Making friends and building community at Cambridge

There are around 80 sporting clubs and societies at Cambridge. While some teams at Cambridge are competing at the highest level, most club members are in it to learn a new sport, keep active, and most importantly to make friends! 

Check out the wide range of clubs available – over half of the clubs are open to complete beginners. From gliding to gymnastics and korfball to karate, the right activity is out there for you. 

Over at the Sports Centre, as well as gym and sport facilities, University of Cambridge Sport offer a wide range of fitness classes including yoga, circuits, ballet barre – all included in one membership. There'll always be friendly and experienced staff on hand to cater to your needs - whether that be devising a personal programme, giving advice, or just having a chat. 

They also offers free, beginner friendly, inclusive activities, specifically designed for Cambridge University students within their Give it a Go Programme.

Being involved in sport and physical activity is not only good for your physical wellbeing, but it can also be stress relieving, and it’s a great way to meet other people. 

Cambridge is home to students and staff from a variety of faith backgrounds, supported by a network of religious communities. The University fosters an inclusive culture and values religious diversity.

College Chaplains and multi-faith spaces
Most Colleges have a Chaplain or Dean who offers pastoral support to all students, regardless of religious affiliation. While they may be linked to a particular Christian denomination, they can help you connect with leaders from your own faith tradition. Many Colleges also offer multi-faith spaces.  You can find a list of College contacts on the Equality, Diversity & Inclusion website.

Faith societies and community groups
Across the University, there are a range of faith-based societies and communities. These groups welcome new members and offer opportunities to connect, celebrate, and share. You can find further information about these and a list of contacts on the Directory of Faith and Belief Communities in Cambridge.

Faith and Belief in Practice
This University initiative promotes awareness and understanding of diverse religious and belief groups. It is a great starting point if you would like to learn more or get involved. For more information, visit their website.

The Centre for Music Performance has been established to help students of all subjects, backgrounds and levels of musical ability (and members of the local community) to make music of all genres a core part of life at Cambridge. If you’d like to meet other students and people interested in music at all levels and abilities, the CMP is for you! 

Cambridge SU has a huge number of student societies, covering all kinds of activities, interests and hobbies you might have. If joining a society isn’t for you, there are also lots of events you can come along to! 

 Volunteering can be a great way to contribute to the local community, and to meet people with similar interests to you. 

Cambridge student community action is open to members of the University of Cambridge and Anglia Ruskin, and runs a number of projects that you can sign up to work on.

Get involved with the University public engagement team that runs events at the University.

Cambridge Nightline recruits and trains students twice a year, to listen to the concerns of callers, show empathy, and provide emotional support to other students.

Cambridge Council for voluntary services is not affiliated to the University – it is a local group charity set up to support community and voluntary groups, and promote volunteering across Cambridge City, South Cambridgeshire and Fenland, and provides opportunities for volunteering in the local community.