SWI i The BUCS Swimming Championships shall be conducted in accordance with the following BUCS sport specific regulations, the BUCS general regulations, the Swim England Regulations and Technical Rules of Swimming, and the World Para Swimming Rules and Regulations. Further event specific requirements, rules, and regulations will be contained within the entry and pre-event information for each Championship.
SWI ii In the event that these BUCS sport specific regulations contradict the BUCS general regulations, these BUCS sport specific regulations will supersede, unless specifically stated otherwise.
SWI iii The gender eligibility criteria for the BUCS Swimming Championships will be determined as per REG 4.3.
SWI 1 Championships BUCS will host annually the following Championships:
SWI 1.1 Long Course Championships The programme shall include the events listed in Appendix 1 (‘BUCS Competition Offer and Associated BUCS Points’), subject to entry numbers.
SWI 1.2 Short Course Championships The programme shall include the events listed in Appendix 1 (‘BUCS Competition Offer and Associated BUCS Points’), subject to entry numbers.
SWI 1.3 Team Championships The programme shall include the competitions listed in Appendix 1 (‘BUCS Competition Offer and Associated BUCS Points’), subject to entry numbers.
Individual Championships (Long Course and Short Course Championships)
SWI 2 Promoter’s Conditions Promoter’s Conditions will be published in the relevant Entry and Pre-Event Information documents for each Championships.
SWI 3 All individual and relay events will be decided by heats and finals, except for the 400m/800m/1500m Freestyle and the 400m Individual Medley, all of which will be decided on a Heat Declared Winner (HDW) basis.
SWI 4 BUCS Points BUCS Points shall be awarded as per Appendix 1 (‘BUCS Competition Offer and Associated BUCS Points’) and REG 6, subject to entry numbers. Whilst for the Short Course Championships institutions can enter more than two swimmers per individual event and more than one team per relay event, and there is no restriction on how many of these can qualify for a final, at both Championships institutions will be limited to only their highest placed two swimmers in individual events and one team in relay events being awarded BUCS Points.
SWI 5 Protests and disputes
SWI 5.1 A protest is an allegation that Swim England Regulations, Technical Rules or Promoter’s Conditions (including BUCS Swimming Regulations) governing an event have not been complied with or have been misinterpreted. Protests shall be dealt with in accordance with Swim England Regulations.
SWI 5.2 In relation to SWI 5.1, should a Jury of Appeal be appointed, the BUCS appointed Meet Director will chair the Jury of Appeal or appoint a substitute. The Chair of the Jury of Appeal must be a Swim England member. Two further Swim England members shall complete the Jury.
SWI 5.3 Matters that do not relate to Swim England Regulations, Technical Rules or the Promoter’s Conditions shall be dealt with as a dispute in accordance with BUCS REG 7.7. The events appeal panel will be chaired by the Meet Director or a BUCS Executive representative. It will also comprise of two other persons attending the meet, appointed by the Chair, one of which shall be a BUCS Executive representative if such a representative is not the Chair.
Team Championships
SWI 6 General
SWI 6.1 The Championships will comprise the following three phases:
- Phase 1 – Duel Meets;
- Phase 2 – Conference Finals; (together the Conferences), and
- Phase 3 – National Finals
SWI 6.2 The Championships shall be co-delivered by BUCS and the British University Swimming League (BUSL), with primary responsibility for the Conferences sitting with BUSL and the National Finals with BUCS.
SWI 6.3 The term ‘Host’ throughout these regulations refers to the home team for each Duel Meet, a team assigned to host a Conference Final, or BUCS in relation to the National Finals. The Host shall be responsible for the organisation and running of the Duel Meet/Conference Final/National Finals.
SWI 6.4 Institutions/Playing Entities shall only be permitted to enter one team.
SWI 6.5 BUCS and/or BUSL will organise teams into regionalised Conferences on an annual basis.
SWI 6.6 There shall be up to 20 conferences, each containing a minimum of three and a maximum of four teams.
SWI 6.7 Team Selection
SWI 6.7.1 Following teams being entered on BUCS Play, individuals who wish to be eligible to represent a team must apply to join and be accepted into the team’s squad on BUCS Play by the deadline listed for each phase (or window in the case of Phase 1) in the entry information. This must include all potential swimmers the team may wish to field.
SWI 6.7.2 At each meet, a team will be required to declare which individuals, from those listed in the team’s squad on BUCS Play, will be swimming in each event.
SWI 6.7.3 Host teams must include the names of all swimmers when submitting the scoresheet as outlined in SWI 7.5.7.
SWI 6.7.4 Any swimmer found to have competed for a team having not been entered into the team’s squad on BUCS Play will result in a DQ for all events they competed in.
