The National Union of Students (NUS) is the peak representative body for Australian higher education students. A student union is eligible for membership by its classification as a legitimate student representative body at any Australian post-secondary training provider. The NUS typically organises NUS National Conference (NatCon), NUS Education Conference (EdCon), and the Presidents' Summit each year in addition to other smaller conferences.

Membership fees

In 2003, NUS membership fees became indexed to consumer price index (CPI) removing some of the strain on the union's finances. In 2004, the NUS charged $5 per equivalent full time study loads (EFTSL) of students represented by each member organisation. Following associated reductions in funding for services provided by many student unions, the NUS called for alternative options to be explored to restore funding and ensure students would remain able to access student union services.

In 2024, the NUS's official policy, set by National Conference in December 2023, was to campaign for a 50% minimum share of Student Services and Amenities Fees (SSAF) for student unions. In May of 2024, it was announced that government would be mandating that student unions receive 40% of SSAF, coming close to meeting the NUS's demands.

Accreditation of universities

In 2016, Australian National University Students' Association voted against accrediting with NUS, citing problems with the conduct of factional delegates at the National Conference. The Adelaide University Union (AUU) voted to cease their SRC from authorising payments of Accreditation to NUS in their March Meeting. The AUU's SRC later condemned the move and restated its affiliation, and intention to pay accreditation fees autonomously. The Wollongong Undergraduate Students' Association also held a referendum during 2016 to end their affiliation with the NUS; the affiliation was later restored.

In 2017, the Australian National University Students' Association voted to accredit with NUS once again. Also in 2017, the Tasmanian University Union voted to end its affiliation with the NUS. The Tasmanian University Student Association re-accredited in 2023. The University of Queensland Union also re-accredited to the NUS in 2023.

Governance

right|thumb|Victorian Trades Hall, former headquarters of the NUS

NUS' national structure is formalised into both a National Executive and State Branches. The National Executive is the primary decision-making body of the NUS, voted in by delegates from each member student union at the National Conference.

National Executive

The responsibilities of the National executive, as described within the NUS constitution, include; setting the budget for the NUS; regularly monitoring of the finances of NUS; employing staff on behalf of NUS; authorising the publication of material on behalf of NUS; and implementing and interpreting the policy of the NUS.

!Name

!Position

!Branch

|-

|Leila Clarke

|President

|Australian Capital Territory

|-

|Flynn Goerlitz

|Education Vice-President

|Australian Capital Territory

|-

|Neeve Nagle

|President

|New South Wales

|-

|Caitlin Veigel

|Education Vice-President

|New South Wales

|-

|Gana Ahmed

|President

|Queensland

|-

|Michael Ursinus

|Education Vice-President

|Queensland

|-

|Yeshaiah Varona

|President

|South Australia

|-

|Liam Southern

|Education Vice-President

|South Australia

|-

|Jack Oates Pryor

|President

|Tasmania

|-

|Molly Doon

|Education Vice-President

|Tasmania

|-

|Tharun Balasubramanian

|President

|Victoria

|-

|James McVicar

|Education Vice-President

|Victoria

|-

|Rama Sugiartha

|President

|Western Australia

|-

|Basirutalin Ellaha Hadiya Naeemi

|Education Vice-President

|Western Australia

|}

State Officers

The State Branch Officers of NUS are elected annually at the National Conference, with their terms commencing in January.

Many NUS delegates are members of a faction, which are groups of students operating with a shared political platform.

  • National Labor Students (NLS) typically associated with Labor Left .

The TLConsult audit said that NUS only had enough cash reserves to "sustain the organisation for approximately one year in its current form" and that although voluntary student unionism had resulted in a notable decline in revenue, it was structural problems, "unchanged for nearly two decades", that were the primary cause of the NUS' current financial problems.

Union affiliation

Typically, university student unions' Representative Councils will vote on NUS accreditation. As of 2025, accredited university unions include;

{| class="wikitable sortable" width="90%" "margin: auto;"

