Phi Beta Kappa Chapters



  

Phi Beta Kappa chapters are the heart of the Society. Chapters induct new members every year, and those members are members for life. Currently, chapters exist at 286 institutions of higher learning throughout the United States. The number of chapters has grown continuously since the beginning of the Society in 1776, with the most recent chapters granted in 2015. Chapters are granted to the Phi Beta Kappa members among the faculty and administration of the sheltering institution. 

Chapters select and induct new members throughout the year, usually in the spring. The ceremonies celebrate academic excellence and achievement, follow long-standing tradition, and often feature speakers and special award presentations. Approximately 19,000 new members, usually students in their senior year of undergraduate work, are elected each year. Phi Beta chapters also sponsor other programs and activities to honor scholarship and promote education in the liberal arts and science on campus and in the community, including public lectures, teaching awards, fellowships and scholarships, writing prizes, mentoring programs and workshops.

Phi Beta Kappa sets high standards not only for the selection of students elected to membership but also for the institutions which may shelter a chapter. To view criteria for student membership, please click here. Institutions interested in learning more about application requirements for sheltering a Phi Beta Kappa chapter should review the Starting a Chapter section of our website. Questions may be directed to Ann McCulloch, Phi Beta Kappa's Director of Chapter and Association Relations. 

Photos above courtesy of George Washington University (left) and Luther College (right), photos below courtesy of The College of New Jersey (left) and Texas Tech University (right).

       


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