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New Club Applications

The MSU Clubs Department accepts New Club Applications annually from November 1st to December 1st for the upcoming academic year. Please review the information provided below and ensure you familiarize yourself with MSU Clubs Department Operating Policies.

Expandable List

September to November

  • Brainstorm new Club ideas
    • How will your idea help enhance student life on campus?
    • What makes your idea unique from other MSU Clubs and non-Club groups on campus?
    • Review the MSU Clubs Directory to ensure that your idea does not have significant overlap with another MSU Club
  • Meet with the MSU Clubs Administrator to discuss your idea and receive feedback
  • Finalize your application
    • Draft your cover letter
    • Draft your year-plan
    • Draft your constitution

November 1st to December 1st

  • Finalize and submit your application
  • Make sure you submit your application well before the deadline to prevent technical difficulties from negatively impacting your team – Late applications will not be accepted

January to April

  • All New Club Applications will be reviewed by the Clubs Advisory Council (CAC) in detail
  • The CAC may request interviews with applicants to request further information
  • The CAC will make a formal recommendation to the Student Representative Assembly (SRA) for ratification in the upcoming academic year
  • Applicants will be notified of the CAC’s decision by the end of April
  • Applicants not recommended for ratification will be granted an opportunity to appeal
  • Applicants recommended for ratification will be forwarded to the SRA for final review and approval

Step 1 – Cover Letter

This is your opportunity to explain what your club is about and why you want to become a ratified MSU Club. To submit a strong cover letter, consider:

  • How is your club unique to the McMaster community?
  • What is the potential for significant impact within the McMaster community that is not already satisfied by an existing club or non-club organization?

This is your chance to tell us anything you want us to know about your club. We recommend being concise, persuasive, and factual when writing your cover letter.

Step 2 – Constitution

Your club’s Constitution is the governing document of your club. It should outline the responsibilities and duties of each executive team position, election rules, and guidelines for all other club activities. A standard constitution template is provided, and you are required to amend it to suit the needs of your club. Please ensure that your club’s Constitution does not contradict MSU Operating Policies. Please use this template to get your team started.

Step 3 – Year Plan

Your Year Plan should provide a detailed overview of your club’s proposed events, projects, activities, and initiatives. The Clubs Department does not expect you to have your programming completely finalized for the upcoming academic year – we understand that plans are tentative and subject to change. However, it is important to have a general idea of programming that you want to implement. This will help guide your Club’s activities, and give the CAC a better understanding of the contributions that you will be making to the McMaster community. For each item, you will be expected to provide a detailed description and an overview of projected expenses and revenue for each.

Step 4 – Administrative Information

You will need to provide basic information about your club, including:

  • Your club’s name
  • Your club’s division
  • Your club’s requested e-mail address
  • Your club’s primary contact person
  • Your club’s executive team (including names, MacIDs, and student numbers)
  • Your club’s general membership list (a minimum of 20 people, including executives

Important Information

If anything is missed or skipped, your application will be considered incomplete and will be automatically rejected.

This information will be submitted via an online form (accessible below), which will only appear during the application window. Applicants will submit the above information by writing directly on the New Club Application Form. We recommend that you draft your application documents in advance of the application window so that you can easily copy data into the form.

To submit a New Club Application, please visit https://portal.hellorubric.com/form?fid=7005. You will be required to log in with your personal MacID to submit this application. This form will show as unavailable outside of the annual application window (November 1st – December 1st).