Frequently Asked Questions-FAQs

Q: I received the application packet in the mail and would like to know if I can fax the completed form or must it be sent through the regular mail?   Also, does the member, who writes the recommendation letter, fill out the second page, or does it have to be on a separate blank piece of paper?
Since the application fee of $20 should accompany the application, it would be problematic to fax the application form unless you include either VISA or MasterCard information with the fax.  It is best, also, if the recommendation letter accompanies the application.  It does not need to be on the form, which is largely intended for informing the person writing the letter what information is needed.  It may be on a separate piece of paper and should cover the information requested on the form. 

Q: Why can’t I just send in my résumé? The résumé usually contains both more and less information than is needed for applying for NATS membership.
We need to know the number of students taught and that is rarely in a résumé, and we do not need all the details necessary in a curriculum vitae. Storage space does become an issue as original applications are filed in the executive office. The only exception is when applying for full membership under A. (6) c in the NATS Membership Brochure.

Q: Do I need to be a member of both National and Chapter NATS? I just want to take my students to my local auditions.
In order to participate in any student auditions, one must be an Associate or Full member of the National Association. Beyond that, your chapter may require membership dues as well, but these dues are usually extremely low and intended to support the needs of that specific membership. As a matter of fact, your chapter dues are paid directly to your chapter's treasurer, and are never sent to the national office. It is not possible to be a member of a district chapter of NATS without first being a member of the mother organization.

Q: What benefits do Affiliate Members have?
An Affiliate Member can stay in touch with what the singing community is doing, be included in the Web Directory, receive publications, attend workshops and conventions at a reduced rate, and can do everything a full member can do except sponsor students in student auditions or competitions, vote, or hold office.

Q: Where do I send letters of recommendation; find out about whether my dues are current; check on my subscription to JOS; or change my address?
Contact the executive office. The phone number in the office is (904) 992-9101. Send fax transmissions to (904) 262-2587. The office address is 9957 Moorings Drive, Ste. 401, Jacksonville FL 32257. Email at info@nats.org.

Q: NATS Student Auditions will be held next month in my area. The deadline for a student to enter is in two weeks but I have not yet completed my application for membership. Can you expedite my application in order for my students to participate?
Our membership secretary sends groups of applications in packets to the membership vice president.  They are processed in the order in which they are received.  At certain times of the year, there are many applications, so there is some backlog in the pipeline. We do not sort through all the applications to look for post-its requesting expedited applications; we try to handle them only once.  Fortunately, the executive office and the membership vice president have worked out a system whereby the office does much more of the clerical work, and this has made the process much faster and more efficient. And of course, we can’t review an application that we have not received, so tell your colleagues to send it to the executive office. After an application, letter of recommendation and the $20 application fee reaches our office; it usually takes approximately three to four weeks to complete the process.

Q: I received a letter stating that my membership application is approved, yet I have not received my membership card and I can’t enter the Member’s Section of the website. Can you give me my membership number so I can access the Member’s Section?
A new member receives notification of acceptance, but is not reported as a current member until current dues are paid. At that point, the new member will receive a membership card with a membership number allowing the member access to the “Members Section” of nats.org. This situation could also be the cause for inquiries we get from regional governors. It is possible for governors to receive a membership report giving the names and addresses of new members, later to receive a list saying that a new member has not paid current dues. To avoid any misunderstanding, a newly accepted member needs to submit dues payment to our office as soon as possible.

Q: My membership lapsed in 1988 and I would like to rejoin NATS. Do I need to send a membership application?
If your membership lapsed, all you need to do to reinstate is contact the executive office and pay the current year’s dues plus a $20.00 reinstatement fee. If you previously resigned your membership, the reinstatement fee is waived.  If the office has no record of membership (sometimes teachers think they have been members, when in fact they have not), then a completed application would be needed.

Q: Can I apply for membership online?
Online applications are not accepted at this time. Prospective members may download all the membership materials, including all the necessary forms, and complete the information requested on the forms, but in order to ensure prompt attention by the Membership Committee, the materials should be mailed to the executive office, along with the completed letter of recommendation, and payment of the $20 application fee.

Q: I am an Associate Member. Do I need to reapply in order to change my classification to Full Member?
An Associate Member simply needs to contact the executive office and submit a letter of request for an upgrade of membership, explaining what now qualifies him/her for Full Membership.  Usually, this has to do with the number of years of teaching experience as explained in the application.

Q: I teach in Maryland but my residence is in Pennsylvania. Can I enter my students in the Maryland/DC Chapter Student Auditions?
Members may join and pay dues to any chapter or chapters in which they wish to participate. They simply pay dues to those chapters in addition to the national association dues. Pennsylvania is in the Eastern Region while Maryland and the District of Columbia are in the Mid-Atlantic Region. The portion of your association dues that goes to the region depends on your mailing address. In this case, the regional portion would go to support the work in the Eastern Region if your mailing address is in Pennsylvania. This does not occur often enough to have an impact on Regional budgets and it simplifies record keeping.

Q: If I live in one state but affiliate with a chapter in another state, do I have to join chapters in both states?
No, you do not.

Q: I am President of the _______ Chapter. How can I verify the NATS membership of teachers in our area? Must a teacher be a member of NATS in order to join a chapter?
You are able to check the membership of an individual by going to the Membership Directory in the “Members Section” of nats.org. You may also contact our office for an up-to-the-minute verification. A teacher must join at the national level before joining a chapter. NATS members can be active in varying degrees, but it begins with national membership. The national dues support the entire organization.  A chapter could certainly invite interested prospective members to attend a workshop as an introduction to NATS, but the guest may not sponsor students in auditions before joining.

Q: We have a Student NATS Chapter (SNATS) at our university and I am a member. May I upgrade my membership to Associate Member when I graduate?
No, student membership is entirely separate from NATS membership. The recent graduate is warmly encouraged to apply for membership which includes getting a letter of recommendation from a NATS member.