Information for applicants

Thank you for your interest in applying for membership of Speech Pathology Australia. This form can be used to apply for Certified Practising Speech Pathologist, Non-Certified, or Non-Practising membership. 

To complete your application, you will need:  

  1. your eQuals link or a certified1 copy of your qualifications 
  2. payment details for your membership fees. Your first payment will be made at the time of application. Payment options include: 
    • Annual payments by Visa or Mastercard 
    • Quarterly payments by Visa, Mastercard or bank account 
    • Monthly payments by Visa, Mastercard or bank account 
  3. evidence of any name changes since completion of your degree (if applicable) 
  4. if you have not been a member in the last 5 years, evidence is required of recency of practice as per the Certification Program. This evidence must be either a letter from your employer (on letterhead) or a statutory declaration2, and must include: 
    • Your full name 
    • Confirmation that you have practiced a minimum of 1000 hours of speech pathology in the past 5 years, as defined by the Scope of Practice 
  5. if you are a full-time postgraduate speech pathology student in a course recognised by the Association, evidence of your enrollment is required and must include: 
    • Your full name 
    • The title of your thesis 
    • The name of your university 
    • Your intended completion date 

1 Certified evidence means copies of your original documents must be signed and stated as ‘a true and correct copy’ by a Justice of the Peace or Commissioner for taking Affidavits (e.g., Accountant, Pharmacist, Police Officer, Nurse). 
2 A statutory declaration is a written statement that you (the declarant) sign and declare to be true and correct in the presence of an authorised witness. 

Our membership year runs from 1 July to 30 June 

Membership fees are paid on an annual basis either by a single annual payment or by recurring quarterly or monthly payments. Fees are non-refundable and must be paid in Australian dollars. In the event you are joining after 1 July you will still be required to pay the full annual membership fee unless you are joining after 1 February, in which case a 50% discount applies. Membership fees are tax deductible in Australia. 

Postgraduate students 

A 50% reduction in fees is available to a person suitably qualified in speech pathology who, at the time of application, will be engaged in full-time postgraduate study in a course recognised by the Association that will lead to the award of a Postgraduate Diploma, Master’s Degree or Doctor of Philosophy in speech pathology. Applicants must qualify for and be able to be admitted to the Association as a Certified Practising Speech Pathologist Member. 

Once your application has been submitted, it will be reviewed by our Membership team 

Acceptance to membership of The Speech Pathology Association of Australia Limited is subject to Board approval. 

Please note if the required documents are not received, considerable delays may be experienced before your application can be processed. Following approval, new members will receive a confirmation email. Certified Practising members will be able to download their membership certificate from their My SPA page. As a member of the Association, you are encouraged to ensure you always keep records and details regarding your professional membership in a safe place.