Enquiries and FAQ

This page provides answers to frequently asked questions. If the answer is not here, it will give you a link to the officer who can most likely be of assistance.

If you are using an email program on your computer or phone (eg Outlook, Thunderbird, Apple mail) just click the link, otherwise enter the email address into your web based email program (eg Gmail, Hotmail)

Topics

Click to jump to topic of interest

Website
- Logging in

Joining Mensa
- Testing
- Prior evidence
- Rejoin/Transfer

Membership and Payments
- Renewing your membership
- Changing your membership type
- Updating your details
- Newsletters, magazines and other options

Orders and certificates

Claims and Invoices

Gifted Children

If you have questions not covered by these topics, then you can send an email to info@mensa.org.au

Website

Logging in

You need to log in to the website before you can access the Member centre and some options on the Merchandise and Resources menus. As well as Mensa members, applicants and guests will also have a login.

• Click on the green [Login] button at the right of the menu bar. if you don't have an account click on the yellow [Register] button to create or apply for one.
  
• Your User ID is generally your first name and last name, in lowercase, separated by a full stop, eg john.smith.
• If you have put more than one name in either of those they will be combined without spaces or punctuation. eg John Paul Barrington-Smythe would have user id johnpaul.barringtonsmythe
• Where 2 members have the same name, the second to register with have some numbers added. such as john.smith2. We are happy to change this for you eg j.smith or johnp.smith
• For other questions or requests email itc@mensa.org.au

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Joining Mensa

You can join Australian Mensa by taking our admissions test, providing proof of your IQ using a standard test, rejoining or transferring Mensa membership from another country.

Testing

Admission via a supervised test requires a score in the top 2% in one of 3 measurements we can derive from the test we use.

• Test dates are listed here. Generally these are held in the capital cities and details are posted 1 to 2 months before the test dates. Test sessions are held around the end of February, May, August and November. If there is more than a month before the next test it may be that we have not finalised the time and venue for the tests at this stage.
• Everyone can see the test dates, but you can not book a place for a particular test until you have completed and paid for the Test application. You must still book a place on a specific test session after that.
• Sometimes the number of applicants reaches or exceeds the capacity of the venue. However , there are often last minute cancellations, so if a test is fully booked please contact us to be put on the waiting list. testing@mensa.org.au
• If you have booked but can not attend, please advise us as soon as possible, so that your place can be offered to someone on the waiting list. You can take the test at a later session at no additional cost.
• When you take a test, you are one of about 100 applicants doing one at the same time. It will take our psychologist 4 to 6 weeks to check all tests and enter the results. When she does this for you, you will get an automatic email from our system with your result, so please wait at least 6 weeks before asking us when you will get the results. However, if you have not received anything by 6 weeks please let us know, so we can follow up.
• Our test is a general IQ test which covers both non-verbal (Culture fair), verbal and quantitative aspects of intelligence. A qualifying score can be achieved solely on the Culture fair section, so if English is not your first language you can still qualify.
• Our test is only in English. If you need to be tested in another language, you will need to find a fully registered psychologist who can do this. It may be expensive. You could then apply for admission via prior evidence, but see below for conditions.
• Tests are group administered so we cannot cater for individuals who think they may need extra time due to disabilities.
• People who have taken IQ tests in the last 12 months, including Mensa tests, or who are psychologists must seek permission to sit our test.
• A candidate must be between 10 years to 75 years old to take the test.
• What happens at a test?
  • You will have your ID checked
  • You will be given some scrap paper and a pencil. It is advisable to bring your own pencils, a sharpener and an eraser
  • You will be given a white card, to fill in with your details, and a test answer sheet
  • You will be given the test question booklet
  • There are 6 sections. You will do one section at a time
    • You will be told when to start each section.
    • You are given time to read the example question
    • You will be told when to start answering questions
    • Questions are multiple choice and you answer by filling in a circle on the answering sheet
    • You must stop when the proctor tells you time is up.
    • You must not go back and answer questions from the previous sections and you must not look ahead at questions from the following sections.
  • The test itself takes about 75 minutes
  • Afterwards you have the opportunity to talk to the proctor or other members present or other candidates.
  • Some test venues may have tea/coffee or have a follow up presentation that you can attend.
• For questions not answered about testing, email testing@mensa.org.au

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  Prior evidence

  Admission via prior evidence requires a score in the top 2% in an accepted IQ test administered by a fully registered psychologist.

  • Our current list of accepted tests can be found here. Rarely, we may add a new test, provided it is an IQ test designed to be administered by a psychologist.
  • You must fill in the application form and pay the fee to become a Prior evidence applicant. You will receive an email with links to down load forms and information you need to complete your application.
  • Once you have sent your paper work back to Mensa, it can take 4 to 6 weeks for it to be processed, depending on how easily our psychologist can contact the testing psychologist, how quickly they respond and whether there were supervised tests around the same time. If you haven't had a result by 6 weeks please contact us.
  • Any unsupervised test taken on the Internet will NOT be accepted but may indicate chance of success in our admissions test.
  • Any test administered by a psychology student or a provisionally registered psychologist will NOT be accepted
  • GMAT and similar entrance tests will NOT be accepted, as they do not measure IQ.
  • An accepted test must have been the current version of that test at the time it was taken.
  • A test that meets the criteria can be used for admission even if it was taken years or even decades ago. If the psychologist who gave the test has retired or can't be located, a copy of the official report can be considered.
  • If you have a test result in the top 2% that is rejected for some reason, then it may well be that you can qualify by taking our admission test. (see above)
  • For questions not answered about Prior Evidence email testing@mensa.org.au

