SEQAS F.A.Q.

In 2025, the South East Queensland Astronomical Society migrated to a new membership and website platform through Wild Apricot.  This page is to help current SEQAS members and new members navigate this new website and create/renew membership.

What is Wild Apricot?
Wild Apricot is a ready-made membership management software that SEQAS uses for member management, memberships, and events. Since we did not develop Wild Apricot ourselves, we rely on its commercial updates and are limited to the features provided by the software.

How is payment made?
SEQAS utilizes Stripe, an Australian online payment gateway, integrated into the new membership platform. Stripe processes payments from credit cards and transfers the funds to our bank. For more details on how payment gateways work, visit this link - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Payment_gateway. We have also enabled manual payments allowing you to transfer funds directly to our bank account or to pay with cash in person at our monthly general meeting.

Do you store my credit card?
No, your credit card details are never shared with SEQAS at any point. Our payment gateway, Stripe, securely handles all sensitive information on its own servers. SEQAS only receives a transaction ID, which allows us to track the payment if any issues arise.

How secure is my credit card information?
You can find a complete overview of Stripe’s security measures https://stripe.com/docs/security

Can I pay for my membership for the next 5 years now?
No, you will automatically be sent a renewal invoice with payment options  30 days before your renewal date.

Will you remind me I need to renew my membership each year?
 Yes the system will do this automatically 30 days before your renewal is due.

Do you accept American Express credit cards?
 No.

Why can’t I paste my credit card information?
To enhance security and protect customer data, Stripe has disabled the ability to copy and paste credit card numbers during transactions.

Will I get a tax invoice automatically sent to me upon renewal?
Renewal emails include a link that directs you to your account, where you can download a copy of your tax invoice. You can also log in anytime and access the "Invoicing and Payment" section under your profile to retrieve your invoice.

How much notice will I receive before I have to renew?
You will receive three reminder emails: the first 30 days before your renewal date, the second 14 days before your renewal date, and the final one on the renewal day itself.

Why do I need to sign in to renew my membership?
Due to our security settings, login is required for renewal. However, you can simply click the link on your renewal invoice and follow the instructions. 

 I am moving to a country is not on the list in the database. What do I do?
 If your country of residence is not listed in the drop down menu during the application process, don't worry. Simply email the Secretary, and we will add your location to the list. You will be notified once it's updated, so you can complete your application.

What do I do if I have any questions about my payment? It did not seem to go through?
You can log in and complete the payment directly from your account by following the prompts. If you encounter any difficulties, feel free to use the Contact Us page. For new members, your account will be created, and you'll be able to access your profile, but your membership won't be approved until your payment is completed.

 I have applied for membership. How do I know when I am accepted as a member?
Check your email inbox for two emails. The first will confirm the creation of your account and that your application has been received and is pending approval. The second will be a welcome email confirming your approval for membership with SEQAS. Additionally, you should receive a receipt confirming your payment.