Details on becoming a Member

We have three classes membership available to individuals by application:

• Professional Member (MRSNZ): demonstrates competence to undertake independent research practice (includes Early Career Researchers as a special sub-class) 
• Associate Member: demonstrates competence to apply the established body of knowledge in a discipline
• Student Member: full-time student, resident in New Zealand, currently enrolled at a New Zealand secondary school or tertiary educational institution

See the benefits for the different membership classes or view a comparison overview.

What are the eligibility criteria for different membership classes?

Professional Members must be able to demonstrate competence to undertake independent research practice. Eligibility for Professional membership may be demonstrated by:

• PhD qualification or equivalent, plus subsequent independent research activity; or
• Master’s qualification or equivalent, and demonstrated independent research activity (normally 3 peer-reviewed publications drawn from the subsequent research); or
• Bachelor’s degree (Level 7 tertiary qualification), plus demonstrated independent research activity (normally 5 peer-reviewed publications drawn from the subsequent research); or
• Other forms of evidence that demonstrate research independence, subject to the satisfaction of Royal Society Te Apārangi.

Associate Members must be able to demonstrate competence to apply the established body of knowledge in a discipline. Eligibility for Associate membership may be demonstrated by:

• Bachelor’s degree (Level 7 tertiary qualification) or equivalent, and work experience of no less than six months in a role in which the applicant uses the knowledge relevant to their discipline; or
• A combination of a Level 6 qualification (or equivalent), learning through subsequent professional development, and work experience of no less than two years in a role in which the applicant uses the knowledge relevant to their discipline; or
• Other forms of evidence that demonstrate knowledge and use of this knowledge in a discipline, subject to the satisfaction of the Royal Society Te Apārangi.

Student membership is available for full-time students resident in New Zealand who are currently enrolled at a New Zealand secondary school or tertiary educational institution.

How much does membership cost?

The following table sets out the cost to be a Royal Society Te Apārangi Member for a year.

As an alternative to applying for membership, anyone is welcome to become a Friend of the Society. Friends pay an annual subscription of $30. View benefits of being a Friend.

Rebates for retired and ECR Members?

For Professional and Associate Members who are retired (no regular paid employment; occasional one-off paid activity is permissible), a 75% rebate is applied against the full annual subscription.

Early Career Researcher (ECR) status is available for Professional Members who qualify, and attracts a 50% rebate on the full subscription. To be eligible for ECR status, a Member must be both an active researcher and within 10 years of completing the highest research qualification held (normally a PhD), excluding parental and other forms of leave. For more details, refer to the Society’s General Rules (Rule 2.10, and Procedures and Schedules).

When does the membership year start and finish?

The membership year commences on 1 July.

For new Members, the subscription charged will depend on how far we are into the year at the time you join, to a maximum of the full annual rate. Members joining in the first quarter of the membership year will pay the full annual subscription. Subscriptions are reduced to 75% and 50% as the membership year progresses. Members joining between 1 April and 30 June will be invoiced for the following membership year, enjoying a first subscription period of up to 15+ months.

What information do I need to complete the application?

You won’t need to upload a CV to apply for membership, but we will ask you to enter CV-type information (including educational qualifications) into the online portal. The application form can be saved at any stage, and returned to later when you’re ready to complete and submit it.

Applications for Professional and Associate membership must include contact details (name and email address) of a referee who can attest to the applicant’s eligibility for membership of the Society.

Based on the information you provide in the online application, we’ll determine the category or categories of membership for which you’re eligible, and invite you to submit your application. You’ll be directed to a secure payment page to pay the subscription fee (less any rebate due for work/study status or the stage of the membership year). If you prefer not to pay online, please contact membership@royalsociety.org.nz to discuss options for payment. For any application that is declined post-payment, we will refund the fee in full.

What will be expected of me?

As a Member, we invite you to become involved in our activities and participate as fully as you are able to help us support New Zealanders to explore, discover and share knowledge. As a Member, you agree to uphold our Code of Professional Standards and Ethics, so please familiarise yourself with it. 

Ready to apply?

Great! Go to the New Member Join online portal to start your application to become a Member of Royal Society Te Apārangi. 

Need help?

If you have any enquiries, please contact membership@royalsociety.org.nz.