An athletic union or athletics union (AU) usually refers to the group of student sports clubs within a

university A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United Stat ...

or other institute of

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, in the

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General information

Sports clubs affiliate to their athletic union for support and finance. If a sports club is not part of the athletic union then it is probably not an official or recognized club of the institution. Each athletic union is often run and supported by the institute's

students' union A students' union, also known by many other names, is a student organization present in many colleges, universities, and high schools. In higher education, the students' union is often accorded its own building on the campus, dedicated to ...

, but are sometimes operated by the institute itself or semi-autonomous from either the students' union or the university. Athletic unions can (and most do) affiliate to British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS). In a typical structure, members of sports clubs automatically become members of the athletic union with all the benefits of the membership (including insurance and social aspects) included. Individual students who compete in individual sports, where no club exists in their chosen activity, can also join the athletic union. Officers of the sports clubs generally become ''

ex officio An ''ex officio'' member is a member of a body (notably a board, committee, council) who is part of it by virtue of holding another office. The term '' ex officio'' is Latin, meaning literally 'from the office', and the sense intended is 'by right ...

'' members of the AU standing committee and this committee typically elects an AU chair and vice-chair. The AU president (sometimes called sports officer or activities officer) is usually elected from the wider student body as part of executive committee elections. Many athletic unions employ a person (or persons) to work alongside the AU president in support of the sports clubs, and to keep a continuity from year to year within the athletic union.

Athletic unions

* Durham University Athletic Union * Hull University Athletic Union * Manchester Metropolitan Athletic Union * University of Nottingham Athletic Union *

University of St Andrews Athletic Union (AIEN ARISTEUEIN) , established = 1901 , type = Athletic Union , president = Jess Smith , city = St Andrews , state = Fife , country = Scotland, UK , affiliations = British Universities and Colleges Sport Scottish Student Sport , webs ...

Sports organisations of the United Kingdom {{UK-sport-stub