taken to support students to remain active and improve their physical and mental health whilst studying.” 

They added: “We continue to work closely with University and SU colleagues to identify students for whom the cost of being active is a barrier whilst also remaining proud of the breadth of opportunities there are to be active for free at the University. Warwick Sport do not make a profit, so whilst we do generate some revenue our overall operation runs at an annual deficit of £1.9 million.” 

However, the 93% Club, a society who aim to represent and improve the experiences of state-educated students at Warwick, has criticised the University for not going far enough to address the “significant affordability problem for lower-income students”. They told The Boar: “Financial barriers often extend beyond tuition and living expenses, limiting students’ ability to join societies, participate in sports, and engage in the broader social life at Warwick. This creates an environment where some students feel excluded from the full range of opportunities available to their peers.” 

Societies will always play a central role in university social life, but it is clear the cost-of-living crisis has put a strain on many students and has led some to avoid society activities completely. Indeed, the general sentiment of Warwick students was summed up by one fresher: “The cost of societies is frankly extortionate and not at all realistic for a university student to afford.”  

Students struggling with the cost of taking part in societies, or with the cost-of-living crisis more generally, can approach the SU’s Advice Centre for guidance, information and options to help support them.