IEEE membership for academic and professional career
Student membership is for students only. Once you lose that status, then you will require a professional membership.
Student members have access to the IEEE digital library through the library of their institution. Professional members have access also, but it requires fees, perhaps a subscription.
But one can gain access if the employer holds an Institutional Subscription to the library.
This is similar to the ACM which has its own digital library, available on similar terms.
But, otherwise, a student membership has most of the advantages of a professional membership but at a lower cost while you remain a student. There isn't really a distinction between Academic and &quot;Professional&quot; membership.