The United World Colleges (International) is registered in England and Wales as both a Company and a Charity and works within a constitutional framework in the form of Memorandum and Articles of Association.
All members of the UWC international movement are eligible to attend the UWC International Council Meeting every five years. The Council's functions are to review the purpose of the UWC movement, review the work of the International Board of Directors, propose constitutional amendments and make recommendations to the Board. However, it is the International Board of Directors which carries direct responsibility for the governance of the movement. The Board meets twice each year with one meeting also designated as the Annual General Meeting of The United World Colleges (International). The Directors are also the Charity Trustees.
Among the responsibilities of the UWC International Board of Directors are defining the ethos of the UWC movement, the strategic development of the movement and oversight of UWC's constituent entities (Colleges and National Committees). The Board also acts as a forum for discussing new ideas, programmes and projects and is responsible for coordination and communications within and UWC's global profile. The UWC International Office is the 'working arm' of the International Board and the Board is responsible for approving its operations and the budget for its functions.