NUS Card

Catherine Pointer submitted on

Thursday 12th January 2017

Complete

Hi, 

My NUS card is due to expire in June this year. I bought it whilst I was finishing my undergrad degree at a different university which was affiliated with NUS, however I cannot buy a new one from NUS currently because UoS is not affiliated with NUS. I am going to be a student for several more years and use my NUS card all the time, having saved hundereds of pounds over the years. On the NUS website it states that if a university is not affiliated with NUS I should contact a SU representative to see if you offer an alternative way of purchasing a card. I don't know why UoS isn't affiliated with NUS but it seems unfair to prevent students from having access to student discount, as some of us really need those savings to get by. 

Best wishes, 

Catherine.

Answers

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Evie Reilly submitted on

Friday 13th January 2017

Complete

Hi Catherine,

Thanks very much for getting in touch about this. The decision to disaffiliate was taken back in 2002, following a vote by students at the AGM of the Union. This was followed up by two referenda in 2010 and 2012, during which students voted very conclusively to remain disaffiliated from the NUS. The main reason for this (as far as I can understand) is that it would cost over £60,000 a year to affiliate, money which instead goes into funding student clubs and societies and general student activities, and the facilities that we as a Union offer. There are alternatives to the NUS card, such as Unidays, and also often just showing your student ID can get you the same discount. I hope that is helpful, but please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me by email (pres@soton.ac.uk) if you have any further questions.

Many thanks,

Alex Hovden – Union President.