Membership Application

On this page, you will discover the advantages of membership and access a guide to navigating the membership application process.

Benefits of membership

Networking

Connecting with a global network of student leaders and activists.
Participating in global forums for dialogue and learning.
Engaging in partnerships with organizations worldwide.

Recognition

Gaining visibility through the GSF’s platforms and publications.
GSF issues certificates of recognition to its member organisations, acknowledging them as the official representatives of the students in their domain or geographic area.

Advocacy and Support

Receiving guidance on advocacy efforts and policy lobbying.
Working collectively to promote equitable education.
Obtaining expert consultation on organizational and advocacy issues.

Professional Development

Enhancing skills through workshops on leadership and advocacy.
Gaining international experience and cultural exchange.

Application Guide

Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you through the membership application process.

Review the Membership Criteria: Before proceeding with the application, ensure that your organization meets the GSF’s membership criteria. The key requirements include being open and accessible to students, having a democratic structure, being representative of students, and aligning with GSF’s values and objectives.
Familiarize yourself with the current members: To understand whether membership of the Global Student Forum is right for your organization, take a moment to explore our Meet the members pager.
Determine Membership Type: There are three types of membership available: Full Membership, Consociate Membership, and Associate Membership. Full and Consociate Membership require compliance with all criteria, while Associate Membership may be granted on a case-by-case basis. Choose the type of membership that best suits your organization’s profile and aspirations.
Complete the Application Form: To apply for membership, fill out the official GSF application form thoroughly and accurately. Make sure to provide all required information and supporting documents as requested. You can find the form below.
Submit Your Application: Once your application is complete, click submit the form. Expect to receive a response from the Steering Committee within three months after submission. All communication will be done via official GSF email.

Membership Types

Full members
Full membership can be granted to regional federations of national unions of students. Each full member selects a person to serve on Steering Committee.

Consociate members
Consociate members are national unions of students or national platforms that are not part of, or not represented by the full members of the GSF.

Consociate members have the following rights:

One position in the Steering Committee is reserved for the consociate member caucus. Representatives of consociate member organisations can stand for democratic caucus election into the Steering Committee every year.
Consociate members have the right to participate in training and events, as well as subcommittees and working groups according to the respective rules of selection established by the Steering Committee.

Associate members
Associate Members are the international, regional, national or local student-led organisations and movements which do not meet the criteria for neither full nor consociate membership.

Associate members have the following rights:

One position in the Steering Committee is reserved for the associate member caucus. Representatives of associate member organisations can stand for democratic caucus election into the Steering Committee every year
Associate members have the right to participate in training and events, as well as subcommittees and working groups according to the respective rules of selection established by the Steering Committee.

Membership Criteria

Student organisations and movements that wish to become a full or consociate members of the GSF must be open and accessible to students from all education institutions in the respective education sector of the country/region, regardless of their political conviction, religion, ethnic or cultural origin, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, social standing or any disability they may have.

The organisation is controlled and run by students. This does not exclude students on academic leave, or recent graduates from taking part in the organisation, but the major power distribution should lay with actual students.
The organisation holds democratic (s)elections and runs on a democratic basis; democratic decisions on day-to-day issues must be ensured.
The organisation is representative and built on a solid ground with legitimacy coming from students.
The organisation should represent a large number of students and at the same time have at least an ambition to influence national education policies.
The organisation is autonomous and independent in decision-making.
The organisation’s set of values and objectives are in accordance with GSF’s set of values and objectives.

Organisations and movements that wish to become associate members need to be student led and democratic. The eligibility for associate membership will be assessed by the Steering Committee on a case to case basis.

Membership within the Global Student Forum is free of charge, no membership fees are applied.

Membership Process

Organisations and movements that wish to join the Global Student Forum are required to fill out the application form below.

Applications will be reviewed and responded to by the Steering Committee within a maximum of three months after an application has been submitted. Feedback on applications will solely be provided through official Global Student Forum email addresses to ensure formality and prevent misinformation or fraud.

In case the application is successful the applying organization will gain the status of candidate member. After approval of the candidate membership, the Steering Committee thoroughly assesses the eligibility of the respective candidate for full, consociate or associate membership. The assessment of eligibility can take up to maximum half a year. The candidacy period must be counted from the day of official approval of candidate membership by an ordinary or extraordinary Steering Committee meeting.

Candidate member organisations will be informed about the Steering Committee decision in the given timeframe and gain full, consociate or associate membership status with the formal notification of acceptance. They will enjoy the full rights of their membership status upon receipt of the confirmation from the Steering Committee.

Membership Application

To apply for membership, please complete the following form with details about your organisation. We look forward to learning more about your organisation and its initiatives!