SWI 7 Duel Meets (Phase 1) Specific Regulations
SWI 7.1 Withdrawals and Refunds
SWI 7.1.1 Prior to the Team Entry closing date, any entries submitted can be withdrawn through BUCS Play. Entry fees will not be charged for teams withdrawn prior to the deadline.
SWI 7.1.2 Once the Team Entry closing date has passed, the BUCS Executive will release provisional Conference allocations for the season, following which any entries submitted can be withdrawn up until 23:59 on the seventh day following provisional Conference allocations having been release by emailing [email protected]. Entry fees will not be charged for teams withdrawn during this window.
SWI 7.1.3 Conference allocations are subject to change after the withdrawal deadline has passed.
SWI 7.1.4 Once the deadline stated in SWI 7.1.2 has passed, a team can no longer be withdrawn, and the entry fee will be charged/will not be refunded unless BUCS has not been able to accommodate the team in a Conference.
SWI 7.1.5 Where a team is no longer permitted to be withdrawn as the deadline stated in SWI 7.1.2 has passed, any meet which they do not fulfil will be recorded as a walkover and the results of any meets already logged prior to this will remain. Please note the penalties incurred for walkovers in SWI 7.5.5.
SWI 7.2 Meet dates and venues
SWI 7.2.1 No meets should be arranged until BUCS has published the final Conferences. When the final Conferences are published, teams within each Conference who have been assigned as Hosts, will be assigned a Hosting Window for any meets they are to host. A meet must be hosted within the specified Hosting Window unless the Host obtains the agreement of the Athletic Union (or equivalent) of the other participating institution/Playing Entity to host on a date during another Hosting Window and ensure that it won’t clash with any other meets in the Hosting Window which they are looking to move to which either team may be involved in and inform BUCS of this.
SWI 7.2.2 For 2026-27 the Hosting Windows are as follows:
- Hosting Window 1: Wednesday 7 Oct – Friday 23 Oct 2026
- Hosting Window 2: Wednesday 28 Oct – Friday 13 Nov 2026
- Hosting Window 3: Wednesday 25 Nov – Friday 11 Dec 2026
SWI 7.2.3 Each Host’s Athletic Union (or equivalent) must confirm all dates and venues for their assigned meets, regardless of hosting window, to BUCS via the online form by the deadline stated in the Entry Information. Failure to do so will lead to sanctions as detailed in the Entry Information.
SWI 7.2.4 After meet dates and venues have been published by BUCS, institutions/Playing Entities can change a meet date if they obtain the mutual agreement of the Athletic Union (or equivalent) of the other participating institution/Playing Entity in the meet and inform BUCS of this.
SWI 7.2.5 Institutions/Playing Entities are forbidden to host meets after the final date of the third hosting window.
SWI 7.2.6 Facility Requirements
- Two lanes of a 25m or 50m pool
- Starting blocks
- Backstroke flags
SWI 7.3 Event Programme A list of all events can be found below as well as in the Entry Information:
- Female 4x50m Medley Relay
- Open 4x50m Medley Relay
- Female 100m Individual Medley*
- Open 100m Individual Medley*
- Female 100m Backstroke
- Open 100m Backstroke
- Female 100m Breaststroke
- Open 100m Breaststroke
- Female 100m Butterfly
- Open 100m Butterfly
- Female 100m Freestyle
- Open 100m Freestyle
- Female 50m Backstroke
- Open 50m Backstroke
- Female 50m Breaststroke
- Open 50m Breaststroke
- Female 50m Butterfly
- Open 50m Butterfly
- Female 50m Freestyle
- Open 50m Freestyle
- Female 4x50m Freestyle Relay
- Open 4x50m Freestyle Relay
*If using a 50m pool, this event would change to a 200m Individual Medley.
SWI 7.4 Officiating
SWI 7.4.1 Over-the-top starts may be used at the Host’s discretion for freestyle, breaststroke and butterfly. Side-by-side starts may be used for backstroke, again at the Host’s discretion.
SWI 7.4.2 Whilst electronic timing pads may be used to aid with starts and turns, manual timing will be used for all meets, unless advised by the Host.
SWI 7.4.3 Each meet requires the minimum of a timekeeper per lane, starter, referee and stroke judge. It is permissible for the same person to be the starter, and/or referee, and/or stroke judge. These individuals do not need to be qualified and using experienced swimmers with knowledge of the rules is perfectly fine. The Host shall be responsible for the provision of the starter, referee and stroke judge. Each team is expected to provide volunteers to act as timekeepers, unless agreed in writing prior to the meet to do otherwise.
SWI 7.4.4 The decisions of officials are final and must be respected.
SWI 7.5 Scoring and Results
SWI 7.5.1 Meet Points will be used to determine the final standings at the end of a Duel Meet.
