6 types of clubs to enhance your experience at The University of Western Australia

There’s so much more to university than getting a degree. It’s also about exploring passions, making new friends, and even developing your soft skills outside of the classroom. The best way to access all this and more? By joining a university club. 

With more than 160 clubs and societies to choose from, The University of Western Australia (UWA) champions inclusivity and community. Better yet, UWA College students are welcome to join any one of them! From hobbies and sports to faith and culture, whatever your passion, there’s a UWA club for you. 

1. Cultural clubs 

When you’re far from home, meeting other people from your country could help to reduce homesickness. Cultural clubs are safe and welcoming spaces for students to come together and discuss their experiences, make connections and spend time enjoying and sharing their culture. 

UWA’s Multicultural Students Union, established in 1970, is one of the oldest and largest non-academic clubs on campus. Open to students of all cultural backgrounds, the club’s mission is to enhance your university experience with regular social, sporting and charity events. 

If you’re hoping to make new connections with people specifically from your culture, you’ll also find a wide range of clubs for different nationalities. Just some of the cultural clubs at UWA include: 

• African Student Union 
• Asian Students in Australia 
• Chinese Society 
• Hong Kong Student Society 
• Korean Cultural Club 
• Malaysian Cultural Society 
• Pakistani Society 
• Sanskriti – Association for Indian Culture and Student Support 
• Saudi Students Association UWA 
• Vietnamese Students Association. 

2. Sports clubs 

Sport is a huge part of university life in Australia. Joining a sports team will not only give you a new social network, but you’ll be able to explore passions outside of your studies too. Sports clubs are open to students of all levels, from beginners looking to try something new to athletes who want to compete. 

For nature lovers, the UWA Outdoor Club could be the adventure you’ve been looking for. From hiking and rock climbing to kayaking, wind surfing and paddle boarding, there are so many opportunities to enjoy the fantastic weather in Perth – Australia’s sunniest city. Other UWA sports clubs include: 

• Badminton Club 
• Cricket Club 
• Football Club (Australian rules) 
• martial arts including Aikido Club, Judo Club, Karate Club and Taekwondo Club 
• Rollerblading Club 
• Soccer Club 
• Swimming Club 
• Table Tennis Club 
• Tennis Club 
• Underwater Club. 

3. Hobby clubs 

Having a hobby outside of your studies is healthy. Hobbies help to relieve stress, engage your brain in something you enjoy, and connect you with people who have similar interests. If you’d like to enrich your university life with a hobby, UWA has a range of clubs to help you unwind and have some fun.  

Fans of boardgames will love the Unigames Club. From card games to role-playing games like Dungeons and Dragons, head over to the clubroom on UWA’s Perth campus to meet other members and enjoy your favorite games. If traditional games aren’t your thing, other hobby clubs at UWA include: 

• Chess Association 
• Debating Union 
• Esports Club 
• Film Society 
• Juggling Club 
• Photography Club 
• Robotics Club 
• University Dramatic Society 
• University Science Fiction and Fantasy Association 
• UWAnime – the largest anime club in Western Australia! 

4. Faith clubs 

For some students, religion is an important part of life. And it’s not something that needs to be put to the wayside while you’re at university – a faith club can help you express your spirituality. 

UWA is a multi-faith university and offers pastoral support for all students regardless of religion. In addition to chaplains, there are on-campus faith communities available to join to help supplement the religious community you had back at home. Faith clubs include: 

• Australasian Union of Jewish Students 
• Baha’i Society 
• Catholic Society 
• Christian Union 
• Muslim Students Association 
• University Buddhist Youth Club. 

5. Academic clubs  

Societies aren’t just about socializing with peers. If you’re looking to make valuable networking connections, academic clubs are an excellent extracurricular activity. Better yet, UWA has a wide range of them for practically every subject area. 

Popular with computing students, the Data Science Club has plenty of opportunities for you to immerse yourself in industry. From the ‘Careers Bootcamp’ to the ‘Data Science Industry Insights’ networking night, discover even more opportunities to get valuable industry exposure outside of your studies. 

Just a few other UWA academic clubs include: 

• Arts Union of UWA 
• Computer Science Students Club 
• Economics and Commerce Students’ Society 
• Electrical and Electronic Engineers of WA 
• Finance Association of Western Australia 
• Psychology Society 
• Science Union 
• The Civil Society 
• University Engineers’ Club 
• UWA Programming Competition Society. 

6. Volunteering clubs 

Another way to boost your CV and gain industry experience is by volunteering. Volunteering shows employers that you’re responsible and committed and is a great way to increase your confidence and socialize with different people. The best part? UWA even has clubs to help you volunteer. 

Ignite Mentoring UWA is a student-run organization that delivers engaging mentoring programs to lower socio-economic high school students in Perth. So, you could be a positive role model and help to develop the self-confidence of these students, while increasing your own soft skills in the process.  

Alternatively, check out UWA’s other volunteering clubs, which include: 

• AIESEC: the world’s largest youth-run, non-profit organization 
• Amnesty International UWA 
• Coders For Causes 
• Engineers Without Borders UWA 
• Robogals Perth 
• Teach Learn Grow 
• Uni Camp for Kids. 

Find out more about studying at UWA College – your route to UWA. Experience UWA campus life as you develop your English language and academic skills in a supportive international student environment.  

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You might also want to read 5 reasons why UWA College is your best route to The University of Western Australia or 8 unique features that make Perth the perfect international study destination. 

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Provider: The University of Western Australia (UWA)
UWA College in Partnership with INTO Perth
CRICOS 00126G, PRV12169, Australian University
INTO Perth Pty Ltd is an approved third-party provider of The University of Western Australia and will provide the course on its behalf.