The membership year runs from 1 January to 31 December each year. 

Payment can be made by credit card, internet banking, payment over the counter into the NZSTA bank account (ANZ), or by cheque.

Please note that the membership fees will increase from 1 October 2010 due to the increase in GST from 12.5% to 15%

There are currently six membership categories of membership:

• Full Members
• Provisional Members
• Student Members
• Non-practising Members
• Associate Members
• Life / Honorary Members

As part of the application process you must agree to abide by the NZSTA Code of Ethics and this document can be viewed here.

If you were trained outside of New Zealand and have not had your qualifications previously assessed and approved then you should follow the Mutual Recognition Agreement Procedure or the Qualifications Approval Process

Full Members

Criteria

Full members of NZSTA are currently engaged in the activities of Speech-Language Therapy as a practitioner, administrator, educator, researcher, or any combination thereof, for which payment will be received during any part of the year and are:

• Speech-Language Therapists trained in New Zealand with a Teacher's Certificate endorsed with with qualifications in Speech-Language Therapy, or with a Diploma in Speech-Language Therapy awarded prior to 1993. Competency in dysphagia must be demonstrated
• Speech-Language Therapists trained in New Zealand with a Bachelor of Speech-Language Therapy or an equivalent Masters degree from an NZSTA accredited program
• Speech-Language Therapists whose qualifications have been approved by the NZSTA Qualifications Approval Committee

In addition the following criteria must be met:

• A minimum of 2 years clinical Speech-Language Therapy experience, the most recent of which must be less than 5 years ago (i.e. at least one of the two years of clinical experience must be within the last five years).
• Demonstrated competency in communication disorders and dysphagia.
• Evidence of a record of Continuing Professional Development.
• Meet English language requirements (i.e. International English Testing System score of 8 or above if the Speech-Language Therapy qualification was completed in a language other than English or if English is a second language).

Exceptions:

• Graduates of NZSTA accredited programs who complete a year of Provisional Membership (as per the NZSTA Guidelines) as entry-level therapists may be granted Full Membership after one (1) year of clinical practice. One (1) year is defined as no less than 36 weeks of professional full-time employment, with 30 hours per week constituting full-time employment.

Note: graduates of NZSTA accredited programs who do not complete an entry-level year as a Provisional Member will be required to meet the Full Membership Criteria.

Two Categories of Full Membership:

Those working 26 hours or more per week - the annual fee for 2010 is NZ$337.50 (including GST) - from 1st October 2010 this will be NZ$345.00 due to the increase in GST.

Those working less than 26 hours per week - the annual fee for 2010 is NZ$236.25 (including GST)- from 1st October 2010 this will be NZ$241.50 due to the increase in GST.

Provisional Members

Provisional members of NZSTA are those members taking part in supervised professional clinical practice in order to obtain full membership status in the NZSTA. Provisional membership is viewed as a period of transition between supervised student practice and independent delivery of services, or between a time of absence from the profession and re-entry into the profession.

Criteria

The following individuals are eligible to be or become Provisional Members of NZSTA:

• Graduates of an NZSTA accredited programme in their first year of practice
• Individuals who have not practiced in Speech-Language Therapy for five years or more
• Individuals who do not meet the criteria for Full Membership (see above) but are in the process of completing requirements for Full Membership

The annual fee for 2010 is NZ$337.50 (including GST) - from 1st October 2010 this will be NZ$345.00 due to the increase in GST.

New graduates who were a student member of NZSTA in 2009 are granted a 10% discount of $33.75 - ($34.50 from 1st October 2010) off their membership fee for each year of student membership. 

Guidelines for Provisional Membership were adopted in 2007; these can be downloaded here.

The Reference to Confer Form for NZ trained therapists to have completed by their supervisor can be downloaded here: Reference to confer form - NZ trained therapists

The Reference to Confer Form for overseas trained therapists to have completed by their supervisor can be downloaded here: Reference to confer form - overseas trained

Guidelines for therapists returning to practice can be downloaded here.

Student Members

Individuals eligible for this category are:

• enrolled in an accredited New Zealand Speech-Language Therapy programme; or 
• the holder of an NZSTA recognised qualification, and who are enrolled full-time in a course of post-graduate study; or
• the holder of an NZSTA recognised qualification, and who are enrolled part-time in a course of post-graduate study, and are not receiving any remuneration.

The annual fee for 2010 is NZ$33.75 (including GST) - from 1st October 2010 this will be NZ$34.50 due to the increase in GST.

Non-practising Members

Individuals belonging to this category are those Speech-Language Therapists who are eligible to become Full Members, but will not be engaged in wage or salary earning activities as a Speech-Language Therapist during any part of the year. 

If paid work as an SLT is undertaken during the year then an upgrade to full membership should be notified to the Executive Officer and arrangements made for the additonal payment to become a full member.

The annual fee for 2010 is NZ$225 (including GST) - from 1st October 2010 this will be NZ$230 due to the increase in GST.   

Associate Members

This category includes members working in an allied health profession (e.g. Audiology). In order for this status to be conferred, prospective members need to be nominated by two current members of the NZSTA and approved by the Executive Board.  Please contact the Executive Officer for details on how to nominate someone.

The annual fee for 2010 is NZ$225 (including GST) - from 1st October 2010 this will be NZ$230 due to the increase in GST.  

Life / Honorary Members

The Executive Council of the NZSTA may elect to confer life membership on suitably qualified persons, determined via evidence of outstanding service rendered to the profession of speech-language therapy.  Nominations can be submitted, in writing, to the  National Office. Applications for life membership must be supported by a majority vote of the Executive Council.

Honorary membership may be conferred on any individual who does not hold a qualification in Speech-Language Therapy, but have made an outstanding contribution to Speech-Language Therapy in New Zealand. Applications for honorary membership must be supported by a majority vote of the Executive Council.  Please apply to the National Office.

There is currently no annual fee for Life or Honorary Members.