Special Circumstances for Reduced IEEE Membership Dues

IEEE realizes that economic circumstances may impact some members' ability to pay the full amount of IEEE membership dues. For this reason, the following special circumstance categories have been established. Special circumstance discounts are not available to Student members or to members in developing nations who take the electronic membership option. Only one category may be claimed in any year.

Minimum income

Applicants who certify that their prior year's income did not exceed US$17,000, or equivalent, are granted a 50% reduction in IEEE membership dues, regional assessments, and dues for IEEE Societies and their optional publications. Please submit written certification with application and payment. 

Retired

A retired member, not gainfully employed and not qualifying for Life Member status, on attaining the age of 62 years, may apply for a 50% reduction in IEEE membership dues and assessments, Society dues and optional publication fees.

Unemployed

A 50% reduction in membership dues, Society dues, other subscriptions and assessments are available to a member or applicant who informs the IEEE Operations Center office that he/she: (1) has become involuntarily unemployed and is seeking reemployment, or (2) has become voluntarily unemployed for reasons of raising children. A statement of continued unemployment shall be provided with each annual dues payment. In the case of voluntary unemployment, the provisions of this bylaw shall not exceed four years. The reduced payments may not be made in installments.

Permanently disabled

IEEE membership dues and assessments, if any, shall be waived for those members who become permanently disabled. "Permanent disability" shall mean a medically determinable physical or mental impairment that (1) renders the individual incapable of performing any substantial gainful employment, (2) can be expected to be of long-continued and indefinite duration or result in death, and (3) is evidenced by a certification to this effect by a doctor of medicine approved by the executive director. The executive director shall determine the date on which the permanent disability shall have occurred if such determination is necessary.

Developing nations

IEEE offers an electronic membership option with reduced dues to new and renewing higher grade members who reside in country/regions where the per capita gross national income (GNI) does not exceed US$15,000 (per World Bank guidelines, using a three-year average). In addition, in these countries undergraduate students automatically receive lower student dues.

On this page: