What is 'The SU'?
You may have heard students or staff referring to something called 'The SU', and wondered what that means. The SU stands for The Students' Union, and we look after everything to do with your student experience beyond your academic study. This includes student societies, sports, arts, volunteering, advice, peer mentoring, our bar and club (which we call The Plug & Tub) and student voice. Most universities in The UK will have a Students' Union and we are here to support you throughout your time at Bath.
As an international student, you can access all parts of The SU and get involved in everything we offer, but this page is specifically for you and contains lots of information about settling into the UK, upcoming events, how to access support and much more!
Who We Are
There are lots of different areas of the SU, including different staff teams, SU Officers and a range of spaces and facilities.
Along with our 5 main areas (Voice, Support, Development, Experiences and Groups), we have 6 elected Officers.
Our work is overseen by an independent board made up of six elected student officers, two independent students and five external independent trustees. The SU is funded by a grant from the University of Bath, membership income and the commercial revenue that we generate through our range of student spaces and services.
What we do for you
As international students, you can get fully involved with all aspects of SU life, but we’ve highlighted just some of the things you could get involved with!
Feedback forums
We run regular feedback forums designed to better understand your experience as international students and what we can do to support and improve your experience. Do come along to these to share your voice, meet your SU Community Officer and meet your International Executive Committee.
Dates for 2024/25:
Mixers
This year, we are running regular international mixers for you to come and meet other international students over a hot drink and snacks. It’s also a great opportunity to chat with your SU Community Officer and play some games or do some colouring.
Dates for 2024/25:
Language Cafés
The Language Café is run by volunteers who are either native or fluent speakers of various languages including: Arabic, British Sign Language, English, French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Welsh. Each session, we'll suggest a theme to give you a starting point for your conversation and to help you learn something new each time. Every language has its own conversation group. Where possible, we'll divide groups by language level, from beginner to advanced. Conversation groups are small so that everyone gets a chance to speak.
Dates for 2024/25:
- Tuesday 29th October
- Thursday 20th February
- Tuesday 1st April.
Language PAL
PAL is a supportive and confidential space to practise your language skills and ask questions you don't want to ask your language teacher. Sessions are informal and fun, allowing attendees to learn and grow in confidence through language games, listening to music, watching clips from films or TV shows, or simply having conversations with other language learners.
New sessions start from 14 October and run for 7 weeks and then from 10 February for 7 weeks. You can find out more on our dedicated Language PAL page.
Faith & Cultural Societies
The SU has a range of faith and cultural societies which all students are welcome to join, whether you'd like to meet students from a similar background or learn more about other cultures and traditions.
SU Trips
The SU runs regular trips to places around the UK which you can get involved in if you want to explore the sights and scenery of South West England and beyond. You can find out all about our trips by heading over to What's On (thesubath.com).
Volunteering as an International Student
Volunteering as an international student has lots of benefits, including a unique opportunity for immersing yourself in the English language and a chance to connect with the community you are living in. Find out more about how to get involved: International Student Volunteering (thesubath.com).