SWI 7.5.2 Meet Points will be awarded for each event on the following basis – 1st Place will receive 2 points, and 2nd Place will receive 1 point. In the event of a dead heat, both teams shall receive 2 points. Relay events shall be worth double points.
SWI 7.5.3 If a team fails to field a swimmer/relay team (DNS), a swimmer/relay team fails to finish (DNF), or a swimmer/relay team is disqualified (DQ), the team will receive 0 points for that event.
SWI 7.5.4 At the end of the meet, the team with the greater number of Meet Points will be deemed the winner and awarded 3 Conference Points, with the losing team receiving 1 Conference Point. If the final Meet Points are equal, the meet will be deemed a draw, and both teams will receive 2 Conference Points.
SWI 7.5.5 In the event a meet is unfulfilled due the fault of one team a walkover win will be awarded by BUCS to the team not at fault, with the team at fault receiving no Conference Points and the other team receiving 3 Conference Points and 52 Meet Points.
SWI 7.5.6 In the event a meet is unfulfilled, with neither team at fault, it shall be deemed a draw, and both teams will receive 1 Conference Point and 39 Meet Points.
SWI 7.5.7 Each Host is responsible for completing and submitting the scoresheet to BUCS within 48 hours of the meet. However, all Hosts must retain the scoresheet(s) for the meet(s) they host. In the case of a result needing to be queried, BUCS will request said scoresheets.
SWI 7.5.8 BUCS will publish the result and update the conference standings on a weekly basis.
SWI 7.6 Protests and Disputes TBC – CURRENTLY UNDER REVIEW
SWI 8 Conference Finals (Phase 2) Specific Regulations
SWI 8.1 Meet Dates and Venues
SWI 8.1.1 When the final Conferences are published, BUCS will have assigned a Host for each Conference Final, who must host their Conference Final within the Hosting Window specified in SWI 8.1.2.
SWI 8.1.2 For 2026-27 the Hosting Window is as follows: Wednesday 6 Jan – Friday 12 Feb 2027.
SWI 8.1.3 Each Host’s Athletic Union (or equivalent) must confirm the date and venue for their assigned Conference Final to BUCS via the online form by the deadline stated in the Entry Information. Failure to do so will lead to sanctions as detailed in the Entry Information.
SWI 8.1.4 Facility Requirements
- One lane per conference team of a 25m pool
- Starting blocks
- Backstroke flags
SWI 8.2 Event Programme
SWI 8.2.1 A list of all events can be found below as well as in the Entry Information:
- Female 4x50m Medley Relay
- Open 4x50m Medley Relay
- Female 100m Individual Medley
- Open 100m Individual Medley
- Female 100m Backstroke
- Open 100m Backstroke
- Female 100m Breaststroke
- Open 100m Breaststroke
- Female 100m Butterfly
- Open 100m Butterfly
- Female 100m Freestyle
- Open 100m Freestyle
- Female Medley Skins
- Open Medley Skins
- Female 200m Freestyle
- Open 200m Freestyle
- Mixed 4x50m Medley Relay
- Female 50m Backstroke
- Open 50m Backstroke
- Female 50m Breaststroke
- Open 50m Breaststroke
- Female 50m Butterfly
- Open 50m Butterfly
- Female 50m Freestyle
- Open 50m Freestyle
- Female 200m Individual Medley
- Open 200m Individual Medley
- Mixed 8x50m Freestyle Relay
SWI 8.3 Officiating Officiating and volunteer requirements remain the same as SWI 7.4.
SWI 8.4 Scoring and Results
SWI 8.4.1 Meet Points will be used to determine the final standings at the end of a Conference Final.
SWI 8.4.2 Meet Points will be awarded for each event on the following basis – 1st Place will receive 4 points, 2nd Place will receive 3 points, 3rd Place will receive 2 points, and 4th Place will receive 1 point. In the event of a dead heat in any of the races the teams will receive the same points for the position they achieved. This will be done automatically by the scoresheet. Relay and skins events will be worth double points.
SWI 8.4.3 If a team fails to field a swimmer/relay team (DNS), a swimmer/relay team fails to finish (DNF), or a swimmer/relay team is disqualified (DQ), the team will receive 0 points for that event.
SWI 8.4.4 At the end of the Conference Final, the team with the greatest number of Meet Points will be deemed the winner and awarded 8 Conference Points, 2nd Place 6 Points, 3rd Place 4 Points, and 4th Place 2 Points. If there is a tie in final Meet Points the total of the Conference Points for the tied positions shall be split.
SWI 8.4.5 The Host is responsible for completing and submitting the scoresheet to BUCS within 48 hours of the Conference Final. However, all Hosts must retain the scoresheet. In the case of a result needing to be queried, BUCS will request said scoresheet.
