Qualification for Membership and Application Procedure

Membership in the IAU is open to countries (National Membership) and individuals (Individual or Junior Membership). The procedures for submission and approval of applications in the two categories are described in the IAU Working Rules (§ II and III ). A brief summary of the procedure for seeking nomination for IAU Individual or Junior Membership is given below.

Please note that a new category of membership, the Junior Member has been approved at the IAU XXX General Assembly (August 2018). Now researchers who have just completed their PhD in a branch of astronomy/astrophysics can be proposed as IAU Junior Member. The admission of new Junior Members will be evaluated annually by the Membership Committee and approved by the Executive Committee. Junior Membership is temporary and cannot be extended for more than six years. 

• IAU Individual or Junior Membership: Nomination of a candidate residing in a National Member country

  As a rule, Individual Membership in the IAU is open to scientists with a PhD or equivalent in a branch of astrophysics or a closely related field.

  Junior Membership is open to individuals who have completed the PhD studies and who are in the initial phase of the professional researcher career in some branch of astronomy.

  An Individual or Junior Member may be admitted to the IAU by the Executive Committee on the basis of nominations approved by the National Committee for Astronomy (NCA) in their country of employment (when no NCA exists, through the Adhering Organization in that country).

  Individuals applying for nomination for IAU Individual or Junior Membership should contact their NCA or Adhering Organization (whichever applies) in their country of employment in order to receive the link to the application form. This should be done before December 15th, 2024, so that these applications can be processed for approval in time for their submission to the IAU (see below). The call for membership applications to be submitted is open as of October 14th, 2024. Individual and Junior Membership applications are submitted annually.

  The procedure is electronic, via forms made available by the IAU to the NCAs, or to the Adhering Organizations. For reference, the forms include the full name, date and place of birth, and nationality of the candidate; postal and electronic addresses; the University, year, and subject of the Ph.D. or equivalent degree; the current affiliation and occupation, and the IAU Division(s) which the candidate wishes to join, a CV, a list of past publications plus any additional information required by the NCA or Adhering Organization.

  AU Individual Members and Junior Members do not pay dues to the Union.

• IAU Individual Membership or Junior Membership: Nomination of a candidate residing in a non-Member country

  Nomination for IAU Individual or Junior Membership by a qualified astrophysicist residing in a country which is not National Member of the IAU can be applied for by contacting the NCA or Adhering Organization in a neighboring IAU National Member country. The individual may request to receive the appropriate application link, following all instructions and deadlines given above, or by contacting one of the IAU Division Presidents.

Table 1: Guidelines that the Membership Committee will follow to evaluate the IAU Individual and Junior Member applications.

FAQs

(1) I am an active researcher with a permanent position in my department, but I concluded my PhD in less than six years. Should I apply as a Junior Member or as an Individual Member?
You should apply first as a Junior Member. Junior Members who are active researchers and have a permanent position may be considered for Individual Members based on the recommendation by your NCA and approval by the membership committee. 

(2) I am a Junior Member who just got a permanent position in my department but have not yet reached my six-year period as a Junior Member. Can I apply for Individual Membership in the next yearly round of IAU membership applications?
In the next round of IAU membership applications please apply to Individual Membership. Junior Members who are active researchers and have a permanent position may be considered for Individual Members based on the recommendation by your NCA and approval by the membership committee. 

(3) How do I know I qualify as a Junior Member?
A researcher who has completed their PhD degree prior to the year of application (but not exceeding six years) and who is in the initial phase of a professional research career in Research or Education or Outreach or Engineering related to Astronomy. A Junior Member may be admitted for a period not exceeding six years.

(4) I want to apply as an Individual Member / Junior Member but my NCA/Adherance Country is unresponsive. Is there a way to submit my application?
Please contact the IAU Secretariat via the Membership Coordinator (via iauinfos@iap.fr) and explain the situation. The IAU Secretariat will place you in contact with the NCA/Adhering Organisations. If there is no reply an alternative solution will be provided.

(updated 14th October, 2024)