The CPA has 3 categories of membership – Members, Affiliates and Associates – to serve our wide range of members depending on their designation, career stage or the level of membership benefits they are looking for. A list of benefits, by category, can be found here – https://cpa.ca/membership/.
If you are applying as a NEW MEMBER/AFFILIATE, please refer to our Membership Decision Tree to help you determine which membership type you are eligible for. If you are applying to become a member of a Section only refer to the SECTION ASSOCIATE type definition below.
MEMBERS
CPA Member
CPA Members must possess a Masters or Doctoral degree in psychology, or its academic equivalent, conferred by a graduate school of recognized standing. CPA Members also include those pursuing their Post Doc. Members must be residents of Canada or the US.
(CPA Members have access to BMS Liability Insurance and are permitted to vote)
Early Career Year 1
Available recent graduates who have graduated with a Masters, or PhD in a psychology program or a field of psychology, and are not returning to school, or those working on the first year of their Post Doc. Applicants must have graduated University the previous year (e.g. 2023) to be eligible for Early Career Year 1 in the year they are applying for membership (e.g. 2024).
(Early Career Year 1 Members have access to BMS Liability Insurance and are permitted to vote in CPA’s Annual General Meeting)
Early Career Year 2
Available to members who were Early Career Year 1 in the previous membership year (e.g. 2023) OR recent graduates who have graduated with a Masters, or PhD in a psychology program or a field of psychology in the previous 2 years and are not returning to school or those working on the second year of their Post Docs.
(Early Career Year 2 Members will have access to BMS Liability Insurance and will be permitted to vote in CPA’s Annual General Meeting)
Parental Leave
Members who are currently on Parental Leave. Only available for one calendar year.
(Members on Parental Leave have access to BMS Liability Insurance and are permitted to vote in CPA’s Annual General Meeting)
CPA Fellow
Fellows are Members of the Association, living or deceased, who have made a distinguished contribution to the advancement of the science or profession of psychology, or who have given exceptional service to their national or provincial associations. Fellows must be nominated. For information on the nomination procedure – https://cpa.ca/aboutcpa/cpaawards/nominationprocedures/.
(CPA Fellows have access to BMS Liability Insurance and are permitted to vote)
Retired Member/Retired Fellow
Age 55 or higher, having left one’s occupation and ceasing to work. Retired members and retired fellows shall be full members (or Fellows) who are retired
(Retired Members/Retired Fellows have access to BMS Liability Insurance and are permitted to vote in CPA’s Annual General Meeting)
Honorary Life Member/Honorary Life Fellow
Honorary Life Fellows/Honorary Life Members are members who are age 70 or higher, who have been regular Members of CPA for at least 25 years. Please contact the CPA Member Services Centre if you believe you fall into this category.
(Honorary Life Members/Honorary Life Fellows have access to BMS Liability Insurance and are permitted to vote in CPA’s Annual General Meeting)
AFFILIATES
Student Affiliate
Student Affiliates are students enrolled full-time or part-time in a Bachelors, Masters or Doctoral Program, residing in Canada or the United States, who provide proof of enrolment in a psychology program or a field of psychology, at a recognized university, for the current academic year. Those working on their Post Doc are not eligible for Student Affiliate Status, but may be eligible for other membership categories depending on their degree and/or the year they graduated.
NOTE: Are you a student starting school in September and looking to join the CPA Mentorship Program. If so, and you are new to the CPA, then you can take advantage of our NEW STUDENT Affiliate September to December $25 Fee.
(Student Affiliates have access to BMS Liability Insurance and are not permitted to vote in CPA’s Annual General Meeting))
Bachelor Gap Year Affiliate
Applicants must have graduated with a Bachelors degree the previous year and are taking the year they are applying for membership to apply to graduate school. Only available for one calendar year.
(Bachelor Gap Year Affiliates do not have access to BMS Liability Insurance and are not permitted to vote in the CPA’s Annual General Meeting)
Special Affiliate
Special Affiliates are persons residing in Canada or the United States, who have an active interest in psychology, either as a profession or as a science, through work or study in a psychology program (bachelor in psychology) or a field of psychology.
(Special Affiliates do not have access to BMS Liability Insurance and are not permitted to vote in CPA’s Annual General Meeting)
International Student Affiliate
International Student Affiliates are students enrolled full-time or part-time in a Bachelors, Masters or Doctoral Program, that reside outside of Canada or the United States, who provided proof of enrolment in a psychology program or a field of psychology, at a recognized university, for the current academic year.
(International Student Affiliates do not have access to BMS Liability Insurance and are not permitted to vote in CPA’s Annual General Meeting)
International Affiliate
Applicants must possess a Masters or Doctoral degree in psychology, or its academic equivalent, conferred by a graduate school of recognized standing. Applicants may be psychologists residing outside of Canada or the United States, who can provide evidence of membership in the psychological association of their own country of residence. In the event that such an association does not exist, or that the applicant is not a member, he/she must provide evidence of his/her qualifications when applying for membership in the CPA.