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  Rejoining or Transfer of Membership

  People who are or have been members of Mensa in Australia or another country can rejoin or transfer their membership to Australian Mensa

  • If membership is current, your Australian membership will expire at the date your current overseas membership would have expired, up to a maximum of 12 moths. Multi-year and life membership holders will only be allowed 12 months of free membership in Australian Mensa.
  • If your membership has expired, then you will need to pay 12 months membership fees immediately in order to rejoin or transfer to Mensa in Australia
  • We will need to validate your membership. If you have a login on the international website Mensa.org, then this can be done immediately. Otherwise, there may be some delay until your current membership officer has confirmed your details.
  • You must not have been expelled or sanctioned by your current Mensa organisation.
  • For questions not answered about Rejoins/Transfers, email membership@mensa.org.au

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  Membership and Payments

  You need to be logged into the site and then access the member centre in order to access the members options.

  Renewing your membership

  • You will get a reminder that your renewal is due 60, 30 and 7 days before it expires, which is always on the last day of the month.
  • If you have not renewed within 60 days after that you will lose member access to the website and will have to contact us by email to be reinstated.
  • When you log into the member centre and go to membership and payments you should have a renewal button.
  • You can pay via a credit card or indicate that you will send a cheque or money order via the post
  • You can not pay more than 60 days in advance
  • If you have set up a direct debit, you will not have the option to pay by credit card as you would pay twice.
    Direct debits are made about the middle of your renewal month. Your online record is manually updated so there may be some delay before you see your new renewal date on the website.
  • If you have a problem paying please email memsec@mensa.org.au

  Changing your membership type

  • By default members are set up to pay annually via credit card.
  • If you want to set up a direct debit from a bank account you need to fill in a form on the Payments menu AND set up the debit on Westpac's Payway site. Initially you sign up for a variable direct debit, and this is changed to the appropriate membership scheme and the debit date set.
  • Members may be assigned a discount category. For under 18s and over 75s this is automatic. Otherwise a copy of a student or Centrelink card must be sent to office@mensa.org.au
  • Under 18 members who undertake further education should change to Concession type and send proof as above. Otherwise they will be changed to a full member type.
  • Members who complete their studies or are no longer receiving Centrelink payments, should change to Full membership. Such proof is required each year on renewal. Aged and Invalid pensioners need only supply proof once.
  • Additional family member living with another (the prime) member get a discounted fee but no individual copy of the magazine. If they no longer live with the prime member, they should change to a full or concession membership and get their own magazine. If one member of a household would normally pay full fees they must be the prime member.

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  Updating your details

  • You can change your address, email and phone details your self. Please do this rather than emailing us and asking us to do it.

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  Newsletters, magazines and other options

  There are a number of other options in the membership and payments menu where you can update your preferences yourself.

  • Which newsletters you wish to receive by email, including those from other states.
  • Indicate your communication preferences, which phone number etc you prefer us to use
  • What should show in the Current Membership List (CML)
  • What should show on the member and professional Maps
  • If you wish to opt out of printed copies of the magazine, you will need to email membership@mensa.org.au

  For any other questions on your membership please email membership@mensa.org.au

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  Orders and certificates

  Merchandise orders including Membership certificates and IQ reports are usually done in a batch once or twice each month.

  • Do not expect to receive your order within a few days, especially if you are not in Perth, where our office is located.
  • Do contact us if you have not received your order or an email after 4 -6 weeks. orders@mensa.org.au
  • Do not complain on Facebook, they can't help.
  • Sometimes we are out of stock or waiting for information from other officers or the psychologist.
  • Sometimes your order has been sent, but you did not update your address in our database when you moved.

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  Claims and Invoices

  We try to pay claims within 7 days and and invoices before the due date.

  • Sometimes there may be a delay due to our daily payment limits, or you may receive several part payments over a number of days.
  • If your invoice is more than 2 weeks over due please email us
  • If you have submitted an expense claim and have not been paid after 4 weeks please email us
  • Your claim may be delayed or denied if you have not filled in your claim form correctly and attached tax invoice or other proof of payment for all items or if it is not for an approved expense.
  • Queries on unpaid claims or invoices should be emailed to claims@mensa.org.au

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  Gifted Children

  Australian Mensa is supportive of gifted children. We encourage parents to join their children if they have a qualifying IQ test. If they are 10 years or older they can take our admissions test, which is considerably cheaper than getting an individual IQ test.

  • Child members have the same rights and privileges as adult members, although they may be restricted at some events due to alcohol or other aspects.
  • Child members make up more than 30% of our membership.
  • Special events for Children and families are organised on a regular basis. We try to have a Gifted Children's Coordinator in each state.
  • These events give your child the opportunity to meet and mix with other gifted children.
  • We have a Facebook group for parents of child members
  • There are also information papers on various topics on this website as well as general information on the Gifted Children menu.
  • Each year we award a significant number of Grants to Gifted Children. These are open to non members as well. Applications close in September.
  • We may also be able to offer advice or direct you to services for your child. Email giftedchildren@mensa.org.au