Joining AIAA can make a world of difference to your career and professional development. With over 34000 members, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is the largest technical society, principle voice, and information resource devoted to the progress of engineering and science in avaiation and space. Six thousand AIAA members are students at universities throughout the world. When you join this prestigious group of people who all have the common interest of fostering technological development in aerospace, you will make the contacts and friendships you'll want and need to get ahead in the ever-changing world of aerospace.

Who can Join AIAA

Student Membership in AIAA is open to all full time university and high school students who have an interest in the aerospace industry. The majority of AIAA student members include aerospace, mechanical, electrical, civil and industrial engineering students. Full-time students of other technical disciplines are also encouraged to join. Biologists, chemists, astronomers, and other students join simply because they like aerospace.

Are there Benefits Designed Specifically for the AIAA Student Member?

AIAA offers its student members a myriad of programs. You may attend one of seven different regional student conferences around the country where you are given the opportunity to present technical papers and compete for cash prizes. If you win first place at the regional conference, AIAA will pay your travel and room expenses to compete at its National Student Conference held annually in Reno, Nevada.

You can also participate in any one of eight different industry sponsored undergraduate and graduate design competitions with cash prizes awarded for the top three presenters in the graduate and undergraduate categories.   Competition topics include aircraft, engine, space, and missile design.

Our AIAA undergraduate scholarship program offers scholarships of $1000 to one or more college sophomores, juniors, and seniors each year. You also have the opportunity to renew your $1000 scholarship annually until you graduate.

Four different graduate student awards worth $1000 each are presented annually. And graduate students are also eligible for the Abe M. Zarem Award for Distinguished Achievement. The winners receive a trip to present their work at either the International Council of Aeronautical Sciences biannual conference or the annual International Astronautical Federation's Congress.

The AIAA MasterCard is another membership benefit. it offers our student members a chance to get ahead in the financial world, with no annual fee for the first year.

What Publications are Available for Student Members?

Included in your annual dues are two magazine subscriptions. You'll receive AIAA's monthly publication, Aerospace America, the aerospace field's leading information resource, and the AIAA Student Journal, which is a quarterly publication devoted entirely to our student members. The AIAA Student Journal features articles that are pertinent to your professional development: current trends in the aerospace industry, graduate school profiles, listings of companies who offer employment opportunities, and AIAA student branch activites.

AIAA also publishes technical journals; proceedings of conferences; case studies; and two book series. Our Education Series textbooks may be especially helpful to you before and after graduation. Some titles include: Aircraft Design: A Conceptual Approach, 2nd Edition; Gust Loads on Aircraft: Concepts and Applications; Re-Entry Vehicle Dynamics; and Aerothermodynamics of Gas Turbine and Rocket Propulsion.

What Professional and Local Meetings are Offered to Student Members?

AIAA student members can attend most of the 25+ national meetings for free. You are also encouraged to attend local section meetings where you'll meet the industry leaders of the area. Attending both national and local meetings is a great way to make contacts for your professional future. 

How About After Graduation?

If you are in good standing as a student member of the AIAA upon graduation, you may upgrade your status to a professional member with the fee waived for one year.

How Much will all of this Cost Me?

Student membership in the national AIAA is just $15 a year. If you apply between February 1st and June 30th, send $7.50 to join. If applying between July 1st and January 31st, send $15 to join. All student memberships expire in September regardless of the date joined, and are billed for renewal at $15. With all the benefits mentioned, plus a few more, what reason could you have for not becoming an AIAA student member?

The dues for the Stanford Student Chapter are $10 per year. This money is used to supply food at the meetings, supplement the Young Astronauts Program and for printing costs associated with the local newsletter and New Student Directory.

You can now apply online at AIAA's Student Membership Application/Renewal page, or you can send a print copy of the application to:

AIAA Customer Service 
1801 Alexander Bell Drive, Suite 500 
 Reston, VA 20191 
 USA

Fax: +1 (703) 264-7551