The University of Queensland's student union elections have descended in to violence, with an assault captured on video and uploaded to social media.

The video, filmed around 1.45pm on Monday, shows one student running down the street holding a flyer when a man runs up to him from behind and appears to punch the student in the back of the head.

The men then wrestle to the ground while others attempt to separate them.

UQ Union president Joshua Millroy said the victim of the assault suffered cuts to the back of the head and arms but did not require hospital treatment.