Can anyone become a student leader?
Yes, as long as you are a current Queen Mary student.
The full-time paid positions are open to all current students, including final-year students.
The part-time voluntary positions are open to students that expect to continue their studies
at Queen Mary in the academic year 2026/27.
If you get elected, you’ll officially start your role on 1 August 2026,
but there’ll be some training before then.
Which positions are available?
The Spring Elections include lots of different positions - there’s something for everyone.
There are six full-time paid positions available. These cover all students, including postgraduates
and international students. If you get elected for a full-time position, you can either do the role
immediately after graduating (if you’re in your final year) or take a year out to do the role
(if you’re not in your final year).
There are also ten part-time voluntary positions available. These roles cover different parts of the
student body – for example, there’s a role for each faculty. If you get elected for a part-time
position, you’ll do the role alongside your studies next academic year.
See the positions available
Do I need any specific skills or experience?
No, the most important thing is that you are passionate about being the voice
for the students you represent.
We don’t require any prior experience, but we can guarantee that the elections can give you lots
of experience and help you learn new skills (even if you don’t win). All candidates are offered training on campaigning, and at the end of the elections period, you’ll have had an opportunity to develop your communications skills, organisational skills,
time management and persuasion skills.
Can international students run?
Yes, international students are eligible to run for the roles.
The Students’ Union is unable to give visa and immigration advice. For general information about the rules for international students that have been elected for full-time roles (so-called sabbatical roles), please refer to the UK Council for International Student Affairs. For specific advice, please contact the International Student Advisers.
Have you still not made up your mind?
We know it can feel a bit daunting to nominate yourself, so we encourage you to reach out
to the current Executive Officers and the Elections Team. The Elections Team are always happy to answer your questions and talk about the elections, so feel free to email us on su-elections@qmul.ac.uk or book a drop-in if you have a question or want to know more about the elections.
Can I run together with someone else?
Running as a slate
You can choose to run in the elections as part of a ‘slate’ – this involves a group of candidates
campaigning together under a common campaign name, which also appears on the ballot. If you are running as a slate, you will need to agree on a name with the other candidates and include this when submitting the nomination form. A slate cannot have more than one candidate for each position. If you are part of a slate, you may share publicity and campaign for each other, however, in the interest of fairness, the candidate budget is reduced for each additional person who is part of the slate. For more information about budgeting see the campaigning page on the Candidates Hub.
Joint tickets
You can run with someone else for a position and share the responsibilities of the role together.
This is an option for all the part-time Student Representative positions. Please contact us on
su-elections@qmul.ac.uk
My friend would be perfect for one of the roles
We know some people need a little nudge, and that’s what Recommend a Friend is here for!
Recommend a Friend allows you to encourage a friend to run in the elections.
It’s completely anonymous, and it’s an excellent way to give someone a confidence boost!
(Recommend a Friend doesn’t nominate your friend automatically though – if you get recommended
and you want to go for a role, you will still need to nominate yourself through the process
outlined above!)
Recommend a friend