HISTORY & FACTS
What is Golden Key?
Golden Key is the world's largest collegiate honor society. Membership into the Society is by invitation only, to the top 15% of college/university sophomores, juniors and seniors, 2nd and 3rd year students (depending on your programme) and top performing US graduate students in all fields of study, based solely on the objective criteria of their academic achievements.
Golden Key has chapters at over 375 colleges and universities in Australia, Canada, India, Malaysia, New Zealand, South Africa, The Bahamas and the United States.
Golden Key is a nonprofit organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code.
When and how was Golden Key founded?
Golden Key National Honor Society was founded by a group of undergraduate students and faculty members at Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia, on November 29, 1977. In 2001, the society modified its name to Golden Key International Honour Society to reflect its diversity and global presence. The spelling of “Honour” was utilized to observe the more globally accepted spelling.
What exactly is an honor society, and why haven't I heard of Golden Key before?
Honor societies have been recognized by universities in the United States for more than two centuries. The primary role of an honor society includes providing academic recognition to high-achieving students and establishing professional and social contacts for these students within a network of universities. Honor societies also bring together students from diverse faculties and degree programs within each university and reinforce students’ interaction with university staff.
What are Golden Key’s mission, vision and values?
Mission: To enable members to realize their potential.
Vision: Golden Key is the world’s premier honor society. We recognize academic excellence and provide tangible value to our student members, advisors, alumni and partners while positively impacting their lives and society.
Values: Integrity, Collaboration, Innovation, Respect, Diversity, Excellence and Engagement
Who are Golden Key members?
Golden Key membership has grown to a very large network of nearly 2 million members from over 190 countries. Members include students from all over the world, faculty members, university staff, university presidents, teachers, doctors, engineers, social workers, entrepreneurs, politicians, military leaders, and many more. There are also many prominent figures who are members.
How is Golden Key Governed?
- Board of Directors (consisting of college/university presidents and vice presidents, higher education leaders, corporate leaders, Golden Key student and alumni members and founding members)
- International Leadership Council (president, vice president, secretary, alumni member and student member, elected by chapter voting delegates)
- Council of Advisors (one advisor serves as a member of the Council of Advisors for each region)
- Council of Student Members (one student member serves as a member of the Council of Student Members for each region)
BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP
Why should I join Golden Key?
The Society offers members valuable opportunities for individual growth through leadership, career development, networking and literacy service opportunities. Golden Key also offers numerous scholarships and awards, available only to members, as well as unique discounts with partner companies.
Click here for details and the latest on membership benefits.
How does Golden Key help me with jobs and internships?
Golden Key partners with corporate and nonprofit organizations, offering members internship and career opportunities.
After graduation, will I continue to receive benefits?
Yes, the following benefits will remain available to members after graduating with their undergraduate degree:
- A number of scholarship programs including the $10,000(USD) scholarships to fund graduate school, law school or medical school. Please see scholarship listing for eligibility and requirements.
- Golden Key will continue to stay in touch with you after your graduation to remind you of member benefits. Just remember to update your contact information with Golden Key at least once a year online.
- Some members who have graduated continue to remain involved with the local university’s Golden Key chapter (regardless of where you were inducted).
- Golden Key alumni members are eligible for other select member discounts and promotions after graduation.
JOINING GOLDEN KEY
Now that I have received the letter of invitation and want to join, what do I do?
You can accept your membership invitation by doing one of the following:
A. Join online via our secure website (US, Canada & Australia only). Your letter of information or e-mail will provide you with specific instructions on how to accept your membership and pay online. If you have lost your letter, call the Society’s International Headquarters at 1-800 377-2401 or your region's local office.
B. Begin the join process online (US, Canada & Australia only), then print out the completed form and mail with the payment to your local headquarters.
C. Mail the completed Membership Acceptance Form and complete fee payment to the Golden Key headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, US, or to your region's local office as indicated on the pre-addressed return envelope. The acceptance form must arrive at by the “reply-by” date to produce your certificate in time for the induction.
If your Membership Acceptance Form arrives at the Golden Key headquarters after the deadline, your certificate will be mailed directly to you at the address you provide. However, you should still plan on attending the induction ceremony because you will be called up to be recognized.
Be recognized! Attend induction ceremony and reception for all new members; you may bring as many guests as you like, the favor of a RSVP may be asked by your chapter for planning purposes.
What are the requirements for membership?
