Membership FAQs

Licensed or registered architects, graduates from a professional degree program in architecture, intern architects/interns, and full-time faculty at a Canadian School of Architecture are eligible for full membership. Architects licensed outside of Canada can become International Associates, while foreign-trained graduates now residing in Canada may apply for membership through a special process. Students enrolled in a full-time architectural program at a School of Architecture or the RAIC Syllabus program qualify as Student Associates. Those in the design and construction industry connected to the architectural profession may join as Affiliates.

For more information on these RAIC membership categories, please see here.

To apply as a Full Member or International Associate, complete this form:

Full Member/International Associate Application Form

Depending on the membership category, you may need to also provide proof of qualification such as a copy of your diploma in architecture, a copy of your Canadian Architectural Certification Board (CACB) certification or proof of registration with a provincial association. Full documentation requirements are provided in the application.

Students are required to fill out this form:
Student Associate Application Form

Yes, you can become an Affiliate of the RAIC. Affiliate members may be persons, corporations, organizations or other entities who are involved in the design and construction industry and who are associated with the architectural profession.

Affiliate application form
Become a Corporate Partner

Yes. As a graduate with a professional degree from one of the 12 Schools of Architecture, you are eligible for membership and may use the MRAIC abbreviation.

The MRAIC (Member of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada) and FRAIC (Fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada) abbreviations are recognized symbols of professionalism.

For more information about the RAIC abbreviations, please see here.

Yes. You can apply as an International Associate or, if you live in Canada, you may qualify as a Full Member.

International Associates must hold an architectural license or the equivalent from a non-Canadian licensing authority and be in good standing in the locale in which they are licensed. They may live in or outside of Canada.

Graduates of an international architectural program who live or work in Canada must have a Canadian Architectural Certification Board (CACB) certification or otherwise satisfy the Board’s qualification requirements.

For full details, please see the application here. 

Yes. Students actively enrolled in the RAIC Syllabus Program are automatically granted an RAIC Student Associate membership. Once your membership has been created, you will receive a welcome email with instructions to access your account.  

If you require immediate access, please complete the student associate application and submit to membership@raic.org with your RAIC Syllabus confirmation of enrollment. 

RAIC members enjoy discounts on continuing education, professional development, industry publications, and award submissions. Membership also offers access to a community for networking, collaboration, and advocacy on behalf of the architectural profession. Depending on your membership category, you may use a professional abbreviation to demonstrate your commitment to excellence. Members also benefit from exclusive discounts through the RAIC affinity program, with savings from partners such as GoodLife Fitness, The Personal (home and auto insurance), and Local Hospitality. 

For more information on our exclusive member benefits, please see here.

Sign in to your member account and select Member Benefits and Savings from the Member Menu on your dashboard. This members-only section provides all the details you need to access the benefits, discounts, and savings available with your RAIC membership. 

Members in a full membership category are permitted to use the abbreviation MRAIC.

International Associates may use the abbreviation Int’l Assoc. RAIC.

Students and affiliates are not eligible to use an RAIC abbreviation.

Learn more about the RAIC abbreviations.

Due to Canadian federal privacy legislation, the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), personal information provided to the RAIC cannot, without your consent, be disclosed to any third parties, including in the Member Directory.  

If you selected “No” or did not indicate a preference in section 2 of your application form, your name will not appear in the directory. 

You can update your directory preferences at any time by logging into your member account and selecting My Member Directory from the Members Menu on your dashboard. 

When you apply for membership, you can choose to be included in the directory, but only your name is displayed by default. To add more details, log in to your member account and select My Member Directory from the Members Menu on your dashboard. There, you can customize and update the information you wish to share publicly. 

Once your RAIC membership application has been processed, you will receive a welcome email confirming your member status. This email includes essential information on how to access the RAIC Member Portal, where you can begin using member-exclusive benefits, resources, and services. 

For applicants in paid membership categories, a payment receipt will be issued simultaneously. 

If you have not received your welcome email within a reasonable timeframe after submitting your application and payment (typically within 2 weeks from submission), please contact membership@raic.org for prompt assistance, after checking your spam or junk mail folder.

Most benefits will activate as soon as you receive your welcome email and gain access to the RAIC Member Portal. Please note that a few partner programs may take longer to activate:  

• GoodLife Fitness: Activation may take up to 1 month. 
• Magazine subscriptions: Delivery times vary by publication schedule and may take a few months to begin, depending on your activation date.

