Candidate for Mensa membership
Membership in Mensa is open to persons who have attained a score within the upper two percent of the general population on an approved intelligence test that has been properly administered and supervised. There is no other qualification or disqualification for membership eligibility.
The term "IQ score" is widely used but poorly defined. There are a large number of tests with different scales. The result on one test of 132 can be the same as a score 148 on another test. Some intelligence tests don't use IQ scores at all. Mensa has set a percentile as cutoff to avoid this confusion. Candidates for membership in Mensa must achieve a score at or above the 98th percentile on a standard test of intelligence (a score that is greater than or equal to that achieved by 98 percent of the general population taking the test).
Generally, there are two ways to prove that you qualify for Mensa: either take the Mensa test, or submit a qualifying test score from another test. There are a large number of intelligence tests that are "approved". More information on whether a test you have taken is approved, as well as information on the procedure for taking the Mensa test, can be obtained from the nearest Mensa office. There are no on-line tests that can be used for admission to Mensa. Feel free to contact Mensa for specific details about eligibility.
Mensa has no other eligibility requirements other than IQ testing. However, many tests are not valid for people under the age of 16. You should contact the nearest Mensa office for more information.
How do I get proof of my previous test scores?
Contact the testing service that administered the test to you requesting that they send you a report showing your score. Include as much information as you can about yourself and regarding when and where you were tested. If you can't give an exact answer, an approximation is better than nothing. Many testing services charge a fee for sending reports; you should give the service a call before writing them.
If your school did testing, write to the school you attended, and ask for a CERTIFIED copy of your score. It must include your birth date, the name of the test, and a clearly defined number, i.e., IQ, or percentile rank nationally. Mensa does not accept achievement tests. The school seal must be stamped on the report.
For psychologist/agency testing, have the report sent on professional letterhead, with the psychologist's or agency's license or registration number. Mensa accepts tests given only by those people qualified to do testing privately in the area in which the examiner resides. Date of test, name of test, and full score must be given, and the report must be signed.
Any signature-guaranteed or notarized copy of any of the reports will be accepted, other non-verifiable copies may be rejected.
Is there a Mensa test?
If you've never taken an IQ test, or don't want to bother with getting official copies of your test scores, then Mensa can test you. You will be put in contact with the local testing coordinator who will tell you about specific testing dates and places.
In some countries, a pre-test is available which you can take in the privacy of your home. To find out whether such a test is available in your country, please see National Groups. When you've finished the pre-test, send it back to the address instructed. It will be scored, and you will be notified of the results. If your score is high enough, you'll be invited to take a qualifying supervised test. The pre-test is just for practice; you can't use it to qualify for Mensa even if you score at or above the 98th percentile. Taking a pre-test is not required for admission, however, many people take it simply for the challenge.
Feel free to contact Mensa for more information or to arrange testing. More specific information is also available about testing costs for any of the National Groups.
If you want to take a practice, on-line test, the Mensa Workout is an intelligence quiz in which you have half an hour to answer a number of questions. When you submit your answers, your test is instantly scored, and you can see how your score measures up. The answers to the questions are provided along with discussion of the answers. The Workout is not an IQ test, and can't be used for qualification to join Mensa.
Are there any other advantages to taking an IQ test?
Discovering that you have a high IQ can have a wealth of positive effects on a person. Not only does a high IQ look good on CVs and applications, it can provide a significant confidence boost.
