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Membership frequently asked questions

1.   I want to become a member, what should I do?

Login to your IATEFL account. If you don’t already have an account, click ‘Login – create new account’ (this is free) and then choose your preferred membership type via ‘My Dashboard’.

2.   How can I pay for my membership/SIG/event booking?

  • Online: You can make payment via ‘My Dashboard’ using a debit/credit card.
  • By phone: Please telephone +44 (0) 1795 591414 to provide your debit/credit card details to us. Please have your invoice number or payment ID available when you call.
  • Bank transfer: Please ensure an order has been created or you have sent us your completed membership form.  You need to include your name, invoice/payment ID as a reference on any bank transfers so we can identify your payment. Our bank details are included on all of our invoices but if you require a copy of them, please email [email protected] and we will send them to you.

3.   Can I have an invoice for my membership?

An invoice will automatically be sent to the email address you provide, once you have created your order.  If you have any queries regarding an invoice you should email [email protected]

4.   When will I receive my membership card?

Everyone will receive a digital membership card. This will be sent to you electronically, shortly after you have received an email to confirm that your membership has been activated. We are unable to send a membership card if there are any outstanding fees, or verifications to say that you are eligible for our Early Careers or Student memberships.

5.   How many Special Interest Group (SIG) newsletters/publications will I receive?

SIGs communicate with their members in number of different ways. The mediums they use can vary greatly, with some SIGs producing digital books and magazines, whilst other SIGs prefer to produce podcasts and regular blog articles. If you haven’t heard from your SIG for a while, there are a couple of things you can check. 1) Go to your dashboard and confirm that you have agreed to receive communications from your SIG. If you have opted out from this, we will not send you any mailings. 2) Check that your email address on your dashboard is up to date and has no spelling mistakes in it.

If you are still having problems, get in touch with our membership team via [email protected]

6.   Can I change my Special Interest Group (SIG) choice?

You cannot change your SIG choice part way through your membership year – only when your membership is due for renewal. However, you can add additional SIGs at any time (added SIGs will run for the same dates as your membership so you may receive part of the subscription as back issues).  You can add additional SIGs online via ‘My Dashboard’.

7.   I haven’t received my periodical subscription yet, what should I do?

The periodical orders are sent to the publishers once a month (usually at the end of the month) so you will not have access straight away. However, if you have any queries please email [email protected] and we can check when the periodicals are due to be sent to you.

8.   How do I renew my membership?

You can renew your membership online via ‘My Dashboard’ and clicking  ‘See my renewal options’.

9.   My membership has expired, can I still renew or do I have to register as a new member?

You can still renew your expired membership. Log into ‘My Dashboard’ and click ‘See my renewal options’.

10.   My membership has lapsed. Will I be charged for the months my membership was not active?

No, your membership will start again from the date you renew your membership.

11.   I don’t receive emails from IATEFL or my SIG, what should I do?

Due to the change in data protection law, you have the choice of what updates you receive from us, although all members will receive notifications about Annual General Meetings, calls for nominations and membership renewal information. You can review and update these via ‘My Dashboard’ under ‘Account settings’, as well as checking your email and postal address are correct.

12.   I am a member of an IATEFL Associate.  How can I join IATEFL at the discounted rate?

People who are members of an IATEFL Associate teaching association are eligible for discounted ‘Associate membership’ of IATEFL. Contact your association directly to request the discount code. Once you have your discount code, log in to ‘My Dashboard’, select ‘Join IATEFL’ and  ‘Associate Membership’ from the membership types offered. Enter the discount code in the box labelled if you have a discount code enter it here and click apply. Please review the amount due, before making payment, to confirm that the discount has been applied properly.

13.   Why am I unable to renew my membership online?

Some membership types are not available to everyone, please contact [email protected] for renewal instructions.

14.   My workplace has institutional membership of IATEFL. How can I access the member benefits or book for an event?

You need to contact the key contact for your institution directly. This person controls which individuals within your organisation are currently benefitting from the membership. They can add or remove individuals, unless there is a future dated event booking already connected to an individual. If the key contact agrees to add you (and if they have an available allocation) they will need to enter your name and email address. Once this is done you will automatically receive an email advising you what to do next.

15.   What is the difference between IATEFL Associates and Institutional membership?

IATEFL Associates have a three year agreement with IATEFL; this is specifically for non-profit teaching associations in a specific country or region. Any other organisation, such as a school, college, university, government agency or publishing house is eligible for IATEFL Institutional membership; pricing can be found under ‘Get Involved’, and then click ‘Membership’.

16.   Can I use the IATEFL logo on my website or course material?

No, use of our logo is restricted to the IATEFL website, SIG websites and official publications, stationery and communications from IATEFL itself. Please see ‘Accreditation & logo usage’ for more information.

17.   Are institutional members accredited by IATEFL?

No, IATEFL does not and cannot accredit any course or product from any institution/organisation. IATEFL does not act as an accreditation body for organisations offering language or teacher training courses, or teacher development services of any kind. Please see ‘Accreditation & logo usage’ for full details.

18.   I want to cancel my membership, what should I do?

You can cancel your membership at any time by contacting [email protected] Please refer to the ‘Cancelling your membership’ section in our ‘Terms and Conditions of membership of IATEFL’.

Being a member of IATEFL has helped me build a network of professional colleagues, develop my knowledge, and also the chance to make my first presentation at an international conference.

Adriana, Lecturer in TESOL