- Top 15% of college/university sophomores, juniors and seniors meeting GPA requirements
- 2nd and 3rd year college/university students (depending on your programme)
- Top performing US graduate school students
Golden Key is not present on my campus, can I still join?
If your institution does not have a chapter, there are two routes to becoming a Golden Key member. Before you get started with the chartering process, click here to learn if you qualify as an individual member and apply today
Do I have to pay annual membership dues?
No. There is a membership fee that is paid when an individual joins.
The membership fee is:
- Australia - AUD 93.50
- Canada - CAD 90
- Malaysia - MYR 120
- New Zealand - NZD 93
- South Africa - ZAR 450
- United States - USD 80
How is the membership fee used?
The membership fee is shared between the local chapter and the international headquarters. The membership fee funds membership benefits and supports local chapters in a variety of ways including:
I have lost my letter of invitation. Can I get another one from you?
Yes. Contact the chapter advisor at your school. Indicate that you did receive the invitation but you need another one. Be sure to provide your full name and your current mailing address. The advisor will verify that you are on the invitation list and mail you a replacement invitation. If you are unable to reach the chapter advisor, call Golden Key at 1-800-377-2401 or e-mail at memberservices@goldenkey.org.
I meet Golden Key’s requirements, but I haven’t received an invitation letter. Why not?
There are several reasons why this may have occurred.
- If you became a sophomore just last semester/quarter, you were not included in the list from the registrar. The list from the registrar may have been provided to us before last semester’s/quarter’s grades were posted.
- If you recently moved, your letter may have been mailed to the wrong address.
- You may have requested the registrar’s office to not release your name and address.
- For some reason unknown to us, the registrar’s office did not provide us your name or address.
- Your letter of invitation may have been sent to your permanent address.
- The invitation could be lost in the mail.
I didn’t get the invitation but I meet the requirements. How can I join?
You can contact the chapter advisor on your campus. If you are unable to reach the chapter advisor, please call the Golden Key HQ at 1-800-377-2401 or e-mail at memberservices@goldenkey.org. You can also contact your country's local office.
First, we’ll check if you are on our invitation list. If your name is on the list, we’ll give you a replacement invitation immediately. It’s possible we did not receive your current address from the university or the letter was lost in the mail.
If not on our invitation list, you have four options:
- Secure a copy of your transcript or grade report (the copy mailed to you or an unofficial copy printed from an on-line source is also acceptable). Please bring this transcript to the Golden Key chapter advisor or the chapter’s information table.
- Email memberservices@goldenkey.org a copy of your transcript to secure your personal on-line join authorization code.
- Fax a copy of your transcript to Member Services at 678-689-2298.
- Mail a copy of your transcript to:
Golden Key International Honour Society
Attn: Member Services
1040 Crown Pointe Parkway, Suite 900
Atlanta, GA 30338
I recently transferred to my current school/university. Can I join?
If the university accepts or recognizes a transfer GPA/academic percentage average, the student can join Golden Key if the other criteria are met.
The deadline has passed. Can I still join?
Rules vary by country. In the US, Canada, and Asia Pacific, yes, you may still join. The invitation letter that you received expires within one year of the postmark date. In South Africa, members must join within the same calendar year of their invitation (by 1 December). Send your completed Membership Acceptance Form and complete fee payment to international headquarters or your country's local office as soon as possible.
Your personalized certificate will be mailed to you at the mailing address you provide. Plan on attending the induction ceremony if this event has not passed.
Are graduate students allowed to join?
Rules vary by country. In Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa* and the United States - yes, graduate students can join. In Malaysia, graduate students are not eligible for membership.
US chapters may elect to conduct a graduate student mailing/membership campaign. The invitations are extended to top performing graduate school students. Because eligibility varies, please contact the chapter advisor at your university or Golden Key Headquarters for more information.
If your undergraduate institution has a Golden Key chapter, and you met that chapter’s membership requirements as an undergraduate, you can join at your undergraduate university. Your certificate of membership in Golden Key must be based on your undergraduate grades. Your certificate will be mailed to you. However, you can choose to attend and be recognized at the upcoming induction ceremony at your current university. When you arrive at the induction, please have your name added to the list of new members who will be called during the ceremony.
To join, please submit a copy of your undergraduate transcript to US Headquarters or your region's local office, ATTENTION: Member Services. You can FAX your transcripts and a note explaining your situation to 678-689-2298. If your university allows you to download a copy of your transcript from the internet, you may do so and e-mail a copy to memberservices@goldenkey.org. The transcript does not have to be official, but it must contain your name, cumulative course hours and grade point average. Course audit reports and individual semester/quarter reports are not acceptable. When submitting a transcript for consideration, please make sure to include your mailing address, telephone number and e-mail address.
