A simple way to join or renew is to go to ieee.org/join . The below describes what and how and why and offers options.

 

What IEEE membership offers

• Staying ahead, and possibilities for networking with over 430,000 other members worldwide (including the people whom establish the top-10 research journals, organize best conferences etc.);
• Discounts on IEEE conference registration fees (which usually pay for the entire membership fee);
• Travel grants to IEEE conferences (there is a Region 8 studet grant; each Society offers its own grants and discounts as well);
• Feely available or highly discounted access to IEEE resources (e.g. as in here);
• Global benefits (from here and a list here);
• IEEE Member Discounts on products and services (travel, accomodations, insurance, ...) here 
• Various resources and opportunities(details here)
  • Staying technically ahead (access to research resources and networking, participation in standartization developments, certifications);
  • Career resources and recognision (awards, job site, consultants database and services, e-Learning, courses, continuing professional development/CPD, grants and scholarships and fellowships, competitions, mentorship);
  • Professional networking (discounts to IEEE conferences - usually paying fully membership fees, IEEE email alias, IEEE memberNet and Collaboratec, online communities, volunteering, Young Professionals, Women-in-Engineering);
  • Discounts (conference fees, insurance, publications, national society membership, UPS, ...);
  • Humanitarian Programs and IEEE Foundaiton (special interest group on humanitarian technology/SIGHT, EPICS, ..., volunteering, mentoring);
• Prestige of the highly reputable organization, and possibility of being recognized through membership grade elevations (From Student member to Senior and Fellow memberships)

Global vs Local

Joining the IEEE automatically places the member into local membership (determined as per the address provided in the profile) and allows for participation in local IEEE activities and roles as well as in Region 8 activities and leadership roles. 

Joining the global IEEE entities automatically entitles one for membership in the respective local units (e.g.

• global IEEE Society/technical Countil -> local Chapter,
• global IEEE Affinity Groups --> local Affinity Group etc.

 

Qualification criteria

To be able to join IEEE in South Africa, one needs to satisfy certain qalification criteria listed here .

 

Membership cost categories and basic costs

(Please see https://www.ieee.org/membership_services/membership/join/join_dues.html for details)

• Professional membership (cost, ~ USD90.50 for electronic and USD163 for traditional/paper membership);
• Student membership (USD27+);

• Life members (basic fees are waved).

Discounts on IEEE membership fees

• Electronic membership option - it is possible to select "electronic" membership (instead of "traditional" memberhsip), which drops the memberhship cost in South Africa from USD163 to USD90.50;
• Special circumstances for reduced IEEE membership dues (Low income, Unemployment, Disability, ...) give 50% discount (https://www.ieee.org/membership_services/membership/cost/special_circums...);
• Membership in South African Institute for Electrical Engineers (SAIEE, saiee.org.za): 10% discount;
• Becoming Senior Member gives USD25 dues discount for the next year;
• Dues discount up to USD90 for getting new members - please see the next section.

Invite a colleague/friend to join IEEE and get a reward

A successful invitation (http://ewh.ieee.org/forms/md/invite-a-colleague.html) offers rebates up to USD90 for the next year's - please refer to the "IEEE Member-Get-a-Member (MGM) Program" (https://www.ieee.org/about/volunteers/membership_development/mgm.html) for details.

 

Additional options (e.g. joining a Society)

On top of the IEEE membership, one can elect to add membership in specific technical Societies and/or Technical Councils, Affinity Groups (e.g. Young Professionals, Women in Engineering, ...). 

Gift IEEE membership

to enable someone: https://www.ieee.org/membership_services/membership/join/gift.html

 

Payment options

(Please see https://www.ieee.org/membership_services/membership/2018_member_brochure... for details)

• Credit card option (Credit Card Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, Diners Club) - electronic and paper based forms available;
• PayPal;
• Check or Money Order Payable to IEEE in U.S. dollars drawn on a U.S. bank account (in US only). Please include member name and number on your check;
• Company Payments:
  • Individual employee – payment advice, check or check stub should include your name, member number and the Return portion of your renewal.
  • Multiple employees – company must provide names, member numbers, and amount intended for each employee along with the Return portion of the renewals.
  • NOTE: A company purchase order/PO cannot be accepted for payment!
• Group payments
  • EFT payment in South Africa - please contact us (Sectoin Treasurer or Section Chair) - for IEEE South Africa only. 
  • Group invoice option - please see info at https://www.ieee.org/membership/group-payment-option.html  and detailed step by step guide at https://www.ieee.org/content/dam/ieee-org/ieee/web/org/members/step-by-s... . Live chat is availabble here: Can a School or a Company send in one payment to pay for a group of members and/or students? or How can I submit bulk New Membership Applications? 

 

Initiating the online JOIN process

• Sign in to the online application form and select "Join as a professional" or "Join as a student";
• Create your IEEE Account by selecting the "Create Account" button. Enter all the profile information such as your address, education, and/or employment to complete your registration. You do not need to "Proceed to checkout" after you've saved your information;
• Do payment (credit card, PayPal) or download the payment document (if you need to provide this to a group payment organizer, your employer or prefer to do EFT etc.; please remember to include your Name, Username/Email address, and IEEE member number to the organizer together with a copy of this payment document).

You may find your IEEE member number by going to ‘My Account’ and then clicking on the ‘Manage personal profile’ link

Initiating the online RENEWAL process

• Sign in to the membership renewal website using your IEEE Account;
• Verify and/or update your address, education, and employment information if needed;
• Review your shopping cart and make changes if needed. You do not need to ‘Proceed to checkout’ after you’ve saved your changes;
• Do payment (credit card, PayPal) or download the payment document (if you need to provide this to a group payment organizer, your employer or prefer to do EFT etc.; please remember to include your Name, Username/Email address, and IEEE member number to the organizer together with a copy of this payment document).