Eligibility/Benefits of Membership
Qualifications for Membership
The Phi Sigma Iota National Honor Society is a membership society with active members and honorary members, as set forth below. Membership in the society is open to qualified candidates, including persons with disability, without regard to:
- Age
- Color
- Gender
- National Origin
- Race
- Religion
- Sexual Orientation.
New members are recruited by invitation only from established Phi Sigma Iota National Honor Society chapters.
Benefits of Membership
Phi Sigma Iota National Honor Society is the highest academic honor in the field of foreign languages. We recognize outstanding ability and achievement in the study or teaching of any academic field related to foreign language, literature, or culture.
These fields include not only modern foreign languages but also classics, linguistics, philology, comparative literature, bilingual education, second language acquisition, and other interdisciplinary programs with a significant foreign language component.
The most immediate and permanent benefit of Phi Sigma Iota National Honor Society membership is national recognition of the level of achievement it identifies
Criteria for Membership
New members are recruited by invitation only from established Phi Sigma Iota National Honor Society chapters.
Members shall meet the following minimum criteria for membership. Any chapter, at its discretion, may establish higher, more rigorous academic criteria.
Active Members. Collegiate or professional members who pay the national initiation fee shall be active lifetime members of the society.
Collegiate Members
At the time of initiation, collegiate members shall be students enrolled in undergraduate or graduate programs and pursuing a curriculum with a major/minor in:
- Foreign Languages, Including Classics and ESL
- Comparative Literature
- Foreign Language Education
- Linguistics
- Second Language Acquisition
- Other Interdisciplinary Programs with a Significant Foreign Language Component
Undergraduate Students
Undergraduate students shall be:
- Enrolled in the Institution Represented by the Chapter
- Have Completed at Least One Course in a Foreign Language at the Third-Year Level or Its Equivalent (Fifth Semester or Seventh Quarter)
- Have Completed 45 Semester Hours or Its Equivalent
- Have a Minimum Grade Point Average of 3.0 on a 4.0 Scale
Rank in the Top 35% of Their Class
If the institution does not calculate class rank, advisors must either make the calculations or use a minimum GPA of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale as eligibility criteria. In cases where an institution does not offer a third-year course in a less commonly taught language, the student may substitute a third-year or higher course in English on the target culture(s), such as history, cultural history, or literature in translation
Graduate Students
Graduate students shall be:
- Enrolled in a Graduate Program in One of the Aforementioned Programs
- Have Attained a High Degree of Competence in at Least One Foreign Language
- Have Completed 12 Semester Hours of Graduate Work or Equivalent
- Have a Minimum Grade Point Average of 3.5 on a 4.0 Scale
Upholding Our Principles and Promoting Linguistic Development
We promote the principles of dedication, enthusiasm, and initiative at both the graduate and undergraduate levels by encouraging leadership opportunities in chapter development and scholarship awards. The importance of continuing linguistic development is emphasized in our programs, publications, member services, and community connections.
What We Provide
Phi Sigma Iota National Honor Society has initiated over 50,000 members since its founding in 1917 and provides:
- A National Network of Colleagues
- Participation in a Learning Community to Broaden Horizons
- Local and National Leadership Opportunities
- Publication Opportunities in the Society’s Issues of The Forum
- Scholarship Opportunities
Learn more about scholarship opportunities.
Phi Sigma Iota National Honor Society is a member of the Association of College Honor Societies, where there are additional opportunities for grants and scholarships. It also opens the doors to federal jobs, including entry at the GS-7 level if all other requirements are met.
Read the operating manual for the US Office of Personnel Management.
See the annual salary chart to find out what a difference this makes!
Phi Sigma Iota National Honor Society has initiated over 50,000 members since its founding in 1917 and provides:
- A National Network of Colleagues
- Participation in a Learning Community to Broaden Horizons
- Local and National Leadership Opportunities
- Publication Opportunities in the Society’s Issues of The Forum
- Scholarship Opportunities (Link to Scholarship Page)
Learn more about scholarship opportunities.
Phi Sigma Iota National Honor Society is a member of the Association of College Honor Societies, where there are additional opportunities for grants and scholarships. It also opens the doors to federal jobs, including entry at the GS-7 level if all other requirements are met.
Read the operating manual for the US Office of Personnel Management.
See the annual salary chart to find out what a difference this makes!
What Members Can Do
Members are eligible to do the following:
- Join all membership programs organized or sponsored by the society.
- Wear special graduation honors such as stoles, cords, and tassels.
- Apply for the scholarship programs offered by the society.
- Submit articles for publication in the society’s annual magazine, The Forum.
Initiation Fee
New members pay a $35 national initiation fee which includes:
- Lifetime Society Membership
- A Certificate of Membership Suitable for Framing
- A Phi Sigma Iota National Honor Society “Gold Pin”
- A Wallet-Size Membership Card
The Phi Sigma Iota complies with applicable federal civil rights law and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, creed, religious affiliation, ancestry, sex, gender identity, expression or sexual orientation.
“Leaning Tower of Pisa” photo by Angela Baack, Bryant University
Professional Members
Alumni of collegiate chapters shall be professional members. Others who have made a distinctive contribution to the profession and meet the following criteria may be elected to professional membership:
- They have earned one or more degrees in a foreign language and ranked within the top 35% of the class as undergraduates or 3.5 as graduate students and have not been previously initiated into the society.
- They have earned one or more degrees qualifying them to work in the field and rank in the top 35% as undergraduates or 3.5 as graduate students.
- They are a faculty member of the university who has completed one academic year of teaching in that institution and have shown remarkable ability in their field as well as demonstrated support of the ideals of the society.
Honorary Members
Honorary members shall be persons outside the field (excluding those who are employed in the field) who have made distinctive scholarly and research contributions to the study, use, or promotion of foreign languages and the ideals of the society.