What Is Mensa? The High IQ Society Explained

Mensa's Founding and Purpose

Mensa was founded in Oxford, England, in 1946 by Roland Berrill, an Australian barrister, and Lancelot Ware, a British scientist and lawyer. The name comes from the Latin word for "table," symbolizing a round-table society where all members meet as equals regardless of background, profession, or social status.

The founders envisioned Mensa as a society with three stated purposes:

• To identify and foster human intelligence for the benefit of humanity
• To encourage research into the nature, characteristics, and uses of intelligence
• To provide a stimulating intellectual and social environment for its members

Importantly, Mensa takes no position on politics, religion, or social issues. The organization is strictly non-political and serves as a platform for intellectual engagement rather than advocacy. Members span every demographic, profession, and worldview — from truck drivers to neurosurgeons, from teenagers to centenarians.

The international organization is governed by Mensa International, headquartered in Caythorpe, Lincolnshire, England. Each country or region has its own national Mensa organization. American Mensa, the largest national group, has over 50,000 members.

Membership Requirements: Who Can Join?

Mensa has one and only one requirement for membership: you must demonstrate that your IQ is in the top 2% of the population on a standardized intelligence test. On most IQ scales, this corresponds to a score of approximately:

• 130 or above on the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS), which uses a standard deviation of 15
• 132 or above on the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale (older editions used a standard deviation of 16)
• 148 or above on the Cattell scale, which uses a standard deviation of 24

Mensa accepts scores from a wide variety of approved intelligence tests. You do not necessarily need to take Mensa's own admission test; many standardized tests are accepted as evidence of qualifying intelligence, including:

• Wechsler scales (WAIS, WISC)
• Stanford-Binet
• Cattell Culture Fair Intelligence Test
• Certain military aptitude tests (ASVAB with qualifying AFQT score)
• Various other professionally administered IQ tests

There are no other requirements. Mensa does not consider education level, profession, achievements, or any other criteria. Whether you have a PhD or never finished high school, if your test score qualifies, you are welcome to join. To get an idea of whether you might qualify, you can take our free IQ test as a preliminary self-assessment.

How to Join Mensa

There are two main pathways to Mensa membership:

Option 1: Take the Mensa Admission Test. Mensa offers supervised admission testing through local chapters. In the United States, the test costs approximately $40 and is administered at testing sessions held throughout the country. The test typically consists of two standardized assessments and takes about two hours to complete. If you score at or above the 98th percentile, you will receive an invitation to join.

Option 2: Submit prior evidence. If you have previously scored in the top 2% on an approved standardized intelligence test, you can submit your score to Mensa for evaluation. This might include childhood IQ test results, scores from psychological evaluations, or qualifying results from other standardized tests. Mensa maintains a list of accepted tests and qualifying scores on their website.

Once accepted, annual membership dues are modest. American Mensa charges approximately $79 per year (as of recent years), with discounts for multi-year memberships and reduced rates for younger members. International fees vary by country.

It is worth noting that Mensa also offers a practice test (called the "Mensa Workout") on their website for a small fee. While the Workout does not qualify you for membership, it gives you a general sense of whether pursuing the full admission test is worthwhile.

What Do Mensa Members Actually Do?

Contrary to popular imagination, Mensa is not a group of people sitting around solving equations in a laboratory. The organization is primarily a social and intellectual community. Activities vary by local chapter but commonly include:

• Local gatherings and events: Monthly meetings, dinners, game nights, trivia events, lectures, and discussion groups are organized by local chapters across the country.
• Special Interest Groups (SIGs): Mensa hosts hundreds of SIGs covering everything from astronomy, philosophy, and chess to cooking, motorcycles, and humor. There is a group for virtually every interest.
• Annual Gathering: Each year, American Mensa holds a national conference (the Annual Gathering) featuring speakers, workshops, games, and social events. Mensa International also holds a yearly gathering called the International Board of Directors Meeting (IBD), which includes social programming.
• Publications: Mensa members receive the Mensa Bulletin (the national magazine) and often a local chapter newsletter. Many chapters also maintain active online forums and social media groups.
• Gifted youth programs: Mensa runs programs for gifted children, including scholarships, educational resources, and youth membership options. Recognizing and supporting gifted children is a core part of Mensa's mission.
• Community service: Many local groups participate in community service activities, tutoring programs, and volunteer work.

For many members, the primary value of Mensa is the social connection — being around people who share a love of intellectual stimulation and curiosity. Some members describe it as finding "their tribe" after feeling out of place in other social settings.

Criticisms of Mensa

Despite its popularity, Mensa has faced its share of criticism over the years:

Elitism concerns: Some critics argue that an organization defined solely by IQ score is inherently elitist and promotes the idea that intelligence is the most important human trait. Detractors point out that high IQ does not equate to wisdom, moral character, emotional intelligence, or meaningful contribution to society.

Overemphasis on test scores: Mensa's reliance on a single cutoff score reinforces the notion that intelligence can be reduced to a number. Critics in psychology note that IQ tests measure only certain types of cognitive ability and may be influenced by cultural bias, test-taking skills, and socioeconomic factors.

Lack of tangible impact: Some observers have questioned what Mensa actually accomplishes. Unlike organizations such as the MacArthur Foundation (which awards "genius grants" for creative achievement), Mensa does not require members to produce any particular output. Its stated goals of fostering intelligence and encouraging research have been criticized as vague and largely unrealized.

Social dynamics: Not all members have positive experiences. Some report encountering one-upmanship, social awkwardness, or an environment where people try too hard to prove how smart they are. The social atmosphere varies significantly between local chapters.

Commercial aspects: Mensa licenses its name for branded products (puzzles, brain games, calendars), which some feel is at odds with its mission as a nonprofit intellectual society.

Other High-IQ Societies

Mensa is the most famous, but it is far from the only high-IQ society. For those who qualify for or seek even more exclusive organizations, several alternatives exist:

Intertel — Founded in 1966, Intertel requires an IQ in the top 1% of the population (approximately IQ 135 on the Wechsler scale). It has about 1,500 members worldwide and publishes a monthly journal called Integra.

Triple Nine Society (TNS) — As the name suggests, TNS requires a score at the 99.9th percentile, approximately IQ 146 on the Wechsler scale. This makes it 50 times more selective than Mensa. TNS has approximately 1,800 members and publishes the journal Vidya.

Prometheus Society — Requires a score at the 99.997th percentile (approximately IQ 160). With only about 100 members, it is one of the most exclusive high-IQ societies in the world.

Mega Society — Theoretically requires an IQ at the one-in-a-million level (approximately IQ 176). With fewer than 30 members, it pushes the boundaries of what IQ testing can reliably measure, and some psychometricians question whether scores at this extreme are meaningful. Learn about why IQ test reliability decreases at extreme scores in our article on how IQ tests work.

Each of these societies offers its own community, publications, and intellectual activities. However, at the most exclusive levels, membership becomes so small that the social benefits are limited compared to larger organizations like Mensa.