How The British University Swimming League (BUSL) Empowers Swimmers & Celebrates Inclusivity with add-victor
The British University Swimming League (BUSL) is reshaping the future of university swimming with an inclusive, affordable, and community-driven approach.
Established to cater specifically to student swimmers, BUSL has rapidly expanded to include 60+ universities nationwide, offering a robust competitive platform throughout.
Affordable & Accessible Competitions
For years, university swimmers have been facing a tough choice to compete in elite, expensive competitions. Run and united by students, BUSL was founded as a student-led swimming community and league with the ambition to provide affordable, fun and accessible swimming events nationwide.
To address the high costs involved in swimming—ranging from equipment to competition fees—BUSL strategically hosts local dual meets. BUSL uses an innovative conference-based structure to foster competition and community spirit across local and national settings. Using local venues greatly cut down travel time and expenses by prompting universities to utilise their own pools during existing training times.
Finals Day 2025 - Committee - from left to right: Harriet Southey, Bethan White, Emily West, Hannah Elvidge, Catherine Ryan, Amber Lawson-Smith, Amelia Garnish, Tom Hooper, Luke Horner-Long, Maisie Holloman, Kirsty Williams, Samuel Hurst, Tom Lee-Brown, Ethan Breen
While most university swimming events typically cost around £10 per swimmer, per event, BUSL offers a far more affordable alternative, charging just £28 for an entire university team for the whole year, which works out to less than 50p per swimmer across both semesters.
Empowering Student Leadership
Amber Lawson-Smith, a student at the University of Birmingham, former competitive swimmer, and experienced coach, has been the heartbeat of BUSL over the past few years. After joining as a swimmer, she quickly rose to Chairperson, helping steer the league with passion and purpose. “BUSL is run by students and for students, it's a self-driven community, bringing vigour to student swimmers,” she says.
Initially intimidated by overly competitive university swimming vibes, Amber found BUSL’s community-focused atmosphere inspiring and supportive. Her journey from a hesitant participant to conference manager and finally Chairperson highlights BUSL's emphasis on student empowerment and leadership opportunities.
Amber first dipped into competition through BUSL itself, later going on to race at her first county events. As she graduates this summer, she’s stepping back from day-to-day duties but remains a proud supporter of the league she’s helped to shape.
Enhancing Career Opportunities with add-victor
BUSL’s recent partnership with add-victor has further elevated its devotion to student development. add-victor sponsors BUSL’s students by giving a sign-up code and inviting them to create a free account on the career platform. Amber praised the partnership for offering essential post-university career support beyond traditional university career services, especially highlighting internships and skill-building workshops in CV writing and interview preparation.
Within a few months, 78 athletes from BUSL signed up for accounts on add-victor. Student swimmers gained tangible benefits from this partnership by attending insightful career workshops and securing internships that align closely with their individual interests and career aspirations. Amber particularly highlighted how add-victor’s personalised approach increased student-athletes’ confidence in navigating their post-university career paths.
Commitment to Inclusion
“Fun, inclusive and affordable.”
BUSL aims to celebrate team spirit and community, bringing enjoyment, inclusivity and collaboration to university swimmers.
Promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion, BUSL accommodates athletes at all levels, from beginners to elite competitors, and actively ensures that venues and scoring methods remain unbiased and accessible. BUSL is particularly notable for offering more regular opportunities for para swimmers, thanks to our inclusive format with non-point scoring teams and frequent matches, helping to complement, rather than compete with, the higher-level para-swimming events offered by BUCS.
Future Vision
Looking ahead, BUSL intends to strengthen its collaboration with add-victor, aspiring to create a robust student network that seamlessly transitions athletes’ passion and discipline from sports to successful careers.
Collaborating with BUSL is part of add-victor’s broader partnership strategy. add-victor’s recent official collaboration with BUCS further extended career and development opportunities for student-athletes nationwide.
Kelsey Yao
About BUSL:
Run and united by students, The British University Swimming League (BUSL) is a fun, friendly yet competitive university swimming league born out of the National University Development League and works together with student-run committees across the country. Highlighting inclusivity, affordability and fun, BUSL is proud to announce a fresh and innovative format which aims to give swimmers from across the country numerous opportunities to race throughout the year in duel-meet style galas, larger traditional galas and a National Final.
About add-victor:
add-victor is a leading recruitment specialist connecting elite athletes, student-athletes, and military veterans with exciting job opportunities across multiple industries. With a commitment to unlocking transferable excellence, add-victor empowers individuals to thrive in the workforce.