Oxford is one of the easiest, most fun, and least expensive places to learn (or continue) rowing. But to avoid any surprises, we try to lay out the costs for you here. Normally, all charges described here are collected via “battels”, your official college account.
If you are struggling with fees, we have a Reimbursement Scheme for you! Fill in this application form to apply (it will be treated confidentially by the club president and treasurer)
Subscription fees (“subs”) are the basic cost of membership to the Wolfson College Boat Club. Subs are £30 per term, and entitle you to use of boat club equipment and coaching. There are four terms in the rowing calendar: the academic terms of Michaelmas, Hilary, and Trinity, as well as a summer term for the long vacation.
For comparison, the City of Oxford Rowing Club (CORC) and Oxford Academicals are popular non-University-affiliated clubs. These clubs charge £183 and £120 annually, respectively, for student membership (£336 and £180 for general membership).
Boat club members are charged subs for any term in which they make use of the club’s equipment or coaches on at least three occasions (excluding mixed circuits sessions). In order to encourage novices to join and train early, new members beginning in the summer are charged only once for the summer and Michaelmas terms together.
Purchasing kit is up to individual members, though the club arranges uniform kit orders to make it easy for you. There is no specific kit required in lower boats. If you decide to row for one of the top boats, you’ll probably want to buy a Wolfson-branded unisuit for about £60, but you can also find one secondhand from a departing member. There is a variety of other kit available for optional purchase.
Regatta fees are paid by the club for the three major regattas on the collegiate rowing calendar — Christ Church Regatta, Torpids, and Summer Eights. If you decide to row in other Oxford or external regattas, the entry fee and transportation costs are borne by the rowers (generally not the cox). These can vary, but usually work out to £5 – £15 per event. Additionally, most outside regattas require that competitors be members of British Rowing. Student membership costs £45 annually.
Additional training, including rowing camps or trips to Dorney Lake, is sometimes available at added expense. As a general rule, these trips are optional, and prices are minimal (£10 per session) when offered to the club generally. On rare occasion, top boats might elect to participate in more specialized training camps with expert coaching, which could incur additional cost.
Boat Club Dinners are held after Christ Church Regatta, Torpids, and Summer Eights. These optional dinners are a ton of fun, and are usually held in the Wolfson College hall. The dinners cost about £25 per person, which includes food, drink, and merriment.