Joining a club when you start uni is something you will never regret. But don't take our word for it. Science Union President April Htun says it's the perfect opportunity to make new lifelong friends, get involved with making the student experience a positive one and further develop your interpersonal skills and self-growth.
"Being part of a club immerses you in the campus culture of UWA, which is the most vibrant one found at any WA university, and opens your eyes to all the possibilities your time at UWA can offer. To put it simply, student clubs help you get more than just a degree."
So, whatever you're into,?let's get to know some of the 150+ clubs at UWA and see where you could be joining next!
UWA Photography Club (UWAPC)
One of the oldest clubs on campus, the UWA Photography Club caters to all photographers, no matter their skill level or equipment. We run several events throughout the year that include interactive and instructive photo walks, social gatherings, exhibitions and workshops.
Our workshops and photo walks consist of location-based experiences (like Gwelup's secret garden, Fremantle and Kings Park), giving members the opportunity to explore new places and ideas with the assistance of more experienced members to help out or gain inspiration.
We also run monthly themed competitions with the chance to win a voucher and showcase members' photography on the Yagan Square digital tower. In addition, we run end of semester exhibitions, just recently collaborating with the newly refurbished Shenton House and having some of our members' photography chosen to be printed large on canvas as artwork for the new space.
We also star have a?Work Experience Initiative, connecting members looking for photography work with those in search of photographers for events, functions and projects. Similarly, we collaborated with Guild Volunteering with its Photographers for Good project, connecting members with events that need volunteer photographers and, in return, our members get volunteer hours on their academic transcript.
UWAPC?is a friendly and inclusive club. No matter your skill level or experience or camera gear (phones included), we want you to get the most out of our club. To get involved, come see us at O-Day or Club Carnival and sign up there!
UWA Chess Association (UCA)
UCA is primarily for UWA students who are interested in chess, but anyone is welcome to join us! By fostering a community of people interested in chess, we aim to provide a space for people with similar interests to come together, get to know each other and improve their chess ability.
We host many fun events throughout the year where you can learn, get experience and win prizes! We host both online and offline tournaments, workshops, chess mentoring and 'chess and chill'. While our tournaments lean towards the more competitive aspects of the game, our popular 'chess and chill' weekly sessions are more laidback, setting up a friendly atmosphere where anyone is able to come by, socialise and play games with one another.
It doesn't matter whether you are an avid chess player, wanting to reignite the passion you had for chess when you were a kid, or know nothing about the game – UCA is welcoming to all.?
?
Science Union
With a renowned events calendar, Science Union allows students to network with their peers, get a sense of belonging in their degrees, gain study assistance and wellbeing support, establish professional connections and, most importantly, have a great time! The club has four portfolios that focus on different aspects of the student experience.
The Education portfolio prioritises high-quality education. It runs popular study nights to help students prepare for assessments and exams, research skills workshops, school outreach programs, Debate Nights and an annual National Science Week Festival.
The External Affairs portfolio focuses on careers, professionalism and networking. It runs panel discussions with experts, science communication and job-ready workshops, career expos and GAMSAT study sessions.
The Welfare portfolio runs wholesome events to help students de-stress (plant pot painting and dodgeball tournaments, to name a few). It also includes Relay for Life, fundraisers, volunteering initiatives, interfaculty sports and our annual Women in Science Breakfast.
The Social portfolio runs amazing events such as pub crawls, end-of-semester and exams events, and our biggest and most popular event – the annual ball.
?If you want to be involved in a fun, inclusive club that will help you make lots of new friends and memories, give back to the community and make your time at UWA unlike any other, Science Union is waiting for you! Don't be a stranger – follow our social media to stay in the loop: Facebook,?Instagram?and?LinkedIn.
Health Students Society (HSS)?
The Health Students' Society (HSS) is a vibrant, student-led organisation dedicated to enriching the academic, social and professional lives of students across all health disciplines. Established with the mission to represent and promote the interest of our members, HSS serves as a hub for students pursuing studies under both the School of Biomedical Sciences and School of Population Health.
Our society is committed to providing a wide range of opportunities that enhance both the academic experiences and personal development of our members. Through a diverse range of events, including our award winning "So you want to be..." career night series, our annual ball and cocktail night, HSS ensures that students are well-prepared for the challenges of their future careers in healthcare while making the most out of university life.?
