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Oxford Union Debating Chamber
Welcome to The Oxford Union
The Oxford Union is an extraordinary place. Nowhere else will you find a lineup of such prominent speakers or compelling debates. Since 1823, the Union has hosted leaders in every field, from politics and business to sport and the arts. Members have the opportunity to meet their heroes and challenge those with whom they disagree during interactive Q&As. For those looking to debate competitively, master the art of public speaking, or find a new hobby, our debating workshops offer something for everyone.
The Union is also the social hub of Oxford. Our Members' Bar, Snooker Room, frequent socials and termly Union Ball offer members a vibrant inter-college community. Our beautiful library and historic reading rooms also provide a comfortable and well-resourced working environment.
Joining the Oxford Union gives you the opportunity to participate in the free exchange of ideas at an extraordinary place. We look forward to welcoming you - and for our alumni life members, we look forward to welcoming you back again soon.
Debating Chamber Key Positions
Click on the links below to be taken to the key positions of any debate
Celebrating 200 years of free speech
Watch the debates
We now capture our debates on film and post them on our YouTube channel, this also includes many guest speakers we host here at the Oxford Union Society.
Click here to head over to our YouTube Channel
Click here to head over to our YouTube Channel
Membership
The Oxford Union offers a range of membership options. You can hover over each icon below for a summary of eligibility criteria and payment options for each membership type
As part of our ongoing commitment to access, we are delighted to offer Life Membership at a discounted Access rate for eligible students. It is also possible to pay for Life Membership in termly instalments, and cheaper temporary options are available for students on shorter courses.
All members that live in Oxford are required to pay an annual facility fee of £10.64. For members on a University course this is paid in bulk for every year of your course. For further details on eligibility criteria and payment options for each membership type, please take a look at our Terms & Conditions.
Click here to fill in a membership form
As part of our ongoing commitment to access, we are delighted to offer Life Membership at a discounted Access rate for eligible students. It is also possible to pay for Life Membership in termly instalments, and cheaper temporary options are available for students on shorter courses.
All members that live in Oxford are required to pay an annual facility fee of £10.64. For members on a University course this is paid in bulk for every year of your course. For further details on eligibility criteria and payment options for each membership type, please take a look at our Terms & Conditions.
Click here to fill in a membership form
Supporting the Oxford Union
Click here to Donate
As we enter our third century, securing our future is tantamount to securing our independence - the freedom to self-govern and the freedom of speech. Central to our ability to retain our independence is our historic grade II* listed debating chamber and other rooms where debates and interactive speaker meetings take place.
We have therefore launched an Urgent Appeal to raise £5M by mid-2024 to carry out essential maintenance works to prevent the closure of the buildings.
The loss of our buildings, however temporary, would pose a serious threat to our ability to operate independently and with legitimacy. Unlike colleges and other higher education institutions, the Union does not receive taxpayer funding.
How to Donate
Scroll down and click 'donate now' below to support The Oxford Union. You can choose whether to make a one-off donation or to give regularly, selecting from the options presented or by selecting 'Other Amount' to customise the value and frequency of your gift (due to processing fees, the minimum donation is £5).
Gift Aid
Donations from UK Taxpayers benefit from the government’s Gift Aid Scheme. For every £1 donated, OLDUT can claim 25 pence of tax at no additional cost to you - a gift of £100 is worth £125 to OLDUT. Higher rate tax payers can also benefit from tax relief by claiming back the difference between the higher rates of tax at 40 or 50 per cent and the basic rate of tax at 20 per cent on the total value of their gross donation. Some companies also offer ‘matched giving’, significantly increasing the value of your gift at no extra cost to you. See here for a list of companies that we believe offer matched giving.
US taxpayers can make a tax deductible gift via American Friends of the Oxford Union ('OXUF'), a registered 501(c)(3) by clicking here.
Please note that we are only accepting donations through this website from UK bank accounts at this time. Donations by cheque should be made out to "The Oxford Literary & Debating Union Trust" and posted to The Oxford Union marked for the attention of OLDUT. To request a gift aid form (for UK taxpayers) please email: development@oxford-union.org
As per our fundraising promise, which you can view below, we are committed to compliance with the law as it applies to charities and fundraising. Therefore, in some cases, we may need to contact you to request additional information. You are invited to read our Fundraising Policy which can be viewed here.
