Membership
Great things start with a good question. What else is possible?
Membership helps us keep asking, exploring, and finding out. If you believe in where SSP International is headed, come be part of it. There’s a place for you here. Let’s see where curiosity takes us!
There’s a place for you in what comes next.
For more than six decades, the Summer Science Program has given young people something rare: the chance to do real science. The messy, frustrating, exhilarating kind.
Not just learn about it. Do it.
Ask hard questions. Wrestle with problems that don’t have easy answers. Work alongside scientists and peers. Discover what you’re capable of. And, somewhere along the way, find your people.
That idea has shaped SSP International from the beginning. Now, we’re taking it further.
Through the STEM Learning Institute, we’re taking that spirit of inquiry into classrooms. We’re developing curriculum that gets students asking questions and figuring things out for themselves. We’re giving teachers training, tools, and ongoing support to make that happen.
And we have more ideas. A lot more. New ways to reach young people. New places to bring this kind of learning. New approaches that take what we’ve learned over 67 years and ask: Where else could this go?
This is what comes next. And we need you to help build it!
Membership is a way to stand behind that future. To help SSP International reach further. Open more doors. Test new ideas. And give more young people that incredible moment when they realize: I can do this.
Maybe you experienced the Summer Science Program yourself. Maybe you’re a parent, faculty member, educator, or student. Maybe you’ve watched a young person light up when something finally clicks. Or maybe you just think the world could use more curious young people asking really good questions.
There’s a place for you here.
And yes, membership comes with great benefits: special programming, experiences, discounts, early opportunities, and new ways to connect and explore. But it starts with something bigger: a belief that this work matters and a decision to help it reach further.
So, why become a member?
Because some things are worth showing up for.
A problem you can’t put down. A question that leads to another question. And another. Finally figuring out the thing that had you completely stumped. The moment a young person realizes, Wait. I can actually do this.
Those are the moments you remember. Let’s create more of them—together.
Membership brings together people who want to make those moments possible, at the Summer Science Program, in classrooms, and wherever SSP International goes next.
Maybe you’ve lived one of those moments, watched it happen for someone you love, or helped create one. Or maybe you simply believe more young people deserve the chance to discover what they can do.
That’s what you’re joining.
A community that loves a good question. That believes curiosity should be encouraged, not contained. And that knows young people are capable of some pretty extraordinary things when we give them the chance.
And the best part? We’re only getting started.
WHAT YOU GET
- Discounts on things you’ll actually use, like the SSPI Swag Shop and Kaplan test prep
- Early access or discounts to Annual Gathering Weekend tickets and tours, as well as regional meet-ups
- Members-only programming, made for people who want to stay close to it all
- Your exclusive SSPI member sticker, mailed every year, just for being part of it
- And more! Plus, other exciting perks at higher levels
WHAT YOU SUPPORT
- The Summer Science Program, so more young people get the chance to do real science
- Financial aid, so cost is never what keeps a curious kid out
- The STEM Learning Institute, bringing that same spirit of discovery into classrooms
- Program evaluations, making sure every experience is worth showing up for
- New ideas we haven’t tried yet, because we’re not done asking what’s possible
Want to do more? Become a Sponsoring Member.
Sponsoring Members go a little further, giving additional support to SSP International while enjoying all the benefits of membership.
Your Sponsoring Membership also helps reduce the cost of Student Memberships, making it easier for more students to join and be part of this community.
Ready to join us? There’s a place for you here.
Membership Details
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Student Members are those that are 25 and under.
Benefits:
• 10% Swag Shop discount
• Digital welcome kit and member card
• Early access to Annual Gathering tickets and tours
• Partner Perks (discounts on travel, retail, movie tickets, and more)
• Discounted regional meet-up ticket price
• 20% or more off on live or pre-recorded Kaplan course for the DAT, GRE, GMAT, LSAT, MCAT, OAT
• Exclusive SSPI member sticker -
Benefits:
• 15% Swag Shop discount
• Digital welcome kit and member card
• Early access to Annual Gathering tickets and tours
• Partner Perks (discounts on travel, retail, movie tickets, and more)
• Discounted regional meet-up ticket price
• 20% discount on live or pre-recorded Kaplan course for the DAT, GRE, GMAT, LSAT, MCAT, OAT
• Exclusive SSPI member sticker
• 15% discount on Explore Level memberships at the Perot Museum of Nature & Science (Dallas, Texas). Includes access to 300+ museums through the ASTC Reciprocal Program.
