Joining World Affairs

"You do not have to be a genius to become a member, you simply need an intellectual curiosity
about the world we live in and how we are governed."

Opening Date for Applications 1 May
Closing Date for Applications 15 September

We are open to new applications from 1st May each year until 15th September on which date the NEXT button below will becomes inactive and the application form cannot be reached.


To get a feel for the World Affairs experience, explore our website and view past meetings at our Video Archive. To become a member you are asked to observe our rules of membership; you can view them here. For instance, you are expected to attend at least half our meetings each season and to stay for the full meeting – introductory talk, interval and main Q & A discussion between speaker and members.

Why is this important? Continuous learning through the mix of topics and threads of the programme is our purpose. Busy high-profile experts are willing to come to World Affairs for its unusual degree of engagement and the large member audience of which you will be a part.

There is no joining fee but new members joining during the season pay the annual subscription by online direct debit, which is renewed annually on 1 March. The subscription rates appear on the application page – everyone regards membership as outstanding value by any yardstick.

Note: Our charity is run by volunteers and we do not maintain a waiting list. In the past we found it an administrative burden and unproductive as candidates’ priorities change over time. So, if the Next button is not active, please make a note in your diary of the next opening date.