At HSS, we believe in the power of community and the importance of a holistic approach to health and wellbeing. Our initiatives promote not only academic excellence, but also mental health awareness and peer support. From study groups to charity events and wellbeing activities, we thrive to create a nurturing environment where students can thrive both personally and professionally.
The Health Students' Society at UWA is more than just a student organisation, it is a family that supports, empowers, and inspires. Whether you're looking to expand your knowledge, connect with like-minded peers, or make a difference in the community, HSS is here to help you achieve your goals and make the most of your university experience.
Western Australian Medical Students' Society (WAMSS)
WAMSS is the peak representative body for medical students at UWA, as well as anyone with an interest in studying medicine. We advocate for medical students and run all sorts of events: social, academic, welfare, and volunteering. Think career workshops, networking, interyear or inter-uni sports, and advocacy panel nights.??
Our social events are ?some of the biggest and best at UWA and are attended by hundreds of people, including many non-medicine students and non-UWA students. They are a great way to network and unwind from the stresses and business of medical school life.
Our academic events are also extremely popular, such as our mock clinical exams that we run in collaboration with the Medical School to help students get more hands-on experience and practice with exams prior to sitting their real ones. We have great ties with the Medical School and external academics who are always happy to talk at our events or help us with the running of any events.
Our flagship event of the year, the annual WAMSS Medical Ball, is always highly anticipated by students, staff, and guests. Over 500 students attend each year, celebrating a truly magical night and a culmination of all our efforts and successes for that year.
Even if you aren't a medical student, you can join WAMSS as a member of WAMSS Connect. This gets you access to all our events and a weekly bulletin written by our Undergraduate Communications Officer. Check out our website or visit us at our next event!
?UWA Undergraduate Philosophy Society (UPhilSoc)?
UPhilSoc endeavours to establish an inclusive community of thinkers in Western Australia. We don't require our members to study philosophy or have any previous exposure to philosophy prior to joining. Instead, we only hope that people seeking to join have an interest in social issues and the 'big questions' on existence.??
To the best of our knowledge, UPhilSoc is the only university philosophy club in Perth and one of few philosophy communities in WA. We will continue to promote non-adversarial, robust conversation on bioethics, political theory and aesthetics, to name a few. If you have any further questions, feel free to check out our Facebook page?and send us a message!?
?UWA Psychology Society (PsySoc)
PsySoc, exists to create a more wholesome university experience for UWA students, particularly those studying psychology.
We support psychology students with a range of social and educational events to enhance their time spent at uni by making friends and alleviating stress around studying and career pathways.
Our educational events include study sessions, our annual Psychology Fair and information nights for psychology pathways with the Australian Psychological Society.
We also love to host social events such as quiz nights and our annual gala, and we are renowned for our Murder Mystery nights. 2020 might have been a rocky year for social events but we still managed to have a fabulous time at our '80s themed murder mystery cocktail party.
We also had so much fun meeting all the new faces at O-Day and Club Carnival – these are some of the best opportunities for students to meet the PsySoc committee, for us to support you with any university or psychology-specific queries, or just have a friendly chat.
We love to see new faces, make new friends and support you with your studies and potential career in psychology. If you want to get in touch, check out our Facebook or Instagram, or email us at [email?protected].
Unigames
Unigames is a club for people to meet up and play traditional games. This ranges anywhere from our vast selection of board games, to card games like Magic: the Gathering and pen-and-paper roleplaying games like Dungeons and Dragons. We also run occasional wargaming events, with systems like Warhammer 40K and Blood Bowl.
If it's a game you don't need a computer to play, you can find someone else in Unigames who likes it. We have a clubroom in Cameron Hall open most days of the week, where our members can chill, play games and take advantage of our large library. We also run RPG campaigns for new members, putting them in a group of 3 to 4 other new members, which is an easy way to make new friends! We also pair them with an experienced Game Master, who can teach them how to play the games as well as introducing them to the club as a whole.
We run at least one small event every week, alternating between a board game night and taster sessions for various RPG systems. We also have several yearly events that we run, often in conjunction with other clubs in Cameron Hall. Standouts include our camp, quiz night and vigil events to raise money for charity or invest in the club. Roleplay for Life is our fundraising event for our Relay for Life team that raises money for Cancer Council. Last year we had two dozen dedicated members show up for nearly 24 hours to play and stream RPGs, raising almost $2,000. All of our events are beginner friendly and everything is provided.
If you're interested, come to our clubroom or email us at [email?protected]. For info on our events, check out our Discord?and Facebook?pages.
