Apply for a 2025/26 President role Find out more

As a Students’ Union the voices of students are the most important aspect of the work we do, we are led by your views. Every year students apply for roles as full-time representatives (or Presidents) and the final decision on who is ultimately chosen is down to University of Plymouth students.

This year the roles have changed to enhance the voice of students and you'll see that each Faculty will have its own President as well as a Students' Union President who will support students from each Faculty. Find out more about the changes here.

Any registered University of Plymouth student can apply for a 2025/26 President role: it could be you.

Apply Now

Suggest a Student

What do the Presidents do?

Strengthen the student voice

The Presidents work to ensure that the opportunities for students’ voices to be heard are meaningful, valued and acted upon within the School, Faculty and University.

Listen to the views of students

The team engage with and listen to students, get to understand their experience, and receive their feedback in a variety of in-person and digital formats.

Present student feedback

They ensure that students' best interest are at the centre of decision-making by presenting their views, opinions, and insight.

Drive communication

Between students, the University and the Faculties, and the SU - they work to build a culture of collaboration and a united community.

Shape positive change

They influence positive change in relation to the academic and University experience of students.

Represent students at meetings

Your Presidents attend a range of meetings, committees, boards, and groups with key stakeholders from the University and local community.

Act as a spokesperson and ambassador

The team promote the value of the Union and its positive impact for students in finding community and accessing support.

Work in partnership with students

As well as in partnership with the Union and the University to deliver academic and non-academic engagement initiatives.

Contribute to the running of a charity

That's us! We, the Students' Union, SU or UPSU - whatever you call us - are a charity and the Presidents make up more than 50% of our Senior Leadership team.

What are the roles?

President Students' Union

The President Students' Union will be the lead officer in relation to governance of the Students' Union and will chair the UPSU Board of Trustees. They will also take the lead on Postgraduate student representation, representing under-represented groups across all Faculties as well as being a Student Governor on the University Board of Governors.

To be eligible for this position you must be a current student at the University of Plymouth.

Job Description
President Faculty of Health

The President Faculty of Health will work within their Faculty to represent the views of students in the following schools; School of Biomedical Sciences, Peninsula Dental School, School of Health Professions, Peninsula Medical School, School of Nursing and Midwifery, and School of Psychology.

To be eligible for this position you must be a current student in the Faculty of Health.

Job Description
President Arts, Humanities and Business

The President Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business will work within their Faculty to represent the views of students in the following schools; School of Art, Design and Architecture, School of Society and Culture, and Plymouth Business School.

To be eligible for this position you must be a current student in the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business.

Job Description
President Faculty of Science and Engineering

The President Faculty of Science and Engineering will work within their Faculty to represent the views of students in the following schools; School of Biological and Marine Sciences, School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics, and School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences.

To be eligible for this position you must be a current student in the Faculty of Science and Engineering.

Job Description
Timeline & Key Dates

2nd December 7th February 2025

Applications open

This is your opportunity to put yourself forward for one of the President roles for the 2025/26 academic year. All you need to do initially is put your name forward, you'll then be contacted with more information about completing your application.

6th December 12th December

Find out more sessions

Want to know more about what's involved with the roles? Perhaps you just want to chat it through with someone to see if it's something you want to go for? Come along to one of our sessions to speak to the SU Student Voice team and find out more.

24th 28th February 2025

Polling opens

Every current student at the University of Plymouth will be asked to choose who they want to represent them as their Presidents for the 2025/26 academic year.

28th February

Results

It's time to find out who students have decided will take on the presidential roles for the next academic year, see you at 6pm in the SU!

Think you want to get involved?

Getting involved in the Elections is a fantastic way to shape your University experience. Or perhaps the role isn't your sort of thing but you know someone who'd be perfect? You can also suggest them and they'll receive an email telling them that someone thinks that they'd be great for the role.

Any registered University of Plymouth student can apply for a 2025/26 President role: it could be you.

Apply Now

Suggest a Student

Your Student Voice team are on hand to talk you through the Elections process if you have any questions or just want to know more about how you can make your voice heard at the University of Plymouth.

studentvoice@su.plymouth.ac.uk

Submit a Query

Download Rules

FAQs

Any current registered University of Plymouth student apply for a full-time President role. If you are on a UoP course and have not suspended or interrupted your studies at the time of the election you can go for it! Current Full-time Representatives can re-apply if they have only done one year, they are restricted to two years then must leave.

Any current registered University of Plymouth student can put themselves forward for the President Students’ Union role.

If you are choosing a President of Faculty role, you must select the Faculty for which your current university course is in.

If you are unsure which Faculty you’re in and would like to be the President of a Faculty, contact the Student Voice Team.

If you choose a Faculty role which you are not eligible for, you will be withdrawn from the Election.

As these are full-time, salaried roles you can only run for one position because if you were to undertake multiple roles you would not be able to fulfil all commitments.

If you are undecided whether to choose the President Students’ Union role or the President Faculty role, we suggest that you speak to staff that work with the current Full-time Representatives at studentvoice@su.plymouth.ac.uk , or the Full-time Representatives themselves to find out more.

You can also speak to the current VP Education, VP Activities, or VP Wellbeing and Diversity about the President Faculty roles as they are all Faculty Representatives.

University courses are organised into Faculties, each of which comprises a number of schools.

The Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business consists of three Schools:
  • School of Art, Design and Architecture
  • Plymouth Business School
  • School of Society and Culture
The Faculty of Health consists of six Schools:
  • School of Biomedical Sciences
  • School of Health Professions
  • School of Nursing and Midwifery
  • School of Psychology
  • Peninsula Dental School
  • Peninsula Medical School
The Faculty of Science and Engineering consists of three Schools:
  • School of Biological and Marine Sciences
  • School of Engineering, Computing and Maths
  • School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

If you choose a President of Faculty role, you will be working closely with the Faculty Dean as well as the Heads of School and School Reps within your Faculty to improve the experience of students within your Faculty.

No, being a President is a full-time role which cannot be undertaken alongside your studies meaning that you will have to interrupt your studies if you have not finished your course. However, we do also have some part-time, paid opportunities for representation.

Our School Rep role is part-time (12 hours maximum per month) and gives you the opportunity to represent the students in your School to the university. Find out more here.

Our team of part-time Student Representatives play a vital role in making sure that the voices of students at the University of Plymouth are heard. The procedure of becoming a School Rep involves applying for the role and the best candidate will be selected by a panel after an interview.

Keep an eye out on our website and on social media channels for more information about applying to become a School Rep once the Elections period has finished.

Please note, that to be eligible for the School Rep role, you will need to be a student on a registered University of Plymouth Course from September 2025-June 2026.

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