Membership Qualifications and Grades
EPS Vice President, Membership: Alan Huffman
Membership is open to individuals who by education or experience give evidence of competence in an IEEE designated field. The designated fields are: Engineering, Computer Sciences and Information Technology, Physical Sciences, Biological and Medical Sciences, Mathematics, Technical Communications, Education, Management, Law and Policy.
Membership Grades
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 fields; or
- 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.
Senior Member Grade
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 of IEEE-designated fields; or
- Publication of papers, books, or inventions in one or more of IEEE-designated fields; or
- Technical direction or management of important work with evidence of accomplishment in one or more of IEEE-designated fields; or
- Recognized contributions to the welfare of the professions encompassed by one or more of the IEEE-designated fields; or
- Development or furtherance of important courses in one or more of the IEEE-designated fields at an institution in the REPS list; or
- Contributions equivalent to those of (a) to (e) in areas related to IEEE-designated fields, provided these contributions serve to advance progress substantially in IEEE-designated fields
Learn more about how to become a Senior Member
Student Member Grade
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 8 years.
Student Members, upon graduation or upon reaching the 8-year limit (whichever occurs first), with at least 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 8-year limit (whichever occurs first), will be transferred to Associate Member grade.
Graduate Student 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 8 years.
Graduate Student Members, upon graduation or upon reaching the total cumulative 8-year limit as a Graduate Student Member (whichever occurs first), will be transferred automatically to Member grade.
Associate 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, towards qualifications for Member grade.
Member Grade Elevation
Advancing your member grade can bring added peer recognition to your accomplishments. Grade advancement is encouraged because it is required, in most cases, for key volunteer positions at the IEEE.
Learn how to elevate your member grade.