Elections at UWLSU
Every year, UWLSU students choose who will lead their Students’ Union.
Sabbatical Officers are elected student leaders who represent UWL students and help to shape the direction of the Students’ Union. They are your voice to the University, and they play a key role in shaping your student experience.
This includes your education, wellbeing, activities, events, and how the Students’ Union itself is run. If you’re passionate about student experience and positive change, this could be the role for you.
What are the elections?
Each year, students vote to elect their Sabbatical Officers. This usually takes place in the spring term, with voting happening in April.
During the election period, candidates campaign to share their ideas, talk to other students, and explain why they would be right for the role. This includes creating a manifesto, speaking to students, and taking part in candidate training and briefings.
The candidates who receive the most votes are elected to represent students for the following academic year.
Who can run?
To run in the elections, you must be a fully enrolled UWL student. You don’t need any previous experience just motivation, enthusiasm, and ideas about what you’d like to improve for students.
You’ll receive full training on everything you need to know, so you just need to bring your passion for making a difference. You’ll also have support from the Students’ Union team throughout the whole process, from nomination right through to results.
All candidates must comply with the UWLSU Articles of Association and Bye-Laws.
International student eligibility
If you are an international student and considering running in the elections, the following applies:
You need to be a current student, actively studying, at the time the election takes place in April.
The start of the sabbatical term (10th July 2026) must not be more than three months after your official course end date.
After you have nominated yourself, the Students’ Union will run eligibility checks with the University to confirm that you are able to run in the elections.
If you have any questions about your eligibility, including visa or funding-related queries, you can contact the UWL Student Money and Immigration team directly.
Election rules
Our elections are designed to be fair, accessible and welcoming for everyone.
The rules are there to make sure no candidate has an unfair advantage and that all students have an equal opportunity to choose their representatives.
All candidates must follow the election rules. The full rules are available to download here, and you’ll receive training on them as part of your candidate induction. You can also ask questions at any time if anything is unclear.
Sabbatical Officer roles
Sabbatical Officers are elected for a full-time, paid role lasting one year, from 10th July 2026 to 9th July 2027.
The role is 35 hours per week, with a minimum of three full days in the office, although more may be required depending on meetings, events and commitments. Some evening and weekend work may also be required.
Salary: £27,583 per year.
Sabbatical Officers are both Officers and staff members of the Students’ Union, as well as Trustees responsible for the legal, strategic and financial performance of UWLSU.
Sabbatical Officers can be re-elected and may serve a maximum of two years in total.
General responsibilities include:
- Representing the interests and views of all UWL students as Sabbatical Officers and Trustees
- Supporting the delivery and operational functions of UWLSU
- Working with the Head of Membership to set priorities for the academic year and leading on plans to achieve them
- Engaging with students and developing a strong understanding of the views of UWL students from different backgrounds and communities
President
- The representative for all UWL students.
- Leads UWLSU and helps shape the overall student experience.
- Chairs key meetings and represents students at senior University level.
- Sits on major University committees, including the Board of Governors.
As a Trustee, the President also plays a key role in the governance and strategic direction of UWLSU.
Vice-President Education
- Represents students on academic and welfare issues.
- Works with students to improve teaching and learning.
- Represents student views in University decision-making.
Works closely with student course representatives to improve the educational experience across UWL.
Vice-President Activities
- Leads on sports, societies, volunteering and extracurricular student participation.
- Works to increase student involvement and opportunities outside the classroom.
- Supports activities that help students build skills, confidence and employability.
Helps create a strong sense of community and belonging across UWL.
How to nominate yourself
- Complete the online nomination form during the nominations period.
- Once nominated, the SU team will contact you with next steps.
- You’ll be invited to candidate briefings and training sessions.
If you have questions at any stage, you can contact the elections team at su.elections@uwl.ac.uk.
Training and support for candidates
All candidates receive training and support from UWLSU.
This includes:
- a mandatory briefing on the election rules, which you must attend if you intend to run
- campaigning and manifesto workshops to help you develop your ideas and communicate them clearly
- ongoing support and regular check-ins during the election period
You’ll be supported every step of the way, from nomination to results.
Key dates
Nominations, voting dates, training sessions and results announcements are published each year.
You can download the full list of key election dates from this page.
Get in touch
If you’re unsure about anything, or just want to chat through what running might involve, any quetions about the changes, you can email the elections team at su.elections@uwl.ac.uk who will be happy to help.