IQ guide · Practice test
Mensa IQ test: the score you need
Mensa, founded in England in 1946, has one entry rule: a score at or above the 98th percentile on an approved intelligence test. Everything else, from age to education to profession, is irrelevant.
Qualifying scores by test scale
Different tests use different spreads, so the number changes while the percentile stays the same.
| Test scale | Standard deviation | Qualifying score |
|---|---|---|
| Wechsler (WAIS, WISC), Stanford-Binet 5 | 15 | 130 |
| Older Stanford-Binet editions | 16 | 132 |
| Cattell scale | 24 | 148 |
How to qualify
Take Mensa's supervised test. National Mensa groups run proctored sessions, usually in person and sometimes online with a supervisor. You get your result by post or email weeks later.
Submit prior evidence. Many groups accept a qualifying score from an approved test given by a psychologist or school, sometimes from a standardised exam taken for other purposes. Rules vary by country; check your national group.
What the test feels like
Expect timed nonverbal reasoning: matrices where you find the missing piece, series that continue a pattern, figures that rotate or combine. Some versions add vocabulary, analogies and number problems. The pace is the challenge. Most people run out of time before they run out of ideas.
Free practice in the same format
Matrix test — pure pattern reasoning, the core of most admission tests.
Main IQ test — 30 timed questions: matrices, series, analogies and rotations.
Reading your practice result
A practice score of 125 to 135 means you are near the line: a supervised test could go either way. Above 135, the real test is worth booking. Below 120, the 130 cutoff is a long way off, and that says nothing about what you can achieve.
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Start the free IQ test →Questions people ask
What IQ do you need for Mensa?
Mensa admits people who score at or above the 98th percentile on an approved, supervised intelligence test. That is an IQ of 130 on a test with a standard deviation of 15, 132 on a standard deviation of 16, and 148 on the Cattell scale (standard deviation 24).
Can I join Mensa with an online IQ test?
No. Mensa accepts only supervised tests: its own proctored admission test, or a qualifying score on an approved test given by a psychologist or school. An online test is useful practice and a strong signal of whether to book the real one.
What is on the Mensa admission test?
National Mensa groups set their own tests. Most use timed nonverbal reasoning with patterns and matrices, and some add verbal and numerical sections. Questions are hard and the time limit is tight.
How many people qualify for Mensa?
By definition about 2 people in 100: the top 2% of the population on the qualifying test.
Is this an official Mensa test?
No. Geniuses Club is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by Mensa. Our tests use the same type of reasoning items and the same IQ scale, so they show whether your result is near the 130 cutoff.
Mensa is a registered trademark of American Mensa, Ltd. and Mensa International Limited. Geniuses Club is independent and is not affiliated with, endorsed or sponsored by Mensa.
Scores on this page use the modern IQ scale: average 100, standard deviation 15 (Wechsler, Stanford-Binet 5). Online tests give estimates; only a supervised test by a qualified psychologist yields a diagnostic score.