Everything you need to know about joining and making the most of your membership
Whether you are considering joining or are already part of the network, find answers about eligibility, payments, university branches, member benefits and accessing opportunities.
Joining Students for Global Health
National membership is open to students and young people interested in global health, health equity and social justice. You do not need to study medicine – or already have experience in global health – to join.
No. You can become a national member whether or not your university has an active SfGH branch.
If you do have a local branch, national membership connects your local involvement with the wider UK network and opportunities beyond your university.
Our university branches are independently led by students and offer activities within their local university communities.
National membership connects you with the wider SfGH network, including the Members’ Portal and access to member-exclusive national and international opportunities, training, working groups, resources and partner benefits.
Branches may have their own local membership arrangements or society fees. These are separate from national SfGH membership.
You will receive confirmation of your membership and instructions for accessing the Members’ Portal.
Once your account is active, you can build your profile, connect with other members and explore opportunities, events, training and resources from across the network.
Your membership and payments
Annual membership costs £15 for a full year. Alternatively, you can pay £2 per month for greater flexibility.
Both options provide access to the same membership benefits. Choosing annual membership saves you £9 across the year.
Annual membership lasts for 12 months from the date you join. Monthly membership remains active while your monthly payments continue.
Both annual and monthly memberships renew automatically using your chosen payment method.
You can cancel future recurring payments through your membership account. Cancelling prevents your next payment but does not normally refund payments already made.
Your access will continue until the end of the period you have already paid for.
Yes. You can change your membership plan before your next renewal through your account.
We want cost to be as little of a barrier as possible. If the membership fee would prevent you from joining, please contact us confidentially to discuss the support available.
Making the most of your membership
Membership connects you with opportunities to learn, lead and create change across the UK and internationally. This includes:
- Access to the Members’ Portal and national member community
- National events, conferences, campaigns and working groups
- A structured training and leadership pathway
- Member-exclusive international opportunities through SfGH, IFMSA and our partners
- Elective, research, placement and careers opportunities
- Mentorship and expertise from across the network
- Selected partner collaborations, discounts and member rates
The opportunities available will continue to develop throughout the membership year.
Membership gives you exclusive access to discover and apply for opportunities offered through SfGH and our wider network, but it does not guarantee a place.
Some opportunities have their own application processes, eligibility requirements or capacity limits.
Some events, exchanges and international opportunities may involve separate participation, travel, accommodation or other costs. Any additional costs will be clearly stated before you apply or commit to taking part.
Where possible, we aim to make opportunities more accessible and will share any available funding or financial support.
We continue to announce new opportunities through our social-media channels, so everyone can see what is happening across the network.
For member-exclusive opportunities, active members can access the full details, application forms and supporting resources through the Members’ Portal.
Yes. Members can follow our training and development pathway, build practical skills and progress towards becoming an SfGH-certified global-health trainer.
Members can also explore leadership through university branches, national working groups, campaigns, conferences, projects and elected roles across the wider network.
Graduation does not have to mean leaving the SfGH network. You can join our alumni community, stay connected and continue contributing your experience to the movement.
Under IFMSA regulations, recent graduates may also apply for eligible IFMSA opportunities for up to six months after graduation. Individual programmes may have additional eligibility requirements.
Access and support
First, check the inbox and spam folder associated with your membership for your confirmation and account-activation emails.
If you still cannot access your account, contact us using the same email address you used to join so that we can locate your membership.
We use your information to administer your membership, provide access to member services and communicate relevant opportunities and updates.
You can find further information about how we collect, store and use personal information in our Privacy Policy.
We would love to help. Contact us if you need support with joining, payments, your account or finding the right way to get involved.