Golden Key International Honour Society

Golden Key is the largest collegiate honour society in the world. To join, students must receive an invitation. The university extends invitations to the top 15% of undergraduate students in their second to fourth year and to top-performing graduate students in all fields of study, based solely on their academic achievements.

Golden Key's mission is to enable members to realize their potential through academic advancement. It unlocks and enlivens excellence and helps high-achieving students fulfill their personal, professional, and altruistic goals.

Golden Key has over 400 chapters at universities and colleges in Australia, Canada, India, Malaysia, New Zealand, South Africa, The Bahamas, and the United States of America. It is a non-profit organization under Section 501C(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. 

Although it was originally called the Golden Key National Honour Society, it changed its name to reflect an international presence. Just as the name evolved, so did the Society. Since 1977, it has recognized more than 10 million undergraduate and graduate students and awarded more than $8 million in scholarships and grants. Today, Golden Key continues to grow while helping its members realize their potential.

To join the Golden Key Society, students must receive an invitation from their institution. Once they are members, they do not need to qualify again. Even if their GPA drops in future sessions, they will not lose their membership. They are a member for life. In order to qualify, students must meet the following criteria:

• be in the top 15% of second- to fourth-year undergraduate students or be a top-performing graduate student, and
• be currently registered in full- or part-time studies in any field of study.

The University identifies students according to established criteria. They send an invitation letter to each qualifying student, which provides the steps to join the society. The student's invitation is valid for one year, and the student can join any time that year by paying the $90 membership fee, of which $12 goes to their respective chapter.

The Society offers members valuable opportunities for individual growth through leadership, career development, networking, and community service. In addition, they offer over $1,000,000 in awards and scholarships annually. Members also have access to graduate school and study abroad search engines, as well as other unique product discounts.

Academics

Members are recognized as the top 15% of their class, and their academic achievements are celebrated throughout their membership in the Society.

Graduate School Opportunities

Graduate school is a natural next step for many Golden Key members who wish to pursue more advanced degrees before making their mark on the world. Golden Key celebrates this dedication to education, offering unique access to graduate schools and over $300,000 in graduate-school scholarships each year. Canadian members have won a high percentage of the $10,000 graduate scholar awards for graduate school. 

Jobs and Internships

Golden Key believes in connecting its members with opportunities for hands-on, experiential learning. Members have lifelong access to the Society’s job and internship listings and a network of like-minded alumni in their fields. For example, The Princeton Review internship is open to Canadian members.

Leadership

Realizing members’ commitment to making a difference in their communities and the world at large, Golden Key offers many ways to enhance and practice their leadership skills, including workshops and seminars, regional and international summits, and officer positions.

Networking

Golden Key automatically connects members to an ever-expanding community of individuals with a network of opportunities. This includes relationship-building at the chapter level and at regional and international summits, as well as through online connections with members, advisors, and alumni around the world. 330 members listed Manitoba as their permanent address when they joined, and, of these, 163 currently designate Winnipeg as their place of residence. Alumni whose names appear on the Manitoba list joined Golden Key at various university chapters, such McGill University, University of Saskatchewan, Brandon University, Toronto Metropolitan University, University of Toronto, Dalhousie University, University of Alberta, and others. To date, there are over 94,000 current and alumni Golden Key members from Canadian universities.

Scholarships, Awards and Grants

Golden Key believes in rewarding members for their academic accomplishments, as well as their leadership and service efforts. They award members more than $1,000,000 in scholarships, awards, and grants to pursue specific fields of study and research. Most scholarships are open to all members, with a few exceptions like regional scholarships. Canadian regional scholarships exist, as well as four scholarship categories that are exclusively open to Canadians. In addition to receiving international scholarships, Canadian members receive $25,000 in regional scholarships each year. Canadian members have a long history of winning many of the Golden Key international awards, including a high percentage of the $10,000 graduate scholar awards for graduate school.

Study Abroad Programs

Golden Key makes it easy for its members to study abroad by offering financial assistance and unique opportunities for travel and cultural immersion while earning degree credits.

Continuing Membership

After graduation, Golden Key alumni members are eligible for other select member discounts and promotions. They can also attend alumni events and receptions during regional and international summits.