How to Start a New Student Club at ANU: Constitution Template, ANUSA Approval Process, and Initial Funding Application

22 May 2026 3 min read

More than 200 student clubs and societies are active at the Australian National University (ANU) each year, of which around 15 to 20 are newly registered groups covering academic, cultural, sporting, interest and other fields. According to the ANU Students’ Association (ANUSA) 2024 Club Guide, starting a new club involves three core steps in sequence: drafting a constitution, passing ANUSA approval, and applying for initial funding. The process is governed not only by Section 5 of the ANUSA constitution but must also satisfy the basic requirements of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Associations Incorporation Act 1991. For students hoping to launch new activities on campus, understanding this standardised procedure is the prerequisite for running a club legally and securing annual activity funding of up to AUD 2,000.

Constitution Drafting Requirements

The constitution is a club’s founding document and must include the mandatory clauses stipulated by ANUSA. According to the 2024 ANUSA template, the constitution must cover 8 basic sections: the club’s name, aims, membership, management committee structure, meeting rules and financial provisions. The aims section should describe the club’s scope of activities specifically — for example, “to promote ANU students’ understanding and practice of quantum computing” — rather than a vague “to organise activities”.

Key Elements of the Constitution Template

ANUSA provides a standard constitution template that applicants can download and adapt directly. The template requires the club name not to duplicate any existing club and to include “ANU” to indicate affiliation. The membership clauses must clearly distinguish ordinary members from executive members and specify voting rights and the membership fee cap (ANUSA recommends no more than AUD 10 per year). The management committee must have at least four positions — President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer — with terms usually lasting one academic year.

Submitting and Reviewing the Constitution

Once drafted, the constitution must be submitted to the ANUSA Clubs Council for pre-review. The review takes 14 working days, focusing on whether the clauses breach ANUSA’s anti-discrimination policy or ACT law. If the draft is returned, applicants must revise it based on the feedback and resubmit. 2023 data shows that around 30% of first submissions were sent back for revision due to vague aims or incomplete financial clauses.

The ANUSA Approval Process

ANUSA approval is the key step in gaining official recognition for a club, and it has two stages: initial application and final confirmation. The initial application must be submitted within the first 4 weeks of each semester; late submissions are deferred to the following semester. Final confirmation requires recruiting members and holding an inaugural general meeting.

Initial Application Materials

Applicants must submit the club constitution, a list of founding members (at least 10 current ANU students), an activity plan and profiles of executive committee candidates. The activity plan must include timetables and budget estimates for at least 3 activities during the semester. The ANUSA Clubs Council will hold a hearing within 21 working days of receiving the materials, and applicants must attend to answer questions. In Semester 1 2024, ANUSA received 37 applications for new clubs, of which 29 passed the initial review — an approval rate of 78.4%.

Inaugural General Meeting and Final Confirmation

After passing the initial review, the club must hold an Inaugural General Meeting within 30 days to elect the executive committee and adopt the constitution. At least 15 members must attend the meeting, of whom more than 75% must be ANU students. Meeting minutes must be submitted to ANUSA for archiving within 3 working days. Once these steps are complete, the club gains formal registration status and can take part in ANUSA’s club expo (O-Week Clubs Market) and use campus facilities.

Initial Funding Applications

After formal registration, the club can apply to ANUSA for initial operating funding. Funding comes in two types: Start-up Grants and Activity Grants. The former covers fixed costs such as club registration fees and bank account setup; the latter covers venue, equipment and promotional expenses for specific activities.

Start-up Grant Applications

The Start-up Grant is capped at AUD 500 and applications must be submitted within 6 weeks of registration. The application form must be accompanied by a copy of the constitution, the ANUSA registration confirmation letter and a budget breakdown. The budget should list expected expenditure, such as club logo design (around AUD 100), website domain (around AUD 30 per year) and snacks for the first event (around AUD 200). The ANUSA Finance Committee will review and disburse the funds within 4 weeks, transferring them directly into the club’s ANUSA-managed account.

