BUCS UNIversal Gym Membership

Through BUCS (British Universities & Colleges Sport) Loughborough University has partnered with other Universities all across the country to form a UNIversal Gym Membership scheme.

This scheme allows Loughborough University students and staff to access fitness facilities at other participating Universities FOR FREE!  All they need is a valid Silver / Gold academic or annual membership purchased prior to May 2024. There are currently over 70 institutions which are part of the scheme, providing our students a place to continue their training when visiting friends and family or returning home during vacation periods.

As part of the scheme UNIversal Gym members from other participating Universities are also welcome to use our fitness facilities.

Loughborough University Students and Staff

• All Loughborough University students and staff who have purchased an annual / academic year Silver or Gold membership are eligible to be a BUCS UNIversal Gym member
• Download the BUCS Play app and sign up for an account to get started
• Join the 'Loughbough University - Universal Gym' community
• Apply for a UNIversal Gym Membership (Renewal required at the start of each academic year)
• A member of our team will check your membership status with Loughborough University and approve your BUCS UNIversal membership; please note that the volume of requests may be high and take us up to 2 working days to respond
• Visit the 'BUCS UNIversal Gym' network to view other participating Universities; please note that all Universities have the right to pull out of the scheme at any time
• Join the community for the University whose facilties you wish to access, book an available session and view their terms and conditions of use; we do not have any control over another University's rules
• Present your booking confirmation (email or in-app) when visiting the University

Visitors from other participating Universities

• You must request your BUCS UNIversal Gym Membership from your own institution's UNIversal Gym community; please do not request this from Loughborough University through our community as we cannot approve your request
• Once your UNIversal Gym Membership has been approved, join the 'Loughborough University - UNIversal Gym' community
• UNIversal Gym members from other Universities may use Holywell Fitness Centre in vacation time only; if you wish to access any other sports facility on the Loughborough University campus, your access will be chargeable and not covered by the BUCS UNIversal scheme
• Please note, we do not accept visitors on the BUCS UNIversal Gym Membership scheme from Nottingham University, Nottingham Trent University, University of Derby, University of Leicester and De Montfort University; we hope you understand this is due to the close proximity of these Universities to us and the capacity challenges we have with our facilities
• All visitors must register and declare that they agree to the terms and conditions of using our sports facilities, our privacy policy and the Health commitment statement
• Select the 'Holywell Fitness Centre - Gym' activity on the 'Loughborough University - UNIversal Gym' community to book your first session. Only sessions during our core opening hours will display, as our opening hours are subject to change during each vacation period. Therefore, you may book into a scheduled time and turn up at any time during the same day, however please ensure that you download the Lboro Sport app for our current opening times to avoid disappointment
• Register for a Loughborough Sport account by signing up to a PAYG Affiliate membership via the Loughborough Sport website prior to your first session
• When you arrive, please show your booking confirmation (email or in-app) with your digital BUCS UNIversal Gym Membership to the staff on Holywell reception; we will then activate your Loughborough Sport account and allocate you to the appropriate session in the Loughborough Sport app
• For ease of use, all future bookings will then be required to be made through the Loughborough Sport app with your newly registered account and NOT BUCS Play