(International Affiliates do not have access to BMS Liability Insurance and are not permitted to vote in CPA’s Annual General Meeting)
SECTION ASSOCIATES
The Section Associate category is for individuals who do not qualify for membership or are interested in joining only one section and receiving their section communication, along with a quarterly newsletter from the CPA.
(Section Associates do not have access to BMS Liability Insurance, nor do they have access to CPA Member Benefits or the ability to vote or hold office in the association)
A full list of benefits, by category, can be found here – https://cpa.ca/membership/
Please see the Membership & Sections Fees pages for pricing.
Membership fees are subject to applicable taxes.
If you are applying as a NEW MEMBER please refer to our Membership Decision Tree to help you determine which membership type you are eligible for.
CPA Members
CPA Members must possess a Masters or Doctoral degree in psychology, or its academic equivalent, conferred by a graduate school of recognized standing. CPA Members also include those pursuing their Post Doc. Members must be residents of Canada or the US.
(CPA Members have access to BMS Liability Insurance and are permitted to vote)
Student Affiliate
Student Affiliates are students enrolled full-time or part-time in a Bachelors, Masters or Doctoral Program, residing in Canada or the United States, who provide proof of enrolment in a psychology program or a field of psychology, at a recognized university, for the current academic year.
(Student Affiliates have access to BMS Liability Insurance and are not permitted to vote in CPA’s Annual General Meeting)
Early Career Year 1
Available to existing Student Affiliates who have graduated with a Masters, and are not returning to school, or with a PhD in a psychology program or a field of psychology. Applicants must have been Student Affiliates, in good standing, the previous year (e.g. 2019) to be eligible for Early Career Year 1 in the year they are applying for membership (e.g. 2020).
(Early Career Year 1 Members have access to BMS Liability Insurance and are permitted to vote in CPA’s Annual General Meeting)
Early Career Year 2
Available to members who were Early Career Year 1 in the previous membership year (e.g. 2020). This membership type is not available until 2021.
(Early Career Year 1 Members will have access to BMS Liability Insurance and will be permitted to vote in CPA’s Annual General Meeting)
Special Affiliate
Special Affiliates are persons residing in Canada or the United States, who have an active interest in psychology, either as a profession or as a science, through work or study in a psychology program (bachelor in psychology) or a field of psychology. (Special Affiliates do not have access to BMS Liability Insurance and are not permitted to vote in CPA’s Annual General Meeting)
International Student Affiliate
International Student Affiliates are students enrolled full-time or part-time in a Bachelors, Masters or Doctoral Program, that reside outside of Canada or the United States, who provided proof of enrolment in a psychology program or a field of psychology, at a recognized university, for the current academic year.
(International Student Affiliates do not have access to BMS Liability Insurance and are not permitted to vote in CPA’s Annual General Meeting)
International Affiliate
Applicants must possess a Masters or Doctoral degree in psychology, or its academic equivalent, conferred by a graduate school of recognized standing. Applicants may be psychologists residing outside of Canada or the United States, who can provide evidence of membership in the psychological association of their own country of residence. In the event that such an association does not exist, or that the applicant is not a member, he/she must provide evidence of his/her qualifications when applying for membership in the CPA.
(International Affiliates do not have access to BMS Liability Insurance and are not permitted to vote in CPA’s Annual General Meeting)
Parental Leave
Members who are currently on Parental Leave. Only available for one calendar year.
(Members on Parental Leave have access to BMS Liability Insurance and are permitted to vote in CPA’s Annual General Meeting)
CPA Fellows
Fellows are Members of the Association, living or deceased, who have made a distinguished contribution to the advancement of the science or profession of psychology, or who have given exceptional service to their national or provincial associations. Fellows must be nominated. For information on the nomination procedure – https://cpa.ca/aboutcpa/cpaawards/nominationprocedures/.
(CPA Fellows have access to BMS Liability Insurance and are permitted to vote)
Retired Member/Retired Fellow
Age 55 or higher, having left one’s occupation and ceasing to work. Retired members and retired fellows shall be full members (or Fellows) who are retired.
(Retired Members/Retired Fellows have access to BMS Liability Insurance and are permitted to vote in CPA’s Annual General Meeting)
Honorary Life Member/Honorary Life Fellow
Honorary Life Fellows/Honorary Life Members are members who are age 70 or higher, who have been regular Members of CPA for at least 25 years. Please contact the CPA Member Services Centre if you believe you fall into this category.
(Honorary Life Members/Honorary Life Fellows have access to BMS Liability Insurance and are permitted to vote in CPA’s Annual General Meeting)
Please see the Membership & Sections Fees pages for pricing.
Membership fees are subject to applicable taxes.