British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) is the national organisation for higher education sport in the UK.  BUCS was formed in June 2008 following a merger with British Universities Sports Association (BUSA) and University College Sport (UCS) organisations.   BUCS is a membership organisation for 157 universities and colleges in the UK.  It co-ordinates competitions and leagues for the millions of  students attending university, with over 4,000 teams competing in 16 league sports.  It is also responsible for organising 50 inter-university sports within the UK  and representative teams for the World University Championships and the World University Games. 

 The University of Bolton is an affiliate of the British Universities and Colleges Sport.

For the purpose of political representation, Universities are grouped geographically, as determined by BUCS General Council. The University of Bolton plays in the Northern Conference League (North West Division).