Varsity research has found that Cambridge sport club fees can be up to six times higher than at Oxford.

Students have said that these rising costs are pushing them out of University sports clubs. Cambridge students face membership fees of up to £560 a year to join University sports clubs – six times the cost of the same sport at Oxford.

Cambridge University Swimming and Water Polo Club charges £560 for Blues-level swimming and £390 for water polo. Oxford’s equivalent charges £90 a year for Blues swimmers, and offers tiered membership options for those training less frequently.

Oxford funds sports facilities centrally, while Cambridge’s system places more costs directly on students. At Cambridge, clubs compete for limited termly grants from the Club Funding Committee and rely on subscriptions and pay-per-use bookings. 

By contrast, Oxford offers a yearly £280 “Active Fusion” pass, covering gyms, the Rosenblatt Pool, an athletics track, and racket courts. Most Oxford clubs then add only small fees, such as a £3.50 levy for the University Triathlon Club.

Cambridge University’s Support Cambridge platform stated:“clubs have had to increase student subscription fees by an average of 68% over the last 8 years.” The rise is linked to reduced funding streams, including centralised grants.

The University has introduced schemes to ease costs such as the ‘Give It a Go’ programme, which offers 300 beginner-friendly sports sessions each year. 

Despite these initiatives, estimated average membership fees at Cambridge (£121) are more than double those at Oxford (£58).

Students told Varsity that costs remain a barrier. Matthew Leech, a former member of the Gymnastics Club, said: “Gymnastics society was a big part of my second year at Cambridge, providing relief from the workload and a social network. However, this year, I’ve been forced to make the decision to no longer be a part of the society, because the membership fees are so expensive. It’s a huge loss.” 

Felipe Western, a member of Churchill College Football Society, told Varsity: “Being stuck in a library all day with pages of questions takes a huge toll on mood and mental health, but knowing I will be taking a break to go to football training with friends keeps me ticking over.”

The University’s  Sport & Academic Performance Report said: “Sport and physical activity can provide an effective release from academic studies, improve mental health and give students the opportunity to develop valuable social and support networks.” 

Students warned that financial barriers could prevent participation and the benefits of sport, particularly for those struggling to adjust to university life or facing mental health challenges.

However, not all students have found membership fees to be as insurmountable, with a high amount of variation between sports.  One student told Varsity that powerlifting cost “£50 for the year,” and that they thought this to be “pretty reasonable”. They added that this included “free access to a few competitions, equipment, weekly team training room sessions and seminars, upon other things.”

The University of Cambridge Sports Centre was contacted for comment.