The Association's aim is the advancement of education of Edinburgh students by representing and supporting them, and by promoting their interests, health and welfare within the community.

[8][9][10] This £15,600 (£2,000,000 in 2019 money) was used to hire an architect, Sydney Mitchell, and begin construction of the Union building adjacent to the Medical School and the Reid Concert Hall.

Teviot Row House was officially opened on 19 October 1889, and is the oldest purpose-built student union in the world.

[11] On 1 July 1973 the SRC, the EUU and the Chambers Street Union merged to form Edinburgh University Students' Association.

[16] In 2005 EUSA formally twinned with Birzeit University Student Council, West Bank, with each union hosting delegations from the other.

[20][21][22] This constitution also had the effect of changing some democratic processes, including establishing the board of trustees in its current form.

[25] EUSA was criticised in 2013 after acting using the Court of Session to "censor" The Student as it "was due to publish details of the suspension of Max Crema, vice-president of services at the union".

[26][27][28] In 2013, EUSA made the decision to ban the playing of "Blurred Lines" by Robin Thicke in its venues, attracting some attention in national media.

[33][34] EUSA's activities include representing and campaigning on behalf of students, the administration of societies, running a network of bars and other venues, organising volunteering opportunities and providing numerous welfare and advice services.

[40][41][42][43] In 2007, following several years of pressure from EUSA, the University Senate revoked Robert Mugabe's honorary degree that had been awarded in 1984 "for services to education in Africa".

With a Symphonic Chorus of up to 200 members, a full size Symphony Orchestra and Sinfonia, EUMS performs up to seven concerts a year in the university.

LGBT+ Pride is represented by five EUSA groups: LGBT+ Medics,[46] LGBTQ+ Campaign,[47] LGBTQ+ Law Society,[48] LGBTQ+ Peer Mentoring,[49] and PrideSoc.

EUSA is a democratic membership organisation, a charitable body and a company limited by guarantee, ultimately overseen by a Board of Trustees.

All Edinburgh University students automatically become members of EUSA upon matriculation, though they retain the ability to opt out as per the Education Act 1994.

Complementing these structures are autonomous school councils and a class representation system providing local, democratic spaces for organising.