Full membership, international associates, and individual affiliates are mailed a welcome package that is sent 6 weeks following their membership activation date. Students receive an electronic welcome package one month following their join date.

Full members, international associates, and individual affiliates will receive a printed member certificate in their mailed welcome package. 

No, membership is not pro-rated. However, new members receive introductory discounts based on their membership category.

Membership renewal opens each year in mid-October. Once it begins, you’ll receive email notifications with instructions on how to renew, key deadlines, and details about your membership status. 

When you complete your next renewal payment, check that you would like to sign up for automatic renewal and review the terms and conditions to complete the sign up.

If you have signed up for automatic renewal, you will receive an email 30 days and 15 days prior to the charge date. In this email, you will have the opportunity to update your payment details if required, and to change your subscription settings. 

For more information about automatic renewal, members can read more here.

You can complete the online renewal form using a credit card or request an invoice to pay by cheque. If you prefer to renew over the phone, you can call us at 1-844-856-7242 ext. 2000. 

We also accept e-transfers sent to finance@raic.org. The transfer must include your full name and reason for the transfer. E.g., “Renewal (2026) Jane Doe”. 

Renewing memberships follow the calendar year, running from January 1 to December 31. RAIC membership fees are not prorated. Renewing members are granted a two-month grace period (January and February) to renew before their membership officially expires if not renewed.

No. As a life member of the RAIC, you are no longer required to renew your membership, and it will remain in good standing without further action. If you are interested in contributing further, please consider donating to the RAIC Foundation

You can renew your membership at any time by logging into the Member Portal. On your Dashboard, select the banner “Renew Your Membership.”

To view your membership details, go to My Membership in the Member Portal.

If you don’t see My Membership, please contact us at membership@raic.org — you may be logged into an account that is not linked to your membership. 

If your membership has been inactive for five years or more, please complete a new membership application. Submitting a new application ensures that your member account information is accurate and up to date.

To change your membership category, please email membership@raic.org. 

If your new status is already listed in your provincial regulator’s electronic registry, no additional documentation is required. Otherwise, you’ll need to provide documentation confirming your current status with the regulator. 

To change your membership category, please email membership@raic.org.

As a recent graduate, you’re eligible for a free Recent Graduate membership. Please include a copy of your diploma with your request. If your diploma is not yet available, you may submit a signed letter from your educational institution confirming your program completion.

Yes, a member retiring may continue as a Retired Member or Retired Fellow of the RAIC with reduced annual membership fees. To apply for retired status, please send a letter confirming your retirement to membership@raic.org before renewing. 

A copy of your RAIC certificate or your provincial association certificate is required or if this is not available a letter attesting that you have been a member of the RAIC continuously for 40 years (or 10 years of membership and have reached 75 years of age). 

The RAIC offers both fee deferral and fee waiver processes, depending on the situation.  

Parental leave requests are reviewed and automatically approved. Other requests — including compassionate leave, long-term parenting or caregiver leave, sabbaticals, or financial hardship — are reviewed by the RAIC CEO. 

To submit a request, complete the Fee Deferral Request Form or Fee Waiver Request Form, depending on your circumstances. With the exception of parental leave which is automatic, decisions are provided within 21 days of submission. 

To qualify, you must have been a member in good standing for at least one year before applying. Requests based on financial hardship must include a minimum 200-word explanation; incomplete or repetitive submissions are less likely to be approved. 

Learn more about this process

Select Login at the top right of any webpage. Instead of entering your credentials, select “Forgot Password?” and follow the instructions to reset your password. 

If you’re unsure which email is associated with your member account, please contact us at membership@raic.org. 

Note: Creating a new account will not connect to your existing membership.

If your membership information isn’t showing on your dashboard, you may be logged into an account that isn’t linked to your membership. This can happen if you sign in with a different email address than the one associated with your member account. 

If this occurs, please email membership@raic.org. We can merge your accounts and provide the correct login credentials. You can also reach us by phone at 613-241-3600 ext. 2000. 

If you’re experiencing technical issues with the RAIC website or Member Portal, please contact us at info@raic.org with a description of the problem. Including a screenshot and the browser you’re using can help us resolve the issue faster. 

For urgent issues, you can also call us at 613-241-3600 ext. 2000.