|-

! rowspan="2" | State

! rowspan="2" | Union

! rowspan="2" | University

! colspan="4" |Representation

|-

!EFTSL

! Delegates

! Total Votes

!%

|-

|ACT

|Australian National University Students' Association

| style="text-align:auto;"|Australian National University

|17,726

|6

|36

| align="right" |2.68%

|-

|NSW

|Arc @ UNSW SRC

| style="text-align:auto;"|University of New South Wales

|46,391

|7

|93

| align="right" |6.92%

|-

|NSW

|University of Sydney SRC

| style="text-align:auto;"|University of Sydney

|36,463

|7

|73

| align="right" |5.44%

|-

|NSW

|University of Technology Sydney Student Association

| style="text-align:auto;"|University of Technology Sydney

|34,344

|7

|69

| align="right" |5.14%

|-

|NSW

|Wollongong Undergraduate Students' Association

| style="text-align:auto;" |University of Wollongong

|18,908

|7

|38

| align="right" |2.83%

|-

|NSW

|Western Sydney University SRC

| style="text-align:auto;" |Western Sydney University

|34,890

|7

|70

| align="right" |5.21%

|-

|SA

|Flinders University Student Association

| style="text-align:auto;"|Flinders University

|18,149

|7

|37

| align="right" |2.76%

|-

|SA

|University of South Australia Student Association

| style="text-align:auto;"|University of South Australia

|22,744

|7

|46

| align="right" |3.43%

|-

|QLD

|Queensland University of Technology Guild

| style="text-align:auto;"|Queensland University of Technology

|36,512

|7

|74

| align="right" |5.51%

|-

|QLD

|University of Queensland Union

|University of Queensland

|44,824

|7

|90

| align="right" |6.70%

|-

|VIC

|Deakin University Student Association (DUSA)

| style="text-align:auto;" |Deakin University

|43,438

|7

|87

| align="right" |6.48%

|-

|VIC

|La Trobe Student Union (LTSU)

| style="text-align:auto;" |La Trobe University

|27,300

|7

|55

| align="right" |4.10%

|-

|VIC

|Monash University Student Union Caulfield

|Monash University (Caulfield)

|8,546

|0

|0

| align="right" |0.00%

|-

|VIC

|Monash Student Association (MSA)

| style="text-align:auto;" |Monash University (Clayton)

|42,526

|7

|86

| align="right" |6.40%

|-

|VIC

|RMIT University Student Union (RUSU)

| style="text-align:auto;" |RMIT University

|56,157

|7

|113

| align="right" |8.41%

|-

|VIC

|Swinburne Student Union (SSU)

| style="text-align:auto;" |Swinburne University

|47,342

|0

|0

| align="right" |0.00%

|-

|VIC

|Victoria University Student Union (VUSU)

| style="text-align:auto;" |Victoria University

|24,629

|7

|50

| align="right" |3.72%

|-

|VIC

|University of Melbourne Student Union (UMSU)

| style="text-align:auto;" |University of Melbourne

|59,195

|7

|119

| align="right" |8.86%

|-

|WA

|Curtin Student Guild

| style="text-align:auto;" |Curtin University

|42,159

|7

|85

| align="right" |6.33%

|-

|WA

|UWA Student Guild

| style="text-align:auto;" |University of Western Australia

|22,695

|7

|46

| align="right" |3.43%

|-

|WA

|Edith Cowan University Student Guild

| style="text-align:auto;" |Edith Cowan University

|21,701

|7

|44

| align="right" |3.28%

|-

|Tas

|Tasmanian University Student Association

|University of Tasmania

|15,645

|6

|32

| align="right" |2.38%

|}

Notable people

Many federal and state Labor politicians have held roles in the NUS during their time as students, including:

  • Lizzie Blandthorn served as the National Secretary of the National Union of Students in 2001.
  • John Carey served as the National President during his time as a student.
  • Lisa Chesters served as Women's Officer of the National Union of Students in 2003.
  • Roger Cook was the founding President in 1987 during his studies at Murdoch University.
  • Luke Foley served as NSW President of the National Union of Students in 1991.
  • John Graham served as National President in the 1990s.
  • Rose Jackson was the first President from a unified National Labor Students in 2006.
  • Richard Marles the second General Secretary in 1989 during his studies at the University of Melbourne.
  • Lisa Neville served as National President in the 1980s.
  • Michael Pettersson served as National Welfare Officer and the ACT Branch President of the National Union of Students.
  • Penny Sharpe served as National President in 1994.
  • Laura Smyth served as the Victorian State Branch President during the 1990s.
  • Evan Thornley was a co-founder of the National Union of Students.
  • Sheena Watt served as Indigenous officer of the National Union of Students in 2008.
  • Penny Wong was on the National Executive during her studies at the University of Adelaide.
  • Zaneta Mascarenhas was the WA Branch President in 2003 and 2004 during her time at Curtin University.
  • Louise Pratt was the WA Branch Education and Welfare Officer in 1993 and 1994 during her time at the University of Western Australia.
  • Jamie Parker

Non politicians who served as office bearers at the NUS include the following:

  • Van Badham served as NSW president of the National Union of Students in 1998.

References

  • NUS Home
  • Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations (CAPA)
  • Council of International Students Australia (CISA)