• Complimentary Observer access to Slooh remote observation and 15% off pro memberships
• Access to “Ask Me Anything” members only events
• Members-only finalist vote in SSPI annual sticker contest -
Benefits:
• 25% Swag Shop discount
• Digital welcome kit and member card
• 15% discount on Annual Gathering tickets and tours (for member and one guest)
• Partner Perks (discounts on travel, retail, movie tickets, and more)
• Free regional meet-up ticket
• 20% discount on live or pre-recorded Kaplan course for the DAT, GRE, GMAT, LSAT, MCAT, OAT
• Exclusive SSPI member sticker
• 15% discount on Explore Level memberships at the Perot Museum of Nature & Science (Dallas, Texas). Includes access to 300+ ASTC museums through the Perot membership card.
• Complimentary Observer access to Slooh remote observation and 15% off pro memberships
• Access to “Ask Me Anything” members only events
• Members-only finalist vote in SSPI annual sticker contest
• Recognition during Annual Gathering weekend
• Virtual summer program preview event, featuring SSPI’s upcoming programming
• Access to SSP International digital photographic archives
• Members only reception with SSPI faculty, staff, and board members
The heart of SSP lies in its community; its faculty, its members, and its impact on future generations and applicants. Through SSP, I've learned so many things from so many people from across the world that I wouldn't find anywhere else, and I have become a better person as a result.Octavian C. '25, Bacterial Genomics
Frequently Asked Questions
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Anyone who wants to be part of where SSP International is headed! Membership is open to everyone. It’s an easy way to support our work, stay connected, and enjoy benefits like Swag Shop and Kaplan discounts, remote access to the Slooh Observatory, and more.
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Both are great ways to support SSP International, but they work a little differently.
A donation is a charitable gift with no benefits received in return and may be tax deductible. Donations support SSPI’s programs, growth, and work with young people.
Membership is another way to support SSPI and be part of where we’re headed, but it also comes with a package of benefits, experiences, and discounts. Because members receive benefits in return, membership fees are not generally tax deductible.
You can choose the kind of support that works best for you, or do both!
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Membership is a new way to give back and get exciting individual benefits.
Membership is a new, optional way to support SSP International while enjoying additional benefits and experiences. It doesn’t replace the programs and opportunities already available to our community.
Members receive extras like event discounts, early access, or special experiences, but existing offerings aren’t moving behind a membership paywall. Alumni will continue to have free access to the SSPI Network, regular SSPI communications, Curiosity Labs, and other existing community programming.
Membership simply gives you another way to get involved and a few extra perks along the way.
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No! Membership is completely optional. You’ll still be part of the SSPI community and have access to existing programs and alumni offerings whether or not you join
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Yes! Student Membership is available for anyone under 25 for $40 per year and includes benefits especially useful for students and those just getting started, including discounts on Kaplan courses, along with the other benefits of membership.
It’s an easy way to stay connected, support SSPI, and be part of what we’re building.
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Sponsoring Membership is for those who want to go a little further in their support of SSP International. The higher membership rate provides additional philanthropic support to SSPI and helps reduce the cost of Student Memberships, making it easier for more students to join the community.
Sponsoring Members receive all standard member benefits, plus a few special benefits available only at this level, including access to the SSP International archives. Some experiences are limited simply because we can’t offer them at a larger scale.
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Memberships are valid for one full year and expire at the end of the month in which you joined. For example, a membership purchased in July 2026 will remain active through July 31, 2027.
Membership does not automatically renew unless you choose that option. If you opt in to auto-renewal, your membership will renew annually.
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We’re always looking for new benefits, experiences, and ways to make membership even better! Keep an eye on SSPI communications as we add new opportunities throughout the year.
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Absolutely! A membership makes a great gift for an alum, student, educator, or anyone else who wants to be part of the SSPI community. They’ll get all the benefits of membership while you give them another way to stay connected and explore what SSPI has to offer.
If you have questions about gifting a membership, reach out to our Alumni Relations team at membership@ssp.org
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Please reach out to our Alumni Relations team at membership@ssp.org, and we’ll be happy to help.