SWI 8.5 Protests and Disputes TBC – CURRENTLY UNDER REVIEW
SWI 9 National Finals Specific Regulations
SWI 9.1 National Finals Qualification
SWI 9.1.1 Conference Points from both Duel Meets and Conference Finals will be totalled to determine the final standings for each Conference.
SWI 9.1.2 Meet Points from both Duel Meets and Conference Finals will be totalled to give a ‘Meet Points Total’ (MPT), this will be used as a secondary determinant should teams finish on equal Conference Points.
SWI 9.1.3 There will be 20 teams that qualify for the National Championship (A Final), and another 20 teams for the National Trophy (B Final).
SWI 9.1.4 All teams will be ranked first by Conference finishing position, then by Conference Points if level on Conference finishing position, and then by MPT if level on Conference Points. The highest 20 ranked teams will qualify for the National Championship (A Final), and the 21st-40th ranked teams for the National Trophy (B Final).
SWI 9.1.5 All teams will be notified of their qualification after the conclusion of Phase 2. Following notification, teams must then enter on BUCS Play before the specified deadline in the Entry Information.
SWI 9.1.6 Any teams not entered before the deadline will be presumed as declining their place and BUCS reserves the right to offer any free spots to teams finishing outside the top 40 in descending rank order, after any remaining teams who have already qualified have been moved up the rankings accordingly.
SWI 9.2 Withdrawals and No-Shows
SWI 9.2.1 Teams withdrawing two weeks or less before the National Finals will be fined £50.
SWI 9.2.2 Any team who does not attend the National Finals without prior notice will be fined £100.
SWI 9.2.3 Where any teams withdraw or do not show for the National Championship (A Final), spare lanes will be filled with teams upgraded from the National Trophy (B Final) in rank descending order.
SWI 9.3 Event Programme A list of all National Finals events can be found below as well as in the Entry Information:
- Female 4x50m Medley Relay
- Open 4x50m Medley Relay
- Female 100m Individual Medley
- Open 100m Individual Medley
- Female 100m Backstroke
- Open 100m Backstroke
- Female 100m Breaststroke
- Open 100m Breaststroke
- Female 100m Butterfly
- Open 100m Butterfly
- Female 100m Freestyle
- Open 100m Freestyle
- Female Medley Skins
- Open Medley Skins
- Female 200m Freestyle
- Open 200m Freestyle
- Mixed 4x50m Medley Relay
- Female 50m Backstroke
- Open 50m Backstroke
- Female 50m Breaststroke
- Open 50m Breaststroke
- Female 50m Butterfly
- Open 50m Butterfly
- Female 50m Freestyle
- Open 50m Freestyle
- Female 200m Individual Medley
- Open 200m Individual Medley
- Mixed 8x50m Freestyle Relay
SWI 9.4 Officiating
SWI 9.4.1 The National Finals will be held as a licensed event with Swim England. As such, officials will be provided by BUCS.
SWI 9.4.2 Electronic timing will be used at the event.
SWI 9.5 Scoring and Results
SWI 9.5.1 Finishing positions shall be determined by the time achieved by each swimmer/relay team in their respective final.
SWI 9.5.2 Finals Points shall be awarded for event on the following basis: 1st Place will receive 20 points with each subsequent position receiving one point less. In the event of a dead heat in any of the races the teams will receive the same points for the position they achieved. Relay and Skins events will receive double points.
SWI 9.5.3 If a team fails to field a swimmer/relay team (DNS), a swimmer/relay team fails to finish (DNF), or a swimmer/relay team is disqualified (DQ), the team will receive 0 points for that event.
SWI 9.5.4 In the event of a tie in a final a placings countback shall be used. In the event of a tie on placings the fastest combined five relay times shall be used.
SWI 9.5.5 At the end of the National Championship and National Trophy Finals, the team with the greatest number of Finals Points in each final will be crowned Champions.
SWI 9.6 Protests and Disputes
SWI 9.6.1 A protest is an allegation that Swim England Regulations, Technical Rules or Promoter’s Conditions (including BUCS Swimming Regulations) governing an event have not been complied with or have been misinterpreted. Protests shall be dealt with in accordance with Swim England Regulations.
SWI 9.6.2 In relation to SWI 9.6.1, should a Jury of Appeal be appointed, the BUCS appointed Meet Director will chair the Jury of Appeal or appoint a substitute. The Chair of the Jury of Appeal must be a Swim England member. Two further Swim England members shall complete the Jury.
SWI 9.6.3 Matters that do not relate to Swim England Regulations, Technical Rules or the Promoter’s Conditions shall be dealt with as a dispute in accordance with BUCS REG 7.7. The events appeal panel will be chaired by the Meet Director or a BUCS Executive representative. It will also comprise of two other persons attending the meet, appointed by the Chair, one of which shall be a BUCS Executive representative if such a representative is not the Chair.
