Invited Students

What is Alpha Chi?

Since 1922 Alpha Chi National College Honor Society has distinguished itself as one of the top national honor societies in the nation. Now with 500,000 alumni, some 300 chapters across 45 states, we recognize exceptional student scholars and unite them around one goal—channeling creativity and curiosity into scholarship that serves the greater good.

Why Join Alpha Chi?

Given your grades, you’ve probably received invitations to join several honors organizations. We know you want to select the best, and we believe you've found it. Alpha Chi is an elite organization with only the top 10% of eligible juniors, seniors, and graduate students being invited to join. Alpha Chi is a nonprofit, ACHS-certified academic honor society that offers more than just an accolade for your resume, but an opportunity to engage within a community composed of the top student scholars from around the world in every academic discipline.

Academic Recognition. Each new member receives a membership certificate suitable for framing and the Alpha Chi key, a recognition lapel pin. Most chapters hold in-person and/or virtual induction ceremonies at which those items are presented and recognize members at graduation with Alpha Chi honors regalia.
Build your resume. Alpha Chi membership and the different opportunities available to you will stand out on resumes and graduate school applications.
Be as involved as you want to be. Ongoing commitments aren't required. You can be as involved as you want in chapter activities.
Collaborate across the disciplines. Unlike discipline-specific honorary groups, Alpha Chi is multidisciplinary and encourages you to collaborate with members across majors.
Grow in leadership. From the chapter level to the national level, Alpha Chi gives you an opportunity to practice being a leader—lead your campus chapter and practice project planning, public speaking, organizational development, and fundraising.
Get published. Alpha Chi’s online, peer-reviewed undergraduate research journal, Aletheia, gives members a chance to publish original research and creative work. Graduate student members may gain valuable experience by serving as first-round peer reviewers. Additionally, Kalo, Alpha Chi's annual member community magazine, offers further publication opportunities to all members.
Apply for scholarships. Alpha Chi awards $200,000 annually in a variety of grants, scholarships, fellowships, and prizes to support undergraduate and graduate scholarship.
Present your work. Alpha Chi gives its members a rare platform to present scholarly and creative work to a multidisciplinary audience of your peers, both on campus and at our national annual conventions held in popular destination cities.
Receive convention travel and housing grants. Alpha Chi offers travel and housing grants through its chapters so that presenters like you can participate in our annual national convention.
Work together in service. Engage in leadership through service on campus and in your local community through our national service initiatives each year and through local events planned by chapter leaders.
Find your mentor. Alpha Chi chapter advisors and their colleagues are some of the brightest faculty on your campus—you’ll have special access to them. We have opportunities each semester for new members to connect with alumni members for mentoring.
Build a scholarly network and make life-long connections. Getting involved with your Alpha Chi chapter is a wonderful way to make connections from induction to graduate school and beyond. The chance to build friendships and collaborate with others who share your intellectual curiosity is cherished by our members.

Focus on Scholarship & Character

Our mission is to recognize and promote academic excellence among college and university students, and by encouraging a spirit of service and leadership, to nurture those elements of character that make scholarship effective for good.

The Alpha Chi Difference

Every honor society celebrates academic achievement, but at Alpha Chi we’re all about making scholarship effective for good and influencing the world for the better. We’re also all about making college a better experience for our student members. By accepting your invitation, you will be recognized for your academic achievement by an organization dedicated to promoting critical, constructive, inclusive, and respectful conversations about important societal issues and solutions. We believe that the benefits and resources of being an Alpha Chi member will greatly contribute to your search for scholarly authenticity and personal development.

Our goal is to enrich and broaden your collegiate experience by:

Encouraging Student Creativity and Research
Fostering Excellence and Service in Action
Promoting Personal Growth through Diversity
Equipping Compassionate Listeners and Leaders
Providing a Path for Academic and Professional Mentoring
Exemplifying How to Make Scholarship Effective for Good

Alpha Chi Values

Tenacity for improved communication skills and a willingness to reflect on our societal impact
Respect and reason in discourse that leads to responsible and purposeful action
Understanding different world views and truths with empathy
Thoughtful and character-driven use of intellectual leadership
Humility that encourages each other to growth

Am I eligible for membership?

Alpha Chi membership–which lasts a lifetime–is limited to the top 10% of juniors, seniors, and graduate students at colleges and universities that have Alpha Chi chapters. There is not a nationally mandated GPA minimum to be invited to Alpha Chi as we use class rank to determine eligibility. If a chapter publicizes a GPA standard, it should fall inside the top 10% of each invited class. We’re an invitation-only society, open to those students whose academic performance and character qualify them for invitation by their institutions’ faculty and administrators. Put simply, being invited to join Alpha Chi is a tremendous honor. Campuses often celebrate the distinction of Alpha Chi membership at graduation and other academic ceremonies, a distinction members can also claim on their CV and resume throughout their lives.

What if I can't pay the membership fee before the invitation deadline?

If you have been invited to join Alpha Chi but paying the membership fee is an economic hardship, many chapters maintain funds for dues scholarships. Starting in Fall 2023, the National Office will manage an annual fund for needs-based membership fee scholarships. Please contact your chapter advisor to inquire about assistance directly from the chapter or from national via a form the chapter must submit on your behalf.