Status and Membership
The Oxford Union is an unincorporated association, holding its property in trust in favour of its objectives and members, and governed by its rules (which form a multi-partite contract between the members).
Since its foundation, it has been independent of the University: historically, this was because the Victorian University restricted junior members from discussing certain issues (for example, theology). Despite such restrictions since being lifted, it has remained entirely separate from the University, and is constitutionally bound to remain so.
Only members of Oxford University are eligible to become life members of the Union, but students at certain other educational institutions are entitled to join for the duration of their time in Oxford. These institutions are:
- Oxford Brookes University
- Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies
- Oxford Centre for Postgraduate Hebrew Studies
- Ripon College, Cuddesdon
- Ruskin College
- St Stephen’s House
Shorter membership is also extended to those participating in some visiting study programmes in Oxford.
Residential memberships are available to Oxford residents who are not from the university, but only if they are deemed worthy by a full meeting by officers of the Union.
The Union buildings are owned by a separate charitable trust, the Oxford Literary and Debating Union Trust.
Read more about this topic: Oxford Union
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