Membership FAQs
Find answers to your most frequently asked questions about memberships at the University of Bristol.
If the information provided below is not able to answer your enquiry, please get in touch with our membership team via our enquiry form.
How do I cancel my membership?
Monthly memberships:
If you pay monthly for your membership, contact us with a cancellation request in writing.
You must give notice to cancel your membership 10 working days (or more) before the end of the month for payments to stop immediately. If you cancel within the last 10 working days of any given month, the payment will have already been processed and the following month will be paid for in full. In this instance, your membership will remain active until the end of the following month and you will still be able to access facilities.
Annual memberships:
If you pay annually, you are unable to cancel your membership part-way through your membership term unless you provide a medical certificate to show that you are unable to continue to safely use the facilities.
Our cancellation policy is outlined in our terms and conditions (Section 5).
Please note: if you decide to rejoin at a later date, normal joining fees will apply.
Why can't I renew my membership online?
If you do not renew your membership before the expiry date, your membership account 'lapses' and will need to be reactivated by our memberships team before you can purchase a new membership online.
Contact us via our online enquiry form.
Why won't the gates at reception open?
The gates at reception will not open if either:
- you do not have a valid membership - purchase a membership or pay-as-you-go pass online.
OR
- you have not made a booking for the activity currently in session - many of our activities need to be booked online in advance.
Gates will also refuse access if:
- you have an outstanding balance on your account
- you have not completed a gym induction
- you have a strike ban on your account (if you are given 3 strikes on your account you will be unable to make session bookings for 6 days)
Why can't I make a booking through my account?
If you are unable to make a booking it is because, either:
- the class is fully booked - our classes are are popular, however at times people do cancel a booking which will create spaces for others. You can join the waiting list and you will be automatically added if a space becomes available for you, up to 3 hours before the booking start-time - make sure to check your online account.
OR
- you do no have fitness class benefits included in your membership - you can attend classes on a pay-as-you-go basis, or upgrade your membership online at any time
OR
- you have a bookings ban on your account - a bookings ban is imposed when you incur 3 strikes on your account.
Strikes are added to your account if:
- you fail to attend a booking
- you attend a booking late
- you fail to swipe you card to confirm attendance
- you cancel a booking within 3-hours of the booking start time.
A bookings ban will last for one week. This system has been put in place to stop people booking multiple classes in advance and not attending.
If none of these apply to you and you are still experiencing problems, contact our memberships team.
I receive a bursary - do I get a discounted membership?
Yes. Get in touch with your student number and we will be able to tell you which membership discounts apply to you.
Please note that all Bursary memberships expire on 31 August each academic year unless a monthly direct debit option has been selected.