Eligibility | Member Benefits | Local Member Only
How to Apply
SHRM is committed to the development of the human resource membership profession, and nowhere is that commitment more evident than in the student membership program. Student membership was created in 1965 to promote mutually beneficial interaction between HR students and practitioners. SHRM membership offers students the opportunity to supplement their classroom education with real world knowledge and hands-on experience.
Since the first chapter was chartered in 1965 at Indiana University in Bloomington, the student program has continued to grow. The SHRM student membership program now includes over 250 affiliated student chapters and over 20,000 student members.
SHRM student membership prepares students for their career through:
- Participation in chapter projects and activities directly related to the HR field.
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- Interaction with HR practitioners to develop valuable business contacts.
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- Leveraging information on the latest news, information and ideas in the human resource field.
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Who is Eligible?
SHRM offers a discounted membership rate to students. Professional members of SHRM pay annual dues of $244 while student members receive a much lower rate of only $49.
To be eligible, students must be enrolled in a degree-seeking program taking at least six (6) credit hours per semester, or during a 15-week equivalency. Student membership is limited to a maximum of six (6) years, non-consecutive. Existing professional members are not eligible to change to a student membership.
If your chapter has individuals who would like to join SHRM but do not meet the above criteria, you can offer them membership in your local chapter (if your chapter offers this option) and encourage them to join as professional members of SHRM. Individuals do not have to be working in HR to join as professional members. Contact the SHRM Member Relations Team or visit the SHRM Website at
www.shrm.org/join for more information on professional membership. Although only qualified students can join as national student members, everyone with an interest in human resources is invited to join SHRM.
Many non-traditional students will qualify for both student and professional membership and must select which type of member to become. Professional membership is designed to meet the needs of people currently working in the HR field, while student membership is designed for individuals exploring human resources and preparing to enter the profession. If an applicant plans to use the membership for work-related support, then professional membership is probably the best choice. The benefits of student and professional membership are different and an active HR practitioner will want to gain full access to all the services and benefits that professional membership offers.
SHRM Student Membership Benefits
Upon joining SHRM at a cost of $49, students receive the following benefits:
- Digital
HR Magazine subscription (student members do not receive the printed magazine with their membership)
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- Access to SHRM Online (all resources except access to the Knowledge Center)
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- Discounted rate for two years of professional membership upon graduation
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- Discounted rate to attend all SHRM Conferences
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- Eligibility to apply for SHRM Foundation scholarships
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- Discounts at online SHRMStore
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Local Member Only
Some student chapters offer local chapter membership without requiring that members join SHRM. Be advised that SHRM does not include "local members only" (LMO) in the chapter's membership count. These students will not appear on your SHRM chapter rosters and they will not receive any national membership benefits. LMO students are not eligible to participate in SHRM award programs, nor can they take advantage of reduced registration rates for national events such as the SHRM Annual Conference & Expo.
In general you are encouraged to require all chapter members to join as national student members of SHRM. This benefits your chapter in several ways. Easier record keeping - All of your members will be listed on national rosters and can be counted for credit on the Merit Award application. Easier to maintain chapter charter - SHRM requires your chapter to have at least eight (8) national student members by November 1st each year to maintain your affiliation with SHRM. LMOs do not count toward this requirement.
Student membership is a full-year, anniversary-based service. This means students will receive a full 12 months of service from the time they become members. A student membership application can be purchased through the SHRMStore.
How to Apply
Visit our
Student Membership page and join online. Processing begins at submission. Your chapter number must be written in the space provided. This ensures that your membership will be assigned to the correct chapter.
If your chapter collects local dues in addition to national dues, the processing is separate. SHRM only processes the national dues. Local chapter dues and application should be sent directly to the chapter for processing.