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Illinois CPA Society membership
Start with your student status and your employer. You may already qualify for a free or covered membership while building your accounting career.
This guide helps you compare Illinois CPA Society (ICPAS) membership options and plan the transition from college to professional membership.
Eligible ICPAS members save $300 on Kesler COMPLETE or MAX. See the savings after membership dues.
Check these routes before paying
Student, recent graduate
or working professional?
Accounting student
$0
Start with the student membership route. The society's student page also describes a free first professional year after graduation. Confirm how that transition applies to your account; do not count it as two separate free extensions.
Working for a listed firm
Before paying personally, check the firms listed on the society's join page. ICPAS provides a no-cost joining route for employees of those firms. Ask your employer or ICPAS which process applies.
Non-CPA professional
Published 2026–27 annual professional affiliate dues are $420 for the first three years after college graduation and $510 after that. Academic and international categories have different rates.
ICPAS publishes quarterly prorated dues. Your category, joining date and any applicable coverage affect the amount due. Confirm your actual charge before submitting the application.
Your Kesler member benefit
Save $300 on Kesler
COMPLETE or MAX.
Eligible ICPAS members get $300 off Kesler COMPLETE or MAX through the exclusive link in the society's member area. View current public pricing to compare the plans.
Free or covered membership
$300 savings − $0 dues = $300 net savings.
If you qualify for a free student or employer-covered route and the Kesler benefit, your combined out-of-pocket cost is $300 less than the current public course price.
Professional: first three years
$420 annual dues − $300 savings = $120 additional cost.
At the full non-CPA professional rate, joining and buying a course costs $120 more than buying the course at its public price alone. Consider the other membership benefits you will use.
Professional: four or more years
$510 annual dues − $300 savings = $210 additional cost.
At this full non-CPA professional rate, the course discount offsets part of your dues. The other society benefits need to justify the remaining $210 for you.
These examples include one dues payment and one eligible course purchase. Proration or employer coverage may lower your cost; future renewals and separately charged activities add to it. If you already have an eligible membership, the course saving is the full $300 with no new dues needed to join.
Confirm your category, actual dues and benefit access with ICPAS before paying. Join or sign in on the society's website to find the exclusive Kesler link.
Turn access into a next step
Use the career support
before your next interview.
Bring a resume to improve
Student resources include resume advice and interview coaching. Choose a role you want to pursue, then use that role to focus the feedback you request.
Explore a workplace
Look for firm or company visits, young-professional networking and the Career Center. Use a visit to ask about the work behind a job title. These resources do not guarantee employment.
Check award eligibility
ICPAS lists tuition, textbook and CPA exam fee award opportunities. Review the specific program's eligibility, application dates and selection criteria before including any award in your budget.
Explore ICPAS student resources. Broader membership also provides professional connections, education, advocacy and information; see the current benefit overview. Individual programs may have additional costs or conditions.
Your graduation-to-career checklist
Know what changes
after graduation.
The useful question is not just “Is membership free?” It is “Which route applies to me now, and what happens at my next renewal?”
Confirm any student or employer coverage first. Then record the dues due now, the date coverage ends and the next renewal amount.
When evaluating a member course benefit, compare the combined cost against other available options. Do not treat recurring membership dues as a one-time course expense.
Confirm your graduation record
Ask ICPAS which graduation date is recorded and the exact date your free student or graduate coverage ends. Keep that answer with your membership details.
Check your employer before paying
Look for your firm on the official list and ask how to enroll through its arrangement. If it is not listed, ask whether your employer reimburses professional dues.
Set a renewal reminder
Record your next membership category and expected charge. Review it before the April membership-year change, especially if your employment or student status changes.
Choose a career action
Schedule a resume review, explore a workplace visit or research an award application. Confirm availability before assuming a listed resource fits your calendar.