Membership FAQs

NAFSA welcomes individuals who work, serve, and support the field of international education worldwide at every phase in their careers. 

Apply for membership online or by completing the membership application and returning it with payment by mail. If you need assistance applying for membership, contact our offices at 1.202.737.3699 or send membership a message.

New Member - $199
New Members are joining NAFSA for the very first time or a current NAFSA student member. Individual Members are involved and connected to the field of international education and exchange and work at a secondary or post-secondary institution, law firm, medical or research center, or at an organization, association, nonprofit, business, or government. This membership type is non-transferrable.

Individual Member - $499
Individual Members are involved and connected to the field of international education and exchange and work at a secondary or post-secondary institution, law firm, medical or research center, or at an organization, association, nonprofit, business, or government. This membership type is transferrable one-time within the first 6 months of purchase.

International Membership - $379
International Members are individuals who have a primary address outside the United States and are aligned with the field of international education and exchange or affiliated with an international or academic institution or organizations.

Retired Professional - $99
Retired Professionals are engaged and connected to the field of international education and exchange. If you are retired, please submit documentation of retirement status. This membership type is non-transferrable.

Student Member - $99
Student members are enrolled as a full-time student at a post-secondary institution with an interest in the field of international education and exchange. If you are a student, please submit documentation of full-time enrollment. This membership type is non-transferrable.

Group Membership - discounted rates from $409 to $449
Please see details on our newest membership category.

NAFSA reserves the right to verify eligibility for all membership categories.

NAFSA membership provides unmatched access to best-in-class programs, information, and resources.

NAFSA members receive exclusive discounts on most NAFSA products, services, and events. Visit the Member Savings Opportunities page to review the full list of benefits and explore the NAFSA Member Commitment today.

NAFSA members receive exclusive discounts on most NAFSA products, services, and events.

• Individual, New, and Retired Members: 25% Savings on most products, programs, and services (including Annual Conference)
• Student Members: 45% Savings on most products, programs, and services

Creating a profile is easy and takes only a few minutes. Visit the Create Your NAFSA Account page.

NAFSA accepts all major credit/debit cards, checks and wire transfers. For your security, NAFSA does not accept credit card information over the phone or by email.

Credit/debit card payments are processed securely online at https://account.nafsa.org/NAFSA/Home/Membership/Join_Main.aspx.

Credit/debit card or check payments may also be mailed with your application or invoice to:

NAFSA Membership Department
P.O. Box 79159
Baltimore, MD 21279-0159

For Wire Transfer information, contact membership for instructions and details.

NAFSA membership operates on an anniversary model. Membership is valid for one complete year until the end of the month in which it was purchased. For example, if you purchase membership in the month of June, your membership does not expire until the end of June of the following year.

Some NAFSA membership categories may be transferred provided they meet NAFSA’s Membership Transfer Guidelines. Transfer requests take 3-5 business days to be completed.

NAFSA Membership Transfer Guidelines:

• An employer who has paid for the individual membership of an employee may request to permanently transfer a membership to a non-member individual who is employed by same institution or organization.
• A membership may only be transferred one-time within the first 6 months of the current membership year.
• Student, Retired Professional, and New Member categories are non-transferrable.
• Only one NAFSA Annual Conference & Expo discount may be used per year per annual membership.

To request a NAFSA Membership Transfer:

Please obtain the following information to complete the Membership Transfer Request form.

• Reason for requesting the membership transfer.
• Name, institution/organization, NAFSA ID number, and email address of the membership that is being transferred.
• Name, institution/organization, NAFSA ID number, and email address of the individual assuming the transferred membership. Individuals that do not have a NAFSA ID number can be assigned an ID by creating an account.

Please note that every individual is assigned a unique NAFSA ID. A NAFSA ID may not be reassigned to another individual.

Eligibility for a Refund

Membership purchases are not refundable in whole or in part, but may be transferred to another individual, at the same institution or organization, within 6 months of purchase under guidelines outlined in the NAFSA membership transfer policy. Exceptions to this policy may be made on a case-by-case basis. Requests for refunds must be made via email to [email protected] within 15 days following the purchase.

NAFSA does not offer institutional memberships, however, most NAFSA memberships are paid through institutions. An institution that has paid for a membership "owns" the membership and may transfer a current membership to another person at that institution when they leave, for example.

Each member has a unique NAFSA ID number. Your NAFSA ID number will always be yours. If you've created a NAFSA profile without purchasing a membership, that profile ID number will become your membership ID number when you purchase your membership.

Yes! Please identify one person to be the Group Bill Manager for all your institution's memberships. Contact membership for instructions on how to set up a group bill account.

Updating your profile and communications preferences is the best way to ensure you receive the NAFSA information you want in the way you want it. NAFSA offers you an easy way to manage your profile by logging on to the My NAFSA Profile to make edits. If you encounter any issues, please contact membership.

You may retrieve your login credentials here. Simply enter the email address associated with your My NAFSA account. An email allowing you to reset your password or recover your username will be sent to that email address. If you do not receive the link to reset or recover your password, please be sure to check your SPAM filters. For security reasons, we cannot give anyone access to another individual's account. NAFSA protects the privacy of each account holder and is committed to building user trust and confidence by promoting, and complying with, business practices that help protect your privacy. Contact membership if you have further questions or you are locked out of your account.

Members may publicize their membership, provided they make clear that they as an individual are a member, and not their organization. Members may not imply that NAFSA has reviewed or endorsed their programs or activities, or that NAFSA membership confers any endorsement.

Use of the NAFSA logo, in either print or digital materials, without express written permission is strictly prohibited.

All universities, corporations, and businesses who share NAFSA's mission and would like to have access to unique marketing opportunities are invited to join NAFSA's Global Partnership Program. Your organization will be listed as a current Global Partner, receive a special NAFSA logo to use, and receive special discounts, including on memberships. In addition, staff within your organization can still hold individual NAFSA memberships.

By joining NAFSA's incredibly vibrant and welcoming community, you can connect, communicate, and collaborate online through Network.NAFSA.

NAFSA Members can view the Member Directory within Network.NAFSA. Click the "Member Directory" link found in the main navigation bar. The Directory lets you search for other members based on:

• First and/or last name
• Company/Institution name
• Email address

Switch to the "Advanced Search" tab to increase your search to:

• City
• State
• Country
• Community
• Education

Non-members can view our Mailing List Rental opportunities to learn more about the easiest and best way to reach NAFSA's members.