Activity Grant Applications

Activity Grants can be applied for once per semester, capped at AUD 1,500, and must be submitted at least 4 weeks before the event. Applications must include the event plan, venue quotations and a risk management plan. For example, hosting an “ANU Chinese Classical Poetry Recital” could attract AUD 500 for venue hire and refreshments, and must also state expected attendance (e.g. 50 people) and a contingency plan. 2023 data shows ANUSA disbursed around AUD 180,000 in activity grants, covering 210 activities run by 120 clubs, with an average of AUD 857 per activity.

Financial and Compliance Obligations

Once a club receives funding, it must comply with ANUSA’s financial management regulations. All expenditure must be receipted and financial reports submitted at the end of each semester. Clubs with annual expenditure above AUD 1,000 are subject to external audit. In addition, clubs must renew their registration information annually, including the executive committee list and membership numbers, or risk having their status suspended.

Bank Accounts and Reimbursements

ANUSA requires clubs to use its designated bank account custodianship system, and all money in and out must be approved by the ANUSA Finance Officer. Reimbursements for personally prepaid expenses must be submitted within 30 days of the expense, with original receipts and event photos. In 2024, ANUSA introduced an electronic reimbursement system, cutting processing time from 14 working days to 7.

Anti-Discrimination and Inclusion Policy

Club activities must comply with ANU’s anti-discrimination and inclusion policy, including a ban on any form of discrimination based on race, gender, religion or sexual orientation. If a club is reported for breaches, ANUSA will launch an investigation, and penalties can range from a warning to suspension of funding or deregistration. In 2022, a club was warned and required to repay AUD 1,200 in funding for using an unauthorised trademark at an event.

Common Challenges and How to Handle Them

New clubs often struggle with member recruitment, conflicting constitution clauses and insufficient funding. On recruitment, set up an interactive stall during O-Week or co-host joint events with existing clubs. Clause conflicts usually stem from not using the latest template — download the 2024 revised template from the ANUSA website. When funding falls short, try applying for targeted grants from ANU colleges (such as CECS and CAP) or raising money through on-campus crowdfunding platforms.

Timeline Planning Advice

The full process usually takes 8 to 12 weeks; start preparations 6 weeks before the semester begins. Key milestones: weeks 1-2 draft the constitution, weeks 3-4 submit to ANUSA for pre-review, weeks 5-6 hold the inaugural general meeting, weeks 7-8 apply for the Start-up Grant. If you plan to promote at O-Week, coordinate stall allocation with ANUSA 12 weeks in advance.

FAQ

Q1: How many founding members do I need to start a new club?

At least 10 current ANU students are required as founding members, and at least 5 of them must vote at the inaugural general meeting. ANUSA requires all founding members to provide their student card numbers for identity verification. If you do not have enough members yet, postpone the application and recruit via social media first.

Q2: Must the constitution use the ANUSA template?

Yes. ANUSA requires new club constitutions to be based on its official template, otherwise the application will not be accepted. The template is available for download in the “Clubs” section of the ANUSA website and includes all mandatory clauses. If your club has special clauses (e.g. a religious affiliation), describe them in an additional section and have them reviewed by ANUSA’s legal adviser.

Q3: Can I resubmit an initial funding application after it is rejected?

Yes. If a Start-up Grant or Activity Grant application is rejected, the club can revise it based on the feedback and resubmit within 30 days. 2023 data shows that around 45% of clubs rejected on the first attempt were approved on the second. Common rejection reasons include unreasonable budgets (such as an excessive share for entertainment) or activity plans lacking detail.

References

ANUSA 2024, Clubs Council Handbook
Australian Capital Territory Government 1991, Associations Incorporation Act 1991
ANU 2023, Student Clubs and Societies Policy
ANUSA 2023, Annual Clubs Funding Report
Unilink Education 2024, Database of Student Club Operations at Australian Universities