Extracurriculars and having fun

Imperial College Union (ICU), the university’s Students’ Union, is a student-led, democratically-run charity, committed to advancing education, student experience and welfare for all members. All registered students are automatically members of the union unless they decide to opt-out. The Leadership Elections are an annual democratic exercise in which all students at Imperial choose their key student leaders for the academic year ahead. Students can run for election to be an Officer Trustee, Council Chair, Student Trustee, Liberation & Community Officer or one of the various Undergraduate Academic & Wellbeing Departmental Reps and Postgraduate Representatives.

Students can also engage with one of the over 340 Clubs, Societies and Projects, or take part in one of the ICU’s programmes which help develop leadership skills outside the classroom. ICU hosts many events throughout the year including Welcome Week and Summer Ball. 

From gyms and classes to sports clubs and wellbeing, Move Imperial can help to keep you moving with gyms and classes to sports clubs and wellbeing. Located in South Kensington, Ethos is the university’s state of the art sports facility containing multiple gyms, a performance studio, free weights areas, swimming pool, courts, climbing wall and more. There are also sports facilities located at other campuses, with details available on the Sport webpage.

Just Move is a cross-campus, non-competitive physical activity membership that offers access to a range of activities and sessions in a friendly and social environment. The programme is free, to ensure everyone has access to physical activities. 

The Chaplaincy Multi-Faith Centre provides a confidential place to explore faith and to find support for personal issues. The team work with students and staff from different faith and philosophical backgrounds to support their spiritual and personal wellbeing. The Centre offers a quiet space for individual meditation or prayer, and multi-faith rooms for groups to meet for worship, study and discussion. The team of Chaplains and Faith advisors are also available for one-to-one confidential support in times of crisis, stress or uncertainty.

The Imperial Horizons is the Centre for Languages, Culture and Communications’ flagship programme for undergraduates. The programme includes a wide range of modules in the fields of Languages, Change Makers and Humanities & Social Sciences to help stimulate personal, professional, and intellectual growth. Students can take the modules either alongside their degree, or as part of it.

StudentShapers is Imperial’s student partnership programme, offering students the opportunity to work in partnership with staff to improve curricula, develop innovative teaching practices and make positive change to the student experience. The overarching aim of the programme is to encourage student engagement as partners in Learning and Teaching.

Imperial Enterprise Lab is a dedicated support service to support students and alumni who want to develop their entrepreneurial mindset, skills and networks. Students can join the community of entrepreneurs and speak to business coaches, visit the Enterprise Lab’s co-working space to test business ideas and take part in the Enterprise Lab’s programmes for a chance to develop a business idea and win cash prizes.

The Exploration Board considers student proposals for expeditions and administers funds to assist with expedition costs. Expeditions provide excellent opportunities to gain experience in organisation and living and working with other people, and when considering proposals the Board also takes scientific value or adventurous objectives into account. The Board was established in 1955 and maintains a considerable archive of previous expeditions and photography.

Volunteering is a fun and rewarding way for students to use their spare time. There are a wide range of opportunities available from volunteering at public events like Imperial Lates and the Great Exhibition Road Festival to supporting outreach programmes.

The Blyth Centre for Music and Visual Arts provides students at Imperial with purpose-built music practice facilities as well as an art gallery. Students can take music lessons, use the practice rooms, visit current exhibitions and take art classes. The Centre also offers scholarships to prospective students, which provides holders with tuition at the Royal College of Music. The Blyth Art Fellowship and Art awards also provides creative Fine Art support for current Imperial students.

For students who wish to develop an appreciation of research and the environment within which it takes place, there is the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme (UROP).

For students looking for summer research experiences abroad, the International Research Opportunities Programme (IROP) offers students an exciting chance to spend eight weeks at one of Imperial's partner universities overseas. It is a unique opportunity for students to gain international research experience and to experience life in another country during the summer break.