The membership year runs from January to December. Fellows will be contacted in October to renew their membership for the following year. The membership fees for the 2025 calendar year are listed below.
Rate 1: £31 - Student
Fellows who, on 1st January 2025, or at the time of their election in 2025, are an undergraduate or postgraduate student studying astronomy, geophysics or a related subject, at a rate equivalent to at least 25% of full time study. Fellows may only apply for this rate for up to 9 years.
Rate 2a: £108 - Early career
Fellows who ceased to be eligible for rate 1 having completed their full time study after 1st January 2020 and are in the early stages of a career in astronomy, geophysics or a related subject.
Rate 2b: £72 - Early career (first year)
Fellows who ceased to be eligible for rate 1 having completed their full time study in 2025.
Rate 3: £161 - Full rate
- Fellows who completed full-time education before 1st January 2020.
Newly elected Fellows
Newly elected Fellows pay a reduced fee for their first year of membership. The rates for 2025 are as follows:
Rate 1: £5 (if an eligible student on the date of election)
Rate 2: £72
Rate 3: £108
Concessions
- Subscriptions for Fellows paying rates 2 & 3 who are elected between June 30 and Dec 1 will be reduced by 50% for the first year.
- Students elected after 1st October will be given free membership for the remainder of that year.
- Fellows over the age of 65 and who have been a member for 15 years or more may request to pay a concessionary rate of £31. Please contact the Membership Officer at membership@ras.ac.uk to apply for this reduced rate.
- Non-student Fellows of the RAS who are also members of the Institute of Physics (IOP) are eligible for 25% discounted membership of the RAS. Rate 3 Fellows who are also members of The Geological Society are also eligible for 25% discounted RAS membership. To take advantage of this discount, please contact the Membership Officer at membership@ras.ac.uk
- In cases of financial hardship, the Gerald Merton fund will assist fellows with a portion of their subscription, which should be discussed with the Treasurer to reach an agreed figure. Requests for the fund should be emailed to membership@ras.ac.uk.
- RAS may permit Fellows to suspend membership for single complete calendars (separately or consecutively) for up to six years. Suspend membership will mean that there are no membership benefits, no voting rights, and no accrued years of membership during the period of suspension.
- Fellows may extend the student rate for an additional year after PhD funding has ended if the student is not in paid relevant employment.
- Fellows who have resigned in good standing, without owing the society money, reinstatement is allowed within three years with no penalty or need to make up years in between. Will not need to be re-elected for membership and will automatically be reinstated.
If you would like to discuss any of the concessions that are relevant to you, please contact the Membership Officer at membership@ras.ac.uk.
- REVISED BYELAW 39. A Fellow who has attained state pensionable age and who has paid Membership Subscriptions for a total of fifteen years of full membership shall be eligible, upon application to the Treasurer in writing, for a concessionary rate of Membership Subscription, decided under previous regulations. Notwithstanding this provision, Fellows who attained the age of 65 before 1st January 2003, and who had validly elected under a previous Bye-law for complete exemption from paying Membership Subscriptions shall retain that privilege.
Methods of payment
Fellows can pay their membership fees by credit /debit card or by annual or monthly Direct Debit from a UK bank account.
The monthly direct debit option - if you pay the full member rate 3 and is not in receipt of any discounts such as the concessionary rate or the 25% discount if affiliated with the IOP or GSL you are eligible to set up a monthly direct debit to spread the cost over 10 months.
If you would like to set up a direct debit or if there is a change in your personal circumstance and wish to amend your payment plan, please contact the Membership Officer at membership@ras.ac.uk.