Who can Join Mensa?
Any Canadian resident whose IQ score is at or above the 98th percentile (higher than 98% of the global population) can join Mensa Canada. We welcome members from all backgrounds, and all walks of life.
Why Join Mensa?
Becoming a member of Mensa can add new dimensions to your life. Making new friends and finding intellectual stimulation are givens, but what may be even more important is the feeling of belonging that grows when you are surrounded by honest-to-goodness peers – people who are unique, yet paradoxically, are very much like you: inquisitive, fun-loving, open to new ideas and alternative viewpoints, and well-read.
Mensa Canada membership benefits include:
- socializing & friendship
- special interest groups
- annual national & regional gatherings
- networking / international contacts
- newsletters and magazines
- online discussion groups
- puzzles
- Mensa merchandise
- an edge in career prospects
- help for gifted children
- annual scholarships for university students
How can I prove that i'm qualified to join?
Provide prior evidence
Provide official evidence of a qualifying score that you have already achieved on one of the certified tests that we accept. This is called joining using “prior evidence.”
get tested by a psychologist
Have a psychologist near you administer one of the certified tests that we accept, and provide your official results through the prior evidence process.
take the mensa entrance test
Take a supervised Mensa entrance test at one of the group testing sessions held across Canada. You must be 10 years of age or older to take the Mensa entrance test.
What about gifted youth?
Although Mensa does not provide gifted educational programs, it has an active Gifted Youth Program that is run by volunteer parents in different locations across Canada. We also have support groups for parents of gifted children.
If your child has already undertaken a test and has a certificate of an intelligence assessment, you may be able to use it to apply for membership in Mensa. The prior evidence page explains this process, and lists the tests and scores that can be accepted.
If you would like to have an assessment of the mental ability level of your child, it is recommended you contact a psychologist near you. They are accustomed to interviewing young people, and can provide comprehensive assessments of children’s abilities in different types of intelligence. They have access to a wide variety of tests suitable for children of all ages. The prior evidence page contains a list of the tests we accept for joining Mensa, and explains the process for using those test results to join.
Psychologists can also recommend resources in your community that specialize in gifted youth.
Age Requirements for the Supervised Mensa Entrance Test
Youth aged 10 and older are eligible to take the pictorial test offered at Mensa Canada testing sessions across the country.
Youth aged 14 and older are eligible to take the traditional language-based test at our testing sessions, and the new online test.
Please note that Mensa Canada does not provide IQ scores. Test results are given as a percentile equivalency. To qualify for Mensa membership, this percentile score must be 98% or above.
what does membership cost?
joining mensa canada
If you have never been a member of any Mensa organization, complimentary membership for the remainder of the current year is included in the fee for verifying your qualification.
Members joining after October 1st receive complimentary membership through December 31st of the following year.
membership renewal
Existing members of Mensa Canada, or members of other national Mensas who are relocating to Canada, can renew their memberships for 1- or 2-year terms.
Membership years for all members begin January 1st and end December 31st.
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Individual membership $75 / $135 for 2 years
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Student membership $50 / $95 for 2 years
Must be a full time student in December of the previous year. Student ID is required.
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Family membership $95 / $175 for 2 years
For members of a family living in the same residence, including children living away at school for part of the year.
what about life members?
Mensa Canada does not offer life memberships.
Life members from other national Mensas who move to Canada cannot transfer their life membership to Mensa Canada. They can:
- Give up their life membership in their previous national Mensa, and join Mensa Canada as a regular member.
- Keep their life membership in the other national Mensa, and participate in their local Canadian Mensa chapter as a guest (without voting privileges).
Dual memberships (in more than 1 national Mensa at a time) are not allowed, as Mensans may only vote once in a Mensa International election.
