Activities & Events

It is always best to tell us about any planned events or activities as soon as possible so we can support you in planning.

Minimum Notice Periods

• Anything on campus: 1 week
• Anything online: 1 week
• Anything off campus but within London: 2 weeks
• Anything off campus but outside of London: 2 weeks
• Trips within the UK: 2 weeks
• Trips Abroad: 8 weeks
• Ball or similar: 6 weeks
• Conference event: 6 weeks

Online events/activities

Student Group leaders should familiarise themselves with the Online Platforms Guidance which contains information how to facilitate and maintain positive and inclusive interactions and how to respond to inappropriate behaviour at online events and activities.

It also includes information about online safety around using MS Teams for online events. This has been created to keep your Student Group online interactions safe and a positive experience for all involved.

Web Platforms and Online Safety Guidance

Any other in-person events/activities

Any Student Group event/activity not covered by the above information will need to be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. To inform us of any other events/activities you’re considering fill in the Events/Activities Registration Form.

If you are unsure of what process to follow for your events/activities please get in contact with your relevant staff support.

Student Group Event Registration and Risk Assessment

Health & Safety

For more information on risk assessments, online safety, and safeguarding see the Keeping Safe section of the Committees' Hub.

Find out more

Trips Abroad and Trips in the UK

If you are planning a trip abroad or in the UK, please allow for 8 weeks of planning. Please register your trip with us and a member of the Student Engagement team will organise a meeting with you to discuss your trip.

Please do not book anything without meeting with a member of the Student Engagement team first. Before the meeting, please complete a risk assessment and have a rough plan with what you would like to do.

Balls and Conferences

If you are planning on organising a ball or a conference or similar, please allow for 6-8 weeks of planning. Please register your event with us and one of the student engagement team will organise a meeting with you to discuss your ball or conference.

Before the meeting, please complete a risk assessment and a detailed budget plan to present to the member of the engagement team. Please do not book or sign anything without meeting with a member of the student engagement team first.

Please click on the document below for further guidance and how to prepare for a large event.

Download guide

Affiliated Student Groups may request to use spaces on campus for their activities. If you are making a booking on behalf of an external organisation, please contact us.

Students’ Union Rooms and Library Square Stalls

These are rooms in the Students’ Union Hub (Mile End), BLSA Building (Whitechapel). Bookings requests can also be made for a stall in Library Square (Mile End).

5 working days minimum notice is required for booking these spaces.

Before making a booking request please make sure you carefully read the Room Booking Policy at the top of the request form as well as the Fair Usage Protocol.

Book a Students' Union room Fair usage protocol

University Rooms

These are teaching rooms in University buildings. Please note after certain times and on weekends there may be a charge for portering in University rooms (prices and times subject to change).

Before making a booking request, please make sure you carefully read the Room Booking Policy at the top of the request form, as well as the Fair Usage Protocol.

10 working days minimum notice is required for booking these spaces.

If you are planning on using Laird Hall for a show, please contact us for a separate booking sheet. If you want to book Laird Hall for anything other than shows, please use the university room booking link.

Book a University room Fair usage protocol Portering costs

Laird Hall (Whitechapel Campus)

The Laird Hall Performance booking form should only be filled out by student groups who want to book the space for a show, comedy night, cultural showcase or charity raising event.

For any other event in Laird Hall, such as rehearsals, please use the University Room Booking to submit your request.

Book Laird Hall

Old Library

The Old Library’s primary purpose is as an open social and learning space that is accessible to students throughout the day. Due to this, only specific events will be permitted to take place in the space. We will check availability based on each request and whether the activity is suited to the space.

Booking policy Booking form

Drapers, Drapers Lounge, The Griff Inn and Ground Cafe

Booking requests for Drapers, Drapers Lounge, The Griff Inn and Ground Cafe are now being accepted. Please see the conditions at the top of the form carefully.

Book Drapers / Griff Inn / Ground Cafe

Qmotion Studios

Qmotion studios are not usually bookable by Societies, Student Media or Volunteering Groups. If you require space for a physical activity, please let us know and we can support you with finding an alternative space.

Any other spaces?

Other spaces managed by the University (commercial spaces such as the Octagon), or clinical spaces need to be book via the relevant University staff directly. Please speak to us if you require any of these spaces so we can support. Please leave plenty of time for this as these spaces take longer to request.

Student Groups may invite individuals to speak, participate or run activities for their members on campus. This applies to both in-person or virtual events and activities. To ensure that the safety of all students is upheld, every external speaker must be declared to the Students' Union.

All events with an external speaker must be submitted at least 10 working days before the event but higher risk or high-profile speakers need a minimum of 20 working days' notice.

An external speaker is anyone not associated with Queen Mary University of London therefore Queen Mary students and staff, and members of the Barts Trust do not need to be submitted via this method. Alumni count as external and must go through the external speaker process.

Once the Students' Union has approved your external speaker, the University will vet the speaker to ensure that there are no further security or safety measures needed. Student groups cannot promote the name(s) of your speakers until they have been approved.

Please fill out the form below to notify the Students' Union if you intend to have an external speaker(s) for an event you are planning to host. If your speaker is part of an on-campus room booking request, please complete and submit the External Speaker Request Form 2026-27 before you make the room booking via the relevant room booking request.

Process & Guidance External Speakers Request Form

At Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, student-led teaching has long been recognised as fundamental to student learning. A Policy for Students Groups Providing Teaching for Students has been created to ensure student-led teaching and learning sessions are being quality assured to provide the best learning for students on the MBBS. Please read the policy before offering any teaching sessions in your society programme.

Teaching policy