*In South Africa, graduate students are allowed to join Golden Key if their cumulative precentage average of their undergraduate studies placed them in the top 15% of their respective faculty.
If you have any questions, please contact Member Services at the Golden Key International Headquarters via telephone at 1-800-377-2401, press 1, or by e-mail to memberservices@goldenkey.org. If outside of the US, please contact your country's local office.
I joined last year, and I received another invitation this year OR I joined Golden Key while attending another university. Do I have to join and pay the membership fee again?
No, you don’t have to pay another fee to become a Golden Key member. You are only required to pay the Golden Key membership joining fee at the point when you joined the Society. There are several reasons why you received another invitation:
- Your name on our record, as you provided to us previously, does not perfectly match what the registrar recently provided us. Because the university does not provide us with unique identifier information, e.g. social security number, we were not certain if the name provided to us recently was you. Please disregard the invitation you received this year.
- If you recently changed your name, we were not able to tell if you are a member. Please disregard the invitation and update your information with us at www.goldenkey.org, click “GK Members Only.” If you suspect that your information in our database is not accurate we encourage you to go to the web site to update your information.
- You are now at another university and we did not know that you transferred. Please update your information with us online.
What happens if my cumulative GPA/ academic percentage average drops after I join?
Once you become a member your membership will not be withdrawn due to grade changes.
I’m already a member, but I have not heard anything from the Society since I joined. Why not?
It is important that both the local chapter officers and the Golden Key headquarters know that you wish to remain connected with us and that we have your most current contact information.
Ensure that international headquarters has your correct information by updating your contact information via the Golden Key website by signing in to the site and clicking "My Profile" in the toolbar above.You should also attend any local chapter programs or meetings This is often how the local chapter knows that you wish to be active with the chapter.
I think I may already be a member. How can I find out?
Request your Member ID number from Member Services by sending an email with your Last Name (Surname) to memberservices@goldenkey.org or call 1-800-377-2401.
I am already a member of another honor society. Does that mean I am already a member of Golden Key, or are these organizations related?
Golden Key is not affiliated with any other honor societies, therefore it is necessary for you to accept membership using the Golden Key invitation you received to obtain your membership in this society.
You may see your local chapter of Golden Key partnering with other organizations for service, social and academic projects, however, the to become a true member of Golden Key, you will have to adhere to Golden Key’s membership joining process.
The things that set Golden Key apart from many other collegiate honor societies on campus are its efforts to provide opportunities beyond recognition and to cater to the needs of students approaching graduation, continuing education, and the job market. We accomplish this by providing scholarships on the local and international levels, by promoting service participation by each chapter, by involving students as chapter and society leaders, and offering career assistance and networking opportunities.
I don’t have the money to join now. What can I do?
In the US, Canada and Asia Pacific, the invitation to join is good for one year from the postmark date on the letter, so you may join at a later date. In South Africa, members must join within the same calendar year of their invitation (by 1 December). Partial payment of the membership fee is not available. Complete payment of fees must accompany the Membership Acceptance Form.
If my school doesn't have a Golden Key chapter, how can I start one on my campus?
Golden Key charters are granted only to accredited, four-year, degree-granting institutions of higher education. The Golden Key Academic Council, consisting of elected volunteer leaders who are advisors and officers from colleges and universities across the globe, is responsible for approving new charters. Click here for more information about starting a Golden Key chapter on your campus.
SCHOLARSHIPS & AWARDS
What scholarships are available?
Golden Key offers more than 700 scholarships each year amounting to over $600,000 (USD). Click here for more details on each scholarship, application deadlines and application forms.
Who is eligible to apply for Golden Key scholarships?
Only Golden Key International Honour Society members are eligible to apply for Golden Key scholarships.
Are the application deadlines strict deadlines?
Yes. All scholarship applications must be postmarked by the indicated postmark deadline. The postmark deadline for each scholarship is listed directly under the scholarship name.
Can I have my transcript(s) and letter(s) of reference sent in separately from my application form?
Yes. However, our preference is that you package all requested items together in a single submission packet/ mailing. This will ensure that all items you are submitting are matched together. If you must send in documents in separate mailings, each mailing must reference your name (membership ID number if possible) and scholarship for which you are applying. We will make our best attempts to match up submissions that are send separately, but we cannot accept the responsibility of ensuring that portions of your application arriving separately are successfully compiled. All items submitted for an application must be postmarked by the indicated postmark deadline date.
