Students at UAL are calling for more affordable and accessible sport and leisure facilities, with demand for a university gym emerging as one of the clearest findings in Arts Students’ Union’s new health research.

In The Health Check, 61% of respondents selected more affordable sport and leisure access as one of the three changes that would most improve student access to healthcare at UAL, making it the single most selected priority in the survey.

The report, based on responses from 513 UAL students, explores student experiences of physical and mental health, healthcare access, GP registration, assessment pressure, discrimination in healthcare, and the role of sport and physical activity in student wellbeing. Students described cost, lack of time, low confidence and the lack of campus-based facilities as key barriers to taking part in sport or structured physical activity. Many open text responses specifically called for a UAL gym or more accessible exercise spaces.

The research is already helping to inform change. Following campaigning by Arts SU's Student Communities Officer, Ellie Walsh-O'Neill, UAL’s Executive Board has supported the development of a university-wide sport and wellbeing strategy, creating an important opportunity to turn student feedback into meaningful improvements.

Beyond the demand for improved sports facilities, The Health Check reveals how health and wellbeing pressures are affecting students' ability to study and enjoy university life. Among survey respondents:

• 53% had missed classes because of their health.

• 59% reported feeling overwhelmed often or nearly every day during the previous two weeks.

• 62% felt pressure to work beyond healthy limits during assessment periods.

• 44% had tried to access mental health support in the previous 12 months.

• 29% had avoided seeking healthcare because they feared being treated unfairly.

The report makes the case that student health is fundamental to educational success, and that improving access to physical activity is a vital part of creating a healthier university experience.

Read The Health Check in full on our Student Health research page.