What IQ do you need to join Mensa?

Mensa accepts people who score at or above the 98th percentile — the top 2% — on an approved, supervised intelligence test. Because that is defined by percentile, the qualifying IQ number depends on the test's scale.

Is the Mensa IQ requirement 130 or 132 or 148?

All three can be correct, for different tests. The 98th percentile is about 130 on a scale with a standard deviation of 15, about 132 on an SD-16 scale (such as Cattell B), and 148 on the Cattell scale as used by some national groups. The percentile is the real rule.

Does an online IQ test qualify you for Mensa?

No. Mensa only accepts scores from approved tests taken under supervised, controlled conditions. An unsupervised online test cannot be used to join, though it can help you decide whether to pursue formal testing.

What IQ Do You Need for Mensa? The 98th-Percentile Threshold

Q: Can I qualify with a previous test score?

Often yes. Mensa accepts qualifying evidence from a published list of approved tests, provided they were administered and supervised by a qualified professional. The exact accepted tests and cut-offs vary by country.

To join Mensa you need to score in the top 2% — the 98th percentile — on an approved, supervised intelligence test. The catch is that this is defined by percentile, not by a single IQ number: depending on the test's scale, the qualifying figure might be 130, 132 or even 148. Here is what those numbers mean and why the percentile is the only rule that travels.

The real requirement: the 98th percentile

Mensa's single membership criterion is a score at or above the 98th percentile on a standardized intelligence test it recognizes — meaning you scored higher than about 98% of the general population. It is defined this way precisely because different tests use different scales, so a fixed IQ number would not mean the same thing everywhere. For the percentile idea itself, see the IQ bell curve.

Why the qualifying number changes with the test

The standard deviation of a test determines what IQ corresponds to the top 2%. Three common cases:

≈ 130 on a scale with a standard deviation of 15 (such as the Wechsler tests).
≈ 132 on a scale with a standard deviation of 16 (such as the Cattell B scale).
148 on the Cattell scale as used by some national Mensa groups, which has a larger spread.

All three mark the same 98th percentile — they only look different because the scales differ. This is why you should always anchor on the percentile rather than the headline number, a point we expand on in the IQ scale explained.

Which tests count

Mensa qualifies you in one of two ways: by taking its own supervised admission test, or by submitting prior qualifying evidence from a published list of approved tests — provided they were administered and supervised by a qualified professional. The exact accepted tests and thresholds vary by country, so your national Mensa is always the authoritative source. The full step-by-step process is covered in how to join Mensa.

Why an online test will not qualify you

To be completely clear: the test on ProIQTest.com is not an accepted Mensa admission test, and this site is not affiliated with Mensa. Mensa requires supervised, proctored testing in controlled conditions, while our test is online and unsupervised, offered for educational and entertainment purposes. We explain the general limits of unsupervised testing in how accurate online IQ tests are.

How an online test can still help

Although it cannot admit you to Mensa, an informal test can help you decide whether formal testing is worth your time and money. If you consistently score near the top of the range on a reasoning test based on Raven's matrices, you may be a good candidate for supervised testing; if not, you have saved yourself the fee. Either way it is a low-stakes way to gauge where you stand — you can try our free test first.