Qualifications for IEEE Membership

A Student member must carry at least 50% of a normal full-time academic program as a registered undergraduate or graduate student in a regular course of study in IEEE-designated fields. The total cumulative period for a member to hold the Student member grade and/or the Graduate Student member grade is limited to eight years.

Student members, upon graduation or upon reaching the eight-year limit (whichever occurs first), with a baccalaureate or higher degree (or its equivalent) from an accredited institution in an IEEE-designated field will be transferred automatically to member grade.

Student members outside of the IEEE-designated fields, upon graduation or upon reaching the eight-year limit (whichever occurs first), will be transferred to Associate member grade.

A Graduate Student member must carry at least 50% of a normal full-time academic program as a registered graduate student in a regular course of study in IEEE- designated fields. The total cumulative period for a member to hold the Student member grade and/or the Graduate Student member grade is limited to eight years.

Graduate Student members, upon graduation or upon reaching the total cumulative eight-year limit as a Graduate Student member (whichever occurs first), will be transferred automatically to member grade.

Associate member grade is designed for technical and non-technical individuals who do not meet the qualifications for member grade but who wish to benefit from membership and partnership in IEEE, and for those who are progressing, through continuing education and work experience, toward qualifications for member grade.

Member grade is limited to those who have satisfied IEEE-specified educational requirements and/or who have demonstrated professional competence in IEEE-designated fields of interest. For admission or transfer to the grade of member, a candidate may be either:

• An individual who has received a three- to five-year university-level or higher degree from an accredited institution or program and in an IEEE-designated field
• An individual who has received a three- to five-year university-level or higher degree from an accredited institution or program and who has at least three years of professional work experience engaged in teaching, creating, developing, practicing, or managing in IEEE-designated field
• An individual who, through at least six years of professional work experience, has demonstrated competence in teaching, creating, developing, practicing, or managing within IEEE-designated fields
   

The grade of Senior member is the highest for which application may be made and requires experience reflecting professional maturity. For admission or transfer to the grade of Senior member, a candidate shall be an engineer, scientist, educator, technical executive, or originator in IEEE-designated fields.

The candidate shall have been in professional practice for at least ten years and shall have shown significant performance over a period of at least five of those years, such performance including one or more of the following:

• Substantial responsibility or achievement in one or more IEEE-designated fields
• Publication of papers, books, or inventions in one or more IEEE-designated fields
• Technical direction or management of important work with evidence of accomplishment in one or more IEEE-designated fields
• Recognized contributions to the welfare of the professions encompassed by one or more of the IEEE-designated fields
• Development or furtherance of important courses in one or more of the IEEE-designated fields at an accredited institution
• Contributions equivalent to those of the above areas related to IEEE-designated fields, provided these contributions serve to advance progress substantially in IEEE-designated fields

As defined in IEEE Bylaw I-104.2, the following qualifications apply to Fellow grade:

The grade of Fellow recognizes unusual distinction in the profession and shall be conferred by the Board of Directors upon a person with an outstanding record of accomplishments in any of the IEEE fields of interest (Bylaw I-104.11). The accomplishments that are being honored shall have contributed importantly to the advancement or application of engineering, science and technology, bringing the realization of significant value to society.

At the time the nomination is submitted, a nominee must:

• Hold IEEE Senior member or IEEE Life Senior member grade.
• Be a member in good standing and have completed a minimum of five cumulative years (1,825 days) of IEEE membership in any grade preceding 1 January of the year of elevation.

Note: IEEE Society affiliate membership does not apply.

Additional information can be found at: https://www.ieee.org/membership/fellows/. 

Life Member

The designation Life Member is applicable only to a member who has reached the age of 65 years and who has been a member of IEEE (or one of its predecessor societies) for such a period that the sum of his/her age and his/her years of membership equals or exceeds 100 years. All members having the designation Life Member (or Member-for-Life in the predecessor societies) shall be designated as a Life Member in IEEE.

Any member who would have been qualified on or before 31 December 1963 to be a Member-for-Life of AIEE, under the rules of eligibility of AIEE, or to be a Life member of IRE, under the rules of the IRE, shall be qualified to be a Life Member of IEEE. The Executive Director shall grant Life membership status to any member who would qualify for Life membership during the remainder of the transition period prior to 1998 under the previous IEEE Bylaw. 

Basic dues and assessments are waived for those achieving Life Member status.

To inquire about Life Member qualifications, send an email to Member and Geographic Activities at life-members@ieee.org. 

IEEE Young Professionals (formerly GOLD)

In 1996, IEEE instituted efforts to explore how to improve the retention and better meet the needs of recently graduated Student members. The concept of developing a peer group evolved and was named GOLD (Graduates of the Last Decade). In 2014, GOLD was replaced with Young Professionals. Young Professionals are defined as post-Student members who are within 15 years of receiving their first professional degree with an option to participate beyond the 15-year time span.

The most important action for Young Professionals is to promote the concept at the local level via non-technical groups called affinity groups. Affinity groups are formed under the joint supervision of the local section and parent entity. Young Professionals have embraced this concept and formalized affinity groups worldwide. Many varied activities, both social and community minded, are planned and organized by this group to meet and interact with their peers.

To help with the organization of the Young Professionals community network, each IEEE Region helps with activity organization and assists Young Professionals in their respective Region. A majority of the IEEE Young Professionals affinity groups maintain a web presence on their region websites.

Learn more about IEEE Young Professionals

Society Affiliate

A Society Affiliate is a member of an IEEE Society. Society affiliates are not IEEE members and are not entitled to any IEEE benefits or services that are reserved solely for IEEE members. All affiliate benefits and services come directly from the individual IEEE Society offering affiliation. For each Society one is affiliated with, the applicant pays a separate annual affiliate fee plus that IEEE Society's annual membership dues. Affiliate applications are provided by individual IEEE Societies offering affiliation.

Learn more about IEEE Society membership

If you have not yet renewed for the current membership year, please use the IEEE Renewal Website to complete your conversion request.

If you have already renewed, please use the IEEE Support Center to assist you with the conversion.