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News
New groups, individuals now eligible for CSWE membership
Effective July 1, 2026, all bachelor’s (BSW), master’s (MSW), and doctorate (DSW, PhD) degree social work programs within the United States and its territories are eligible for full CSWE membership.
Programs that invest in the CSWE full membership category provide member benefits covering:
“In these uncertain times, we have an extraordinary opportunity for reimagining, rebranding, and expanding access for the education continuum,” Dr. Vakalahi said. “Indeed, it is an opportunity for foresight in generating resources to better serve our membership and further the work of CSWE.”
Final vote tally was overwhelmingly in favor of expansion, with 95 percent of delegates choosing to approve the changes.
Changes to membership dues coming in 2027
Following the vote by program delegates to expand membership eligibility, CSWE’s Board of Directors approved a plan that would incorporate new membership categories into the organization’s dues structure, simplify that structure, and add a new affordability cap. These changes will go into effect on January 1, 2027, when annual invoices are distributed.
Program membership dues at CSWE are based on a program’s number of graduates, which is recorded and updated each year in CSWE’s Annual Survey of Social Work Programs. Under the old structure, depending on the size of the program, there was often variability in the cost per student. The new structure eliminates that variability and establishes a flat rate of $85 for every student, regardless of program level. That cost-per-student, plus a flat administrative fee based on the size of the program, equals a program’s annual membership dues.
“Expanding our membership eligibility required us to take a fresh look at our dues,” Dr. Vakalahi said. “We realized that some programs, particularly smaller programs, were paying more money per student than others. That was not a fair arrangement. By standardizing our rates across the board, we are making the overall dues structure much fairer and easier to understand—and lessening the financial burden for many of our smaller member programs.”
The new plan also adds a cap on how much an institution can be charged for CSWE membership, regardless of size or number of program levels. That cap is set at $15,000 annually, ensuring that CSWE’s largest programs are not unduly burdened. That total does not include technology and processing fees.
For more information about CSWE membership, and to learn how you can become a member, please contact [email protected] or visit the membership page at CSWE.org.
Published on : June 16, 2026
Delegates representing the Council on Social Work Education’s (CSWE) member programs voted overwhelmingly to expand eligibility for full and associate memberships in the organization. Following the vote, CSWE’s Board of Directors approved a new, simplified membership rate structure.New groups, individuals now eligible for CSWE membership
Effective July 1, 2026, all bachelor’s (BSW), master’s (MSW), and doctorate (DSW, PhD) degree social work programs within the United States and its territories are eligible for full CSWE membership.
Programs that invest in the CSWE full membership category provide member benefits covering:
- Full-time, part-time, tenure, and non-tenure track faculty within the social work program
- Clerical and administrative staff, field/practicum directors, research assistants assigned to the social work program
- Full-time and part-time students enrolled in a social work program
- Emeritus and retired social work faculty and administrators (individual)
- Community college and junior college faculty and students (group or individual)
- Members of agencies, fellowships, professional libraries and library associations, and other social work-aligned organizations (group)
- International and domestic social work faculty, staff, and students (individual)
“In these uncertain times, we have an extraordinary opportunity for reimagining, rebranding, and expanding access for the education continuum,” Dr. Vakalahi said. “Indeed, it is an opportunity for foresight in generating resources to better serve our membership and further the work of CSWE.”
Final vote tally was overwhelmingly in favor of expansion, with 95 percent of delegates choosing to approve the changes.
Changes to membership dues coming in 2027
Following the vote by program delegates to expand membership eligibility, CSWE’s Board of Directors approved a plan that would incorporate new membership categories into the organization’s dues structure, simplify that structure, and add a new affordability cap. These changes will go into effect on January 1, 2027, when annual invoices are distributed.
Program membership dues at CSWE are based on a program’s number of graduates, which is recorded and updated each year in CSWE’s Annual Survey of Social Work Programs. Under the old structure, depending on the size of the program, there was often variability in the cost per student. The new structure eliminates that variability and establishes a flat rate of $85 for every student, regardless of program level. That cost-per-student, plus a flat administrative fee based on the size of the program, equals a program’s annual membership dues.
“Expanding our membership eligibility required us to take a fresh look at our dues,” Dr. Vakalahi said. “We realized that some programs, particularly smaller programs, were paying more money per student than others. That was not a fair arrangement. By standardizing our rates across the board, we are making the overall dues structure much fairer and easier to understand—and lessening the financial burden for many of our smaller member programs.”
The new plan also adds a cap on how much an institution can be charged for CSWE membership, regardless of size or number of program levels. That cap is set at $15,000 annually, ensuring that CSWE’s largest programs are not unduly burdened. That total does not include technology and processing fees.
For more information about CSWE membership, and to learn how you can become a member, please contact [email protected] or visit the membership page at CSWE.org.