Can I apply for more than one scholarship?
Yes. Golden Key members can apply for any number of scholarships each year as long as the requirements for each scholarship are met. Please review the specific scholarship guidelines for additional requirements and eligibility details.
Can I submit one application form for multiple scholarships?
No. You must submit one application for each scholarship for which you apply.
Do I have to be actively involved in my Golden Key chapter to apply for a scholarship?
Not in all cases. Some of the scholarships do factor Golden Key involvement as a selection criterion.
Do I have to be in a specific major field of study/faculty to apply for a Golden Key scholarship?
Unless the scholarship or award is specific to a particular field of study, Golden Key scholarships are available to Golden Key members of any major field of study/faculty. The achievement awards represent certain fields of study; however, any Golden Key member can apply for these as well.
How long before a winner is determined?
Winner(s) for a scholarship are determined 30 to 45 business days after a deadline has passed. The Golden Key Scholar Award winners will be notified by June of each year.
How will I find out the results of a scholarship?
Once winners are selected and we complete confirming that the winners remain eligible to receive the award, winners are notified via email. Once all required winner information is received by Golden Key, winners will be listed on the Golden Key website.
How do I know that my application was received?
When your complete application submission is received at the Nashville, USA office, you will be sent an e-mail acknowledging the receipt of your application. Past experience indicates that e-mails are sometimes not received or successfully delivered. Be certain to provide us with your most current e-mail address. You can also check the status of your application by returning to the ISTS.
Will I be notified if my application is incomplete?
No, incomplete applications will not be referred back to applicant.
If I’m a winner, how am I notified?
Approximately 30 to 45 business days after each deadline, we will determine winners for the scholarship. We will first attempt to reach you by e-mail. If we do not receive a reply in 10 days, we will attempt to phone you at the phone number(s) you provide.
If I don’t win a scholarship, how am I notified?
Approximately 30-45 business days after each deadline, we will determine winners for the scholarship. Once we confirm that the winners remain eligible to receive the award, ISTS will send an e-mail to applicants who were not named as winners. Past experience indicates that some e-mails are either not received or successfully delivered. Be certain to provide us with your most current e-mail address. You can also check the status of your application by returning to the ISTS.
Can I receive feedback on my application if I do not win?
No. Impartial selection committees composed of educators specializing in fields specific to each program will select the winners. In selecting the winners, the committees will consider a number of factors related directly to each program. Decision of the selection committees are final and are not subject to appeal.
Are scholarships taxable?
Tax laws vary by country. For example, in the United States, scholarship funds used exclusively for the payment of tuition or textbooks are normally not taxable. The scholarship recipient is responsible for taxes, if any, that may be assessed against their scholarship award. We recommend consulting their tax advisor for more guidance.
Are scholarships given at each local chapter?
Yes. Every year, each local chapter will award at least one scholarship to chapter members. These scholarships are called the Golden Key Chapter Scholarships. All new members whose acceptances are received by the membership deadline at the international headquarters are eligible for the scholarship. For US winners, Golden Key requires a completed W-9 form for dispersement of scholarship funds.
The scholarship recipients are chosen by the local chapter leadership. Factors for selection include academic accomplishments, leadership in collegiate activities, and participation in extracurricular activities (including Golden Key, if any, work and family commitments, and community service.) Please inquire with Golden Key Asia-Pacific or South Africa Headquarters for more information.
What if I need assistance with this process?
If you have additional questions or if you have difficulties posting your application online, please contact the Golden Key International Headquarters at 1-800-377-2401 (toll free in the U.S.), the Golden Key office in your country or email awards@goldenkey.org.
SERVICE AND ACTIVITIES
In what activities are Golden Key chapters involved?
Golden Key, at the international level, encourages its members to perform literacy-based service activities. Click here for literacy service opportunities in which Golden Key is involved.
Do I need to be involved in activities to be a Golden Key member?
No, Golden Key was founded on the principle that any student who meets the established academic criteria can become a member and access the many benefits offered. Participation is highly encouraged and purely voluntary.
However, Golden Key provides one of the best networks of opportunities to actively participate at the local, regional, national and even international level. Thousands of Golden Key members have utilized the opportunities in Golden Key to develop their leadership skills, engage in community service, and enhance their personal network.
Corporate and nonprofit partners offer job opportunities, internships and special consumer programs/services to students.
