Our history

Founded in 1982, at u3a we've been bringing people together for over 40 years.

From the start, the guiding principles were to promote non-formal learning through self-help interest groups. Based loosely on the French model, our founders envisaged a collaborative approach with peers learning from each other. 

The u3a movement was to be self-funded, with members not working towards qualifications but learning purely for pleasure. There would be no distinction between the learners and those sharing their skills and knowledge – everyone could take a turn at being both if they wished.

The movement grew very quickly and by the early 1990s, a u3a was opening every fortnight. u3as started in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and in 2008 membership was increasing by 11% every year. 2010 saw our membership hitting the quarter million mark. 2022 was the 40th Anniversary of the u3a movement in the UK. This milestone was marked with a year-long programme of events and celebrations.

Lifelong learning, along with supporting and promoting a positive later life, remains at the heart of everything we do. While there are no age limits in place; most of our members have stepped away from full time work, or from raising a family. The focus at u3a is creating communities for those who love to learn together.

Find out more about what we offer today, by clicking the button below.

• Membership of a u3a is open to all in their third age, which is defined not by a particular age but by a period in life when full-time employment has ceased
• Members of a u3a promote the values of lifelong learning and the positive attributes of belonging to a u3a
• Members of a u3a should do all they can to ensure that everyone who wishes to join a u3a can do so.

• Members of a u3a form interest groups, covering as wide a range of topics and activities as they desire, by the membership for the membership
• No qualifications are sought or offered. Learning is for its own sake, with enjoyment being the prime motive, not qualifications or awards
• There is no distinction between the learners and the teachers; they are all members of a u3a.

• Each u3a is a mutual aid organisation, operationally independent but a member of the Third Age Trust, which requires adherence to the guiding principles of the u3a movement.
• No payments are made to individual members for services rendered to any u3a.
• Each u3a is self-funded with membership subscriptions and costs kept as low as possible.
• Outside financial assistance should only be sought if it does not imperil the integrity of the u3a movement.