General Mensa FAQ

What qualifies me to be a Mensa member?
What are Mensans like?
How can I meet and interact with other members?
Will being a member increase my intelligence?
Are there groups within American Mensa that share my interests?
What is the purpose of Mensa?
Are Mensans involved in community service?
Are there other benefits to being a Mensa member?
What is the cost of membership?

What qualifies me to be a Mensa member?
To qualify for Mensa, you must have scored in the top 2 percent of the general population on any one of more than 200 accepted, standardized intelligence tests — including our admission tests. An estimated six million Americans are eligible for membership.

What are Mensans like?
Mensans come from all walks of life. They range in age from 4 to 100. They include engineers, homemakers, teachers, actors, athletes, students and CEOs, and they share one trait — high intelligence.  To qualify for Mensa, they scored in the top 2 percent of the general population on an accepted standardized intelligence test.

How can I meet and interact with other members?
Activities are scheduled almost daily on the Mensa calendar. Locally, these activities range from tours to guest speakers to parties. Many Local Groups include have local Special Interest Groups that schedule get-togethers around interests such as foreign food or movies, or schedule get-togethers for members in their neighborhoods. Members also attend regional and national gatherings that provide opportunities to meet other Mensans from across the U.S. and around the world.

Learn more about upcoming events.

Will being a member increase my intelligence?
While we can't guarantee an increased IQ, you'll find a good "mental workout" in the Mensa Bulletin, the national magazine.  You'll be able to share your opinions as well as read other points of view in our Local Group and Special Interest Group newsletters. Also, meetings and gatherings provide many opportunities challenge you and educate you.

Are there groups within American Mensa that share my interests?
Currently, there are more than 140 national Special Interest Groups that range from Chocolate M to Military History and from Scuba to Mystery Book Swap. These SIGs are started and maintained by members who share a common interest. Groups communicate regularly via newsletters and other forums.

Learn more about SIGs.

What is the purpose of Mensa?
From the Constitution of Mensa, there are three main purposes of Mensa:

1. Identify and foster human intelligence for the benefit of humanity.
2. Encourage research in the nature, characteristics and uses of intelligence.
3. Provide a stimulating intellectual and social environment for members.

Are Mensans involved in community service?
American Mensa provides a number of outlets for you to help in your community. The Mensa Education and Research Foundation sponsors scholarships, participates in research, rewards excellence in gifted research and publishes the Mensa Research Journal. Our Gifted Children Resource Program provides information on gifted children and gifted children resources to inquiring parents, teachers and schools. Project Inkslinger^®  started when the Mississippi and its tributaries flooded parts of the Midwest and South. Several schools and libraries lost their entire collections to water damage. American Mensans helped replace these books and continue to help libraries and schools in need and continue similar efforts today. Also, our Local Groups volunteer for community-oriented activities near them, including public television pledge drives and scholarship fund-raisers, and annually receive awards for their involvement.

Learn more about our activities and programs and our community service awards.

Are there other benefits to being a Mensa member?
Along with the intellectual and social activities, members receive other benefits including special discounts to Mensa members, including a Mensa branded credit card, auto and health insurance and travel benefits.  Our Member Services team is always looking into new ways to provide extra value for your membership.

Learn more about membership benefits.

What is the cost of membership?
In addition to qualification fees for supervised testing or evaluation of prior testing, annual membership dues for American Mensa are $59 a year. Life, multi-year and dues rates for additional family members are available.